Philosophy of Ecology 5010.001, Fall 2010 1
Philosophy of Ecology PHIL 5010.001 Tuesdays 06:00 pm-08:50 pm Room: EESAT 225 (Lang 104)
Office hours: TBA, and by appointment (ENV 310P) ([email protected]) Professor Ricardo Rozzi, Ph.D.
Objective
Currently we confront not only global climate change, but more broadly global environmental, economic, and cultural changes. Philosophy of ecology can helps to better understand the proximate and ultimate causes (direct and indirect drivers) this global crisis, as well as to better understand existing and potential forms of ecological knowledge and practice that can help solving this current crisis. For this reason, this Philosophy of Ecology course will focus on the notion of diversity; both biological and cultural.
The current tensions between biocultural diversity and homogenization, autonomy and assimilation, demand not only an interdisciplinary understanding, but also transdisciplinary actions. This year 2010 has been declared by the United Nations to be the International Year of Biodiversity, and the Ecological Society of America (ESA) has called for a Planetary Stewardship. One of the strongly suggested outcomes of this 2010 Philosophy Ecology course is to prepare co-authored poster (or eventually oral) presentations for the 2011 ESA Annual Meeting, which will take place in Austin (August 7-12, 2011), under the call of Planetary Stewardship.
MAIN THEMATIC UNITS OF THE COURSE
PART I: CHARACTERIZATION OF BIOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL DIVERSITY & CONSERVATION
1) Biocultural diversity, conservation and homogenization September 7,14,21,28
2) International Initiatives to Biodiversity Conservation, Ecotourism & the UNT Sub-Antarctic Biocultural Conservation Program Oct. 5
PART II ECOLOGICAL WORLDVIEWS
3) Ecological Worldviews: Interrelations the ways we perceive and we inhabit the natural world (Conceptual lenses to understand the historical foundations of ecological sciences, and the diversity of ecological worldviews) Oct. 12 Philosophy of Ecology 5010.001, Fall 2010 2
4) Histories Foundations of ecological sciences and the interfaces with biocultural conservation, environmental ethics, and bioethics Oct. 19 (Anderson, Christopher), 26 & Nov. 2
5) Diversity of ecological worldviews through cultures, through geography (space) and history (time) Nov. 9, 16 (Callicott, Baird), 23, 30
Synthesis and presentations of potential posters for ESA 2011, Dec. 7
Final essays due and Final Exam, Dec 14
REQUIRED TEXTS Boff, Leonardo. 1995. Ecology & Liberation: A New Paradigm (Ecology and Justice) Orbis Books Callicott, J. Baird. 1994. Earth’s Insights. University of California Press. Golley, Frank B. 1996. A History of the Ecosystem Concept in Ecology: More than the Sum of the Parts. Yale University Press Maffi, Luisa. 2001. On Biocultural Diversity. Smithsonian Pickett, Steward T. A. McDonnell .1997. Humans As Components of Ecosystems Springer Verlag. Potter, Van Rensselaer. 1988. Global Bioethics: Building on the Leopold Legacy. Michigan State University Press. Primack, R. 2010. Essentials of Conservation Biology. Fifth edition. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA. Rozzi, R., F. Massardo, C. Anderson, S. McGehee, G. Clark, G. Egli, E. Ramilo, U. Calderón, C. Calderón, L. Aillapan, & C. Zárraga. 2010. Multi-Ethnic Bird Guide of the Sub-Antarctic Forests of South America. UNT Press – Ediciones Universidad de Magallanes, Denton TX and Punta Arenas, Chile.
REQUIREMENTS 1. 25% Weekly reading quiz 2. 15% Short presentation and first draft of research paper (3 co-authors addressing one of the main concepts in the either of the five thematic units) (7.5% graded as a group, 7.5% individual grade) 3. 15% Final version of research paper (7.5% graded as a group, 7.5% individual grade) 4. 15% Book review (4 options: a) Callicott, J. Baird. Earth’s Insights (forth coming Spanish Edition with Plaza & Valdés), b) Maya, Angel The Return of Icarus (forth coming English Edition with UNT Press –Ediciones Universidad de Magallanes 2011/2) c) Primack, R. Essentials of Conservation Biology (2010), d) Rozzi, R et al. Multi-Ethnic Bird Guide of the Sub-Antarctic Forests of South America. UNT Press – Ediciones Universidad de Magallanes (2010)] 5. 15% Mid-term 6. 15% Final exam Philosophy of Ecology 5010.001, Fall 2010 3
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE
Week 1 - Aug 31: Introduction to course topics.
