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Growing pressures on the natural environment through intensification of human land use may compromise ecosystem functions that are central to both the human and the natural world. According to the UN commissioned Millennium Ecosystem Assessment report, 60% of ecosystem services are currently degraded or used unsustainably. This module examines rising ecosystem pressures focusing particularly on post WWII intensification of land use and projected demands in future output. It explores effects of water and pollinator shortages, fertilisers and chemical deposits in the environment, and the widespread introduction of genetically modified organisms. Questions asked include: What changes can these 'stressors' cause in wild population structure and biodiversity, and how might they ultimately affect such ecosystem services like water purification, food production, biological pest control, pollination, soil conservation and carbon sequestration?
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