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Description
The Anthropocene has presented us with an era of human activity having direct effects on the Earth, one of these effects being global warming. Many of the effects of global warming are irreversible but can be halted. While efforts to halt global warming and the consequences that come with it, such as the melting of ice caps and destruction of the ozone layer, many have shown to be inefficient or not well-received by the public. This is where scientist Sergey Zimov has come in to propose an unusual yet extremely interesting solution. By introducing key species into northern Siberia, an area known for the climate being closest to that of the Pleistocene, we can reestablish the efficient environment that kept the area in a homeostasis. By introducing animals such as the boars of Canada, then maintaining a balance of the herbivores with native carnivores such as the Siberian tiger, we could eventually reintroduce mammoths into the ecosystem. Doing this will allow us to observe the essential roles held by megafauna of past eras to apply a solution to other parts of the world, as well as have a thriving ecosystem maintain cool winters with an even colder ground that remains frozen and prevents the release of approximately 500 gigatons of carbon from excreting out of the permafrost which would be another irreversible consequence of global warming. This research will present the opportunity to reverse the Anthropocene and halt global warming's effects and start solving the issues presented.
One Step Back, Two Steps Forward: Reversing the Anthropocene
The Anthropocene has presented us with an era of human activity having direct effects on the Earth, one of these effects being global warming. Many of the effects of global warming are irreversible but can be halted. While efforts to halt global warming and the consequences that come with it, such as the melting of ice caps and destruction of the ozone layer, many have shown to be inefficient or not well-received by the public. This is where scientist Sergey Zimov has come in to propose an unusual yet extremely interesting solution. By introducing key species into northern Siberia, an area known for the climate being closest to that of the Pleistocene, we can reestablish the efficient environment that kept the area in a homeostasis. By introducing animals such as the boars of Canada, then maintaining a balance of the herbivores with native carnivores such as the Siberian tiger, we could eventually reintroduce mammoths into the ecosystem. Doing this will allow us to observe the essential roles held by megafauna of past eras to apply a solution to other parts of the world, as well as have a thriving ecosystem maintain cool winters with an even colder ground that remains frozen and prevents the release of approximately 500 gigatons of carbon from excreting out of the permafrost which would be another irreversible consequence of global warming. This research will present the opportunity to reverse the Anthropocene and halt global warming's effects and start solving the issues presented.
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Faculty Advisor: Dr. Anna Dixon