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Human impacts and Anthropocene environmental change at Lake Kutubu, a Ramsar wetland in Papua New Guinea

2021; National Academy of Sciences; Volume: 118; Issue: 40 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1073/pnas.2022216118

1091-6490

Kelsie Long, Larissa Schneider, Simon Connor, Niamh Shulmeister, Janet Finn, Georgia L. Roberts, Atun Zawadzki, T. Gabriel Enge, John P. Smol, Chris Ballard, Simon Haberle,

Geology and Paleoclimatology Research

Significance Wetland environments are increasingly threatened by climate change, population expansion, resource extraction, forest clearance, and pollution. The Ramsar Convention aims to monitor internationally important wetlands to ensure their ongoing maintenance and survival through wise use and management. However, many wetlands have undergone substantial human-induced changes prior to being listed with Ramsar. In the case of Lake Kutubu, a Ramsar wetland situated in the tropical rainforests of Papua New Guinea, paleoecological indicators preserved in lake sediments have been used to identify baseline conditions and to track anthropogenic impacts over time. This methodology can be applied to wetlands around the world to determine baseline environmental conditions and to track historic ecological changes in areas where constant monitoring has not been possible.