An ecosystem perspective

Question 1

What is ecology? What does it encompass?

Answer 1

The study of organisms in relation to their environment (including interactions with each other and their physical environment).

It encompasses genetics, physiology, morphology, and behaviour, aiming to understand how organisms function, adapt, and impact ecosystems.

Question 2

What is ecosystem science?

Answer 2

Ecosystem science is a multidisciplinary field that studies the flows of energy, nutrients, and matter through living organisms and their physical environments, as well as abiotic/biotic interactions.

It integrates ecology, biogeochemistry, climate science, and human dimensions to address complex environmental problems across scales.

Question 3

How does ecosystem science differ from traditional ecology?

Answer 3

Ecosystem science focuses more on whole-system processes (e.g. energy flow, carbon cycling), often at larger spatial/temporal scales and frequently includes human impacts, while traditional ecology may study specific organisms, populations, or communities in more focused detail.

Question 4

What are the three factors that form the “perfect storm”, both caused by and causing climate change? What factor exacerbates this?

Answer 4

The rising demand for food
The rising demand for energy
The rising demand for water

This is exacerbated by the growing population.

Question 5

By how much must food production rise by by 2030 and 2050 to meet increasing demand?

Answer 5

2030 = 50% rise
2050 = 75% rise

Question 6

Where is the increasing population concentrated in?

Answer 6

Africa and Asia

Question 7

What type of food is demand expected to grow for the most? What does this reflect?

Answer 7

• Milk and dairy
• Meat
  This reflects changing diets.

Question 8

What is the projected world population and arable land per person in 2050?

Answer 8

World population = 9 billion
Arable land (pp) = 0.16 ha

Question 9

Where is agricultural stress (reduced agricultural productivity) expected due to climate change globally?

Answer 9

• Africa
• Southern Asia
• Central America

Question 10

Where is extreme water stress projected globally?

Answer 10

• Northern Africa
• Middle East

Question 11

How are food prices projected to change?

Answer 11

Expected to increase.

Question 12

What are the three main takeaways from the Dasgupta review in terms of sustainable biodiversity economics?

Answer 12

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

Question 13

What are the three properties of nature outlined in the Dasgupta review?

Answer 13

1. Mobile
2. Invisible
3. Silent

Question 14

What are the four main types of ecosystem services provided by nature (Dasgupta review)?

Answer 14

1. Provisioning services
2. Cultural services
3. Regulating services
4. Maintenance services

Question 15

What are the two main components of natural capital (Dasgupta Review)?

Answer 15

1. Biodiversity (traits, genetics, functions, structure, populations, community composition)
2. Abiotic

Question 16

What two features are required for the components of natural capital to provide the ecosystem services?

Answer 16

• Productivity
• Ecosystem resilience

Question 17

How are ecosystem services changing? What does this highlight?

Answer 17

• Increased exploitation of provisioning services
• Causing a decline in regulating, maintenance and cultural services

This highlights that we need to find a balance between exploitation of resources (provisioning services) and the preservation of other ecosystem services.