Thursday, May 29, 2008 - 8:00 AM
506

Life in transition: Global change interdisciplinary challenges and opportunities

James P. Collins, Assistant Director for Biological Sciences, National Science Foundation, 4201 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 605, Arlington, VA 22230

Earth’s history is deeply entwined with the evolution of life.  Geologic and climate altering events have resulted in vast extinctions of life forms – over 99% of the animal and plant species that ever inhabited the Earth are extinct.  Moreover, stable ancient Earth environments were much more extreme than those envisioned within our current concepts of global change. Understanding the mechanisms of resilience and sustainability that enable some life forms to survive, adapt to, and transform their environment is essential to developing realistic predictions about the effects of global climate change on the biosphere, and its limits. The role of the living world in adapting to and shaping a changing Earth is found in the fundamental questions at the juncture of the life, physical, and social sciences.  Global Change is a story of transitions and biology is the bridge to that history. As human activity reshapes our planet, the ability of the living world, including the human species, to adapt and survive will depend on the insights obtained from a comprehensive, trans-disciplinary approach to understanding the changing biosphere and their wise application to our stewardship of our planet.

 NSF is especially prepared and positioned to lead the way beyond the incremental science of traditional disciplines and to inspire a new generation of scientists and educators whose scientific imagination, skills, and creativity will lead the transformative research and education crucial to understanding life on Earth and adapting to a changing world.



Web Page: interdisciplinary, transformational, research

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