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SYMP 16 -
Ecological Consequences of Multiple Changes in Asia and Their Implications to Global Sustainability
Thursday, August 9, 2012: 8:00 AM-11:30 AM
Portland Blrm 251, Oregon Convention Center
Organizer:
Hanqin Tian, Auburn University
Co-organizers:
Lingli Liu, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences; and
Qinxue Wang, National Institute for Environmental Studies
Moderator:
Hanqin Tian, Auburn University
Asia has experienced unprecedentedly rapid changes in the past and is likely to undergo further rapid development in the coming years. How multiple global changes in climate, air quality, land use, water use and biotic invasion will affect the ability of Asian ecosystems to provide people with essential goods and services is a fundamental question in global change and sustainability science. This symposium, sponsored by the ESA Asian Ecology Section, will examine how ecosystem goods and services such as carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas mitigation, freshwater resource, food supply and biodiversity have changed as a result of multiple global changes and their interactions. There is a growing concern that human-induced changes in land cover, climate, air quality and biotic invasion may extensively influence the structure and functioning of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems and consequently the provision of goods and services by ecosystems in the region. For example, some projections suggest that future climate change, land use, and water use may cause China to reach the limit of its exploitable water resources by 2030, with major consequences to China's agricultural economy, the price of food worldwide, and perhaps the global economy. However, the lack of integrated understanding limits our ability to predict the consequences of future changes in climate, air quality, land use and other factors for Asia that is home to about 60% of the Earth’s population.
In this symposium, speakers will collectively address the impacts of multiple environmental changes, such as climate change, air pollution,water use, land use and biotic invasions on Asia’s ecosystems. This symposium will begin with an introduction and overview of the simultaneously occurring environmental changes in Asia, and the growing challenges with regard to the sustainability of this region. Then, presentations will explore the impacts of human actives on Asia’s water supply and water sustainability. Next, the interactions between climate changes and ecological processes will be explored in a series of presentations, highlighting greenhouse gas emission, biotic invasions, and food security. Finally, in the panel discussion and synthesis session, speakers and audience will discuss how our current knowledge can lead us to develop the scientific foundation and the potential solutions for Asia’s environmental sustainability.
Endorsement:
Asian Ecology Section
9:15 AM
Climate change, land management, and water resources in the Drylands East Asia
Ge Sun, USDA Forest Service;
Xiaoming Feng, Chinese Academy of Sciences;
Jingfeng Xiao, University of New Hampshire;
Alexander Shiklomanov, University of New Hampshire;
Shengping Wang, North China Electric Power University;
Jiquan Chen, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH 43606
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