Post-Anthropocene Conservation

Maggie J Watson; David M Watson

doi:10.1016/j.tree.2019.10.006

Post-Anthropocene Conservation

Trends Ecol Evol. 2020 Jan;35(1):1-3. doi: 10.1016/j.tree.2019.10.006. Epub 2019 Nov 26.

Authors

Maggie J Watson¹, David M Watson²

Affiliations

¹ Institute for Land, Water and Society, School of Environmental Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW 2640, Australia.
² Institute for Land, Water and Society, School of Environmental Sciences, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW 2640, Australia. Electronic address: dwatson@csu.edu.au.

PMID: 31784122
DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2019.10.006

Abstract

Conditions capable of supporting multicellular life are predicted to continue for another billion years, but humans will inevitably become extinct within several million years. We explore the paradox of a habitable planet devoid of people, and consider how to prioritise our actions to maximise life after we are gone.

Keywords: Anthropocene; climate change; conservation prioritisation; extinction; novel ecosystems.

MeSH terms

Conservation of Natural Resources*
Humans