Werner & McNamara (2007) - coupled human-landscape systems

Question 1

Humans and landscapes are coupled via a range of mechanisms.

• Directly
• Indirectly

Answer 1

Humans impact landscapes by directly transporting sediment, indirectly through enhancing erosion by agriculture and construction or deposition by damming streams and flood control, by altering vegetation and animal life through harvesting and manipulation, by modifying the chemical and microbiological context for landscape processes, and by changing climate.

Question 2

Landscape processes impact humans in two primary ways:

• Short time scales
• Long time scales

Answer 2

At short time scales, natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods, slope failures and earthquakes cause widespread economic damage and human suffering.

At long time scales, landscape processes and configurations provide a context for human settlement patterns (Davis, 2002), cultural development (Fagan, 2004) and genetic evolution (Hewitt, 2000).

Question 3

Example of the positive feedback loop of investing in resources to lead to further wealth concentration (via profits)?

Answer 3

Beach replenishment for protection against storms is focused along coastline segments that, because of recreational value and proximity to population centers, generate significant private profits and tax revenues.

This enhances property values and increases profits from tourism, thereby facilitating further protection measures..