TY - CHAP A1 - Maltitz, Graham P. von A1 - Bieri, Mari A1 - Midgley, Guy F. A1 - Veitch, Jennifer A1 - Brümmer, Christian A1 - Rötter, Reimund P. A1 - Veste, Maik ED - Maltitz, Graham P. von ED - Midgley, Guy F. ED - Veitch, Jennifer ED - Brümmer, Christian ED - Rötter, Reimund P. ED - Viehberg, Finn A. ED - Veste, Maik T1 - Coupled Earth System and Human Processes: An Introduction to SPACES and the Book T2 - Sustainability of Southern African Ecosystems under Global Change N2 - Ecosystems in southern Africa are threatened by numerous global change forces, with climate change being a major threat to the region. Many climate change impacts and environmental-based mitigation and adaptation options remain poorly researched in this globally important biodiversity hotspot. This book is a collection of chapters covering research undertaken in southern Africa by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research’s (BMBF) SPACES and SPACES II programs. SPACES II covered a wide range of global change-linked environmental issues ranging in scope from the impacts of ocean currents on global climate systems through to understanding how small-scale farmers may best adapt to the impacts of climate change. All the research has identified policy implications, and the book strives for a balance between presenting the detailed science underpinning the conclusions as well as providing clear and simple policy messages. To achieve this, many chapters in the book contextualize the issues through the provision of a mini-review and combine this with the latest science emulating out of the SPACES II program of research. The book therefore consolidated both past and the most current research findings in a way that will be of benefit to both academia and policy makers. KW - Southern Africa KW - Ecosystem Research KW - Ecology KW - Conservation Biology KW - Climate Change Y1 - 2024 UR - https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-10948-5 SN - 978-3-031-10947-8 SN - 978-3-031-10948-5 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10948-5 SP - 3 EP - 21 PB - Springer CY - Cham ER - TY - CHAP A1 - Maltitz, Graham P. von A1 - Midgley, Guy F. A1 - Veitch, Jennifer A1 - Brümmer, Christian A1 - Rötter, Reimund P. A1 - Rixen, Tim A1 - Brandt, Peter A1 - Veste, Maik ED - Maltitz, Graham P. von ED - Midgley, Guy F. ED - Veitch, Jennifer ED - Brümmer, Christian ED - Rötter, Reimund P. ED - Viehberg, Finn A. ED - Veste, Maik T1 - Synthesis and Outlook on Future Research and Scientific Education in Southern Africa T2 - Sustainability of Southern African Ecosystems under Global Change N2 - The sustainability of southern Africa’s natural and managed marine and terrestrial ecosystems is threatened by overuse, mismanagement, population pressures, degradation, and climate change. Counteracting unsustainable development requires a deep understanding of earth system processes and how these are affected by ongoing and anticipated global changes. This information must be translated into practical policy and management interventions. Climate models project that the rate of terrestrial warming in southern Africa is above the global terrestrial average. Moreover, most of the region will become drier. Already there is evidence that climate change is disrupting ecosystem functioning and the provision of ecosystem services. This is likely to continue in the foreseeable future, but impacts can be partly mitigated through urgent implementation of appropriate policy and management interventions to enhance resilience and sustainability of the ecosystems. The recommendations presented in the previous chapters are informed by a deepened scientific understanding of the relevant earth system processes, but also identify research and knowledge gaps. Ongoing disciplinary research remains critical, but needs to be complemented with cross-disciplinary and transdisciplinary research that can integrate across temporal and spatial scales to give a fuller understanding of not only individual components of the complex earth-system, but how they interact. KW - Southern Africa KW - Marine Ecosystems KW - Biomes KW - BMBF KW - SPACES II Y1 - 2024 SN - 978-3-031-10947-8 SN - 978-3-031-10948-5 U6 - https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-10948-5_32 SP - 933 EP - 964 PB - Springer CY - Cham ER -