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Conclusion of Ecosystem Concepts

Introduction to American “Conservation” History

April 21, 2014

Biological magnificationBiological magnification

DDT in fish-eating birds 25 ppmDDT in fish-eating birds 25 ppm

DDT in large fish 2 ppmDDT in large fish 2 ppm

DDT in small fish 0.5 ppmDDT in small fish 0.5 ppm

DDT in zooplankton 0.04 ppmDDT in zooplankton 0.04 ppm

DDT in water 0.000003 ppmDDT in water 0.000003 ppmor 3 pptor 3 ppt

ConcentrationConcentrationhas increasedhas increased10 million times10 million times

Two types of response to pollutants.Two types of response to pollutants.

non-thresholdnon-thresholdresponseresponse

threshold levelthreshold level

thresholdthresholdresponseresponse

Dosage Dosage

effe

ctef

fect

Generalized pyramids of Generalized pyramids of numbers in ecosystemsnumbers in ecosystems

Generalized pyramids of Generalized pyramids of biomass in ecosystemsbiomass in ecosystems

Greatly simplified carbon cycle diagram

Greatly simplified nitrogen cycle

Greatly simplified phosphorous cycle

Precipitation-Temperature factors in ecosystems

Biomes as Fn(latitude & elevation)Biomes as Fn(latitude & elevation)

Some effects of environmental stress

Population Growth and Decrease factors

Three generalized types of survivorship curves

J-shaped curve of population growth

Population crash

Secondary ecological succession

Ecosystem Characteristics of Immature and Mature Ecosystem Characteristics of Immature and Mature Stages of Ecological SuccessionStages of Ecological Succession

Comparison of a Natural Ecosystem and a Simplified Human SystemComparison of a Natural Ecosystem and a Simplified Human SystemNatural EcosystemNatural Ecosystem Simplified Human systemSimplified Human system

(marsh grassland, forest)(marsh grassland, forest) (cornfield, factory house)(cornfield, factory house)

Captures, converts, and stores energy Captures, converts, and stores energy from the sunfrom the sun

Produces oxygen and consumes carbon Produces oxygen and consumes carbon dioxidedioxide

Creates fertile soilCreates fertile soil

Stores, purifies, and releases water Stores, purifies, and releases water graduallygradually

Provides wildlife habitatsProvides wildlife habitats

Filters and detoxifies pollutants and Filters and detoxifies pollutants and waste products free of chargewaste products free of charge

Usually capable of self-maintenance Usually capable of self-maintenance and self-renewaland self-renewal

Consumes energy from fossil or nuclear fuelConsumes energy from fossil or nuclear fuel

Consumes oxygen and produces carbon Consumes oxygen and produces carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuelsdioxide from the burning of fossil fuels

Depletes or covers fertile soilDepletes or covers fertile soil

Often uses and contaminates water and Often uses and contaminates water and releases it rapidlyreleases it rapidly

Destroys some wildlife habitatsDestroys some wildlife habitats

Produces pollutants and waste, which must Produces pollutants and waste, which must be cleaned up at our expensebe cleaned up at our expense

Requires continual maintenance and renewal Requires continual maintenance and renewal at great costat great cost

All too brief American Environmental History

• Pre-European settlementPre-European settlement

• Sustainable livelihoods?Sustainable livelihoods?– CollapseCollapse– DiseaseDisease– Climate changeClimate change

• Empire and Colonialism discoursesEmpire and Colonialism discourses

• IndependenceIndependence

• Property rights & liaise faire economics Property rights & liaise faire economics

Environmentalism definedEnvironmentalism defined

• As ideology - set of beliefs about As ideology - set of beliefs about important human activities and important human activities and perceived sets of problemsperceived sets of problems

• As purposive action - changed the way As purposive action - changed the way humans relate to the environmenthumans relate to the environment– individual purposive actionindividual purposive action– collective actioncollective action– leading to collective action -> leading to collective action ->

environmental social movementsenvironmental social movements

Manifest DestinyManifest Destiny

• Dominant 1620 to 1850, perhaps even now:Dominant 1620 to 1850, perhaps even now:• Moral and economic ideological rationale for resource exploitationMoral and economic ideological rationale for resource exploitation• nature and her resources have no intrinsic valuenature and her resources have no intrinsic value• nature unproductive and useless without application of human labornature unproductive and useless without application of human labor• human welfare depends on exploitation and development of naturehuman welfare depends on exploitation and development of nature• technologically optimistic that human inventiveness and technology can technologically optimistic that human inventiveness and technology can

overcome any resource problemovercome any resource problem• resources are infinitely abundant for human useresources are infinitely abundant for human use• rationale for European conquest/colonialismrationale for European conquest/colonialism• still explicitly or implicitly a major countermovement to still explicitly or implicitly a major countermovement to

““environmentalismenvironmentalism””• Lynn Townsend White, Jr.Lynn Townsend White, Jr. White's main area of research and inquiry White's main area of research and inquiry

was the role of technological invention in the Middle Ages. He believed was the role of technological invention in the Middle Ages. He believed that the Middle Ages were a decisive period in the genesis of Western that the Middle Ages were a decisive period in the genesis of Western technological supremacy, and that the "activist character" of medieval technological supremacy, and that the "activist character" of medieval Western Western Christianity provided the "psychic foundations" of technological provided the "psychic foundations" of technological inventiveness. He also conjectured that the Christian Middle Ages were inventiveness. He also conjectured that the Christian Middle Ages were the root of ecological crisis in the 20th century, and wrote a highly the root of ecological crisis in the 20th century, and wrote a highly influential article, "The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis", influential article, "The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis", published in the journal published in the journal ScienceScience in 1967. in 1967.

