. Energy News .




FARM NEWS
Human transformation of land threatens future sustainability?
by Staff Writers
Boulder CO (SPX) Nov 29, 2012


Researchers found just over 50% of Earth's total land surface has been modified by human activity.

Social and physical scientists have long been concerned about the effects of humans on Earth's surface - in part through deforestation, encroachment of urban areas onto traditionally agricultural lands, and erosion of soils - and the implications these changes have on Earth's ability to provide for an ever-growing population.

The December 2012 GSA Today science article presents examples of land transformation by humans and documents some of the effects of these changes.

Researchers Roger Hooke of the University of Maine, USA, and Jose F. Martin-Duque and Javier Pedraza of Complutense University, Spain, examine factors such as available agricultural land area and discuss some of the implications of their findings in light of human population growth and its relationship to planetary resources.

Overall, they find that just over 50% of Earth's total land surface has been modified by human activity.

Because many of these modifications also result in reduction of land available for agriculture - either by degradation of land quality by processes such as soil erosion, or by transforming agriculture lands to urban uses - Hooke and colleagues argue that these changes to our planet's land surface also influence the ability of these same lands to sustain local, regional, and, ultimately, global population.

Comparing projections of future changes in land-use with projections of population growth leads them to also suggest that human population may be entering, or already in, a state of "overshoot" - where the needs of the present population exceed the long-term carrying capacity of a region.

Solutions may not be easy to arrive at, but would need to involve a combination of efforts aimed to reduce demand for resources, develop new technical solutions to resource limitations, and to reduce the rate of growth of population.

Land transformation by humans: A review; Roger LeB. Hooke, School of Earth and Climate Sciences and Climate Change Institute, University of Maine, Orono, Maine 04469-5790, USA; Jose F. Martin-Duque, Dept. of Geodynamics and Geosciences Institute (CSIC-UCM), Complutense University, 28040 Madrid, Spain; and Javier Pedraza, Dept. of Geodynamics, Complutense University, 28040 Madrid, Spain. Pages 4-10, doi: 10.1130/GSATG151A.1.

.


Related Links
Geological Society of America
Farming Today - Suppliers and Technology






Comment on this article via your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL, Hotmail login.

Share this article via these popular social media networks
del.icio.usdel.icio.us DiggDigg RedditReddit GoogleGoogle




Memory Foam Mattress Review

Newsletters :: SpaceDaily Express :: SpaceWar Express :: TerraDaily Express :: Energy Daily
XML Feeds :: Space News :: Earth News :: War News :: Solar Energy News

Get Our Free Newsletters
Space - Defense - Environment - Energy - Solar - Nuclear

...





FARM NEWS
Scientists find clues to more disease resistant watermelons
Ithaca NY (SPX) Nov 27, 2012
Are juicier, sweeter, more disease-resistant watermelons on the way? An international consortium of more than 60 scientists from the United States, China, and Europe has published the genome sequence of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) - information that could dramatically accelerate watermelon breeding toward production of a more nutritious, tastier and more resistant fruit. The researchers ... read more


FARM NEWS
Satellites used to track global smog level

TerraSAR-X image of the month - the Santorini volcano expands

Apple sacks exec in maps fiasco: report

What lies beneath? New survey technique offers detailed picture of our changing landscape

FARM NEWS
East Riding Of Yorkshire Council Selects Ctrack For Specialist Vehicle Tracking Solution

Researchers Use GPS Tracking to Monitor Crab Behavior

US Navy, Raytheon receive Pentagon engineering award for GPS-guided precision landing program

Lockheed Martin Completes Critical Environmental Test on GPS III Pathfinder

FARM NEWS
Brazil says Amazon deforestation at record low

Drained wetlands give off same amount of greenhouse gases as industry

Island row dulls China land grab fears in Japan

Maple syrup, moose, and the local impacts of climate change

FARM NEWS
Marine algae seen as biofuel resource

Algae Biomass Organization hails new UCSD study showing saltwater algae viable for biofuels

Algae can draw energy from other plants

Engineering plants for biofuels

FARM NEWS
Renewable energy could power Australia

Funneling the sun's energy

Rice unveils super-efficient solar-energy technology

Continuation of Arenales solar power plant project secured

FARM NEWS
Britain: Higher energy bills 'reasonable'

Areva commits to Scotland turbine plant

AREVA deploys its industrial plan to produce a 100 percent French wind power technology

Gannets could be affected by offshore energy developments

FARM NEWS
China mine blast toll rises to 23

China mine blast kills 18: state media

US shale gas drives up coal exports

Coal investment in Queensland unlikely

FARM NEWS
Chinese insurer hits out at Wen Jiabao report

Four more Tibetans set themselves alight in China

Tibetan self-immolates in northwest China

Record numbers flock to take Chinese government test




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2012 - Space Media Network. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA Portal Reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. Advertising does not imply endorsement,agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. Privacy Statement