Anthropocene - Science topic

Planet Earth inclusive of humanity is facing the unprecedented twin crisis of global warming and climate change which are impacting all systems and sectors transgressing all boundaries. There are two main approaches: mitigation and adaptation. Mitigation for preventing greenhouse gases to build up in the atmosphere by curtailing its release at the source as well as by enhancing GHG sink. The second strategy involves measures for living with the climatic changes. A balanced mix of multiprong measures is to be taken from individual to institutional levels, from local, regional to global scale.

All the researchers, thinkers and RG friends are invited to take part in this important discussion with your insightful views and useful literature about the state of the art of mitigation and adaptive strategies - both traditional ecological knowledge and modern tools and technologies.

Is there possible that the Tea Gardens proves to be an alternative habitat to forest dwelling organisms? If yes, what pressure do they face in relation to anthropogenic pressure?

There is always a dynamic balance in nature, be it homeostasis in local ecosystem to the grand scale of global homeostasis. Human is interfering with the working of nature and tending to destabilizing the feedback systems. Still it can maintain the balance and resistance and resilience stability within limits. By to what extent? We have now some  estimates of certain tipping points. Does it tell the whole story? Does it take into account all the aspects of nature's structural integrity and functional diversity and stability?

It has been alarming that human activities had increased many proportions and had led to many anthropogenic activities which had been directly and indirectly affecting the natural ecosystems. These activities have replaced many of the endemic natural vegetation with non-native species of vegetation with choices to few species by mostly raising monoculture plantations so as to have increased returns meet the increasing needs of the society. In the process, there has been the dominance of non-native invasive species. Even we see hunting and trade in many of the wild animals. Even many of the countries have even made wildlife rearing legal just to meet their culinary needs. Under the above background, it has been obvious that this is leading to increased incidence and virulence of the diseases.

KK

This question is prompted by the books review in the September 2020 Physics Today of The Evolution of Knowledge: Rethinking Science for the Anthropocene, by Jürgen Renn.

I suspect that there is such an equation. It is related to thermodynamics and statistical mechanics, and might be characterized, partly, as network entropy.

Two articles that relate to the question are:

and also there is a book, the ideas in which preceded the two articles, above:

The Intelligence of Language.

The question is related somewhat distantly to an idea of Isaac Asimov in his science fiction, The Foundation Trilogy, psychohistory.

Friends, our paper about Technocene concept in the scope of decision making is inhere: https://www.earth-syst-dynam-discuss.net/esd-2019-49/

Please participate!

ESD has a pretty cool review system which include open discussion

Our main point:

What the Technocene idea makes clear is that as modern human societies exhibit an enormous coupling with technology and for the first time in human history that technology has the potential to modify the very core processes that drive Earth System dynamics, then Technology most be considered as a new dimension of analysis in the study of Earth system in its co-evolution with life and particularly human beings.

I have searched some of the top ranking nationalism studies journals (Nations and nationalism, SEN -Studies of ethnicity and nationalism, Nationalism and ethnic politics, Ethnicities, Ethnopolitics) and couldn't find any article even touching the complex relationship between nationalism and climate change.

I have only found a small number of mostly circumstantial (casual) mentions of climate change according to the following distribution:

Nations and Nationalism: 8 mentions (including a roundtable, book reviews and an introductory piece written by me).

SEN: 3 mentions (one political theory article, two case studies)

Nationalism and Ethnic Politics: 3 mentions (all case studies) Ethnicities: 2 mentions (2 theoretical articles)

Studies in Ethnicity and Nationalism: 2 mentions (including a 2009 article)

Even more worryingly, I have found no mentions of the geo-historical concept of Anthropocene, nor any of its more controversial derivates (Capitalocene, Occidentalocene, Consumerocene, and so on), despite the fact that these have been introduced and debated in nearly all the social sciences.

I am trying to find the 'model' of coral reef ecosystem functioning. I have seen in the literature different models according to the various research questions. Nonetheless, I want to find an ecological functioning model where all the functional groups and its interactions are clearly explained.

If you could give some hint, I would highly appreciate it,

Ameris

Too many humans! It is the underlying cause of all things anthropogenic. Ehrlich and Holdren's equation sums it up: I=PAT. Ecological impact (I) is proportional to the human population (P) times the consumption per capita (A), times the ecological impact per unit of consumption (T). Everyone talks about the problem, but no one talks about the best approach to deal with it. Even when they do, the talk is superficial (just decrease the birth rate!), or even fantastical (just find another planet!). The only way to solve a problem is to discuss it. Let's discuss.

