scholarly journals Landscape degradation in the world and in Hungary

2019 ◽  
pp. 201-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ádám Kertész ◽  
Josef Křeček
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Global Environmental Change ◽  
Forest Degradation ◽  
Soil Sealing ◽  
Landscape Degradation ◽  
Degradation Processes ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Landscape Ecological ◽  
Physical Degradation

The concept of landscape degradation interprets the process in landscape ecological sense, i.e. the degradation of one landscape forming factor leads to the degradation of the whole landscape. The consequence is a persistent decline in land productivity and in the provision of other ecosystem services. Global environmental change is driven mainly by human influence in the Anthropocene with an exponentially growing significance in time. Global environmental processes are very much interrelated. Because of population growth more food, fibre, clean water, energy etc. will be needed and there are two ways to achieve this, either to gain new areas for cultivation by changing present land use or to intensify cultivation in the areas with the best conditions for cultivation. Deforestation and forest degradation are dealt with in detail in the paper. The introduction of soil degradation processes follows the system given in the EEA Environmental Assessment Report (2003). The effect of landscape degradation on ecosystem services is well explained by the fact that approximately 20 per cent of the Earth’s vegetated surface shows persistent declining trends in productivity, mainly as a result of land/water use and management practices (UNCCD 2017). Landscape degradation processes of Hungary are discussed in the paper, including sheet, gully and wind erosion, soil sealing, salinization, physical degradation, landslides, desertification. An estimation of the aesthetical value of the landscape is provided as well concluding that the surface of the country represents a relatively high aesthetical value. The main conclusion is that Hungarian landscapes are well maintained and they belong to the most precious European landscapes. It should be added that all degradation processes represent important environmental problems to be combatted on the basis of a well-established policy making.

scholarly journals Ecological illiteracy can deepen farmers' pesticide dependency

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kris Wyckhuys ◽  
KL Heong ◽  
Francisco Sanchez-Bayo ◽  
Felix Bianchi ◽  
Jonathan Lundgren ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Global Environmental Change ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Ecological Literacy ◽  
Ecological Concepts ◽  
Knowledge Intensive

Over 2.5 billion smallholders cultivate the world’s arable land, strategically positioned to tackle multiple Anthropocene challenges. When consciously adopting ecologically-based pest management practices, they can improve resource use efficiency, slow biodiversity loss, resolve environmental pollution and safeguard human health. Yet, the effective implementation of knowledge-intensive management practices requires underlying ecological concepts to be well-understood. Here, drawing upon published social science research spanning 1910-2016, we illuminate deficiencies in the world’s farmers’ ecological literacy and in their valuation of insect-mediated ecosystem services. Though tribal people and indigenous folk possess sophisticated knowledge of insects that occur within farm settings, contemporary farmers know a mere 2.0 pestiferous herbivores and 0.8 pest-killing organisms (out of a respective 8 and 3 taxa). Ecosystem services such as biological control are annually worth hundreds of dollars ha-1 but remain unknown to nearly 70% of farmers globally. Also, agricultural systems with deficient ecological literacy tend to foster a greater dependency upon chemically-synthesized pesticides. If this ‘cognitive handicap’ can be remediated, farmers could become biodiversity stewards and champions in redressing multiple aspects of global environmental change.

scholarly journals Mountains as a Global Heritage: Arguments for Conserving the Natural Diversity of Mountain Regions

Heritage ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 198-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abhik Chakraborty
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Environmental Change ◽  
Global Environmental Change ◽  
Global Level ◽  
Mountain Area ◽  
Mountain Environments ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Working Together ◽  
Natural Diversity ◽  
To Come

This concise review posits the urgent need for conserving the natural diversity of mountain environments by envisioning mountains as a global natural heritage. Mountains are recognized as cradles of biodiversity and for their important ecosystem services. Mountains also constitute the second most popular outdoor destination category at the global level after islands and beaches. However, in the current age of accelerating global environmental change, mountain systems face unprecedented change in their ecological characteristics, and consequent effects will extend to the millions who depend directly on ecosystem services from mountains. Moreover, growing tourism is putting fragile mountain ecosystems under increasing stress. This situation requires scientists and mountain area management stakeholders to come together in order to protect mountains as a global heritage. By underlining the salient natural diversity characteristics of mountains and their relevance for understanding global environmental change, this critical review argues that it is important to appreciate both biotic and abiotic diversity features of mountains in order to create a notion of mountains as a shared heritage for humanity. Accordingly, the development of soft infrastructure that can communicate the essence of mountain destinations and a committed network of scientists and tourism scholars working together at the global level are required for safeguarding this shared heritage.

scholarly journals Special Issue: Environmental Flows, Ecological Quality, and Ecosystem Services

Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 2760
Author(s):  
Carles Ibáñez
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Invasive Species ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Environmental Change ◽  
Environmental Flows ◽  
Global Environmental Change ◽  
Water Withdrawal ◽  
Ecological Quality ◽  
Special Issue ◽  
Global Environmental

Global environmental change is greatly disturbing rivers and estuaries by a number of stressors, among which water withdrawal, damming, pollution, invasive species, and climate change are the most worrying [...]

