Anthropogenic drivers of ecosystem change: An overview

Nelson, G.C., Dobermann, A., Nakicenovic, N. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7176-4604, & O'Neill, B.C. (2006). Anthropogenic drivers of ecosystem change: An overview. Ecology and Society 11 (2)

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Abstract

This paper provides an overview of what the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) call "indirect and direct drivers" of change in ecosystem services at a global level. The MA definition of a driver is any natural or human-induced factor that directly or indirectly causes a change in an ecosystem. A direct driver unequivocally influences ecosystem processes. An indirect driver operates more diffusely by altering one or more direct drivers. Global driving forces are categorized as demographic, economic, sociopolitical, cultural and religious, scientific and technological, and physical and biological. Drivers in all categories other than physical and biological are considered indirect. Important direct drivers include changes in climate, plant nutrient use, land conversion, and diseases and invasive species. This paper does not discuss natural drivers such as climate variability, extreme weather events, or volcanic eruptions.

Item Type: Article
Research Programs: Energy (ENE)
Transitions to New Technologies (TNT)
Greenhouse Gas Initiative (GGI)
Population and Climate Change (PCC)
Bibliographic Reference: Ecology and Society; 11(2):29 [2006]
Related URLs:
Depositing User: IIASA Import
Date Deposited: 15 Jan 2016 02:19
Last Modified: 27 Aug 2021 17:19
URI: https://pure.iiasa.ac.at/7882

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