絶滅の危機にある生物多様性の機能
Shahid Naeem1, J Emmett Duffy, Erika Zavaleta
1Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, USA. sn2121@columbia.edu
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|June 16, 2012
まとめ
地球の生態系は,人間の活動によって生物多様性を失っています. これらの発見を生物多様性の損失を軽減するための実践的な環境ソリューションに適用するには,さらなる研究が必要です.
科学分野:
- エコロジー エコロジー エコロジー
- 保護生物学の保護生物学
- 環境科学 環境科学
背景:
- 生態系は,分類的,系統的,遺伝的,機能的多様性の急速な喪失に直面しています.
- 資源の占有,生息地の改変,気候変動などの人間の活動が主な原動力である.
- 侵襲性種や国内種が広がり,生物多様性の減少をさらに悪化させている.
研究 の 目的:
- 生物学的貧困とその生態学的影響に関する現在の研究状況を評価する.
- 生物多様性研究を生態系の複雑性と実用的な応用と結びつける際の境界線を特定する.
- 生物多様性喪失とその影響に対処するための予測科学の可能性を探求する.
主な方法:
- 生物多様性の減少に関する20年間の理論的および実証的研究のレビュー.
- 生物学的貧困と生態系の特性との関連を分析する.
- 環境問題に対する現在の研究の適用性の評価.
主要な成果:
- 生物学的貧困は,生態系の生地化学的および動的性質を大幅に変化させます.
- 生物多様性研究を自然の複雑性と応用された環境課題と結びつけるには,ギャップが存在します.
- 現在の進歩は,生物多様性の損失を予測する科学には不十分かもしれない.
結論:
- 広範な研究にもかかわらず,生物多様性科学を現実世界の環境問題に適用する上で重要な課題が残っています.
- 効果的な緩和と適応戦略のために,予防原則から予測科学への移行が必要である.
- 生物多様性と生態系機能の保全のための具体的な解決策を提示するために,さらなる開発が必要です.
関連する概念動画
01:50Threats to Biodiversity
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...
01:19What is Biodiversity?
Biodiversity describes the variety of living things at multiple organizational levels: genetic, species and ecosystem diversity. Species diversity includes all branches of the evolutionary tree from single-celled prokaryotic organisms, bacteria, and archaea, to the eukaryotic kingdoms: plants; animals; fungi; and protists. To date, there have been about 1.75 million species identified, and new species are discovered every week.
01:57What is Conservation Biology?
Conservation biology is a scientific field that focuses on the preservation of biodiversity in order to protect ecosystems while meeting the needs of the human population. Humans require properly functioning ecosystems to maintain our supply of natural resources, including food, medicines, and building materials.
01:24Biodiversity and Human Values
Human civilization relies on biodiversity in many ways. Sudden changes in species biodiversity result in environmental changes that can modify weather patterns and therefore human civilizations.
02:55The Evidence for Evolution
Genetic variations accumulating within populations over generations give rise to biological evolution. Evolutionary changes can result in the formation of novel varieties and entire new species. These changes are responsible for the diverse forms of life inhabiting the planet. The evidence for evolution suggests that all living organisms descended from common ancestors.
02:07Conservation of Declining Populations
Conservation of declining population focuses on ways of detecting, diagnosing, and halting a population decline. The approach uses methods to prevent populations from going extinct.