BIOL 3999: Issues in Biological Science GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY Dr. Tyler Evans Email: [email protected]@csueastbay.edu Phone: 510-885-3475.

BIOL 3999: Issues in Biological Science

GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY

Dr. Tyler EvansEmail: [email protected]: 510-885-3475Office Hours: M,W 10:30-12:00 or by appointmentWebsite: http://evanslabcsueb.weebly.com/

WHAT IS GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY?• scientific study aimed at understanding of the interface between current

environmental change that affects a substantial part of the globe and Earth’s biological systems.

• In simpler terms, how human activities influence the biosphere

• socio-economic development

• production and consumption

• resource use

• ecosystems• climate• geochemical

cycles

HUMAN SYSTEMSEARTH SYSTEMS

COURSE DESCRIPTION• the course will focus on understanding how anthropogenic (i.e. human)

changes to the global environment impact organisms. We will evaluate responses to global change in a wide diversity of organisms and ecosystems

• lectures will draw heavily on primary research and case studies.

Global Change

Molecular

Biochemical

Physiological

Organismal

Population

Ecosystem

• An important theme of the course will be to describe how environmental phenomena affect biological systems across levels of organization

LEARNING OUTCOMES(What I hope you will gain from this course)

• acquire a broad understanding of the connection between human activities and the structure and function of biological systems

• enhance your ability to engage primary research and synthesize data presented within journal articles

• achieve a higher level of critical thinking that enables proper evaluation and educated decision-making regarding issues in global change

WHAT THIS COURSE IS NOTGlobal change is an important and pressing political issue…However, this course will not be focused on policy, ethics or economics

Global change is an important and pressing social issue…However, this is not a course in environmental activism

WHAT THIS COURSE IS NOT

I am a biologist that studies the impacts of climate change and that is what this course is focused on

This is GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY

GRADING

Midterm Exam #1………..25% (FEB 1)Midterm Exam #2………..25% (FEB 22)Final Exam…………………..30% (Mar 18)Writing Assignment.…….20% (Mar 15)

Your final grade will be determined by three exams and one written assignment:

• exams will focus on lecture materials• exams will be a combination of multiple

choice, matching, short and long answer• scores will be posted on Blackboard

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TEXTBOOK AND READINGS

No textbook• too expensive• a suitable text hasn’t been published yet

Rely heavily on research articles• more interesting• gain experience in synthesizing data from these

sources• all materials are available on website and Blackboard

COURSE POLICIES(in accordance with CSUEB guidelines)

Academic Dishonesty• please review CSUEB’s policies and understand what is considered academic dishonesty:

http://www20.csueastbay.edu/academic/academic-policies/academic-dishonesty.html

Missed Exams• make every effort to avoid missing scheduled exams. In case of an emergency or

legitimate conflict, you may be eligible to take a specially scheduled make-up exam. However, you must provide verifiable, written documentation for your absence. Any unexcused absence from an exam will result in a score of 0 for that exam.

Special Academic Accommodations: • if you have a documented disability, accommodations can be arranged for exams and

other activities. For more information please visit: http://www20.csueastbay.edu/af/departments/as/

Courtesy: • Please turn off all audible sounds to any electronic devices (phones, PDAs, etc.)

while in lecture and refrain from using your laptops for activities not related to lecture during class time

• Use of these items is strictly prohibited during all exams, unless special accommodations have been arranged.

KEYS TO SUCCESS

• Attend lectures• Take thorough notes• Study those notes• Ask questions

QUESTIONS?

WHAT IS AT STAKE?ASSIGNING VALUE TO EARTH’S ECOSYSTEMS

• humans typically see themselves as separate from natural Earth systems• In reality, humans are dependent on natural environment for much of their

well-being• misconception causes a vast under-estimation of the value of Earth’s

ecosystems

PERSPECTIVES ON GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY:

• flows of value to human societies as a result of the state and quantity of natural capital.

ECOSYSTEM SERVICES

e.g. Tuna Fisheryocean provides tuna humans catch tuna

humans sell tuna for money

• quantifying ecosystems services will assist humans in recognizing their dependency on biological systems and the important services they provide

ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS

• attaching dollar values may be valuable in illustrating the potential consequences of global change, should valuable ecosystem services be diminished or lost all together

SO WHAT IS THE VALUE OF EARTH’S ECOSYSTEM SERVICES?

