articleAnnual Review of Environment and ResourcesAug 30, 2012BRONZE OA

Global Biodiversity Change: The Bad, the Good, and the Unknown

HMHenrique M. PereiraLMLaetitia M. NavarroISInês S. Martins

University of Lisbon

Indexed incrossref

Abstract

Global biodiversity change is one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time. Here, we review current scientific knowledge on global biodiversity change and identify the main knowledge gaps. We discuss two components of biodiversity change—biodiversity alterations and biodiversity loss—across four dimensions of biodiversity: species extinctions, species abundances, species distributions, and genetic diversity. We briefly review the impacts that modern humans and their ancestors have had on biodiversity and discuss the recent declines and alterations in biodiversity. We analyze the direct pressures on biodiversity change: habitat change, overexploitation, exotic species, pollution, and climate…

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759
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30.33
Percentile
100%
References
145
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Authors

3

Topics & keywords

Topics
Keywords
  • Biodiversity
  • Measurement of biodiversity
  • Climate change
  • Overexploitation
  • Environmental resource management
  • Environmental change
  • Habitat destruction
  • Global biodiversity
UN Sustainable Development Goals
  • Life in Land
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