Advancing the Integration of History and Ecology for Conservation

0365483 - BÚ 2012 RIV US eng J - Journal Article
Szabó, Péter - Hédl, Radim
Advancing the Integration of History and Ecology for Conservation.
Conservation Biology. Roč. 25, č. 4 (2011), s. 680-687. ISSN 0888-8892. E-ISSN 1523-1739
R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA600050812
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516
Keywords : historical ecology * nature conservation * interdisciplinarity
Subject RIV: EF - Botanics
Impact factor: 4.692, year: 2011

This paper identifies four key issues that hinder historical ecological research and considers possible solutions. Cooperation can be achieved by focusing on the features ecology and history have in common and through understanding and acceptance of differing points of view. Historical ecological research can only be conducted at extents for which sources in both disciplines have comparable resolutions. Historical ecologists must actively seek out data from before 1800 and apply analytic methods commonly used in ecology to these data. Human societies should be acknowledged as integral parts of ecosystems and societal processes should be recognized as driving forces of ecosystem change.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0200716