Human domination of Earths ecosystems
Vitousek PM, Mooney HA, Lubchenco J, Melillo JM. 1997. Human domination of Earths ecosystems. Science. 277(5325):494-499
Human alteration of Earth is substantial and growing. Between one-third and one-half of the land surface has been transformed by human action; the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere has increased by nearly 30 percent since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution; more atmospheric nitrogen is fixed by humanity than by all natural terrestrial sources combined; more than half of all accessible surface fresh water is put to use by humanity; and about one-quarter of the bird species on Earth have been driven to extinction. By these and other standards, it is clear that we live on a human-dominated planet.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Vitousek, Peter; Mooney, Harold; Lubchenco, Jane; Melillo, Jerry
- Units
- KLMN
- Keywords
- Climate Change, Earth, Extinction, Human Impact, land transformation