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 laure- ates 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 inabil- ity 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.