LIFESCI 2H03 Lecture 8: LifeSci2H03 - Global Biodiversity Outlook.pdf
14 Oct 2014
School
Department
Course
Professor
March 20th, 2013
Life Sci 2H03: Environmental Life Sciences
Global Biodiversity Outlook
What is the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MEA)?
- called for by the UN Secreatary-General Kofi Annan in 2000
- objective of the MEA was to assess:
contribution of ecosystems to human well-being
consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being
scientific basis to enhance their sustainable use
based on a collective of studies done before
published in 2005
Ecosystem Services in Decline
- ecosystem provide fresh water
- pollination
- capacity of agricultural systems to provide food for everyone with processes
such as desertification leading to less land to produce crops
Healthy Ecosystems: Foundation for Human Well-Being
- ecosystem with low biodiversity: ability to provide a natural flow of energy is
embedded when a specie disappear
- in terms of the ability of the planet to filter our pollution: providing water
and ability of the ecosystem to accommodate increasing word population
- with increasing needs and population creating pressure on the ecosystem
- started in the 18th century
- particularly in the developing countries
- increasing demand for food
- pressures are drivers of change , implications
- we can generate models of what is happening in terms of the changes and
what are the impacts on biodiversity
- impacts on ecosystem services leads to more socioeconomic changes
- feedback that is happening
- what can be done at the socioeconomic level that would mediate the impacts
on biodiversity and ecosystem services
Consumption of Resources and Humanity’s Growing Footprint
- increasing
- we have exceed the capacity of our planet to provide these services
- unequal distribution on demand of humans
- some controls are using far less of their share
- exceeded by about 20% of what the planet is actually able to provide
- by increasing demographic pressure and the levels of consumption is leading
to a decrease in biodiversity and the ability of ecosystems to provide goods
we depend on
- impact on different drivers on biodiversity
- at the rate the drivers are modifying, in the future we see a very rapid
increase of the impact
- even the most remote systems are impacted
Biodiversity Loss: Disrupts Ecosystem Functions
- ecosystems more vulnerable to:
shocks and disturbances
less resilient
cannot provide the society with the necessary resources
- damage from floods are more severe
Loss of Wetlands in Mississippi Basin
- as wetlands disappear, the amount of nitrogen being discharge has been
increasing
- same effect in phosphorous
- impact of hurricane Katrina
- as a result the fisheries in the Golf of Mexico are collapsing
- low oxygen dead zone
Loss of Primary Forest since 2000
- 6 million hectares/year
- net losses encountered in South America and Africa
- restoration programs successful in Asia and Europe
- North America has not seen any difference
High Rates of Change in Forest Cover
Document Summary
What is the millennium ecosystem assessment (mea)? called for by the un secreatary-general kofi annan in 2000. Objective of the mea was to assess: Consequences of ecosystem change for human well-being. Scientific basis to enhance their sustainable use. Based on a collective of studies done before. Pollination capacity of agricultural systems to provide food for everyone with processes such as desertification leading to less land to produce crops. With increasing needs and population creating pressure on the ecosystem. Pressures are drivers of change , implications. We can generate models of what is happening in terms of the changes and increasing demand for food what are the impacts on biodiversity impacts on ecosystem services leads to more socioeconomic changes feedback that is happening. What can be done at the socioeconomic level that would mediate the impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Consumption of resources and humanity"s growing footprint increasing. We have exceed the capacity of our planet to provide these services.