Outdoor practice: Characterization of biodiversity
Stewardship ESA (Frontiers & Call for ESA Annual 2011) 1. * “Indicators for Monitoring Biodiversity: A Hierarchical Approach” (Noss 1990, Conservation Biology 4: 355-363); 2. * “Preserving Biodiversity: Species, Ecosystems, or Landscapes?” (Franklin 1993, Ecological Applications 3: 202-205);
Week 2 - Sep 7: Characterization of biological and cultural diversity, conservation biology, biocultural conservation, and ecology
Quiz (10 minutes)
In class reading: Rozzi et al. 2010 Multi-ethnic Bird Guide (Intro pp. 21-29), Condor pp. 200-205
Required readings outside of class:
**Book: Boff, Leonardo. 1995. Ecology & Liberation: A New Paradigm (Ecology and Justice) Orbis Books, pp. xi-54 . Chapter on various definitions of Ecology
**Primack 2010. Part I (Ch. 1, 2, 3; pp. 3-68)
**Maffi, Luisa. 2001. On Biocultural Diversity. Smithsonian. pp.1-50
Supplemental Readings:
To Chapter 1 in Primack 2010. Soulé, M.E. 1985. What is conservation biology? BioScience 35: 727-734
To Chapter 2 in Primack 2010. Characterization of Biodiversity *“Indicators for Monitoring Biodiversity: A Hierarchical Approach” (Noss 1990, Conservation Biology 4: 355-363); pp. 355-357**
*“Preserving Biodiversity: Species, Ecosystems, or Landscapes?” (Franklin 1993, Ecological Applications 3: 202-205);
**= will be considered in the quiz Philosophy of Ecology 5010.001, Fall 2010 4
To Chapter 3 in Primack 2010. Taxonomic biases and conservation priorities 1. “Changing lenses to asses biodiversity: Patterns of species richness in Subantarctic Magellanic non-vascular and vascular floras and implications for global conservation” (Rozzi et al. 2007. Frontiers in Ecology, in press). 2. Bonnet X, Shine R, and Lourdais O. 2002. Taxonomic chauvinism. Trends Ecol Evol 17: 1–3. 3. Myers N, Mittermeier RA, Mittermeier CA, et al. 2000. Biodiversity hotspots for conservation priorities. Nature 403: 853–58.
Week 3 - Sep 14: Proximate and ultimate causes (direct and indirect drivers of biocultural diversity losses)
In class reading: Rozzi et al. 2010 Multi-ethnic Bird Guide (Intro pp. 36-41), Andean Tapaculo pp. 52-55
Required readings outside of class:
Primack 2010. Part III (Ch. 7-10; pp. 133 -244)
Maffi, Luisa. 2001. On Biocultural Diversity. Smithsonian. pp.1-50 (Zent & Education…]
Krauss 1992. “The world’s languages in crisis”, Language 68: 4-10
Rozzi, R., X. Arango, F. Massardo, C. Anderson, K. Heidinger & K. Moses. 2008. Field Environmental Philosophy and Biocultural Conservation: The Omora Ethnobotanical Park Educational Program. Environmental Ethics 30 (3): 325-336.
Supplemental Readings:
Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Excerpts.
Week 4 - Sep 21: Valuing biological and cultural diversity
In class reading: Rozzi et al. 2010 Multi-ethnic Bird Guide, Omora pp. 167-173 & Intro pp. 29-34.
Required readings outside of class:
Primack 2010. Part II (Ch. 4-6; pp. 72 -130),
Costanza, R., R. d' Arge, R. de Groot, S. Farber, M. Grasso, B. Hannon, et al. 1997 The value of the world's ecosystem services and natural capital. Nature 387:253-260. (5)
Philosophy of Ecology 5010.001, Fall 2010 5
Rozzi (2001). Filosofía Ambiental Ramas y Raíces Latinoamericanas in English
Supplemental Readings: Millennium Ecosystem Assessment. Excerpts.
Week 5 - Sep 28: Ecotourism, Conservation of Biological and Cultural Diversity
In class reading: Rozzi et al. 2010 Multi-ethnic Bird Guide Intro pp. 29-34, The Magellanic Woodpecker pp. 49-51
Required readings outside of class:
Primack 2010. Part VI (Ch. 20-22; pp. 389 – 413, 461-538, Box 17.3),
1. Indigenous People and the Uses and Abuses of Ecotourism” (Blount 2001 in Maffi 2001). 2. “Jumbos or bust: do tourists’ perceptions lead to an under appreciation of biodiversity?” (Kerley G, B Geach & C Vial. 2003. South African Journal of Wildlife Research 33: 13-21) 3. Tourism and flagship species in conservation (O. Krüger. 2005. Biodiversity and Conservation 14: 579-600)
Week 6 - Oct 5: International Initiatives to Biodiversity Conservation, Ecotourism & the UNT Sub-Antarctic Biocultural Conservation Program
In class reading: Rozzi et al. 2010 Multi-ethnic Bird Guide The Chimango Caracara & the Southern Crested Caracara pp. 184-189 (+ poems of these birds in 20 Winged Poems), Intro pp. (Foreword by Callicott) pp9-11.
Required readings outside of class:
Lubchenco J, Am Olson, Lb Brubaker, Sr Carpenter, Mm Holland et al. (1991) The sustainable biosphere initiative: An ecological research agenda. Ecology 72: 371-412.