You refered to the article 11 of the Japanese constitution in your recent paper (The Anthropocene concept as a wake-up call for reforming democracy) . This article 11, however, still remains nothing more than a sheer ideal or cliche. We japanese have neither any Constitutional Court nor OFG. The Supreme Court is institutionally provided with the right to overrulle any law it judges as unconstitutional; But, it has rarely, if ever, excercised this right. A great majority of the Japanese voters are most nlikely, so seems to me, to acccept the concept of Future Branch powerful enough to check and contain the popular/parliamentary sovereignty. I would much appreaciate if you let me know how it is possible to 'launder' people's political preferences

Yukio Adachi

The 10th IALE World Congress will take place July 1st-5th 2019 in Milan, featuring the theme of "Nature and society facing the Anthropocene challenges and perspectives for landscape ecology". http://www.iale2019.unimib.it/

Have a look at our symposia SYMP4 Reconstructing the past landscapes to simulate future sustainable scenarios through multidisciplinary approaches

http://www.iale2019.unimib.it/proposed-symposia/

We accept abstracts by 25th of February!!

According to Harvell, et al. (2004), there is a lack of research of the tracking of the origins and spread of marine pathogens. 

Reference: Aronson R, Baron N, Harvell D, et al. 2004.The rising tide of ocean diseases: unsolved problems and research priorities. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 2(7): 375-382.

Since global warming is attributed to human activities since the 19th century and in particular to the emission of GHG wouldn't be interesting to also know the increase of energy produced since the 19th century (for which we centainly have a record) and wasted in various types of radiations (more difficult to quantify) and their impact onto climate change ?

Thank you in advance for sharing your experience and expertise.

Kind regards

Drought has been generally defined as a recurring extreme climate event that occurs NATURALLY... Given the current anthropocene, one may ask if drought is still strictly a natural hazard?

At present the paper on anthropogeology (in Journal Anthropocene Review) is copied wrongly to the project Winden Syncline

Then, this meeting is for you...

The Red Macrolatinos (RML), together with the Society for Freshwater Science (SFS), the Asociación Ecuatoriana de Limnología (AEL), and the Sociedad(e) de Odonatología Latinoamericana (SOL) cordially invite you to the Meeting “Tropical Aquatic Ecosystems in the Anthropocene AQUATROP“, which will be held July 23-26 2018, in Quito, Ecuador (with pre-meeting courses July 21 – 22, and post-meeting excursions starting July 27, 2018).

This will be the fourth meeting of the Red Macrolatinos (RML), the first of the Ecuadorian Association of Limnology (AEL), the first international initiative of the Society for Freshwater Science (SFS) and the second meeting of the the Sociedad(e) de Odonatología Latinoamericana (SOL). The meeting focuses on tropical freshwater ecosystems in the context of the major changes that are occurring due to human interventions. We live on a planet where the human footprint is inevitable and it is for that very reason that we need to understand how our ecosystems function in their natural conditions and when altered by humans. The objective of our meeting is to promote the dissemination of high quality scientific research in any of the areas related to the study of tropical and subtropical aquatic ecosystems in the Americas. We also seek to actively promote communication and collaboration between scientists, stakeholders, and members of the different scientific organizations with similar interests.

It is a great pleasure for us to welcome you to this meeting, which not only brings together the members and participants of the four collaborating associations, but also invites professionals, students and resource managers interested in biology, ecology, hydrology, management, management, conservation and restoration of freshwater ecosystems in the tropics and subtropics of the Americas.

Our meeting includes eight plenary sessions which will be of interest to the meeting participants, but also to the public of the city of Quito and all of Ecuador. We also expect to have over 100 oral presentations in diverse subjects and 100 posters presentations. Our Special Sessions or symposiums will cover a wide range of current and innovative topics relating to tropical freshwater ecosystems.

Link http://riostropicales2018.org/welcome/?lang=en

Email: aquatrop2018@gmail.com

Recently came across the concept of anthropocene in social science and philosophy but unsure how to relate to it, what is the added value from a social constructivist and/or critical perspective ?

I need just concise answer to this question. what is the evidence.

