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Human-driven greenhouse emissions are increasing the velocity of climate change and the frequency and intensity of climate extremes far above historical levels. These changes, along with other human-perturbations, are setting the conditions for more rapid and abrupt ecosystem dynamics and collapse.

This book presents new evidence on the rapid emergence of ecosystem collapse in response to the progression of anthropogenic climate change dynamics that are expected to intensify as the climate continues to warm. Discussing implications for biodiversity conservation, the chapters provide examples of such dynamics globally covering polar and boreal ecosystems, temperate and semi-arid ecosystems, as well as tropical and temperate coastal ecosystems.

Given its scope, the volume appeals to scientists in the fields of general ecology, terrestrial and coastal ecology, climate change impacts, and biodiversity conservation.

Ecosystem Collapse and Climate Change

Background and Context

1.      Context and Overview chapter. Climate change, climate extremes and ecosystem impacts. Unprecedented dynamics of ecosystem collapse and rapid change, definition of dynamics. Extreme events. etc. Editors, others

2.      Ecological and resilience principles of ecosystem collapse and rapid changes. Brian Walker, Steve Carpenter group.

 

Polar and Boreal Ecosystems

3.      Collapse of an alpine ecosystem in subAntarctic Macquarie island. Dana Bergstrom. Antarctica Division, Commonwealth of Australia; Melodie McGeoch Monash University, others.

4.     Alaska tundra rapid transitions due to fires under increasing extreme hot and dry conditions. Ted Schuur, Michelle Mack, University of Arizona, Flagstaff, USA.

5.     Rapid shifts in Circumpolar distribution of thermokarst landscapes and its implications for ecosystems and function (due to warming and fire). David Olefeldt, University of Alberta, Canada.

6.     Increased frequency of fires in the Canadian boreal forest leading to thresholds of no recovery. Werner Kurtz, Canada's Pacific Forestry Center, British Colombia, Canada.

7.     Canadian forest decline due to warm winters and insect attacks leading to shifts in carbon source sink dynamics. Changhui Peng, University of Quebec, Montreal, Canada.

 

Temperate and Semi-Arid Ecosystems

8.       Marine heatwave drives collapse of a Kelp forest in Western Australia. Thomas Wernberg, University of Western Australia. Alternatively Craig Johnson, University of Tasmania, Australia. Alternative to this contribution: Craig Johnson on Tasmanian Kelp collapse, or chapter on Australia wide.

9.     Collapse of one of the most carbon dense seagrass meadow in the world, Shark Bay, Western Australia. Ariane Arias-Ortiz, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain

10.   Forest dieback in the Western USA driven by warming and droughts. Craig Allen, US Geological Survey, New Mexico; and David D. Breshears, University of Arizona.

11.    Climate-induced global forest shifts due to heatwave-drought. Forest mortality episodes globally, describing current trends of post-mortality dynamics particularly focusing on species self-replacement vs vegetation shift; including Sahel, Mediterranean and US. Francisco Lloret, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain, and  Enric Batllori.

12.   Tasmanian Alpine ecosystem collapse due unprecedented hot conditions leading to burning of a relict ecosystem from the past glacial period (Pencil pines of 1000 years and peat which irreversible due to the timespan of recovery. (system had not seen fire for the past 8,000 years). David Bowman, University of Tasmania.

 

Tropical Ecosystems

13.   Great Barrier Reef unprecedented bleaching during the 2015-16. Terry Hughes, James Cook University; Tacey Ainsworth UNSW, Australia

14.   Globally unprecedented mangrove forest dieback in Gulf of Carpentaria (interactions below average rain followed by ocean heat wave and low tides). Norman Duke, James Cook University, Australia.

15.   Likelihood of Amazon collapse in the future. Jean Ometto, National Institute for Space Research, Brazil.

 

Oceans

16.   Climate change-related regime shifts have altered spatial synchrony of plankton dynamics in the North Sea. Emma Defriez, Imperial College, London, UK.

 

Other Chapters

17.    Allow room for a few additional chapters

 

Synthesis

18.   Response to ecosystem collapse - the 5As - Aware, Anticipate, Avoid, Act, Arrest Dana Bergstrom,  Antarctica Division, Australia, and others

19.     Synthesis chapter. Editors++