Ecology In The Anthropocene (5)

Question 1

Lay out the evolution of ecological paradigms. (9)

Answer 1

"Nature civilized" by humans (de Buffon).
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Humans vs Nature (separate systems).
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Pristine Myth (unspoiled nature=the wild).
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Steady-state assumptions.
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Disturbance regimes (fire).
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Statistics vs Modelling.
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Globalization of species.
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Historical baselines.
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Returning ecosystems to a prior state.

Question 2

What are steady-state assumptions?

Answer 2

Assumptions that ecosystems exist in a steady-state.

Question 3

What do we mean by disturbance regimes?

Answer 3

We mean methods that are key to keeping communities & ecosystems at a stable state like fire.

Question 4

What are historical baselines?

Answer 4

Initial states that we assume systems will bounce back to.

Question 5

How do natural ecosystems change to impacted ecosystems?

Answer 5

● Unintentional change.
= human activities.

● Intentional change.
= degradation.

Question 6

How do natural ecosystems change to designed ecosystems?

Answer 6

● Intentional change

= to produce an ecosystem that provides ecosystem services.

Question 7

How do impacted ecosystems become converted to designed ecosystems?

Answer 7

Via environmental remediation/restoration.

Question 8

How do designed ecosystems revert back to impacted ecosystems?

Answer 8

Via lack of management.

Question 9

Eg of designed ecosystem?

Answer 9

Johannesburg.

Question 10

What is a novel ecosystem?

Answer 10

It’s an urban forest/ a new ecosystem.

Question 11

Eg of a novel ecosystem?

Answer 11

Johannesburg.

Question 12

What 3 ways can we do better in active participation during the Anthropocene?

Answer 12

• Determine critical controls over directional changes in ecosystem structure & function.
• Understand when these changes may cause irreversible transformation to novel states.
• Focus more on interactions, feedbacks, and thresholds than on steady-state dynamics.

Question 13

Why should we take the Ecosystem Approach?

Answer 13

It ensures that all consequences of a management action are considered within the area of influence.

Question 14

What does an Ecosystem Approach require?

Answer 14

Paradigm shifts.

Question 15

What are the 8 paradigm shifts that need to occur for an Ecosystem Approach to occur?

Answer 15

• Preservation — Adaptive management.
• Sectoral — Integrated (involve other parties).
• Scientific — Multifaceted knowledge (all fields not just science).
• Environmental — People & Environmental (SES).
• Top Down — Both directions.
• National — Appropriate level.
• Conservationists — All stakeholders.
• Nature — Social & Environmental well-being.

Question 16

What is a socio-ecological system (SES)?

Answer 16

= an integrated complex system that includes social (human) & ecological (nature) subsystems in a two-way feedback relationship.

Question 17

Why is Human vs Nature not a clever mindset to have?

Answer 17

Because it has led to many environmental problems.

Question 18

What aspects does a social subsystem include? (4)

Answer 18

• Economic.
• Political.
• Technical.
• Cultural.

Question 19

What does an ecological subsystem include? (4)

Answer 19

• Human activities.
• Water cycles.
• Biochemical cycles.
• Earth’s system as a whole.

Question 20

What is the result of SES?

Answer 20

Leads to a shift FROM the overlapping sustainability model TO a nested sustainability model.

Question 21

What are the 2 concepts that are required in understanding SESs?

Answer 21

We need to understand interactions & feedbacks on:

● Multi-scale dynamics.

• Geographical scale.
• Temporal scale.
• Socio-political.

● Diversity

• Social diversity.
• Multiple relationships from micro to macro levels.

Question 22

What do we mean on a Geographical scale? (4)

Answer 22

• Local.
• Community.
• Municipal.
• National.

Question 23

Which levels on Temporal scales?

Answer 23

• History.

Question 24

Which levels on Socio-political scale? (2)

Answer 24

• CBOs (Community-based organisations).

* Forums.

Question 25

Why do we need to think in terms of SES?

Answer 25

To prevent the harmful effects that our human activities (eg Pine forest plantations) have on the environment such as damaging & uncontrollable fires, drought conditions & extreme floods.

Question 26

What is an adaptation in terms of SES?

Answer 26

= small changes in an SES that reflect the ability of actors to learn, combine experience and knowledge, and adjust their responses.

Question 27

Simple way to look at adaptation in terms of SES?

Answer 27

As we learn more about the environmental changes we can use those to adapt better to those situations.

Question 28

Egs of adaptations in SES? (3)

Answer 28

• Change to another species of fish.
• Implement quotas on where to fish.
• Identify “high extinction” areas & place NO FISHING areas.

Question 29

What does transformation mean in terms of SES?

Answer 29

= a drastic change into a different type of system (new state).

Question 30

Eg of transformation in terms of SES?

Answer 30

If fish source is completely collapsed, there is no choice but to look for other sources (fisherman unemployment = complete change of career like agriculture).