CASE STUDY• Costanza et al. 1997. The value of the world’s ecosystem

services and natural capital. Nature. 387: 253-269

Identified 17 ecosystem services(excluding non-renewable, one time use resources such as gas and minerals)

1.) Gas regulation regulate chemical composition of atmosphere

2.) Climate regulationregulate global temp, precipitation, etc.

3.) Disturbance regulation Reduce damage caused storms, etc.

4.) Water regulationFor agriculture, industry or transportation

5.) Water supplystorage and retention of water

6.) ErosionPrevention of soil loss

7.) Soil formationweathering of rock provides soil for crops

8.) Nutrient cyclingprocessing and recycling of nutrients

Identified 17 ecosystem services…continued(excluding non-renewable, one time use resources such as gas and minerals)

Identified 17 ecosystem services…continued(excluding non-renewable, one time use resources such as gas and minerals)

9.) Waste treatmentdetoxification

10.) Pollinationhealthy plant populations

11.) Biological controlbalancing ecosystems by predation

12.) Refugiaspaces for migration

Identified 17 ecosystem services…continued(excluding non-renewable, one time use resources such as gas and minerals)

13.) Food productionfish, game, crops, nuts, fruit

14.) Raw materialswood

15.) Genetic resourcesmedicine, pets, gardens

16.) RecreationEco-tourism, sport fishing

Identified 17 ecosystem services…continued(excluding non-renewable, one time use resources such as gas and minerals)

17.) Culturalart, religion, education, science

Valuation methods(i.e. how did authors calculate value?)

• based mostly on attempts to estimate the “willingness to pay” of individuals for ecosystem services

17.) Culturalart, religion, education, science

12.) Refugiaspaces for migration

• pay an entrance fee for National Parks

• $736,000 paid for a tuna in 2012

• calculated the value per unit area for services for 17 ecosystems• multiplied that value by the total global area of that ecosystem

Valuation methods(i.e. how did authors calculate value?)

Economic value of Earth’s ecosystems:

Some important trends• $20.9 trillion USD (63%) was accounted for by marine ecosystems:

• continental shelf was most valuable ecosystem: $4.3 trillion USD • primarily from nutrient cycling

• $12.3 trillion USD (37%) was accounted for by terrestrial ecosystems• wetlands were most valuable ecosystem : $4.9 trillion USD• primarily from disturbance regulation, water supply, waste management

TOTAL: $33 trillion USD per year

• Nutrient cycling was most valuable ecosystem service

• Data was not available for tundra, deserts, ice caps

More examples:Hawaii’s coral reefs are worth $360 million USD

annually

More examples:Bee keeping generates $213 million USD annually

in Switzerland

• Single bee colony provides $215 in direct products (honey, wax, pollen) but $1,050 through pollination of agricultural fruits and berries

More examples:

Climate regulation by forests in Cameroon worth $842-2265 USD per year

LIMITATIONS OF ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICSMAJOR CRITICISM : “The economies of the Earth would grind to a halt without the services of ecological life-support systems, so in one sense their total value to the economy is infinite.”

RESPONSE : “It is meaningful to ask how changes in the quantity or quality of various types of natural capital and ecosystem services may have an impact on human welfare.”

Improve decision making Establish directions of change

value of forests to regulate climate

minimum price for logging

$$$$

TIME

THOUGHTS?Is this an effective strategy to reverse misconceptions

regarding the value of biodiversity?

“If we actually lived in a world that was ecologically sustainable, socially fair and where everyone had perfect knowledge of their connection to ecosystem services, both market prices and surveys of willingness-to-pay would yield very different results than they currently do, and the value of ecosystem services would probably increase.”

CLOSING REMARKS FROM COSTANZA ET AL.

LECTURE SUMMARY• quantifying ecosystems services will assist humans in recognizing their dependency on

biological systems and the important services they provide

• total values of Earth’s ecosystem services estimated at $33 trillion USD per year

• $20.9 trillion USD (63%) was accounted for by marine ecosystems

• continental shelf was most valuable ecosystem: $4.3 trillion USD

• nutrient cycling was most valuable service

• wetlands were most valuable terrestrial ecosystem : $4.9 trillion USD• primarily from disturbance regulation, water supply, waste management

• While value may be infinite, still meaningful to a establish baseline in order to monitor trajectories of change in the future

MORE INFORMATION

Costanza et al. 1997. The value of the world’s ecosystem services and natural capital. Nature. 387: 253-269

TEEB (2010) The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity: Mainstreaming the Economics of Nature: A synthesis of the approach, conclusions and recommendations of TEEB.

NEXT LECTURE:DRIVERS OF GLOBAL CHANGE