DOCSLIB.ORG

Historical and Current Niche Construction in an Anthropogenic Biome: Old Cultural Landscapes in Southern Scandinavia

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Historical and Current Niche Construction in an Anthropogenic Biome: Old Cultural Landscapes in Southern Scandinavia land Article Historical and Current Niche Construction in an Anthropogenic Biome: Old Cultural Landscapes in Southern Scandinavia Ove Eriksson Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-10691, Sweden; [email protected]; Tel.: +46-8-161204 Academic Editors: Erle C. Ellis, Kees Klein Goldewijk, Navin Ramankutty and Laura Martin Received: 29 September 2016; Accepted: 18 November 2016; Published: 23 November 2016 Abstract: Conceptual advances in niche construction theory provide new perspectives and a tool-box for studies of human-environment interactions mediating what is termed anthropogenic biomes. This theory is useful also for studies on how anthropogenic biomes are perceived and valued. This paper addresses these topics using an example: “old cultural landscapes” in Scandinavia, i.e., landscapes formed by a long, dynamic and continuously changing history of management. Today, remnant habitats of this management history, such as wooded pastures and meadows, are the focus of conservation programs, due to their rich biodiversity and cultural and aesthetic values. After a review of historical niche construction processes, the paper examines current niche construction affecting these old cultural landscapes. Features produced by historical niche construction, e.g., landscape composition and species richness, are in the modern society reinterpreted to become values associated with beauty and heritage and species’ intrinsic values. These non-utilitarian motivators now become drivers of new niche construction dynamics, manifested as conservation programs. The paper also examines the possibility to maintain and create new habitats, potentially associated with values emanating from historical landscapes, but in transformed and urbanized landscapes. Keywords: biodiversity; conservation biology; landscape aesthetics; semi-natural grasslands; wooded meadows 1. Introduction The Earth is now dominated by humans to such an extent that some authors have argued for a need to define “anthropogenic biomes” [1]. Anthropogenic biomes, also termed ”anthromes” [2], represent the state of present vegetation cover better than traditionally recognized biomes for large portions of the Earth’s surface. However, the whole idea may seem provocative for anyone who learned “classical” biomes, for example Heinrich Walter’s Vegetation of the Earth [3], where biomes are characterized phytogeographically based on the structure of vegetation, as they are formed by climate impact, mainly temperature and precipitation. Based on the same kind of arguments as for anthropogenic biomes, many scholars argue that it is appropriate to recognize the Anthropocene as a new geological epoch. Apart from the stratigraphic problem of how to define this new epoch [4], the current controversies on anthropogenic biomes and the Anthropocene uncover deep disagreements on the underlying facts, the conceptual understanding of terms such as “nature” and “wilderness”, how we perceive and valuate nature in a human-dominated world and, not the least, what would be the relevant goals and best options for conservation biology [5–13]. A relevant issue for this discourse on the relationships between humans and “wild nature” is the growing appreciation that organisms (including humans) and their environment are involved in reciprocal interactions. Organisms not only respond to environmental conditions, they also Land 2016, 5, 42; doi:10.3390/land5040042 www.mdpi.com/journal/land Land 2016, 5, 42 2 of 17 their environment, and these modifications feedback to organisms, over time resulting in “ecological inheritance” and potentially micro-evolutionary change. Reciprocal organism-environment interactions are the focal topic of niche construction theory [14]. This theory has been particularly productive for studies of humans-environment interactions, variously termed human niche construction [15], cultural niche construction [16] or sociocultural niche construction [2]. For example, Land 2016 5 niche construction, , 42 theory has been successful for understanding early domestication of plants2 and of 17 animals and the development of agriculture [17,18]. If reciprocal interactions between organisms and environmentmodify their result environment, in microevolutionary and these modifications change, this feedbackimplies that toorganisms, ecological and over evolutionary time resulting time in scales“ecological converge, inheritance” providing and a potentiallybasis for eco-evolutionary micro-evolutionary dynamics change. [1 Reciprocal9–22]. Accordingly, organism-environment human niche constructioninteractions and are theeco-evolutionary focal topic of nichedynamics construction are integral theory components [14]. This of theorythe formation has been and particularly dynamics ofproductive anthropogenic for studiesbiomes. of humans-environment interactions, variously termed human niche constructionWhatever [15 we], culturalthink of nicheit, it is construction a plain fact that [16] a or large sociocultural part of the niche Earth’s construction land surface [2]. is For composed example, ofniche cultural construction landscapes; theory a hassynonym been successful is “domesticated for understanding landscapes” early [23,24]. domestication Often, these of plants cultural and landscapesanimals and are the developmentconsidered disturbed, of agriculture degraded [17,18]. and If reciprocal constituting interactions destroyed between