Ecological consequences of human niche construction: Examining long-term anthropogenic shaping of global species distributions

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Год журнала: 2016, Номер 113(23), С. 6388 - 6396

Опубликована: Июнь 6, 2016

The exhibition of increasingly intensive and complex niche construction behaviors through time is a key feature human evolution, culminating in the advanced capacity for ecosystem engineering exhibited by Homo sapiens . A crucial outcome such has been dramatic reshaping global biosphere, transformation whose early origins are apparent from cumulative archaeological paleoecological datasets. Such data suggest that, Late Pleistocene, humans had begun to engage activities that have led alterations distributions vast array species across most, if not all, taxonomic groups. Changes biodiversity included extinctions, extirpations, shifts composition, diversity, community structure. We outline examples these changes, highlighting findings study new datasets, like ancient DNA (aDNA), stable isotopes, microfossils, as well application statistical computational methods datasets accumulated significantly recent decades. focus on four major phases witnessed broad anthropogenic biodiversity—the Pleistocene expansion, Neolithic spread agriculture, era island colonization, emergence urbanized societies commercial networks. Archaeological evidence documents millennia transformations created novel ecosystems around world. This record implications ecological evolutionary research, conservation strategies, maintenance services, pointing significant need broader cross-disciplinary engagement between archaeology biological environmental sciences.

Язык: Английский

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Human–Wildlife Conflict and Coexistence

Annual Review of Environment and Resources, Год журнала: 2016, Номер 41(1), С. 143 - 171

Опубликована: Сен. 12, 2016

Human interactions with wildlife are a defining experience of human existence. These can be positive or negative. People compete for food and resources, have eradicated dangerous species; co-opted domesticated valuable applied wide range social, behavioral, technical approaches to reduce negative wildlife. This conflict has led the extinction reduction numerous species uncountable deaths economic losses. Recent advances in our understanding growing number conservation coexistence outcomes. I summarize synthesize factors that contribute conflict, mitigate encourage coexistence, emerging trends debates. Fertile areas scholarship include scale complexity, models scenarios, generalizable patterns, expanding boundaries what is considered using new tools technologies, information sharing collaboration, implications global change. The time may ripe identify field, anthrotherology, brings together scholars practitioners from different disciplinary perspectives address human–wildlife coexistence.

Язык: Английский

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Vertebrates on the brink as indicators of biological annihilation and the sixth mass extinction

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 117(24), С. 13596 - 13602

Опубликована: Июнь 1, 2020

Significance The ongoing sixth mass extinction may be the most serious environmental threat to persistence of civilization, because it is irreversible. Thousands populations critically endangered vertebrate animal species have been lost in a century, indicating that human caused and accelerating. acceleration crisis certain still fast growth numbers consumption rates. In addition, are links ecosystems, and, as they fall out, interact with likely go also. regions where disappearing concentrated, regional biodiversity collapses occurring. Our results reemphasize extreme urgency taking massive global actions save humanity’s crucial life-support systems.

Язык: Английский

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Scientists' warning to humanity on insect extinctions

Biological Conservation, Год журнала: 2020, Номер 242, С. 108426 - 108426

Опубликована: Фев. 1, 2020

Here we build on the manifesto 'World Scientists' Warning to Humanity, issued by Alliance of World Scientists. As a group conservation biologists deeply concerned about decline insect populations, here review what know drivers extinctions, their consequences, and how extinctions can negatively impact humanity. We are causing driving habitat loss, degradation, fragmentation, use polluting harmful substances, spread invasive species, global climate change, direct overexploitation, co-extinction species dependent other species. With lose much more than abundance biomass insects, diversity across space time with consequent homogenization, large parts tree life, unique ecological functions traits, fundamental extensive networks biotic interactions. Such losses lead key ecosystem services which humanity depends. From pollination decomposition, being resources for new medicines, quality indication many others, insects provide essential irreplaceable services. appeal urgent action close knowledge gaps curb extinctions. An investment in research programs that generate local, regional strategies counter this trend is essential. Solutions available implementable, but needed now match our intentions.

Язык: Английский

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Linking the influence and dependence of people on biodiversity across scales

Nature, Год журнала: 2017, Номер 546(7656), С. 65 - 72

Опубликована: Май 30, 2017

Язык: Английский

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