Combating Ecosystem Collapse from the Tropics to the Antarctic

• Main Authors: Bergstrom, Dana M, Wienecke, Barbara C, van den Hoff, John, Hughes, Lesley, Lindenmayer, David B, Ainsworth, Tracy D, Baker, Christopher M, Bland, Lucie, Bowman, David M J S, Brooks, Shaun T, Canadell, Josep G, Constable, Andrew J, Dafforn, Katherine A, Depledge, Michael H, Dickson, Catherine R, Duke, Norman C, Helmstedt, Kate J, Holz, Andrés
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: PDXScholar 2021
• Subjects: Global environmental change; Ecological disturbances; Environmental disasters; Climatic changes; Adaptive natural resource management; Biodiversity; Global warming; Environmental protection; Geography; Antarctic; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/geog_fac/191; https://pdxscholar.library.pdx.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1196&context=geog_fac

Globally, collapse of ecosystems-potentially irreversible change to ecosystem structure, composition and function-imperils biodiversity, human health and well-being. We examine the current state and recent trajectories of 19 ecosystems, spanning 58° of latitude across 7.7 M km , from Australia's coral reefs to terrestrial Antarctica. Pressures from global climate change and regional human impacts, occurring as chronic 'presses' and/or acute 'pulses', drive ecosystem collapse. Ecosystem responses to 5-17 pressures were categorised as four collapse profiles-abrupt, smooth, stepped and fluctuating. The manifestation of widespread ecosystem collapse is a stark warning of the necessity to take action. We present a three-step assessment and management framework (3As Pathway Awareness, Anticipation and Action) to aid strategic and effective mitigation to alleviate further degradation to help secure our future.