Vulnerable populations, health inequalities, and nature

2018 ◽  
pp. 182-188
Author(s):  
Richard Mitchell ◽  
Julia Africa ◽  
Alan Logan
Keyword(s):  
Social Justice ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Environmental Change ◽  
Health Inequalities ◽  
Vulnerable Populations ◽  
Global Environmental Change ◽  
First Century ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Vulnerable People ◽  
Over Time

Vulnerable people are those whose characteristics and settings tend to render them less able to stay healthy and well. We assert that access to and use of nature plays a key role in reducing health inequalities stemming from vulnerability. First, we explore ways in which vulnerability might affect the likelihood of beneficial contact with nature. Second, we explore the idea that the health benefits of contact with nature may be greater for more vulnerable populations than for others, as an additional avenue for reducing health inequalities. Third, we consider changes in our relationships with nature over time, and their potential implications both for vulnerability and health. We conclude by noting that the burdens of global environmental change fall disproportionately on those considered vulnerable. Equitable access to nature and ecosystem services to support health and maintain resilience is a critical horizon for social justice in the twenty-first century.

scholarly journals Ecological illiteracy can deepen farmers' pesticide dependency

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kris Wyckhuys ◽  
KL Heong ◽  
Francisco Sanchez-Bayo ◽  
Felix Bianchi ◽  
Jonathan Lundgren ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Arable Land ◽  
Global Environmental Change ◽  
Social Science Research ◽  
Science Research ◽  
Biodiversity Loss ◽  
Ecological Literacy ◽  
Ecological Concepts ◽  
Knowledge Intensive

Over 2.5 billion smallholders cultivate the world’s arable land, strategically positioned to tackle multiple Anthropocene challenges. When consciously adopting ecologically-based pest management practices, they can improve resource use efficiency, slow biodiversity loss, resolve environmental pollution and safeguard human health. Yet, the effective implementation of knowledge-intensive management practices requires underlying ecological concepts to be well-understood. Here, drawing upon published social science research spanning 1910-2016, we illuminate deficiencies in the world’s farmers’ ecological literacy and in their valuation of insect-mediated ecosystem services. Though tribal people and indigenous folk possess sophisticated knowledge of insects that occur within farm settings, contemporary farmers know a mere 2.0 pestiferous herbivores and 0.8 pest-killing organisms (out of a respective 8 and 3 taxa). Ecosystem services such as biological control are annually worth hundreds of dollars ha-1 but remain unknown to nearly 70% of farmers globally. Also, agricultural systems with deficient ecological literacy tend to foster a greater dependency upon chemically-synthesized pesticides. If this ‘cognitive handicap’ can be remediated, farmers could become biodiversity stewards and champions in redressing multiple aspects of global environmental change.

Functional shifts in natural forests under environmental change over the last 65 years are faster in colder regions

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masumi Hisano ◽  
Han Chen ◽  
Xinli Chen ◽  
Masahiro Ryo
Keyword(s):  
Drought Tolerance ◽  
Environmental Change ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Global Environmental Change ◽  
Functional Composition ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
Functional Responses ◽  
Global Environmental ◽  
Global Environmental Changes

Abstract Global environmental changes have significantly impacted plant diversity and composition over many decades. Maintaining biodiversity and composition is critical for sustainability of ecosystem functioning and related services. While global environmental changes have modified plant species and functional compositions in forest ecosystems, it remains unclear how temporal shifts in functional composition differ across regions and biomes. Utilizing extensive spatial and long-term forest inventory data (17,107 plots monitored 1951–2016) across Canada, we found that functional composition shifted toward fast-growing deciduous broadleaved trees and higher drought tolerance over time; notably, this functional shift was more rapid in colder regions. Further analysis revealed that the functional composition of colder plots shifted toward drought tolerance more rapidly with rising CO2 than warmer plots, which suggests the vulnerability of the functional composition of colder plots against global environmental changes. Future ecosystem management practices should consider spatial differences in functional responses to global environmental change, with particular attention to colder plots that experience higher rates of warming and compositional changes.

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