Consumption-Based Conservation Targeting: Linking Biodiversity Loss to Upstream Demand through a Global Wildlife Footprint.

Although most conservation efforts address the direct, local causes of biodiversity loss, effective long-term conservation will require complementary efforts to reduce the upstream economic pressures, such as demands for food and forest products, which ultimately drive these downstream losses. Here, we present a wildlife footprint analysis that links global losses of wild birds to consumer purchases across 57 economic sectors in 129 regions. The United States, India, China, and Brazil have the largest regional wildlife footprints, while per-person footprints are highest in Mongolia, Australia, Botswana, and the United Arab Emirates. A US$100 purchase of bovine meat or rice products occupies approximately 0.1 km2 of wild bird ranges, displacing 1-2 individual birds, for 1 year. Globally significant importer regions, including Japan, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, and France, have large footprints that drive wildlife losses elsewhere in the world and represent important targets for consumption-focused conservation attention

Hotspots of land use change in Europe

Die Zweitveröffentlichung der Publikation wurde durch Studierende des Projektseminars "Open Access Publizieren an der HU" im Sommersemester 2017 betreut. Nachgenutzt gemäß den CC-Bestimmungen des Lizenzgebers bzw. einer im Dokument selbst enthaltenen CC-Lizenz.Assessing changes in the extent and management intensity of land use is crucial to understanding land-system dynamics and their environmental and social outcomes. Yet, changes in the spatial patterns of land management intensity, and thus how they might relate to changes in the extent of land uses, remains unclear for many world regions.Wecompiled and analyzed high-resolution, spatiallyexplicit land-use change indicators capturing changes in both the extent and management intensity of cropland, grazing land, forests, and urban areas for all of Europe for the period 1990–2006. Based on these indicators, we identified hotspots of change and explored the spatial concordance of area versus intensity changes.Wefound a clear East–West divide with regard to agriculture, with stronger cropland declines and lower management intensity in the East compared to the West. Yet, these patterns were not uniform and diverging patterns of intensification in areas highly suitable for farming, and disintensification and cropland contraction in more marginal areas emerged. Despite the moderate overall rates of change, many regions in Europe fell into at least one land-use change hotspot during 1990–2006, often related to a spatial reorganization of land use (i.e., co-occurring area decline and intensification or co-occurring area increase and disintensification). Our analyses highlighted the diverse spatial patterns and heterogeneity of land-use changes in Europe, and the importance of jointly considering changes in the extent and management intensity of land use, as well as feedbacks among land-use sectors. Given this spatial differentiation of land-use change, and thus its environmental impacts, spatially-explicit assessments of land-use dynamics are important for context-specific, regionalized land-use policy making.Peer Reviewe

Increasing impacts of land use on biodiversity and carbon sequestration driven by population and economic growth

Biodiversity and ecosystem service losses driven by land-use change are expected to intensify as a growing and more affluent global population requires more agricultural and forestry products, and teleconnections in the global economy lead to increasing remote environmental responsibility. By combining global biophysical and economic models, we show that, between the years 2000 and 2011, overall population and economic growth resulted in increasing total impacts on bird diversity and carbon sequestration globally, despite a reduction of land-use impacts per unit of gross domestic product (GDP). The exceptions were North America and Western Europe, where there was a reduction of forestry and agriculture impacts on nature accentuated by the 2007-2008 financial crisis. Biodiversity losses occurred predominantly in Central and Southern America, Africa and Asia with international trade an important and growing driver. In 2011, 33% of Central and Southern America and 26% of Africa's biodiversity impacts were driven by consumption in other world regions. Overall, cattle farming is the major driver of biodiversity loss, but oil seed production showed the largest increases in biodiversity impacts. Forestry activities exerted the highest impact on carbon sequestration, and also showed the largest increase in the 2000-2011 period. Our results suggest that to address the biodiversity crisis, governments should take an equitable approach recognizing remote responsibility, and promote a shift of economic development towards activities with low biodiversity impacts

Reply to: Soils need to be considered when assessing the impacts of land-use change on carbon sequestration

