Department 3: Ecological Restoration and Conservation

The earth’s carrying capacity is eroding by anthropogenic extraction and pollution at a rate faster than it can be regenerated.

We view the Earth as a “materholobiont”—the mother of all holobionts—that functions according to principles of endosymbiosis. We thus  identify planetary dysbiosis as the primary challenge of the earth system that is manifested through climate change, increased hazards, and loss of planetary functions)

We advance approaches that integrate biodiversity, ecosystem services, and the human-nature nexus, recognizing that long-term resilience depends on restoring the relationships between ecological integrity, planetary limits, and human systems.