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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Tucson, Arizona » SWRC » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #287441
Title: Impacts of Climate Change on Ecosystem Services

Author
item KAREIVA, P. - Nature Conservancy
item RUCKELSHAUS, M. - Stanford University
item ARKEMA, K. - Stanford University
item GELLER, G. - Jet Propulsion Laboratory
item GIRVETZ, E. - Nature Conservancy
item Goodrich, David - Dave
item NELSON, E. - Bowdoin College
item MATZEK, V. - Santa Clara University
item PINSKY, M. - Princeton University
item SAUNDERS, M. - Santa Clara University
item SEMMENS, D. - Us Geological Survey (USGS)
item TALLIS, H. - Stanford University

Submitted to: Government Publication/Report
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/1/2012
Publication Date: 6/1/2012
Citation: Kareiva, P., Ruckelshaus, M., Arkema, K., Geller, G., Girvetz, E., Goodrich, D.C., Nelson, E., Matzek, V., Pinsky, M., Saunders, M., Semmens, D., Tallis, H. 2012. Impacts of Climate Change on Ecosystem Services. Chapter 4 of Michelle D. Staudinger, Nancy B. Grimm, Amanda Staudt, Shawn L. Carter, F. Stuart Chapin III, Peter Kareiva, Mary Ruckelshaus, Bruce A. Stein. 2012. Impacts of Climate Change on Biodiversity, Ecosystems, and Ecosystem Services: Technical Input to the 2013 National Climate Assessment. Cooperative Report to the 2013 National Climate Assessment. 296 p.

Interpretive Summary: Ecosystems, and the biodiversity and services they support such as providing food, clean water, and clean air, among many, are intrinsically dependent on climate. During the twentieth century, climate change has had documented impacts on ecological systems, and impacts are expected to increase as climate change continues and perhaps even accelerates. This technical input to the National Climate Assessment synthesizes our scientific understanding of the way climate change is affecting biodiversity, ecosystems, ecosystem services, and what strategies might be employed to decrease current and future risks. Building on past assessments of how climate change and other stressors are affecting ecosystems in the United States and around the world, we approach the subject from several different perspectives. People experience climate change impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems as changes in ecosystem services; people depend on ecosystems for resources that are harvested, their role in regulating the movement of materials and disturbances, and their recreational, cultural, and aesthetic value. Thus, we review newly emerging research to determine how human activities and a changing climate are likely to alter the delivery of these ecosystem services.

Technical Abstract: Ecosystems, and the biodiversity and services they support, are intrinsically dependent on climate. During the twentieth century, climate change has had documented impacts on ecological systems, and impacts are expected to increase as climate change continues and perhaps even accelerates. This technical input to the National Climate Assessment synthesizes our scientific understanding of the way climate change is affecting biodiversity, ecosystems, ecosystem services, and what strategies might be employed to decrease current and future risks. Building on past assessments of how climate change and other stressors are affecting ecosystems in the United States and around the world, we approach the subject from several different perspectives. People experience climate change impacts on biodiversity and ecosystems as changes in ecosystem services; people depend on ecosystems for resources that are harvested, their role in regulating the movement of materials and disturbances, and their recreational, cultural, and aesthetic value. Thus, we review newly emerging research to determine how human activities and a changing climate are likely to alter the delivery of these ecosystem services.