Ecosystem Monitoring

Abstract

Abstract The world's population has increased 6 times over the past 200 years. It has doubled over the past 40 years. Air and water pollution, climate change, loss of species, soil erosion and salinization, desertification, loss of forest, and a range of other undesirable environmental alterations have accompanied this unprecedented increase in human numbers. While the rate of population growth is declining, human pressure on the environment will continue to increase as human standards of living and per capita consumption increase, and it is clear that a fundamental change must occur in the relationship between humans and the global ecosystem if we are to avoid highly undesirable environmental change. Development of a sustainable relationship between humans and the environment requires an understanding of, and respect for, both human needs and desires, and the structure and functioning of the world's ecosystems. Policies and resource management practices must be developed that sustain desired ecosystem conditions and functions. To ensure that these policies and practices are effective, the condition of the world's ecosystems must be monitored.