Menu Close

Articles on Ecosystem services

Displaying 21 - 40 of 80 articles

Coastal areas in West Africa are under intense pressure from demographic growth, economic expansion and ongoing climate change. IRD

Interdisciplinary approaches to coastal vulnerability: the pathway to coastal sustainability

Around the world, fragile coastal ecosystems are under intense pressure, and understanding and managing their complex interactions requires an integrated and interdisciplinary approach.
Col de Port, in the French Pyrenees. Author provided

Mountains, a fragile source of life

We think of mountains as remote and little affected by human activity. Unfortunately, the negative impacts of what we do has important implications for nature, wildlife and human society.
Eelgrasses covered with small snails, which keep the leaves clean by feeding on algae that live on them. Jonathan Lefcheck

Restoring seagrasses can bring coastal bays back to life

Healthy seagrasses form underwater meadows teeming with fish and shellfish. A successful large-scale restoration project in Virginia could become a model for reseeding damaged seagrass beds worldwide.
A mixed-conifer forest in the central Sierra Nevada after restoration, with unthinned forest in the background. Roger Bales

Restoring California’s forests to reduce wildfire risks will take time, billions of dollars and a broad commitment

Restoring western forests – thinning out small trees and dead wood – is an important strategy for reducing the risk of massive wildfires. But these projects aren’t fast, easy or cheap.
Wildflowers proliferating in overgrown roadsides during the coronavirus pandemic are providing habitat for pollinators. (Shutterstock)

COVID-19 shutdowns will give wildlife only short-term relief from climate change and other threats

Temporary reductions in carbon dioxide during the pandemic won’t turn the tide on climate change or biodiversity loss, but summon the need for action.
Investing in natural assets like ponds can help prevent cities from flooding — and save municipalities money. (Shutterstock)

How investing in green infrastructure can jump-start the post-coronavirus economy

Natural assets produce important city services and complement engineered infrastructure. Investing in natural assets can help protect our environment, reduce municipal service costs and create jobs.
Cities can prepare for climate change emergencies by adding green spaces to help manage stormwater, heat stress and air quality. (Shutterstock)

How cities can add accessible green space in a post-coronavirus world

The coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the lack of green space available to those living in urban areas. Cities must be managed as ecosystems to make them more liveable and resilient.
Framing nature in terms of kinship can motivate people to care about the loss of biodiversity. from www.shutterstock.com

Why a sense of kinship is key to caring about the living world

Our prevailing relationship with nature is based on framing the living world as a set of natural resources. This utility-based worldview perpetuates the drivers of ongoing biodiversity loss.

Top contributors

More