This book shows that Holocene human ecosystems are complex
adaptive systems in which humans interacted with their environment
in a nested series of spatial and temporal scales. Using panarchy
theory, it integrates paleoecological and archaeological research
from the Eastern Woodlands of North America providing a paradigm to
help resolve long-standing disagreements between ecologists and
archaeologists about the importance of prehistoric Native Americans
as agents for ecological change. The authors present the concept of
a panarchy of complex adaptive cycles as applied to the development
of increasingly complex human ecosystems through time. They explore
examples of ecological interactions at the level of gene,
population, community, landscape and regional hierarchical scales,
emphasizing the ecological pattern and process involving the
development of human ecosystems. Finally, they offer a perspective
on the implications of the legacy of Native Americans as agents of
change for conservation and ecological restoration efforts
today.
目錄:
Acknowledgements
Part I. Panarchy as an Integrative Paradigm: Overview
1. The need for a new synthesis
2. Panarchy theory and Quaternary ecosystems
3. Holocene human ecosystems
Part II. Ecological Feedbacks and Processes: Overview
4. Gene-level interactions
5. Population-level interactions
6. Community-level interactions
7. Landscape-level interactions
8. Regional-level interactions
Part III. Application and Synthesis: Overview
9. The ecological legacy of prehistoric Native Americans
References
Index.