Abstract:
In the era of Anthropocene, characterized
by a dramatic increase in anthropogenic
pressure, global changes are challenging
the capacity of planet Earth to sustain the
development of human societies in the
long term. In the past two decades, this
concern has fostered worldwide efforts to
develop integrated studies of the ‘critical
zone’ (CZ), the outer skin of the Earth,
extending from the canopy top to the bottom
of the aquifer, hosting the continental
biosphere and providing basic human
needs such as water, food, energy and
ecosystem services1. Environmental
processes within the CZ, such as energy
and mass exchange, formation of soil,
streamflow and evolution of landscape
are critical to sustain biodiversity as well
as humanity2,3. However, with rapid
socio-economic development, the CZ is
subjected to increasing stress from anthropogenic
forcings such as the growth in
human and livestock populations, increase
in land use, global environmental
changes, and expanding consumption
patterns4.
