Human Transformation of the Terrestrial Biosphere: Form, Extent, Duration, and Intensity

E. C. Ellis, K. Klein Goldewijk, S. Siebert, D. Lightman, N. Ramankutty

Research output: Contribution to conferenceAbstractOther research output

Abstract

The terrestrial biosphere has now been almost completely transformed by human populations and their use of land. Here we map and characterize anthropogenic transformation of the terrestrial biosphere from 1700 to 2000 using a rule-based anthrome (anthropogenic biome) classification model applied to gridded global data for human population density and land use. Anthropogenic transformation of terrestrial biomes into anthromes was then characterized by map comparisons at century intervals. This analysis reveals that between 1700 and 2000, the terrestrial biosphere made the critical transition from mostly wild to mostly anthropogenic, passing the 50% mark early in the 20th century. In 1700, nearly half of the terrestrial biosphere was wild, without human settlements or substantial land use. Most of the remainder was in a Seminatural state (45%) having only minor use for agriculture and settlements. By 2000, the opposite was true, with the majority of the biosphere in agricultural and settled anthromes, less than 20% Seminatural and only a quarter left wild. Anthropogenic transformation of the biosphere during the Industrial Revolution resulted about equally from land use expansion into Wildlands and land use intensification within Seminatural anthromes. Transformation pathways differed strongly between biomes and regions, with some remaining mostly wild but with the majority almost completely transformed into Rangelands, Croplands and Villages. In the process of transforming almost 39% of Earth's total ice-free surface into agriculture and settlements, an additional 37% without such use have become embedded within agricultural and settled anthromes. At present and ever more in the future, terrestrial ecosystem form and process in most biomes will be predominantly anthropogenic, the product of land use and other direct human interactions with ecosystems. Earth science and ecological research and conservation efforts in all but a few biomes would benefit from a primary focus on the novel remnant, recovering and managed ecosystems embedded within used lands. Historical analysis of global transitions between wild and anthropogenic biomes provides a simple framework for assessing and modeling both past and future global biotic and ecological patterns based on the form, extent, duration, and intensity of their modification by humans.
Original languageEnglish
Pages682
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2009
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • [0439] BIOGEOSCIENCES / Ecosystems
  • structure and dynamics
  • [1622] GLOBAL CHANGE / Earth system modeling
  • [1630] GLOBAL CHANGE / Impacts of global change
  • [1632] GLOBAL CHANGE / Land cover change

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