How Valid are the Biological and Ecological Principles Underpinning Global Change Science?

How Valid Are the Biological and Ecological Principles Underpinning Global Change Science?

The prevailing scientific approach to investigating and understanding the environmental consequences of human-induced global change is underpinned by two basic biological principles. First, the principle that species genetically adapt to changing environment conditions. Second, the principle that nutrients present in the environment in the smallest relative concentrations limit biological

Biological and Ecological Dimensions of Global Environmental Change

Biological invasions are a main component of global change with strong ecological and socio-economic consequences

Biological invasions are a main component of global change with strong ecological and socio-economic consequences (Simberloff et al. 2013, Schirmel et al. 2016). Such changes can affect resident animal communities by modifying habitats Schirmel et al. 2011), food resources (Wolkovich et al. 2009) or biotic interactions (Schweiger et al. 2010). Effects on local fauna can be negative in terms of ...

The global burden of chronic kidney disease: how valid are the estimates?

BACKGROUND/AIMS The values for the global prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) are poorly understood. Current classification schemas may overstate the prevalance of CKD. This minireview analyzes the pitfalls in the use of current classification approaches for identifying CKD on a global basis. METHODS Literature review and comment. RESULTS Published estimates for the global burden of ...

Are modern biological invasions an unprecedented form of global change?

The uniqueness of the current, global mass invasion by nonindigenous species has been challenged recently by researchers who argue that modern rates and consequences of nonindigenous species establishment are comparable to episodes in the geological past. Although there is a fossil record of species invasions occurring in waves after geographic barriers had been lifted, such episodic events dif...