Combating ecosystem collapse from the tropics to the Antarctic

Dana M Bergstrom; Barbara C Wienecke; John van den Hoff; Lesley Hughes; David B Lindenmayer; Tracy D Ainsworth; Christopher M Baker; Lucie Bland; David M J S Bowman; Shaun T Brooks; Josep G Canadell; Andrew J Constable; Katherine A Dafforn; Michael H Depledge; Catherine R Dickson; Norman C Duke; Kate J Helmstedt; Andrés Holz; Craig R Johnson; Melodie A McGeoch; Jessica Melbourne-Thomas; Rachel Morgain; Emily Nicholson; Suzanne M Prober; Ben Raymond; Euan G Ritchie; Sharon A Robinson; Katinka X Ruthrof; Samantha A Setterfield; Carla M Sgrò; Jonathan S Stark; Toby Travers; Rowan Trebilco; Delphi F L Ward; Glenda M Wardle; Kristen J Williams; Phillip J Zylstra; Justine D Shaw

doi:10.1111/gcb.15539

Combating ecosystem collapse from the tropics to the Antarctic

Glob Chang Biol. 2021 May;27(9):1692-1703. doi: 10.1111/gcb.15539. Epub 2021 Feb 25.

Authors

Dana M Bergstrom^{1

2}, Barbara C Wienecke¹, John van den Hoff¹, Lesley Hughes³, David B Lindenmayer⁴, Tracy D Ainsworth⁵, Christopher M Baker^{6

7

8}, Lucie Bland⁹, David M J S Bowman¹⁰, Shaun T Brooks¹¹, Josep G Canadell¹², Andrew J Constable¹³, Katherine A Dafforn³, Michael H Depledge¹⁴, Catherine R Dickson¹⁵, Norman C Duke¹⁶, Kate J Helmstedt¹⁷, Andrés Holz¹⁸, Craig R Johnson¹¹, Melodie A McGeoch¹⁵, Jessica Melbourne-Thomas^{13

19}, Rachel Morgain⁴, Emily Nicholson²⁰, Suzanne M Prober²¹, Ben Raymond^{1

11}, Euan G Ritchie²⁰, Sharon A Robinson^{2

22}, Katinka X Ruthrof^{23

24}, Samantha A Setterfield²⁵, Carla M Sgrò¹⁵, Jonathan S Stark¹, Toby Travers¹¹, Rowan Trebilco^{13

19}, Delphi F L Ward¹¹, Glenda M Wardle²⁶, Kristen J Williams²⁷, Phillip J Zylstra^{22

28}, Justine D Shaw²⁹

Affiliations

¹ Australian Antarctic Division, Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, Kingston, Tas., Australia.
² Global Challenges Program, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
³ Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
⁴ Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
⁵ School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, The University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW, Australia.
⁶ School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., Australia.
⁷ Melbourne Centre for Data Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., Australia.
⁸ Centre of Excellence for Biosecurity Risk Analysis, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Vic., Australia.
⁹ Eureka Publishing, Thornbury, Vic., Australia.
¹⁰ School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tas., Australia.
¹¹ Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Battery Point, Tas., Australia.
¹² Climate Science Centre, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Black Mountain, ACT, Australia.
¹³ Centre for Marine Socioecology, University of Tasmania, Battery Point, Tas., Australia.
¹⁴ European Centre for Environment and Human Health, University of Exeter Medical School, Truro, UK.
¹⁵ School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Clayton, Vic., Australia.
¹⁶ Centre for Tropical Water and Aquatic Ecosystem Research, James Cook University, Townsville, Qld, Australia.
¹⁷ School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Qld, Australia.
¹⁸ Department of Geography, Portland State University, Portland, OR, USA.
¹⁹ Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Oceans and Atmosphere, Battery Point, Tas., Australia.
²⁰ Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, Vic., Australia.
²¹ Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Land and Water, Wembley, WA, Australia.
²² Centre for Sustainable Ecosystem Solutions, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
²³ Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Kensington, WA, Australia.
²⁴ Environmental and Conservation Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia.
²⁵ School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia.
²⁶ School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
²⁷ Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
²⁸ School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia.
²⁹ School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld, Australia.

PMID: 33629799
DOI: 10.1111/gcb.15539

Abstract

Globally, collapse of ecosystems-potentially irreversible change to ecosystem structure, composition and function-imperils biodiversity, human health and well-being. We examine the current state and recent trajectories of 19 ecosystems, spanning 58° of latitude across 7.7 M km² , from Australia's coral reefs to terrestrial Antarctica. Pressures from global climate change and regional human impacts, occurring as chronic 'presses' and/or acute 'pulses', drive ecosystem collapse. Ecosystem responses to 5-17 pressures were categorised as four collapse profiles-abrupt, smooth, stepped and fluctuating. The manifestation of widespread ecosystem collapse is a stark warning of the necessity to take action. We present a three-step assessment and management framework (3As Pathway Awareness, Anticipation and Action) to aid strategic and effective mitigation to alleviate further degradation to help secure our future.

Keywords: adaptive management; climate change; ecosystem collapse; human impacts; pressures.

MeSH terms

Antarctic Regions
Biodiversity
Climate Change
Coral Reefs*
Ecosystem*
Humans

Abstract

MeSH terms

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