Sustainability and Ecosystems

Abstract

Maintenance of human well-being is highly dependent on nature. The natural environment provides a source of both directly used goods and services that support human livelihoods and an intrinsic value that contributes to human fl ourish- ing. Today, much of the planet is infl uenced or even transformed by human activity, and natural ecosystems are increasingly under threat. Ecology and conservation biology are crucial for understanding and quantifying changes in ecological sys- tems. Moreover, ecology in conjunction with other branches of science provides key insights to enable management options for supporting a sustainable future for our planet. Here, we give an overview of the relationship between biodiversity, ecosys- tems, and sustainability. First, we introduce the notion of biodiversity, then we pres- ent the links between biodiversity, ecosystem functions, and services, in which ecosystem services are the benefi ts people derive from ecosystems. Finally, we out- line the current threats to ecological integrity and provide a brief overview of the links between ecology and other disciplines within sustainability science.