I am writing a chapter on how the Anthropocene may be replacing Globalization (on which I have written a great deal) as the dominant discourse in the social sciences, humanities and creative arts. I came across your work from the AWG Newsletter and your talk at the Venice Biennale in 2013. I hope we can exchange ideas.

best wishes,

Emeritus Professor Leslie Sklair, London School of Ecoomics [l.sklair@lse.ac.uk]

Hello. I am very interested in the questions about the impacts of the human era in the natural ecosystems. It would be great if someone could suggest some papers or authors about the plant evolutionary response of our interventions.

Greated,

Alejandro Cuevas.

It's been about 3 years since I asked:

Now I've been thinking as a specialist for one integrated question about the two questions I've made before, and concretely::

First question was: "How does climate change affect flora and fauna?"

Historical climate change has had a profound effect on current biogeography, so we can expect our ongoing and rapid climate change, to have as great an effect on flora and fauna. Climate change has important implications for nearly every aspect of life on Earth, and effects are already being felt.

Second question: "How does climate change affect Human Beings life?

Historical climate change has had a profound effect on current biogeography, so we can expect our ongoing and rapid climate change, to have a great impact on human beings life. Climate change has important implications for almost every aspect of Human life on Earth , And effects are already being felt day by day, everywhere and everybody ...

Together:, we have "How does climate change affect on Flora and Fauna, and in particular the affects on Human Beings Life?".

I would like to know the level of chemistry included in the model used to model air quality

Human activity heavily disrupts community resilience. Other than that, is community resilience heavily reliant on the producers, consumers, keystone species, or something else entirely? How so?

Instead of living within the annual interest that biophysical wealth of Nature gives us, we are using up our natural capital. We are taking more resources than Nature/Earth can provide and  throwing more wastes and pollutants than that Nature can metabolize and assimilate. What are the impacts? What future is waiting for us? What should we do for restoring our ecological balance sheet?

No string of my thought or personal clue is provided. Feel free to share your views and thoughts.

Open your head, heart and mind and share your thoughts on whether the carbon-based civilization is the root cause of major environmental woos and pathological symptoms of the ailing planetary health. How can we make a transition from carbon excess/ build up to carbon neutrality.

The planet has suffered dramatic climatic changes in the Pleistocene, with several peaks of cold (glacial) and warm (inter-glacial) conditions. I ask what do you think about the role of the Central American isthmus appearance, breaking important ocean currents, and probably altering regional or global climate. For example, "El Niño" southern oscillation is a recent climatic phenomenon and is related to the emergence of the Central American isthmus? Thus, in general, what would be the role of this isthmus and the overall climate oscillation during the Pleistocene and Holocene? Thanks!

Nilton   

Can anyone provide some literature and studies related to the various working definitions of Anthropocene in relation to the urban planning?And how the present urban planning system in developing countries like India influence the Anthropocene?

The emerging concept of Anthropocene, era in which human influences modify various environmental properties, has direct implications on coastal research. Indeed, anthropogenic chemical (e.g. metals, pesticides, pharmaceuticals), physical (e.g. microplastics, sediments, temperature) and biological (e.g. invasive species, eutrophication) stressors increasingly affect marine and coastal aquatic systems. Thus, what is the meaning of pollution if the understanding of coastal environments is intrinsically linked to the identification of shifts on contaminant baselines, biology, and oceanographic variables. I will be chairing a session at YOUMARES 7 (link below), and welcome abstracts (deadline June 15) discussing coastal and marine pollution in a broad context including environmental changes related to human interference. 

Also contribution and responses posted here might be presented during the session opening. 

I am thinking mainly in terms of the evolutionary impact of reduced populations sizes and genetic diversity, adaption to anthropogenic habitats and radiation potential of interchange between biogeographic regions (i.e. alien species) and then indirectly how the community structure in ecosystems [old (anthropogenic) and new (anthropogenic)] may change?

While substage MIS 5e (~120 ka) is considered to have been globally warmer than the second half of the Holocene, and sea-level was several meters above present datum (almost worldwide), a few regions seem to have experienced cooler SST than nowadays. Documenting and understanding this paradox is important for climate modeling efforts in the context of the on-going global warming, especially for these particular regions (eg. S Peru and N Chile).

I am also interested in evidence for Anthropocene cooling trends in coastal regions (like in Central Peru and N Chile).

Any curriculum for the Anthropocene presents a number of key challenges for traditional higher education structures including fields of study and associated pedagogies. It is disruptive in a number of ways. It is essentially transdisciplinary in nature but drawing from a wide range of disciplines (spanning the full breadth of the natural and social sciences and the humanities). It recognises that socio-political frameworks of the disciplines themselves have contributed to the environmental & social issues that need to be addressed.