Implications of agricultural transitions and urbanization for ecosystem services.
Historically, farmers and hunter-gatherers relied directly on ecosystem services, which they both exploited and enjoyed. Urban populations still rely on ecosystems, but prioritize non-ecosystem services (socioeconomic). Population growth and densification increase the scale and change the nature of both ecosystem- and non-ecosystem-service supply and demand, weakening direct feedbacks between ecosystems and societies and potentially pushing social-ecological systems into traps that can lead to collapse. The interacting and mutually reinforcing processes of technological change, population growth and urbanization contribute to over-exploitation of ecosystems through complex feedbacks that have important implications for sustainable resource use.
Percy FitzPatrick Institute, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, Cape Town 7701, South Africa.
Graeme S
GS
Cumming
Organic Plant Production and Agroecosystems Research in the Tropics and Subtropics, Universität Kassel, Steinstr. 19, D-37213 Witzenhausen, Germany.
Andreas
A
Buerkert
Organic Plant Production and Agroecosystems Research in the Tropics and Subtropics, Universität Kassel, Steinstr. 19, D-37213 Witzenhausen, Germany.
Ellen M
EM
Hoffmann
Animal Husbandry in the Tropics and Subtropics, Universität Kassel and Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Steinstr. 19, D-37213 Witzenhausen, Germany.
Eva
E
Schlecht
Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development, Georg-August-Universität, Platz der Göttinger Sieben 5, D-37073 Germany.
Stephan
S
von Cramon-Taubadel
Agroecology, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, Grisebachstr. 6, D-37077 Göttingen, Germany.
Teja
T
Tscharntke
D000383:Agriculture / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D002681:China; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources / Q000706:statistics & numerical data / Q000639:trends*; D017753:Ecosystem; D002523:Edible Grain / Q000254:growth & development; D005246:Feedback; D006802:Human Activities; D018803:Models, Economic; D009548:Niger; D011158:Population Growth; D013548:Sweden; D014505:Urban Population; D014507:Urbanization / Q000639:trends*