The new Anthropocene biosphere

The Anthropocene biosphere has markedly and abruptly diverged from its Holocene predecessor since the middle of the twentieth century. Its unique characteristics now include a domination of human bodies and domesticated animals at the expense of wild species, transformation of most of Earth's ecosystems to serve humans, and globally decreased biodiversity coupled with increased homogeneity on both land and sea. The interactions of the Anthropocene biosphere with other aspects of the Earth system also differ from the typical Holocene condition, because humans have changed such fundamentals as the global energy budget, climate, biogeochemical cycling and hydrological dynamics. While a few relicts of Holocene diversity and ecosystems remain in some protected areas, essentially as museums of nature, even their survival is at risk from the same local and global human-caused pressures that already have pushed the Anthropocene biosphere into a state distinct from that of the Holocene. Although the roadmap to mitigating these pressures has been clearly laid out by numerous scientific and philosophical studies, the press of humanity is increasing, ensuring that the Anthropocene biosphere will continue its steep, irreversible trajectory of departure from Holocene conditions. This article is part of the theme issue 'The biosphere in the Anthropocene'.