BIO 115 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Planetary Boundaries, Conservation Biology, Ocean Acidification
31 Oct 2017
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Document Summary
Most of major rivers have been damed or diverted. Humans fix more nitrogen than terrestrial ecosystems fix for themselves. We remove more than 1/3 or fish from oceans. Changing atmosphere by distributing carbon from crust to atmosphere. Planetary boundaries: safe space in which humanity can function without disrupting ecological systems. Scientists have come up with safe levels for most of these. Climate change, biodiversity loss, nitrogen cycle (within biogeochemical level). Does not take into account that these can impact each other-they can interact. Obstacles: many are global, meaning international support is needed; Conservation biology: new field founded in the 80s. Emerged since ecology tells us what happens without offering solutions. Goal oriented field with aim to preserve biodiversity. Crisis discipline- don"t know all answers, but make all answers despite that. Multi-disciplinary- draws from natural sciences: evolution, ecology, population genetics, population ecology and community ecology, in addition to the social sciences: psychology, philosophy, ethics, sociology, economics.
