ABSTRACT
The key to evolutionary success for both species and civilizations is the ability to adapt to changing conditions. The early decades of the twenty-first century are providing multiple opportunities to adapt, with major changes affecting climate, demography, economic conditions, politics, and biodiversity, among many others. Members of the human genus Homo adapted to the tumultuous geographic history of Southeast Asia beginning at least 500,000 years ago, with Homo erectus living in Java and presumably elsewhere in the region. Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is an important part of the global economy and much of the world is drawing on the natural productivity of the region's land and seas, especially seeking fish, forest products, and agricultural crops. While the biodiversity of ASEAN is already rich in global terms, many more species remain to be discovered. Given that ASEAN region has always been geographically, culturally, and biologically dynamic, surviving natural ecosystems may be key contributors to future forms of sustainable development.
