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There have been five major extinction events throughout geological history, resulting in the elimination of biodiversity, followed by a rebound of species that adapted to the new conditions. In the current geological epoch, the Holocene, there is a sixth extinction event in progress. This mass extinction has been attributed to human activities and is thus provisionally called the Anthropocene. In 2019 the human population reached 7.7 billion people and is projected to comprise 10 billion by...

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Prospecting Microbial Strains for Bioremediation and Probiotics Development for Metaorganism Research and Preservation

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Ecological complexity and the biosphere: the next 30 years.

Ricard Solé^1,2,3, Simon Levin^3,4

¹ICREA-Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Dr Aiguader 80, Barcelona 08003, Spain.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences

|June 27, 2022

Summary

Biodiversity loss threatens ecosystems. This study explores interventions like afforestation and bioengineering to restore ecosystem resilience and prevent collapse by 2050.

Keywords:

biodiversity bioengineering climate change ecological networks restoration tipping points

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Area of Science:

Ecology
Environmental Science
Conservation Biology

Background:

Global warming, habitat loss, and overexploitation are causing significant biodiversity declines.
Ecosystems are complex adaptive systems prone to abrupt shifts and tipping points.
Human activities are increasingly intertwined with ecological networks, necessitating novel approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore recent approaches for sensing, preserving, and restoring ecosystem resilience.
To review proposed interventions aimed at mitigating or reversing ecosystem collapse.
To project potential solutions within a 30-year timeframe, using 2050 as a future horizon.

Main Methods:

Review of recent scientific literature on ecosystem resilience and biodiversity.
Analysis of mathematical and computational models predicting ecosystem tipping points.
Exploration of various intervention strategies, including afforestation and bioengineering.

Main Results:

Identified key drivers of biodiversity decline and ecosystem instability.
Highlighted the critical role of biodiversity in maintaining community resilience and ecosystem services.
Evaluated the potential effectiveness of diverse interventions in preventing ecosystem collapse.

Conclusions:

Novel theoretical and engineering approaches are crucial for managing endangered ecological networks.
Proactive strategies are needed to mitigate, counterbalance, or prevent ecosystem tipping points.
Interventions must consider multiple scales, from cellular to human-environment systems, to be effective.