nature. organisms However, and particularlyenvironment in result parts inof microevolutionarythe world where cultural change, landscapes this implies are that rooted ecological deeply andin the evolutionary social history time of thescales region, converge, these providinglandscapes a basisare indeed for eco-evolutionary considered beautiful, dynamics and [19 they–22]. are Accordingly, highly appreciated. human niche In Europe,construction cultural and landscapes eco-evolutionary are given dynamics high priority are integral in conservation components and of planning the formation [25] as and evident dynamics from theofanthropogenic European Landscape biomes. Convention [26], the first international treaty specifically concerned with landscape,Whatever with we the think aim of it,of it isprotecting, a plain fact managi that a largeng and part ofplanning the Earth’s European land surface landscapes, is composed even of “ordinary”cultural landscapes; landscapes. a synonym Substantial is “domesticated financial support landscapes” to maintain [23,24 cultural]. Often, landscapes these cultural is part landscapes of the Europeanare considered Common disturbed, Agricultural degraded Policy. and constituting destroyed nature. However, particularly in partsThe of thegoal world with this where paper cultural is to use landscapes niche construc are rootedtion theory deeply as in a theframe social to examine history ofthe the historical region, andthese current landscapes formation are indeed and dynamics considered of beautiful,“old” historical and they cultural are highly landscapes appreciated. in southern In Europe, Scandinavia cultural (Figurelandscapes 1). The are meaning given high of “old” priority in this in conservation context will be and explained planning below. [25] as Alth evidentough from this paper the European focuses onLandscape one particular Convention kind of landscape [26], the first in a specific international geographic treaty region, specifically the conclusions concerned should with be landscape, general towith many the aimother of protecting,cultural landscapes managing andacross planning the world. European These landscapes, Scandinavian even “ordinary” landscapes landscapes. are not wilderness,Substantial as financial they have support been toformed maintain during cultural millennia landscapes of human is part impact of the, thus European obviously Common being anthropogenic.Agricultural Policy. Landscapes that preserve what is regarded as historical features are regarded by manyThe people goal as with valuable, this paper and isthey to useharbor niche a considerable construction diversity theory as of a framewild species. to examine Many the species historical are currentlyand current declining, formation and and elements dynamics of remaining of “old” historical old Scandinavian cultural landscapes cultural landscapes in southern that Scandinavia preserve features(Figure1 ).of Thehistorical meaning management, of “old” in thissuch context as hay-meadows, will be explained wood below. pastures, Although sea-shore this meadows paper focuses and openon one semi-natural particular kind pastures, of landscape are a high in apriority specific concern geographic for conservation. region, the conclusions should be general to manyIn some other recent cultural papers, landscapes the historical across thedevelopment world. These of cultural Scandinavian landscapes landscapes in Scandinavia are not wilderness, has been examinedas they have from been the formed perspective during of millennia human niche of human construction impact, thus[27,28]. obviously These beingstudies anthropogenic. constitute a startingLandscapes point that for preservethis paper. what Before is regarded summarizing as historical them, I featureswill briefly are review regarded the by geographical many people and as historicalvaluable, andcontext they of harbor Scandinavian a considerable cultural diversity landscapes of wild and species. their Manycurrent species biodiversity. are currently I then declining, discuss currentand elements human
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Introducing an Irrigation Scheme to a Regional Climate Model: a Case Study Over West Africa
    Introducing an Irrigation Scheme to a Regional Climate Model: A Case Study over West Africa The MIT Faculty has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters. Citation Marcella, Marc P., and Elfatih A. B. Eltahir. “Introducing an Irrigation Scheme to a Regional Climate Model: A Case Study over West Africa.” J. Climate 27, no. 15 (August 2014): 5708–5723. © 2014 American Meteorological Society As Published http://dx.doi.org/10.1175/jcli-d-13-00116.1 Publisher American Meteorological Society Version Final published version Citable link http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/95749 Terms of Use Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. 5708 JOURNAL OF CLIMATE VOLUME 27 Introducing an Irrigation Scheme to a Regional Climate Model: A Case Study over West Africa MARC P. MARCELLA AND ELFATIH A. B. ELTAHIR Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts (Manuscript received 15 February 2013, in final form 7 July 2013) ABSTRACT This article presents a new irrigation scheme and biome to the dynamic vegetation model, Integrated Biosphere Simulator (IBIS), coupled to version 3 of the Regional Climate Model (RegCM3-IBIS). The new land cover allows for only the plant functional type (crop) to exist in an irrigated grid cell. Irrigation water (i.e., negative runoff) is applied until the soil root zone reaches relative field capacity. The new scheme allows for irrigation scheduling (i.e., when to apply water) and for the user to determine the crop to be grown.
