Population-level extinctions in the Anthropocene: Consequences for ecosystems and humans

Abstract:
The global extinction of species has been the focus of interest of scientists and the public at large – a phenomenon of undeniable local and global importance. However, a less publicized component of the biodiversity crisis is the loss of populations – which is massive and represents the preamble to global extinction. Here I will discuss the patterns of population loss and the consequences thereof for the functioning of ecosystems and human wellbeing. While the literature on ecosystem services is abundant, particularly in relation to the category of provisioning services accrued by plants (medicines, food and fiber, for example) and some animal functional groups (e.g., pollinators), much less has been communicated on the potential role of animal-plant interactions regarding ecosystem functionality and disease regulation. In this presentation I will share examples of the hitherto poorly appreciated role of animal-plant interactions for human health to signal how the loss of populations cascades onto the extinction of ecological processes and risks of zoonotic disease.

About the Speaker:
My scientific work examines the study of species interactions in tropical ecosystems from California, Latin America, and other tropical areas of the world. Recent research highlights the decline of animal life (“defaunation”), and how this affects ecosystem processes/services (e.g. disease regulation). I teach ecology, natural history, conservation biology, and biocultural diversity at undergraduate and graduate levels at Stanford, and conduct science education programs with underserved children in the Bay Area and our study sites. My lab includes undergrads, graduate students, postdocs, and visiting scholars from the US, and many other countries. I have co-authored the new Framework for K-12 Science Education.

Contact

Carter Hunt
cah59@psu.edu