Anthropogenic transformation of the biomes, 1700 to 2000

Abstract

Aim To map and characterize anthropogenic transformation of the terrestrial biosphere before and during the Industrial Revolution, from 1700 to 2000. Location Global.Methods Anthropogenic biomes (anthromes) were mapped for 1700, 1800, 1900 and 2000 using a rule-based anthrome classification model applied to gridded global data for human population density and land use. Anthropogenic transformation of terrestrial biomes was then characterized by map comparisons at century intervals. ResultsIn 1700, nearly half of the terrestrial biosphere was wild, without human settlements or substantial land use. Most of the remainder was in a seminatural state (45%) having only minor use for agriculture and settlements. By 2000, the opposite was true, with the majority of the biosphere in agricultural and settled anthromes, less than 20% seminatural and only a quarter left wild. Anthropogenic transformation of the biosphere during the Industrial Revolution resulted about equally from land-use expansion into wildlands and intensification of land use within seminatural anthromes. Transformation pathways differed strongly between biomes and regions, with some remaining mostly wild but with the majority almost completely transformed into rangelands, croplands and villages. In the process of transforming almost 39% of earth's total ice-free surface into agricultural land and settlements, an additional 37% of global land without such use has become embedded within agricultural and settled anthromes. Main conclusionsBetween 1700 and 2000, the terrestrial biosphere made the critical transition from mostly wild to mostly anthropogenic, passing the 50% mark early in the 20th century. At present, and ever more in the future, the form and process of terrestrial ecosystems in most biomes will be predominantly anthropogenic, the product of land use and other direct human interactions with ecosystems. Ecological research and conservation efforts in all but a few biomes would benefit from a primary focus on the novel remnant, recovering and managed ecosystems embedded within used lands.

Conservation opportunities across the world's anthromes

“…We classified anthromes using the algorithm and data inputs of Ellis et al (2010) from global population and land use data stratified within a geodesic Icosahedral Snyder Equal Area discrete global grid system (DGG) with a cell area of Figure 1 Global map of contemporary anthromes (top; year 2000) and associated socio-economic and ecological characteristics, including human population density, land use and integrity of habitat and biotic communities (bottom).…”

“…Recently, the anthrome framework has been used to understand global ecological patterns, including the rate of landscape change over centuries (Ellis et al, 2010) and patterns of plant diversity . Anthromes have also been used to highlight risks to threatened species resulting from human activity and to prioritize and direct conservation efforts in those areas.…”

“…To enable long-term global changes in anthromes to be mapped, the current rule-based anthrome classification model was developed using a simplified system of 19 anthromes (Ellis et al, 2010). Figure 1 presents a global map of contemporary anthromes, together with a conceptual diagram illustrating general patterns in human population densities and land use within and across anthromes, while also incorporating their relationships with biotic communities.…”

“…Croplands, rangelands and semi-natural/forested anthromes are less densely populated but reflect significant land use change under human direction. Wildlands represent areas with little or no human activity; 85% of wildlands are located in cold and dry biomes (Ellis et al, 2010).…”

Oasis Irrigation-Induced Hydro-Climatic Effects: A Case Study in the Hyper-Arid Region of Northwest China

“…Over the last 50 years, human activities have dramatically altered the physical properties of the land surface by modifying the natural vegetation coverage [1,2]. Land use changes have a strong influence on local hydrological processes and affect regional and global climate change [3][4][5].…”