New Study Examines Human Alterations To Nature
This article discusses a newly released study titled “Domesticated Nature: Shaping Landscapes and Ecosystems for Human Welfare,” which examines specific cases where alterations (originally intended to increase food production, reduce risk, and enhance global commerce) have ultimately caused negative, unanticipated impacts on human well-being and natural systems.
Throughout history, humans have made changes to the environment to enhance world economies and the well-being and quality of life for millions of people. Humans have cultivated crops, changed coastlines to protect against flood, harvested oceans, hunted wild species, etc., but we have reached a point that the consequences of these actions are now appearing at an increased frequency.
Some consequences of “domesticating nature” include:
- Deforestation, attributed to 25% of worldwide carbon emissions.
- Species extinction from over harvesting or hunting. Ecosystems without top predators can lead to shifts in species populations.
- Global commerce/shipping has lead to invasive species and disease transmission.
This study notes that “wild nature” may no longer exist in the world, because even protected areas have been negatively affected by pollution, invasive species, or erosion problems from human traffic.