17/10/16 Seminaire Européen. Mark Williams (University of Leicester)
When |
Oct 07, 2016 02:00
to
Oct 17, 2016 03:00 |
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Contact Name | Vincent Perrier |
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Humans as drivers of fundamental change to the structure of the biosphere
Earth’s biosphere is ancient, developing through major evolutionary stages from its originally microbial state, to complex interrelationships between animals, fungi and plants. Humans modify the biosphere at an accelerating rate, directing evolution of species and ecosystems, trans-locating organisms across the globe, appropriating huge energy resources from net primary production, and increasing biological interaction with technology. It can be argued that these changes are comparable in scale to those of deep time evolutionary transitions, with possible near-future trajectories that include mass extinction. How humans deal with these challenges in the 21st century is a trans-disciplinary question of humanities and sciences.
Key words: biosphere, state-shift, human impact, geological record
http://www2.le.ac.uk/departments/geology/people/williams-m
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