    [Show full text]
  • Biodiversity Module 3 • the Distribution of Life
    i2P • Biodiversity Module 3 • The Distribution of Life The Distribution of Life Module 3 • i2P • Biodiversity i2P • Biodiversity • Amazon • 2010 1 i2P • Biodiversity Module 3 • The Distribution of Life I believe that there is a subtle magnetism in Nature, which, if we unconsciously yield to it, will direct us aright. ~Henry David Thoreau TROPICAL POLAR BEARS If you were to go fishing in a lake, wherever you live, be it the United States, Canada or Kenya, it is very unlikely that you will find a Great White Shark on the end of your fishing line. It would be equally surprising for you to see a Polar Bear ambling down the street on your walk to school in the morning. In the Amazon, the i2P team is unlikely to discover a new species of tropical Polar Bear. Polar Bears are adapted to life in cold environments and would not last long in the tropics. Like the Polar Bear, most species of life are adapted to live in very specific habitats. Camels can survive long spells without water, Coconut Palms need a great deal of heat, and Penguins survive best in the cold. Each species is adapted to survive in a specific habitat or niche. As a consequence there is a patchwork distribution of different species of life across the world, each possessing unique traits that allow them to Figure 1: Polar Bear, unlikely to be moving to the tropics survive in their native habitat. soon(source: US Fish & Wildlife). The distribution of life on Earth however is not equal. There are some environments such as the Amazon Rainforest that enjoy a relative abundance of life.
    [Show full text]
  • Recent Wildfire Patterns of the Madrean Sky Islands of Southwestern United States and Northwestern Mexico Miguel L
    Villarreal et al. Fire Ecology (2019) 15:2 Fire Ecology https://doi.org/10.1186/s42408-018-0012-x ORIGINALRESEARCH Open Access Distant neighbors: recent wildfire patterns of the Madrean Sky Islands of southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico Miguel L. Villarreal1* , Sandra L. Haire2, Jose M. Iniguez3, Citlali Cortés Montaño4 and Travis B. Poitras1 Abstract Background: Information about contemporary fire regimes across the Sky Island mountain ranges of the Madrean Archipelago Ecoregion in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico can provide insight into how historical fire management and land use have influenced fire regimes, and can be used to guide fuels management, ecological restoration, and habitat conservation. To contribute to a better understanding of spatial and temporal patterns of fires in the region relative to environmental and anthropogenic influences, we augmented existing fire perimeter data for the US by mapping wildfires that occurred in the Mexican Sky Islands from 1985 to 2011. Results: A total of 254 fires were identified across the region: 99 fires in Mexico (μ =3901ha,σ = 5066 ha) and 155 in the US (μ =3808ha,σ = 8368 ha). The Animas, Chiricahua, Huachuca-Patagonia, and Santa Catalina mountains in the US, and El Pinito in Mexico had the highest proportion of total area burned (>50%) relative to Sky Island size. Sky Islands adjacent to the border had the greatest number of fires, and many of these fires were large with complex shapes. Wildfire occurred more often in remote biomes, characterized by evergreen woodlands and conifer forests with cooler, wetter conditions. The five largest fires (>25 000 ha) all occurred during twenty-first century droughts (2002 to 2003 and 2011); four of these were in the US and one in Mexico.