Industrial Ecolog

Global priority areas for ecosystem restoration

Extensive ecosystem restoration is increasingly seen as being central to conserving biodiversity1 and stabilizing the climate of the Earth2. Although ambitious national and global targets have been set, global priority areas that account for spatial variation in benefits and costs have yet to be identified. Here we develop and apply a multicriteria optimization approach that identifies priority areas for restoration across all terrestrial biomes, and estimates their benefits and costs. We find that restoring 15% of converted lands in priority areas could avoid 60% of expected extinctions while sequestering 299 gigatonnes of CO2—30% of the total CO2 increase in the atmosphere since the Industrial Revolution. The inclusion of several biomes is key to achieving multiple benefits. Cost effectiveness can increase up to 13-fold when spatial allocation is optimized using our multicriteria approach, which highlights the importance of spatial planning. Our results confirm the vast potential contributions of restoration to addressing global challenges, while underscoring the necessity of pursuing these goals synergistically.Fil: Strassburg, Bernardo B. N.. Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro; Brasil. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Iribarrem, Alvaro. Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Beyer, Hawthorne L.. The University of Queensland; Australia. University of Queensland; AustraliaFil: Cordeiro, Carlos Leandro. Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Crouzeilles, Renato. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; Brasil. Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Jakovac, Catarina C.. Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Braga Junqueira, André. Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Lacerda, Eduardo. Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro; Brasil. Universidade Federal Fluminense; BrasilFil: Latawiec, Agnieszka E.. University of East Anglia; Reino Unido. Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Balmford, Andrew. University of Cambridge; Estados UnidosFil: Brooks, Thomas M.. University Of The Philippines Los Banos; Filipinas. Institute For Marine And Antarctic Studies; Australia. International Union For Conservation Of Nature And Natural Resources; SuizaFil: Butchart, Stuart H. M.. University of Cambridge; Estados UnidosFil: Chazdon, Robin L.. University Of The Sunshine Coast; Australia. University of Connecticut; Estados UnidosFil: Erb, Karl-Heinz. Universitat Fur Bodenkultur Wien; AustriaFil: Brancalion, Pedro. Universidade de Sao Paulo; BrasilFil: Buchanan, Graeme. Royal Society For The Protection Of Birds; Reino UnidoFil: Cooper, David. Secretariat Of The Convention On Biological Diversity; CanadáFil: Díaz, Sandra Myrna. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales. Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biología Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Donald, Paul F.. University of Cambridge; Estados UnidosFil: Kapos, Valerie. United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre; Reino UnidoFil: Leclère, David. International Institute For Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg; AustriaFil: Miles, Lera. United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre; Reino UnidoFil: Obersteiner, Michael. Oxford Social Sciences Division; Reino Unido. International Institute For Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg; AustriaFil: Plutzar, Christoph. Universitat Fur Bodenkultur Wien; Austria. Universidad de Viena; AustriaFil: de M. Scaramuzza, Carlos Alberto. International Institute For Sustainability; BrasilFil: Scarano, Fabio R.. Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro; BrasilFil: Visconti, Piero. International Institute For Applied Systems Analysis, Laxenburg; Austri

Climatic and edaphic controls over tropical forest diversity and vegetation carbon storage

Tropical rainforests harbor exceptionally high biodiversity and store large amounts of carbon in vegetation biomass. However, regional variation in plant species richness and vegetation carbon stock can be substantial, and may be related to the heterogeneity of topoedaphic properties. Therefore, aboveground vegetation carbon storage typically differs between geographic forest regions in association with the locally dominant plant functional group. A better understanding of the underlying factors controlling tropical forest diversity and vegetation carbon storage could be critical for predicting tropical carbon sink strength in response to projected climate change. Based on regionally replicated 1-ha forest inventory plots established in a region of high geomorphological heterogeneity we investigated how climatic and edaphic factors affect tropical forest diversity and vegetation carbon storage. Plant species richness (of all living stems >10 cm in diameter) ranged from 69 to 127 ha-1 and vegetation carbon storage ranged from 114 to 200 t ha-1. While plant species richness was controlled by climate and soil water availability, vegetation carbon storage was strongly related to wood density and soil phosphorus availability. Results suggest that local heterogeneity in resource availability and plant functional composition should be considered to improve projections of tropical forest ecosystem functioning under future scenarios

