Human Domination of Earth's Ecosystems
Peter M. Vitousek,
Harold A. Mooney,
Jane Lubchenco,
Jerry M. Melillo
Human alteration of Earth is substantial and growing. Between
one-third and one-half of the land surface has been transformed by
human action; the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere has
increased by nearly 30 percent since the beginning of the Industrial
Revolution; more atmospheric nitrogen is fixed by humanity than by all
natural terrestrial sources combined; more than half of all accessible
surface fresh water is put to use by humanity; and about one-quarter of
the bird species on Earth have been driven to extinction. By these and
other standards, it is clear that we live on a human-dominated planet.
P. M. Vitousek and H. A. Mooney are in the Department of
Biological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
J. Lubchenco is in the Department of Zoology, Oregon State University,
Corvallis, OR 97331, USA. J. M. Melillo is at the U.S. Office
of Science and Technology Policy, Old Executive Office Building, Room
443, Washington, DC 20502, USA.
