Increases in human population

Food production (All pressures)

Increasing global population has led to an increase in the demand for food (WWF, 2014); this results in conversion of land for agriculture, increase in greenhouse gas concentrations including the production of methane by livestock, crossover of invasive species from agriculture, and direct overexploitation of plants and animals for food. Food production leads to increase in nitrogen pollution by a variety of mechanisms including fertilizer, growing certain crops including soy, or flooding fields for rice (Cain, Bowman, & Hacker, 2014, pp. 576-577).

Infrastructure (Habitat loss and overexploitation)

Growing populations result in residential and commercial development and related consumption demands. These demands lead to habitat change (i.e. road building resulting in fragmentation or conversion of forests into urban areas), along with overexploitation of resources such as wood for construction (WWF, 2014).

Energy (Climate change, pollution, and habitat change)

The use and production of fossil fuels leads to production of CO2, a greenhouse gas, along with air and water pollutants (Covert, Greenstone, & Knittel, 2016). Habitat loss can also be attributed to energy production, for example in dam construction or mining (Rosser & Walpole, 2012).

Increases in global economic activity

Globalization (Invasive species)

Global economic activity has increased by a factor of seven in the past 50 years and is expected to continue; a facet of this, globalization, increases interdependence and removes regional barriers. The associated increase in trade and travel results in the spread of invasive species (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005).

*Words in parenthesis in the sub-titles indicate the major pressures that the drivers influence.*