Novel ecosystems: challenges and opportunities for the Anthropocene

Abstract

Novel ecosystems are ecological assemblages that emerge in anthropogenic landscapes where an ecological abiotic or biotic threshold has been passed and can no longer be restored to a previous state. In such landscapes, novelty is attributed to unanticipated anthropogenic environmental change, and deliberate land use practices, and can be characterised by the arrival, across time and space, of different species assemblages. While little has been explored in the literature with respect to the policy implications of novel ecosystems, calls have been made for a better understanding of the barriers to adapting to novel ecosystems in environmental law and policy. This review reports on a qualitative literature analysis which was carried out to begin to identify the challenges and opportunities for mainstreaming the novel ecosystem framework into policy. While published information is only just emerging, eleven policy challenges broadly conforming to three themes were identified. Within these themes three opportunity areas were identified, revealing that more focussed discussion is required on the wider policy implications of novel ecosystems beyond the stated concerns about lowering standards in ecological conservation. The analysis also shows that there exists a greater understanding of the challenges to mainstreaming novel ecosystems in policy, as opposed to the possible opportunities under current policy timeframes. While a resilience framework has been put forward to offer an outline for policy makers, mechanisms for incorporating novel ecosystem theory into policy and decision making is still some distance off.