Issues and Concepts in Historical Ecology The Past and Future of Landscapes and Regions

Historical ecology is a research framework which draws upon diverse evidence to trace complex, long-term relationships between humanity and Earth. With roots in anthropology, archaeology, ecology and paleoecology, geography, and landscape and heritage management, historical ecology applies a practical and holistic perspective to the study of change. Furthermore, it plays an important role in both fundamental research and in developing future strategies for integrated, equitable landscape management. The framework presented in this volume covers critical issues, including: practicing transdisciplinarity, the need for understanding interactions between human societies and ecosystem processes, the future of regions and the role of history and memory in a changing world. Including many examples of co-developed research, Issues and Concepts in Historical Ecology provides a platform for collaboration across disciplines and aims to equip researchers, policy-makers, funders, and communities to make decisions that can help to construct an inclusive and resilient future for humanity.

List of contributors; 1. Is there a future for the past? Carole L. Crumley, Anna Westin and Tommy Lennartsson; 2. Historical ecology and the longue durée Paul Sinclair, Jon Moen and Carole L. Crumley; 3. Human and societal dimensions of past climate change Fredrik Charpentier Ljungqvist; 4. Rural communities and traditional ecological knowledge Anamaria Iuga, Anna Westin, Bogdan Iancu, Monica Stroe and Håkan Tunón; 5. Baselines and the shifting baseline syndrome – exploring frames of reference in nature conservation Tuija Hilding-Rydevik, Jon Moen and Carina Green; 6. Concepts for integrated research in historical ecology Ove Eriksson, Anneli Ekblom, Paul Lane, Tommy Lennartsson and Karl-Johan Lindholm; 7. Diversity in ecological and social contexts Tommy Lennartsson, Ove Eriksson, Anamaria Iuga, Jesper Larsson, Jon Moen, Michael Scholl, Anna Westin and Carole L. Crumley; 8. How to operationalise collaborative research Elizabeth Jones, Anna Westin, Scott Madry, Seth Murray, Jon Moen and Amanda Tickner; 9. Historical ecology in theory and practice: editors' reflections Tommy Lennartsson, Anna Westin and Carole L. Crumley; 10. Taking research into action in historical ecology Carole L. Crumley; Index.

Carole L. Crumley is Emerita Professor of Anthropology at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and Senior Researcher at the Swedish Biodiversity Centre, Sweden. She is a founder of historical ecology, editing Historical Ecology: Cultural Knowledge and Changing Landscapes, 1994. Her research interests are broad in both science and the humanities, including anthropology, archaeology, landscape ecology, palaeoecology and climatology.
Tommy Lennartsson is Biologist and an Associate Professor in Conservation Biology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and researcher at the Swedish Biodiversity Centre, Uppsala. His research focuses on applied aspects of biodiversity conservation and use of natural resources, with a historical perspective and in relation to climate change.
Anna Westin is Biologist and an Associate Professor in Agricultural History at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Researcher at the Swedish Biodiversity Centre, Uppsala. Her research uses historical ecology to study biodiversity, ecology, cultural heritage and history.