    [Show full text]
  • Comparing Global and Regional Maps of Intactness in the Boreal Region Of
    bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.11.13.382101; this version posted November 16, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license. 1 Comparing global and regional maps of intactness in the boreal region 2 of North America: Implications for conservation planning in one of the 3 world’s remaining wilderness areas 4 5 October 26, 2020 6 7 Pierre Vernier1*, Shawn Leroux2, Steve Cumming3, Kim Lisgo1, Alberto Suarez Esteban1, Meg Krawchuck4, 8 Fiona Schmiegelow1,5 9 10 11 12 1 Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 13 2 Department of Biology, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John’s, Newfoundland, Canada 14 3 Département des sciences du bois et de la forêt, Université Laval, Québec, Québec, Canada 15 4 Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Oregon, USA 16 5 Yukon Research Centre, Yukon University, Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada 17 18 19 20 * Corresponding author 21 E-mail: [email protected] 22 23 24 25 ¶ These Authors contributed equally to this work 26 & These authors also contributed equally to this work 27 1 bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.11.13.382101; this version posted November 16, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity.
    [Show full text]
  • DISCLAIMER the IPBES Global Assessment on Biodiversity And
    DISCLAIMER The IPBES Global Assessment on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services is composed of 1) a Summary for Policymakers (SPM), approved by the IPBES Plenary at its 7th session in May 2019 in Paris, France (IPBES-7); and 2) a set of six Chapters, accepted by the IPBES Plenary. This document contains the draft Glossary of the IPBES Global Assessment on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services. Governments and all observers at IPBES-7 had access to these draft chapters eight weeks prior to IPBES-7. Governments accepted the Chapters at IPBES-7 based on the understanding that revisions made to the SPM during the Plenary, as a result of the dialogue between Governments and scientists, would be reflected in the final Chapters. IPBES typically releases its Chapters publicly only in their final form, which implies a delay of several months post Plenary. However, in light of the high interest for the Chapters, IPBES is releasing the six Chapters early (31 May 2019) in a draft form. Authors of the reports are currently working to reflect all the changes made to the Summary for Policymakers during the Plenary to the Chapters, and to perform final copyediting. The final version of the Chapters will be posted later in 2019. The designations employed and the presentation of material on the maps used in the present report do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries.
    [Show full text]
  • Guide to Theecological Systemsof Puerto Rico
    United States Department of Agriculture Guide to the Forest Service Ecological Systems International Institute of Tropical Forestry of Puerto Rico General Technical Report IITF-GTR-35 June 2009 Gary L. Miller and Ariel E. Lugo The Forest Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture is dedicated to the principle of multiple use management of the Nation’s forest resources for sustained yields of wood, water, forage, wildlife, and recreation. Through forestry research, cooperation with the States and private forest owners, and management of the National Forests and national grasslands, it strives—as directed by Congress—to provide increasingly greater service to a growing Nation. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W. Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. Authors Gary L. Miller is a professor, University of North Carolina, Environmental Studies, One University Heights, Asheville, NC 28804-3299.
    [Show full text]
  • Holistic Understanding of Contemporary Ecosystems Requires Integration of Data on Domesticated, Captive and Cultivated Organisms
    Biodiversity Data Journal 9: e65371 doi: 10.3897/BDJ.9.e65371 Forum Paper Holistic understanding of contemporary ecosystems requires integration of data on domesticated, captive and cultivated organisms Quentin Groom‡,§, Tim Adriaens |, Sandro Bertolino¶#, Kendra Phelps , Jorrit H Poelen¤, DeeAnn Marie Reeder«, David M Richardson§, Nancy B Simmons»,˄ Nathan Upham ‡ Meise Botanic Garden, Meise, Belgium § Centre for Invasion Biology, Department of Botany and Zoology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa | Research Inst. for Nature and Forest (INBO), Brussels, Belgium ¶ Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Torino, Italy # EcoHealth Alliance, New York, United States of America ¤ Ronin Institute for Independent Scholarship, Montclair, United States of America « Bucknell University, Lewisburg, United States of America » Department of Mammalogy, Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, United States of America ˄ Arizona State University, Tempe, United States of America Corresponding author: Quentin Groom ([email protected]) Academic editor: Vincent Smith Received: 02 Mar 2021 | Accepted: 13 May 2021 | Published: 15 Jun 2021 Citation: Groom Q, Adriaens T, Bertolino S, Phelps K, Poelen JH, Reeder DM, Richardson DM, Simmons NB, Upham N (2021) Holistic understanding of contemporary ecosystems requires integration of data on domesticated, captive and cultivated organisms . Biodiversity Data Journal 9: e65371. https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.9.e65371 Abstract Domestic and captive animals and cultivated plants should be recognised as integral components in contemporary ecosystems. They interact with wild organisms through such mechanisms as hybridization, predation, herbivory, competition and disease transmission and, in many cases, define ecosystem properties. Nevertheless, it is widespread practice for data on domestic, captive and cultivated organisms to be excluded from biodiversity repositories, such as natural history collections.
