Trophic downgrading of planet Earth.
Science
; 333(6040): 301-6, 2011 Jul 15.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-21764740
ABSTRACT
Until recently, large apex consumers were ubiquitous across the globe and had been for millions of years. The loss of these animals may be humankind's most pervasive influence on nature. Although such losses are widely viewed as an ethical and aesthetic problem, recent research reveals extensive cascading effects of their disappearance in marine, terrestrial, and freshwater ecosystems worldwide. This empirical work supports long-standing theory about the role of top-down forcing in ecosystems but also highlights the unanticipated impacts of trophic cascades on processes as diverse as the dynamics of disease, wildfire, carbon sequestration, invasive species, and biogeochemical cycles. These findings emphasize the urgent need for interdisciplinary research to forecast the effects of trophic downgrading on process, function, and resilience in global ecosystems.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Ecossistema
/
Cadeia Alimentar
/
Extinção Biológica
Tipo de estudo:
Prognostic_studies
Aspecto:
Ethics
Limite:
Animals
/
Humans
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Science
Ano de publicação:
2011
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Estados Unidos