Biodiversität und Gesellschaft : Mensch-Natur-Interaktionen auf unterschiedlichen maßstäblichen Ebenen

BiodiversitÃ$t - die biologische Vielfalt - ist ein heutzutage viel beachteter Aspekt der Ãkosysteme der Erde. So wurde beispielsweise 2010 zum Internationalen Jahr der BiodiversitÃ$t erklÃ$rt. BiodiversitÃ$t versorgt menschliche Gesellschaften mit essentiellen GÃtern und Leistungen. Allerdings fehlt noch immer ein tieferes VerstÃ$ndnis fÃr die Ursachen von BiodiversitÃ$t und damit auch die Grundlage zur KlÃ$rung der Frage, wie gesellschaftliche Prozesse zum beobachteten Verlust von DiversitÃ$t beitragen. Diese Arbeit geht der Frage nach, ob sich anthropogene AktivitÃ$ten und BiodiversitÃ$t auf einer quantitativen Basis miteinander vergleichen lassen. DafÃr mÃssen allerdings fÃr beide UntersuchungsgegenstÃ$nde messbare und vergleichbare Daten vorliegen. Der erste Teil der Arbeit beschÃ$ftigt sich mit der Problematik, dass fÃr BiodiversitÃ$t, vor allem fÃr grÃÃere UntersuchungsrÃ$ume, keine geeigneten Datengrundlagen vorliegen. Um hier Abhilfe zu schaffen, werden Methoden vorgeschlagen und diskutiert, die in der Lage sind, flÃ$chendeckende AbschÃ$tzungen von BiodiversitÃ$t zu generieren. Der zweite Teil stellt einen anthropogenen Pressure-Indikator fÃr BiodiversitÃ$t, die menschliche Aneignung der NettoprimÃ$rproduktion (HANPP), vor. Dieser Indikator misst, wieviel Energie einem Ãkosystem durch LandbedeckungsÃ$nderung und Landnutzung entzogen wird und in weiterer Folge fÃr die Nahrungskette nicht mehr zur VerfÃgung steht. AbschlieÃend wird in empirischen Untersuchungen gezeigt, dass es eine negative Korrelation zwischen HANPP und Artenzahl gibt. Als vorteilhaft erweist sich, dass HANPP in sozio-Ãkonomische Konzepte integriert werden kann und sich somit einer Untersuchung von gesellschaftlicher Seite erschlieÃt. DarÃberhinaus lÃ$sst sich HANPP in ein theoretisches Konzept zur ErklÃ$rung von Artenvielfalt, der Arten-Energie Hypothese, einbetten. Dadu BiodiversitÃ$t dar. Die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit sollen zu einem besseren VerstÃ$ndnis der vielfÃ$ltigen Wechselwirkungen zwischen Gesellschaft und BiodiversitÃ$t beitragen und in weitere Folge zur Entwicklung geeigneter Werkzeuge zur Erhaltung der natÃrlichen Ressourcen der Erde beitragen.Biodiversity is an important aspect of Earth's ecosystems, providing essential goods and services for human society. Yet the relationships between society and biodiversity are not completely understood. There is a common agreement that anthropogenetic activities are a major driver of the recent loss of biodiversity. A quantitative comparison of socioeconomic drivers and biodiversity loss would be valuable to improve our understanding of these processes . To achieve this goal, a quantitative data basis has to be provided. First the lack of appropriate spatial explicit biodiversity data, especially for large areas, is discussed. As a consequence methods, are proposed to overcome this problem and to generate useful diversity data, in this case estimations of species richness, across large areas with sufficient spatial resolution. In a next, step a pressure-indicator, the human appropriation of net primary production (HANPP) is introduced. This indicator is a measure of energy loss in terrestrial ecosystems caused by anthropogenic land conversion and land use. Finally empirical studies show a negative correlation between the reduction of available energy and species richness. One of the advantages of HANPP as a pressure-indicator is its possible incorporation into socio-economic concepts which allows to analyze its patterns and determinants from a society point of view. Moreover it can be integrated into a theoretical concept of species diversity, the species-energy hypothesis. Thus HANPP presents itself as a link between society and biodiversity. I hope that the results of this work add to a better understanding of the manifold interdependencies between society and biodiversity and help, in the long run, to develop adequate tools for the maintenance of the natural resources of the Earth.Christoph PlutzarAbweichender Titel laut Übersetzung der Verfasserin/des VerfassersZsfassung in dt. und engl. SpracheText teilw. in dt. und teilw. in engl. SpracheKlagenfurt, Alpen-Adria-Univ., Diss., 2010KB2010 22OeBB(VLID)241116

