Introduction to Ecosystem Services

Question 1

What is ecology?

Answer 1

• The study of organisms in relation to their environment
• Encompasses a range of disciplines since the functioning of an organism in its environment is determined by its genetics, structure and physiology, and also by its behaviour
• The study and management of ecosystems represent the most dynamic field of contemporary ecology

Question 2

What is ecosystem science?

Answer 2

• Ecosystem research bridges fundamental ecology and environmental ecology and environmental problem-solving
• Ecosystem science is a well-established and rapidly growing multidisciplinary field characterised by issues that span boundaries of scales, disciplines and perspective

Question 3

What are 21st century challenges?

Answer 3

The world faces very serious challenges many of which are environmental problems, or challenges where ecology plays a vital role in possible solutions

Question 4

How can we solve 21st century challenges?

Answer 4

To solve these big problems the world needs people who understand the range of issues; how they relate to each other; and how they are based on underlying principles of ecosystem science

Question 5

What is the perfect storm?

Answer 5

2009 report

• By 2030 not just independent problems
• Problems will cumulate and become much larger
• Society does not deal with these issues well and will put a strain on systems e.g. agriculture

Question 6

How much is food demand meant to increase by 2030?

Answer 6

50%

FAO

Question 7

How much is energy demand meant to increase by 2030?

Answer 7

50%
(IEA)
- increased need for food is larger than increased pop.

Question 8

How much is water demand meant to increase by 2030?

Answer 8

30%

IFPRI

Question 9

How large is the population meant to be by 2043?

Answer 9

33% increase to 9 billion

- increased pop. fits with the perfect storm

Question 10

What kind of planet do we have?

Answer 10

Heterogenous planet – change in population will be different across the planet

Question 11

What is important to consider in terms of changing agriculture?

Answer 11

Does an area have the right abiotic features to fit the change in agriculture needed for change in population e.g. Asia and Africa

Question 12

What is happening to the global population?

Answer 12

Population is becoming more urban – less people farming to produce the food needed to support growing population

Question 13

What is happening to diets?

Answer 13

Becoming more westernised – Asia especially people are eating more meat – fast food

Question 14

What will happen to meat consumption?

Answer 14

75% increase in meat consumption by 2050

Question 15

What is predicted to happen to arable land?

Answer 15

Will decrease per person

• 2000 = 6.1 billion pop with 0.25 ha
• 2050 = 9 billion pop. with 0.16 ha

Question 16

How much arable land is there?

Answer 16

The arable land on the earth is ~3% or 1.5 billion ha

Question 17

What will happen to land in terms of food production?

Answer 17

Limited land – need to be more efficient with the land

Question 18

What effect will climate change have on agriculture?

Answer 18

• More extreme events e.g. droughts

- Majority of globe will see negative impacts on food production

Question 19

What is predicted to happen in terms of water stress?

Answer 19

• More extreme events e.g. droughts
• More polluted water supply
• Increased water stress
• Particularly bad in northern and eastern Africa and SE Asia

Question 20

What is the main question in terms of water stress?

Answer 20

Ho to we manage fluctuating water supplies to ensure there is enough for the population?

Question 21

What is important to know about ecology and economy?

Answer 21

• They are linked

- One impacts the other and vice versa

Question 22

What is important about food and energy security?

Answer 22

• They must not oppose each other
• Land has to come for somewhere to provide biofuel and resources – comes from land that could be used for food production

Question 23

What is the outline of The Dasgupta Review?

Answer 23

1. Humanity must ensure its demands on nature do not exceed its sustainable supply
2. We must adopt different metrics for economic success
3. Transformation of our institutions and systems to enable these changes and sustain them for future generations

Question 24

What are the significant points of The Dasgupta Review?

Answer 24

• Urgent and transformative actions taken now will be significantly less costly
• Need 1.6 earths to maintain our current way of life
• GDP is no longer fit for purpose when assessing economic health
• Must transform finance and education institutions – including perverse subsidies for practices that harm the environment

Question 25

What are the links between biodiversity and the economy?

Answer 25

• Biodiversity provides natural dividends that would nourish and protect us e.g. soil regeneration, flooding prevention, pollinators and fish stocks
• Population growth intensifies the exploitation of the natural world
• Loss of environmental benefits carries economic costs

Question 26

How is Ecosystem Science described in the press?

Answer 26

Science will solve the global challenges and meat sustainable development

Question 27

What does GDP not account for?

Answer 27

The depreciation of the earth’s natural resources