    [Show full text]
  • Relationships Between Urban Tree Communities and the Biomes in Which They Reside
    Applied Vegetation Science && (2012) Relationships between urban tree communities and the biomes in which they reside Benjamin S. Ramage, Lara A. Roman & Jeffrey S. Dukes Keywords Abstract Anthropogenic biome; Climate; Ecoregion; Hardiness zone; Landscape trees; Non-metric Questions: Climate strongly influences the composition of natural plant multidimensional scaling; Urban ecology; communities, but a variety of human activities might release plants in urban Urban forest; Urban vegetation areas from some of these climatic constraints. (1) After controlling for minimum temperature, is urban tree species composition related to biome? (2) Do any Nomenclature such patterns result solely from the presence of native species in urban floras? Burns & Honkala (1990), with the exception of species not included in this flora, for which Dirr (3) Which climatic, demographic and economic variables are predictive of urban (1998) was used tree species composition? Received 8 January 2011 Location: Continental USA. Accepted 17 April 2012 Methods: We investigated patterns of tree species composition in small cities Co-ordinating Editor: Aaron Moody across the continental USA, specifically exploring relationships to surrounding biomes and their accompanying temperature and precipitation regimes, as well Ramage, B.S. (corresponding author, as to key demographic and economic variables. We estimated urban tree species [email protected]) & Roman, L.A. composition by surveying tree experts in randomly selected cities that were ([email protected]): Department of stratified by minimum temperature (i.e. ‘hardiness zone’) and biome, and con- Environmental Science, Policy, & Management, strained to similar population sizes. We then used non-metric multidimensional University of California, Berkeley, CA, scaling to investigate relationships between urban tree species composition, 94720-3114, USA biome classification, native status, individual climate variables and several Dukes, J.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Global Urban Signatures of Phenotypic Change in Animal and Plant
    Global urban signatures of phenotypic change in SPECIAL FEATURE animal and plant populations Marina Albertia,1, Cristian Correab, John M. Marzluffc, Andrew P. Hendryd,e, Eric P. Palkovacsf, Kiyoko M. Gotandag, Victoria M. Hunta, Travis M. Apgarf, and Yuyu Zhouh aDepartment of Urban Design and Planning, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195; bInstituto de Conservación, Biodiversidad y Territorio, Universidad Austral de Chile, Casilla 567, Valdivia, Chile; cSchool of Environmental and Forest Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195; dRedpath Museum, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada H3A0C4; eDepartment of Biology, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada H3A0C4; fDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA 95060; gDepartment of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EJ, United Kingdom; and hDepartment of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011 Edited by Jay S. Golden, Duke University, Durham, NC, and accepted by Editorial Board Member B. L. Turner October 31, 2016 (received for review August 2, 2016) Humans challenge the phenotypic, genetic, and cultural makeup of A critical question for sustainability is whether, on an in- species by affecting the fitness landscapes on which they evolve. creasingly urbanized planet, the expansion and patterns of urban Recent studies show that cities might play a major role in contem- environments accelerate the evolution of ecologically relevant porary evolution by accelerating phenotypic changes in wildlife, traits with potential impacts on urban populations via basic eco- including animals, plants, fungi, and other organisms. Many studies system services such as food production, carbon sequestration, and of ecoevolutionary change have focused on anthropogenic drivers, human health.
