Anthromes   The Global Ecological Patterns Created by Humans

Plant Biodiversity in Anthromes

We live the Anthropocene

Human systems have transformed most of the terrestrial biosphere into anthromes.

• This study presents the first spatially explicit integrated assessment of the
      anthropogenic global patterns of vascular plant species richness created
      by the sustained actions of human populations and their use of land at
      regional landscape scale.

• What we don't know about the global patterns of plant
      biodiversity exceeds what we do know: model predictions were
      needed to map both native and anthropogenic plant species richness
      at regional landscape scales.

• Model predictions indicate that human systems have caused
      a net increase in plant species richness across more than two
      thirds of the terrestrial biosphere, mostly by facilitating exotic
      species invasions. 

• Exotic species increases are generally associated with and usually
      exceed native losses. Together these may represent a general process of
      anthropogenic ecological succession, leading to the widespread emergence of
      novel ecosystems.

• Global stewardship of biodiversity will require fundamental advances in global
      scientific understanding of how native species can be conserved within the novel
      plant communities created and sustained by human systems across most of the
      terrestrial biosphere in the Anthropocene.

Spatial & Statistical Data

Anthropogenic global patterns of plant species richness, species loss, invasions, crops and ornamental species, anthromes, and terrestrial biomes