Combating ecosystem collapse from the tropics to the Antarctic

Dana M Bergstrom^{1

2}, Barbara C Wienecke¹, John van den Hoff¹, Lesley Hughes³, David B Lindenmayer⁴, Tracy D Ainsworth⁵, Christopher M Baker^{6

7

8}, Lucie Bland⁹, David M J S Bowman¹⁰, Shaun T Brooks¹¹, Josep G Canadell¹², Andrew J Constable¹³, Katherine A Dafforn³, Michael H Depledge¹⁴, Catherine R Dickson¹⁵, Norman C Duke¹⁶, Kate J Helmstedt¹⁷, Andrés Holz¹⁸, Craig R Johnson¹¹, Melodie A McGeoch¹⁵, Jessica Melbourne-Thomas^{13

19}, Rachel Morgain⁴, Emily Nicholson²⁰, Suzanne M Prober²¹, Ben Raymond^{1

11}, Euan G Ritchie²⁰, Sharon A Robinson^{2

22}, Katinka X Ruthrof^{23

24}, Samantha A Setterfield²⁵, Carla M Sgrò¹⁵, Jonathan S Stark¹, Toby Travers¹¹, Rowan Trebilco^{13

19}, Delphi F L Ward¹¹, Glenda M Wardle²⁶, Kristen J Williams²⁷, Phillip J Zylstra^{22

28}, Justine D Shaw²⁹

Affiliations

¹ Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Kingston, Tas., Australia.
² Global Challenges Program, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
³ Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁴ Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
⁵ School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia.
⁶ School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., Australia.
⁷ Melbourne Centre for Data Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., Australia.
⁸ Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., Australia.
⁹ Eureka Publishing, Thornbury, Vic., Australia.
¹⁰ School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tas., Australia.
¹¹ Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Battery Point, Tas., Australia.
¹² Climate Science Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Black Mountain, ACT, Australia.
¹³ Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Battery Point, Tas., Australia.
¹⁴ European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Truro, UK.
¹⁵ School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Vic., Australia.
¹⁶ Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia.
¹⁷ School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
¹⁸ Department of Geography, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA.
¹⁹ Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Oceans and Atmosphere, Battery Point, Tas., Australia.
²⁰ Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Vic., Australia.
²¹ Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Land and Water, Wembley, WA, Australia.
²² Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
²³ Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kensington, WA, Australia.
²⁴ Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia.
²⁵ School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
²⁶ School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
²⁷ Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
²⁸ School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia.
²⁹ School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, Australia.

PMID: 33629799
DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15539

Combating ecosystem collapse from the tropics to the Antarctic

Dana M Bergstrom et al. Glob Chang Biol. 2021 May.

. 2021 May;27(9):1692-1703.

doi: 10.1111/gcb.15539. Epub 2021 Feb 25.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Kingston, Tas., Australia.
² Global Challenges Program, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
³ Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁴ Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
⁵ School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia.
⁶ School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., Australia.
⁷ Melbourne Centre for Data Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., Australia.
⁸ Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., Australia.
⁹ Eureka Publishing, Thornbury, Vic., Australia.
¹⁰ School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tas., Australia.
¹¹ Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Battery Point, Tas., Australia.
¹² Climate Science Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Black Mountain, ACT, Australia.
¹³ Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Battery Point, Tas., Australia.
¹⁴ European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Truro, UK.
¹⁵ School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Vic., Australia.
¹⁶ Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia.
¹⁷ School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
¹⁸ Department of Geography, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA.
¹⁹ Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Oceans and Atmosphere, Battery Point, Tas., Australia.
²⁰ Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Vic., Australia.
²¹ Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Land and Water, Wembley, WA, Australia.
²² Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
²³ Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kensington, WA, Australia.
²⁴ Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia.
²⁵ School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
²⁶ School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
²⁷ Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
²⁸ School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia.
²⁹ School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, Australia.

PMID: 33629799
DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15539

Abstract

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 km² , 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.

Keywords: adaptive management; climate change; ecosystem collapse; human impacts; pressures.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

REFERENCES

1. Allen, M., Babiker, M., Chen, Y., de Coninck, H., Connors, S., van Diemen, R., Dube, O. P., Ebi, K. L., Engelbrecht, F., Zickfeld, K. (2018). Summary for policymakers. In V. Masson-Delmotte, P. Zhai, H.-O. Pörtner, D. Roberts, J. Skea, P. R. Shukla, A. Pirani, W. Moufouma-Okia, C. Péan, R. Pidcock, S. Connors, J. B. R. Matthews, Y. Chen, X. Zhou, M. I. Gomis, E. Lonnoy, T. Maycock, M. Tignor, & T. Waterfield (Eds.), Global warming of 1.5°C. An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty. International Panel for Climate Change. Retrieved from https://www.ipcc.ch/site/assets/uploads/sites/2/2019/05/SR15_SPM_version....
1. Aplet, G. H., & McKinley, P. S. (2017). A portfolio approach to managing ecological risks of global change. Ecosystem Health and Sustainability, 3(2), e01261. https://doi.org/10.1002/ehs.1261
1. Arias-Ortiz, A., Serrano, O., Masqué, P., Lavery, P. S., Mueller, U., Kendrick, G. A., Rozaimi, M., Esteban, A., Fourqurean, J. W., Marbà, N., Mateo, M. A., Murray, K., Rule, M. J., & Duarte, C. M. (2018). A marine heatwave drives massive losses from the world's largest seagrass carbon stocks. Nature Climate Change, 8(4), 338-344. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41558-018-0096-y
1. Arneth, A., Barbosa, H., Benton, T., Calvin, K., Calvo, E., Connors, S., & Zommers, Z. (2019). Summary for policymakers. In Climate change and land. IPCC Special Report on climate change, desertification, land degradation, sustainable land management, food security, and greenhouse gas fluxes in terrestrial ecosystems. IPCC. https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/
1. Biggs, R., Peterson, G. D., & Rocha, J. C. (2018). The Regime Shifts Database: A framework for analyzing regime shifts in social-ecological systems. Ecology and Society, 23(3), 9. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-10264-230309

MeSH terms

Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources
- Ovid Technologies, Inc.
- Wiley
Other Literature Sources
- scite Smart Citations

Save citation to file

Email citation

Add to Collections

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search

Create a file for external citation management software

Your RSS Feed

Combating ecosystem collapse from the tropics to the Antarctic

Affiliations

Combating ecosystem collapse from the tropics to the Antarctic

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

References

REFERENCES

MeSH terms

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Other Literature Sources