Difference between revisions of "Biodiversity and Ecosystem function"

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== Introduction ==
 
== Introduction ==
  
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The world's oceans are facing multiple, escalating threats from human disturbance. Over-extraction of resources, degradation of coastal and benthic habitats from coastal development and destructive fishing practices, pollution, and climate change are causing extensive loss of biodiversity. Although documented global extinctions are rare in the marine environment, local extinctions and dramatic changes in abundance are widespread. The causes of this loss and its consequences for the functioning and stability of ecosystems are the current focus of intense research activity, partly because of the threat to the goods and services that ecosystems provide to society. Much of the research to date has been controversial, with disagreement over the role of diversity per se as opposed to the roles of individual species or functional groups. Marine environments are potentially very valuable in resolving this debate because they are diverse at higher taxonomic levels than terrestrial systems and have high levels of functional diversity.
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Human needs and actions have, and will continue to, extensively alter ecosystems and biodiversity on a global scale [1]. Predictions of changes in biodiversity, not only in marine, but also terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems [2], have raised substantial concern over the consequences of biodiversity loss on ecosystem processes and function, which subsequently affect the provision of ecosystem goods and services, and ultimately affect human well-being [3].
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Since the early 1990’s a portfolio of evidence obtained from the development of theory, laboratory experiments, field experiments and observational studies has shown that, irrespective of the system under study, increasing biodiversity tends to have positive effects on ecosystem properties, although the pattern of response may vary depending on the ecosystem and species investigated.
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==

Revision as of 11:38, 25 February 2009

Category:Stub


Introduction

Human needs and actions have, and will continue to, extensively alter ecosystems and biodiversity on a global scale [1]. Predictions of changes in biodiversity, not only in marine, but also terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems [2], have raised substantial concern over the consequences of biodiversity loss on ecosystem processes and function, which subsequently affect the provision of ecosystem goods and services, and ultimately affect human well-being [3].

Since the early 1990’s a portfolio of evidence obtained from the development of theory, laboratory experiments, field experiments and observational studies has shown that, irrespective of the system under study, increasing biodiversity tends to have positive effects on ecosystem properties, although the pattern of response may vary depending on the ecosystem and species investigated.

See also

The influence of the lugworm (Arenicola marina) on biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in an intertidal mudflat [1]

References



The main author of this article is Godbold, Jasmin
Please note that others may also have edited the contents of this article.
Citation: Godbold, Jasmin (2009): Biodiversity and Ecosystem function. Available from http://www.coastalwiki.org/wiki/Biodiversity_and_Ecosystem_function [accessed on 22-11-2024]
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