Communicating the dynamic complexities of climate and ecology: species invasion and resource changes.

Abstract

As the population reaches beyond 7 billion, the impact of human activities on the global environment will begin to alter substantially the complex biological systems necessary to support life. Of particular concern are anthropogenic changes in atmospheric composition that are altering the climatic processes associated with precipitation, temperature and weather disruptions. However, such direct disturbances can also distress ecosystem function indirectly by facilitating the spread and establishment of non-indigenous (invasive) species. Such species, in turn, can overwhelm biological stability by impacting native diversity negatively or, from a human perspective, by reducing resource availability (e.g. agriculture). As a consequence, system resources, from forests to streams to crops, can become increasingly transient, even as population pressure creates additional needs for such resources. Although these pressures are increasingly recognized, knowledge to address the basic and applied needs related to maintaining ecosystem resources is lacking, in part because of communication disparities between scientists and policy makers. Here, the science underlying climate change and invasive species is examined, in broad terms, and the difficulties in eliciting both the attention and means needed to sustain ecosystem services over time are outlined. Overall, societal awareness of the scientific issues will be necessary to provide the global solutions essential to address the dynamic challenges of a changing climate, invasive species and human resource needs.

A multi-level and multi-actor approach to risk governance: a conceptual framework to support policy development for Ambrosia weed control

“…Awareness raising will contribute to enhanced support among actors for the implementation of measures to control Ambrosia, as, through awareness raising, actors will have a better understanding of the risk it poses (Genovesi 2005;Thompson and Ziska 2014;Wallace and Bargeron 2014). It is clear though that awareness is a scarce resource and that activities to raise awareness for Ambrosia have to compete with awareness activities for other urgent problems.…”