Rozzi, R., C.B. Anderson, J.C. Pizarro, F. Massardo, Y. Medina, A. Mansilla, J.H. Kennedy, J. Ojeda, T. Contador, V. Morales, K. Moses, A. Poole. J.J. Armesto. M.T. Kalin. 2010. Field environmental philosophy and biocultural conservation at the Omora Ethnobotanical Park: Methodological approaches to broaden the ways of integrating the social component (“S”) in Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research (LTSER) sites. Revista Chilena de Historia Natural 83
Ten Principles for Biocultural Conservation at the Southern Tip of the Americas: The Approach of the Omora Ethnobotanical Park. (Rozzi, R. F. Massardo, C. Anderson, K. Heidinger & J. Silander Jr. 2006. Ecology & Society 11(1): 43. [online] URL: Philosophy of Ecology 5010.001, Fall 2010 6 http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol11/iss1/art43/ ) Students can revise the appendixes, including the Yahgan story of Omora.
Week 7 - Oct 12: Introduction to Ecological Worldviews
Midterm First draft of research papers due, and first draft of research papers due.
Required readings outside of class
Golley, Frank B. 1996. A History of the Ecosystem Concept in Ecology: More than the Sum of the Parts. Yale University Press. Introduction, and Chapter 1.
Rozzi, R. 1999. The reciprocal links between evolutionary-ecological sciences and environmental ethics. BioScience 49 (11): 911-921.
“Holocoen and ecosystem. On the origin of and historical consequences of two concepts” (Jax, K. 1998. J. Hist.Biol. 31: 113-142)
Week 8 - Oct 19: History of Ecological Sciences, Socio-Ecological Research, Environmental Ethics, and Biocultural Conservation I
Invited Lecturer: Christopher Anderson
Required readings outside of class:
Golley, Frank B. 1996. A History of the Ecosystem Concept in Ecology: More than the Sum of the Parts. Yale University Press.
Article on Long-Term Socio-Ecological Research:
Week 9 - Oct 26: History of Ecological Sciences, Socio-Ecological Research, Environmental Ethics, and Biocultural Conservation II
Required readings outside of class:
The shifting paradigm in ecology. (Pickett STA & RS Ostfeld. 1995. In: R.L. Knight & S.F. Bates (eds.), A new century for natural resources management. pp. 261-278. Island Press, Washington, D.C.). Egerton, F. 1973. Changing concepts of the balance of nature. The Quarterly Review of Ecology 48: 322-350 Wu J & O. Lockus. 1995. From balance of nature to hierarchical patch dynamics: a paradigm shift in ecology. The Quarterly Review of Ecology 70: 439-466
Supplemental Readings: Philosophy of Ecology 5010.001, Fall 2010 7
Callicott, J.B. 1986. Metaphysical Implications of Ecology. Environmental Ethics 8: 301- 316
Week 10 - Nov 2: History of Ecological Sciences, Socio-Ecological Research, Environmental Ethics, and Biocultural Conservation III
Required readings outside of class:
a. Leopold, A. 1949. The Land Ethic. In A Sand County Almanac with Essays on Conservation from Round River, pp. Ballantine, New York, b. Hardin, G. 1968. The tragedy of the commons. Science 162: 1243-1248. c. White, L. 1967.
Supplemental Readings:
Golley, F. 1987. Deep ecology from the perspective of environmental science. Environmental Ethics 9: 45-55. Naess, Arne. 1973. The Shallow and the Deep, Long-Range Ecology Movements. Inquiry 16: 95-100.
Week 11 - Nov 9: Diversity through cultures, geography and history I
Required readings outside of class:
Earth’s Insights. Chapters 1,2,6, 7, 8
Supplemental Readings: Maya, Angel The Return of Icarus (forth coming English Edition with UNT Press – Ediciones Universidad de Magallanes 2011/2)
Potter, R. Bioethics (Ecosystem & Human health, chapter on the Tukano Earth’s Insight)
Week 12 - Nov 16: Diversity through cultures, geography and history II
Invited Lecturer: J. Baird Callicott
Required readings outside of class:
Earth’s Insights. Chapters 3,4,5, 9, 10
Philosophy of Ecology 5010.001, Fall 2010 8
Week 13 - Nov 23: 2010 Year of Biodiversity & Diversity through cultures, geography and history
Readings to be defined
Nov 25: Thanksgiving
Week 14 - Nov 30: On Metaphors, and bar-coding biodiversity
Invited Lecturer: Brandon Larson
Required readings outside of class:
Larson, B. M. H. 2007. DNA barcoding: The social frontier. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 5: 437–442.
Larson, B. M. H. 2006. The social resonance of competitive and progressive evolutionary metaphors. BioScience 56: 997-1004.
Supplemental Readings:
Larson, B. M. H. 2007. Who’s invading what? Systems thinking about invasive species. Canadian Journal of Plant Sciences 87: 993-999.
Week 15 - Dec 7:
Week 16 - Dec 14: Final Exam.