Showing papers by "Taylor H. Ricketts published in 2015"
University of Washington1, Stanford University2, University of Minnesota3, Oregon State University4, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences5, University of East Anglia6, Stockholm University7, World Wide Fund for Nature8, The Nature Conservancy9, Philippine Institute for Development Studies10, Chinese Academy of Sciences11, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research12, University of Vermont13, University of Cambridge14
TL;DR: Why ecosystem service information has yet to fundamentally change decision-making is explored and a path forward is suggested that emphasizes developing solid evidence linking decisions to impacts on natural capital and ecosystem services, and then to human well-being.
Abstract: The central challenge of the 21st century is to develop economic, social, and governance systems capable of ending poverty and achieving sustainable levels of population and consumption while securing the life-support systems underpinning current and future human well-being. Essential to meeting this challenge is the incorporation of natural capital and the ecosystem services it provides into decision-making. We explore progress and crucial gaps at this frontier, reflecting upon the 10 y since the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. We focus on three key dimensions of progress and ongoing challenges: raising awareness of the interdependence of ecosystems and human well-being, advancing the fundamental interdisciplinary science of ecosystem services, and implementing this science in decisions to restore natural capital and use it sustainably. Awareness of human dependence on nature is at an all-time high, the science of ecosystem services is rapidly advancing, and talk of natural capital is now common from governments to corporate boardrooms. However, successful implementation is still in early stages. We explore why ecosystem service information has yet to fundamentally change decision-making and suggest a path forward that emphasizes: (i) developing solid evidence linking decisions to impacts on natural capital and ecosystem services, and then to human well-being; (ii) working closely with leaders in government, business, and civil society to develop the knowledge, tools, and practices necessary to integrate natural capital and ecosystem services into everyday decision-making; and (iii) reforming institutions to change policy and practices to better align private short-term goals with societal long-term goals.
720 citations
Wageningen University and Research Centre1, Rutgers University2, Spanish National Research Council3, University of Leeds4, Naturalis5, Institut national de la recherche agronomique6, Michigan State University7, University of Freiburg8, University of California, Berkeley9, University of New England (United States)10, University of Vermont11, University of California, Davis12, National University of Singapore13, Hungarian Academy of Sciences14, University of Göttingen15, Cornell University16, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences17, Stellenbosch University18, Centre national de la recherche scientifique19, Simon Fraser University20, University of Reading21, University of Würzburg22, Plant & Food Research23, University of Giessen24, University of Texas at Austin25, University of Bern26, Hebrew University of Jerusalem27, Lund University28, Federal University of Bahia29
TL;DR: It is shown that, while the contribution of wild bees to crop production is significant, service delivery is restricted to a limited subset of all known bee species, suggesting that cost-effective management strategies to promote crop pollination should target a different set of species than management Strategies to promote threatened bees.
Abstract: There is compelling evidence that more diverse ecosystems deliver greater benefits to people, and these ecosystem services have become a key argument for biodiversity conservation. However, it is unclear how much biodiversity is needed to deliver ecosystem services in a cost-effective way. Here we show that, while the contribution of wild bees to crop production is significant, service delivery is restricted to a limited subset of all known bee species. Across crops, years and biogeographical regions, crop-visiting wild bee communities are dominated by a small number of common species, and threatened species are rarely observed on crops. Dominant crop pollinators persist under agricultural expansion and many are easily enhanced by simple conservation measures, suggesting that cost-effective management strategies to promote crop pollination should target a different set of species than management strategies to promote threatened bees. Conserving the biological diversity of bees therefore requires more than just ecosystem-service-based arguments.
698 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors apply new approaches and tools for quantifying biodiversity and ecosystem services (BES) in 20 pilot demonstrations and find that applying a BES approach is most effective in leading to policy change as part of an iterative science-policy process.
486 citations
National University of Río Negro1, Spanish National Research Council2, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences3, University of Freiburg4, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation5, National University of Comahue6, University of Reading7, University of Brasília8, Naturalis9, University of Leeds10, University of California, Berkeley11, University of Bern12, University of Koblenz and Landau13, National University of Tucumán14, Federal University of Ceará15, University of Würzburg16, University of Göttingen17, Lund University18, University of Hamburg19, ETH Zurich20, University of Queensland21, Cornell University22, University of Vermont23, Central University of Kerala24, Universidad de las Américas Puebla25, Federal University of Bahia26, Jagiellonian University27
TL;DR: Pollinator species with traits matching those of the focal crop, as well as the enhancement of pollinator richness and evenness, will increase crop yield beyond current practices, and field practitioners can predict and manage agroecosystems for pollination services based on knowledge of just a few traits that are known for a wide range of flower visitor species.
