The practice of historical ecology: What, when, where, how and what for.

ABSTRACT: In recent decades, there has been a growing number of studies exploring the historical dimensions of the interconnectedness of human societies and the environment. A core approach in this field is historical ecology. We analyzed 544 historical-ecological papers to assess patterns and trends in the field. We found a high degree of interdisciplinarity with a focus on local case studies, of periods of fewer than 500 years, analyzing archival sources through quantitative approaches. The proportion of papers containing management recommendations has increased over time. To make historical ecology globally relevant, more effort should be made to utilize studies across languages, borders and worldviews. We call for high standards regarding the use of social scientific methodologies. Lastly, we ar

SUBMITTER: Santana-Cordero AM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10992833 | biostudies-literature | 2024 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature