The ethics of human impacts and the future of the earth's ecosystems: Introduction

Abstract

In this Theme Section, a selection of the International Ecology Institute Prize laureates and authors of the Excellence in Ecology books present their thoughts on the ethics of our impact on, and the future of, the earth's ecosystems. The 5 essays address various issues: (1) the longer-term role of humans on the earth and (2) the earth's capacity for supporting humans; (3) the diversity of microbes surrounding us and the allergic desensitization they provide and (4) our need for respecting the world around us; (5) which is gradually being compromised by our inability to act as reasonable stewards of the earth. In addition, the ethics of overfishing as well as new issues and questions raised are briefly discussed.