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Measuring and Mapping Patterns of Soil Erosion and Deposition Related to Soil Carbonate Concentrations Under Agricultural Management
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Global consequences of land use.

Jonathan A Foley1, Ruth Defries, Gregory P Asner

  • 1Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE), University of Wisconsin, 1710 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53726, USA. jfoley@wisc.edu

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|July 26, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Global land use change, driven by human needs, is impacting ecosystems worldwide. Managing these changes is crucial for balancing immediate demands with the long-term health of the biosphere.

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Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Global Ecology
  • Sustainability Science

Background:

  • Land use change is increasingly recognized as a global environmental issue, not just a local one.
  • Human activities, driven by the need for resources like food and shelter for over six billion people, are altering forests, farmlands, and waterways globally.
  • Expansion of croplands, pastures, plantations, and urban areas has led to increased consumption of energy, water, and fertilizers, alongside significant biodiversity loss.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To highlight the global significance of land use change.
  • To examine the consequences of expanding human land use on planetary resources and ecosystem services.
  • To frame the challenge of balancing human needs with the biosphere's long-term capacity.

Main Methods:

  • This study is primarily a synthesis and analysis of existing knowledge on global land use change.
  • It reviews trends in land use expansion and associated resource consumption and biodiversity impacts.
  • The research synthesizes the implications of these changes for ecosystem functions and services.

Main Results:

  • Global land use has expanded significantly, increasing demands on planetary resources.
  • Associated increases in resource consumption and biodiversity loss are evident worldwide.
  • Human appropriation of Earth's resources through land use change potentially compromises ecosystem services.

Conclusions:

  • Land use change is a major driver of global environmental shifts with profound implications.
  • There is a critical need to manage the trade-offs between immediate human requirements and the preservation of essential ecosystem services.
  • Sustainable land management is essential for maintaining the biosphere's capacity to support life in the long term.