All life on Earth depends on the functioning of ecosystems. As a species, humans are unique because they have the ability to destroy whole ecosystems. For the first time in human history we are on the brink of catastrophic environmental change in the form of climate change. If humans fail to act, there is the danger that the Earth’s systems will collapse and bring about changes that will radically alter our planet.
However, we also have the capacity to protect and restore ecosystems. Now, more than ever, we need to understand the nature of the interactions taking place within the Earth’s biophysical environment so that we can sustainably manage the Earth’s ecosystems. To do this, we must better understand
the way that ecosystems function and the way they are responding to environmental stress such as climate change.