Dependency of global primary bioenergy crop potentials in 2050 on food systems, yields, biodiversity conservation and political stability

AbstractThe future bioenergy crop potential depends on (1) changes in the food system (food demand, agricultural technology), (2) political stability and investment security, (3) biodiversity conservation, (4) avoidance of long carbon payback times from deforestation, and (5) energy crop yields. Using a biophysical biomass-balance model, we analyze how these factors affect global primary bioenergy potentials in 2050. The model calculates biomass supply and demand balances for eleven world regions, eleven food categories, seven food crop types and two livestock categories, integrating agricultural forecasts and scenarios with a consistent global land use and NPP database. The TREND scenario results in a global primary bioenergy potential of 77EJ/yr, alternative assumptions on food-system changes result in a range of 26–141EJ/yr. Exclusion of areas for biodiversity conservation and inaccessible land in failed states reduces the bioenergy potential by up to 45%. Optimistic assumptions on future energy crop yields increase the potential by up to 48%, while pessimistic assumptions lower the potential by 26%. We conclude that the design of sustainable bioenergy crop production policies needs to resolve difficult trade-offs such as food vs. energy supply, renewable energy vs. biodiversity conservation or yield growth vs. reduction of environmental problems of intensive agriculture

Environmental inequality in Austria: do inhabitants’ socioeconomic characteristics differ depending on their proximity to industrial polluters?

This is the first study to examine the existence of environmental inequality related to industrial facilities in Austria. Using distance-based methods, socioeconomic characteristics of inhabitants living in 1.0 km buffer zones around the 247 polluters registered in the European Pollutant Release and Transfer Registry are compared with those of inhabitants living elsewhere in Austria. While in Vienna no clear signs of environmental inequality can be found, in the rest of Austria people living in close vicinity to industrial sites are more often unemployed, have lower education levels and most notably, are twice as likely to be immigrants. Moreover, a logistic regression shows that the disparities concerning immigrants cannot solely be explained by other socioeconomic characteristics. The results of this study add to the evidentiary base concerning environmental justice disparities in Europe and suggests how application of distance-based methods can facilitate cross-national comparisons

Global bioenergy potentials from agricultural land in 2050: Sensitivity to climate change, diets and yields

There is a growing recognition that the interrelations between agriculture, food, bioenergy, and climate change have to be better understood in order to derive more realistic estimates of future bioenergy potentials. This article estimates global bioenergy potentials in the year 2050, following a “food first” approach. It presents integrated food, livestock, agriculture, and bioenergy scenarios for the year 2050 based on a consistent representation of FAO projections of future agricultural development in a global biomass balance model. The model discerns 11 regions, 10 crop aggregates, 2 livestock aggregates, and 10 food aggregates. It incorporates detailed accounts of land use, global net primary production (NPP) and its human appropriation as well as socioeconomic biomass flow balances for the year 2000 that are modified according to a set of scenario assumptions to derive the biomass potential for 2050. We calculate the amount of biomass required to feed humans and livestock, considering losses between biomass supply and provision of final products. Based on this biomass balance as well as on global land-use data, we evaluate the potential to grow bioenergy crops and estimate the residue potentials from cropland (forestry is outside the scope of this study). We assess the sensitivity of the biomass potential to assumptions on diets, agricultural yields, cropland expansion and climate change. We use the dynamic global vegetation model LPJmL to evaluate possible impacts of changes in temperature, precipitation, and elevated CO2 on agricultural yields. We find that the gross (primary) bioenergy potential ranges from 64 to 161 EJ y−1, depending on climate impact, yields and diet, while the dependency on cropland expansion is weak. We conclude that food requirements for a growing world population, in particular feed required for livestock, strongly influence bioenergy potentials, and that integrated approaches are needed to optimize food and bioenergy supply