Abstract: Fil: Garibaldi, Lucas Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Cientificas y Tecnicas; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Rio Negro. Sede Andina; Argentina
140 citations
TL;DR: It is concluded that the importance of pollinators to human nutrition depends critically on the composition of local diets, and cannot be reliably predicted from global commodity analyses.
Abstract: Despite suggestions that animal pollinators are crucial for human nutritional health, no studies have actually tested this claim. Here, we combined data on crop pollination requirements, food nutrient densities, and actual human diets to predict the effects of pollinator losses on the risk of nutrient deficiency. In four developing countries and across five nutrients, we found that 0 to 56% of populations would become newly at risk if pollinators were removed. Increases in risk were most pronounced for vitamin A in populations with moderate levels of total nutrient intake. Overall, the effects of pollinator decline varied widely among populations and nutrients. We conclude that the importance of pollinators to human nutrition depends critically on the composition of local diets, and cannot be reliably predicted from global commodity analyses. We identify conditions under which severe health effects of pollinator loss are most likely to occur.
75 citations
01 Jan 2015
Abstract: The central challenge of the 21st century is to develop economic, social, and governance systems capable of ending poverty and achieving sustainable levels of population and consumption while securing the life-support systems underpinning current and future human well-being. Essential to meeting this challenge is the incorporation of natural capital and the ecosystem services it provides into decision-making. We explore progress and crucial gaps at this frontier, reflecting upon the 10 y since the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. We focus on three key dimensions of progress and ongoing challenges: raising awareness of the interdependence of ecosystems and human well-being, advancing the fundamental interdisciplinary science of ecosystem services, and implementing this science in decisions to restore natural capital and use it sustainably. Awareness of human dependence on nature is at an all-time high, the science of ecosystem services is rapidly advancing, and talk of natural capital is now common from governments to corporate boardrooms. However, successful implementation is still in early stages. We explore why ecosystem service information has yet to fundamentally change decision-making and suggest a path forward that emphasizes: (i) developing solid evidence linking decisions to impacts on natural capital and ecosystem services, and then to human well-being; (ii) working closely with leaders in government, business, and civil society to develop the knowledge, tools, and practices necessary to integrate natural capital and ecosystem services into everyday decision-making; and (iii) reforming institutions to change policy and practices to better align private short-term goals with societal long-term goals.
48 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the capacity of conservation organizations to adapt to changing environmental conditions, focusing primarily on public agencies and nonprofits active in land protection and management in the US, is discussed, and hypotheses about how the configuration of different organizations enable them to protect particular conservation targets and manage for particular biophysical changes that require coordinated management actions over time.
Abstract: Conservation organizations must adapt to respond to the ecological impacts of global change. Numerous changes to conservation actions (eg facilitated ecological transitions, managed relocations, or increased corridor development) have been recommended, but some institutional restructuring within organizations may also be needed. Here we discuss the capacity of conservation organizations to adapt to changing environmental conditions, focusing primarily on public agencies and nonprofits active in land protection and management in the US. After first reviewing how these organizations anticipate and detect impacts affecting target species and ecosystems, we then discuss whether they are sufficiently flexible to prepare and respond by reallocating funding, staff, or other resources. We raise new hypotheses about how the configuration of different organizations enables them to protect particular conservation targets and manage for particular biophysical changes that require coordinated management actions over d...
30 citations
TL;DR: In this article, the authors used underwater visual transects to sample rocky reefs in the Gulf of California, Mexico, to test this reef health index (IRH) and found that the relative abundances of zooplanktivores, sea stars, and sea urchins were negatively correlated with degraded reefs health.
28 citations
15 Jun 2015
TL;DR: In this article, the accepted manuscript of a paper that will be published in PNAS is presented, which is currently under an infinite-embargoed version of the PNAS publication.
Abstract: This is the accepted manuscript of a paper that will be published in PNAS. It is currently under an infinite embargo.
13 citations