    [Show full text]
  • The Importance of Traditional Agricultural Landscapes for Preventing Species Extinctions
    Biodiversity and Conservation (2021) 30:1341–1357 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-021-02145-3 ORIGINAL PAPER The importance of traditional agricultural landscapes for preventing species extinctions Ove Eriksson1 Received: 17 August 2020 / Revised: 15 February 2021 / Accepted: 16 February 2021 / Published online: 1 March 2021 © The Author(s) 2021 Abstract The main paradigm for protection of biodiversity, focusing on maintaining or restoring conditions where humans leave no or little impact, risks overlooking anthropogenic land- scapes harboring a rich native biodiversity. An example is northern European agricultural landscapes with traditionally managed semi-natural grasslands harboring an exceptional local richness of many taxa, such as plants, fungi and insects. During the last century these grasslands have declined by more than 95%, i.e. in the same magnitude as other, interna- tionally more recognized declines of natural habitats. In this study, data from the Swedish Red List was used to calculate tentative extinction rates for vascular plants, insects (Lepi- doptera, Coleoptera, Hymenoptera) and fungi, given a scenario where such landscapes would vanish. Conservative estimates suggest that abandonment of traditional management in these landscapes would result in elevated extinction rates in all these taxa, between two and three orders of magnitude higher than global background extinction rates. It is sug- gested that the species richness in these landscapes refects a species pool from Pleistocene herbivore-structured environments, which, after the extinction of the Pleistocene mega- fauna, was rescued by the introduction of pre-historic agriculture. Maintaining traditionally managed agricultural landscapes is of paramount importance to prevent species loss. There is no inherent confict between preservation of anthropogenic landscapes and remain- ing ‘wild’ areas, but valuating also anthropogenic landscapes is essential for biodiversity conservation.
    [Show full text]
  • Anthropogenic Biomes of the World EC Ellis and N Ramankutty
    CONCEPTS AND QUESTIONS Putting people in the map: anthropogenic 439 biomes of the world Erle C Ellis1* and Navin Ramankutty2 Humans have fundamentally altered global patterns of biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Surprisingly, existing systems for representing these global patterns, including biome classifications, either ignore humans altogether or simplify human influence into, at most, four categories. Here, we present the first characterization of terrestrial biomes based on global patterns of sustained, direct human interaction with ecosystems. Eighteen “anthropogenic biomes” were identified through empirical analysis of global popula- tion, land use, and land cover. More than 75% of Earth’s ice-free land showed evidence of alteration as a result of human residence and land use, with less than a quarter remaining as wildlands, supporting just 11% of terrestrial net primary production. Anthropogenic biomes offer a new way forward by acknowledg- ing human influence on global ecosystems and moving us toward models and investigations of the terres- trial biosphere that integrate human and ecological systems. Front Ecol Environ 2008; 6(8): 439–447, doi: 10.1890/070062 umans have long distinguished themselves from and geologic forces in shaping the terrestrial biosphere Hother species by shaping ecosystem form and and its processes. process using tools and technologies, such as fire, that Biomes are the most basic units that ecologists use to are beyond the capacity of other organisms (Smith describe global patterns of ecosystem form, process, 2007). This exceptional ability for ecosystem engineer- and biodiversity. Historically, biomes have been iden- ing has helped to sustain unprecedented human popula- tified and mapped based on general differences in veg- tion growth over the past half century, to such an extent etation type associated with regional variations in cli- that humans now consume about one-third of all terres- mate (Udvardy 1975; Matthews 1983; Prentice et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Conservation and Ecology of the Neglected Slow Loris: Priorities and Prospects
    Vol. 28: 87–95, 2015 ENDANGERED SPECIES RESEARCH Published online June 24 doi: 10.3354/esr00674 Endang Species Res Contribution to the Theme Section ‘Conservation and ecology of slow lorises’ OPEN ACCESS OVERVIEW Conservation and ecology of the neglected slow loris: priorities and prospects K. A. I. Nekaris1, Carly R. Starr2,* 1Oxford Brookes University, Nocturnal Primate Research Group, School of Social Sciences and Law, Oxford OX3 0BP, UK 2Northern Gulf Resource Management Group, Mareeba, Queensland 4880, Australia ABSTRACT: Slow lorises Nycticebus spp. have one of the widest distributions of any nocturnal primate species, occurring in 14 Asian countries; yet, in terms of their taxonomy, ecology and dis- tribution, they remain amongst the least known of any primate taxa. Eight species are now recog- nised; 5 of these have been listed in the IUCN Red List as Vulnerable or Critically Endangered, with 3 Not Assessed. Threats to these primates not only include habitat loss, but the illegal wildlife trade. Slow lorises are highly desired in traditional medicines, and as pets both nationally and internationally. In this Theme Section (www.int-res.com/journals/esr/esr-specials/conservation- and-ecology-of-slow-lorises), we bring together 13 studies on several key topics. We present sur- vey data from the Indonesian island of Java, from Malaysian Sabah on the island of Borneo, from northeast India and from Singapore. All of these studies concur that slow lorises occur at low abundance, but that, where they are left alone, they can also persist in anthropogenically modified habitats. We present novel data on the feeding ecology of slow lorises, reifying that these primates are obligate exudativores.
    [Show full text]