Evosystem Services: Rapid Evolution and the Provision of Ecosystem Services.
Evolution is recognized as the source of all organisms, and hence many ecosystem services. However, the role that contemporary evolution might play in maintaining and enhancing specific ecosystem services has largely been overlooked. Recent advances at the interface of ecology and evolution have demonstrated how contemporary evolution can shape ecological communities and ecosystem functions. We propose a definition and quantitative criteria to study how rapid evolution affects ecosystem services (here termed contemporary evosystem services) and present plausible scenarios where such services might exist. We advocate for the direct measurement of contemporary evosystem services to improve understanding of how changing environments will alter resource availability and human well-being, and highlight the potential utility of managing rapid evolution for future ecosystem services.
Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, 4200-6270 University Blvd, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada. Electronic address: rudman@zoology.ubc.ca.
Seth M
SM
Rudman
Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, 429-2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Maayan
M
Kreitzman
Institute for Resources, Environment, and Sustainability, University of British Columbia, 429-2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Kai M A
KMA
Chan
Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, 4200-6270 University Blvd, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Dolph
D
Schluter
D004463:Ecology; D017753:Ecosystem