In a changing world, will some ecosystems be lost forever?

Thu Sep 15 2016 12:00:00 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)

In a changing world, will some ecosystems be lost forever?

15 September 2016

Understanding how ecosystems will respond to novel disturbances as the environment changes and the climate warms is one of the big challenges for ecologists, says Professor George Perry from the University of Auckland.

Professor Perry, from the School of Environment, studies disturbance events such as fire and wind-storms that can rapidly and disastrously change ecosystems such as forests.

“We are undergoing a period of rapid change in the nature of ecological disturbance such as the huge fires we have seen in Tasmania and North America this year,” he says.

“As scientists, we have very real concerns that it may take centuries for these forests to recover, if they ever do.”

In his inaugural lecture, Professor Perry will also discuss ecological “tipping points” where changes in environmental conditions can result in abrupt and rapid ecological change that is difficult to reverse.

The rapid changes in New Zealand’s ecosystems that accompanied human settlement and the ensuing increase in fire and loss of fauna are a stark example of such processes.

“One of our jobs is to try and minimise future nasty surprises but looking at potential effects from climate and other environmental change, and the fact we are seeing things we have not seen before, makes that job quite difficult.

“There are real concerns that things are going to get worse in ways that are hard to foresee.”

This free public lecture will be held on Tuesday, 20 September at 5.15pm in Old Government House Lecture Theatre, corner Princes St and Waterloo Quadrant, Auckland. Refreshments will follow the lecture.

More information contact

Anne Beston
Media Relations Adviser,
Communications,
University of Auckland.

Email: a.beston@auckland.ac.nz
Tel: +64 9 923 3258
Mobile: + 64 (0) 21 970 089