American Environmentalism; part 1American Environmentalism; part 1• Preservation & Transcendentalism(1830s - ): Nature important to Preservation & Transcendentalism(1830s - ): Nature important to

support both the physical and spiritual life of humans, hence support both the physical and spiritual life of humans, hence continued existence of wilderness and wildlife undisturbed by continued existence of wilderness and wildlife undisturbed by human action is necessary (ex., Wilderness Society, Sierra Club) human action is necessary (ex., Wilderness Society, Sierra Club) Henry David Thoreau Henry David Thoreau ““On Walden Pond,On Walden Pond,”” Ralph Waldo Emerson, Ralph Waldo Emerson, George Catlin, John Muir.George Catlin, John Muir.

• Conservation (1860s - ): Natural Resources should be scientifically Conservation (1860s - ): Natural Resources should be scientifically managed from a utilitarian prospective to provide for the greatest managed from a utilitarian prospective to provide for the greatest good for the people over the longest period of time (Society of good for the people over the longest period of time (Society of American Foresters) TD, Pinchot.American Foresters) TD, Pinchot.

• Wildlife Management (1890s-): The scientific management of Wildlife Management (1890s-): The scientific management of ecosystems can ensure stable populations of wildlife, viewed as a ecosystems can ensure stable populations of wildlife, viewed as a crop from which excess populations can be harvested, particularly crop from which excess populations can be harvested, particularly in creation and sport (Ducks Unlimited, Aldo Leopold).in creation and sport (Ducks Unlimited, Aldo Leopold).

• Reform Environmentalism (1870s - peaked in 1960s): Human health Reform Environmentalism (1870s - peaked in 1960s): Human health is linked to ecosystem conditions like water quality and air pollution. is linked to ecosystem conditions like water quality and air pollution. To maintain a healthy human society, ecologically responsible To maintain a healthy human society, ecologically responsible actions are required, which can be developed and implemented actions are required, which can be developed and implemented through the natural sciences (Environmental Disaster Fund - Love through the natural sciences (Environmental Disaster Fund - Love Canal).Canal).

• Source: E&S, p. 273.Source: E&S, p. 273.

American Environmentalism; part 2American Environmentalism; part 2• Environmental Justice (1970s - present): Ecological problems exist because Environmental Justice (1970s - present): Ecological problems exist because

of the structure of society and its imperatives, and the benefits of of the structure of society and its imperatives, and the benefits of environmental exploitation accrue to the wealthy while the poor and environmental exploitation accrue to the wealthy while the poor and marginal bear most of the costs. Hence the resolution of environmental marginal bear most of the costs. Hence the resolution of environmental problems requires fundamental social change (Citizenproblems requires fundamental social change (Citizen’’s Clearinghouse fors Clearinghouse for Hazardous Waste).Hazardous Waste).

• Deep Ecology (1980s - ): The richness and diversity of life has intrinsic Deep Ecology (1980s - ): The richness and diversity of life has intrinsic values, so human life is privileged only to the extent of satisfying basic values, so human life is privileged only to the extent of satisfying basic needs. Maintenance of biodiversity requires decreasing the human impact needs. Maintenance of biodiversity requires decreasing the human impact (Earth First!).(Earth First!).

• Ecofeminism (1980s - present): Ecosystem abuse us rooted in androcentric Ecofeminism (1980s - present): Ecosystem abuse us rooted in androcentric ideas and institutions. Relations of complementarity rather than domination ideas and institutions. Relations of complementarity rather than domination are required to resolve conflicts between culture/nature, human/nonhuman, are required to resolve conflicts between culture/nature, human/nonhuman, and male/female relationships (World Women in Development and and male/female relationships (World Women in Development and Environment).Environment).

• Ecospiritualism (1990s- present): Nature is GodEcospiritualism (1990s- present): Nature is God’’s creation, and humans s creation, and humans have a moral obligation to keep and tend the creation, including biodiversity have a moral obligation to keep and tend the creation, including biodiversity and unpolluted ecosystems (National Council of Churches, as well as some and unpolluted ecosystems (National Council of Churches, as well as some new evangelical church movements).new evangelical church movements).

Source: Source: E&SE&S, p. 273., p. 273.

Ralph Waldo EmersonRalph Waldo Emerson

Ralph Waldo EmersonRalph Waldo Emerson ( (May 25May 25, , 18031803 -- April 27April 27, , 18821882) was an ) was an AmericanAmerican essayist, poet, and leader of the essayist, poet, and leader of the TranscendentalistTranscendentalist movement in the early movement in the early 19th 19th century. Emerson gradually moved away from the religious and social century. Emerson gradually moved away from the religious and social beliefs of his contemporaries, formulating and expressing the philosophy beliefs of his contemporaries, formulating and expressing the philosophy of of TranscendentalismTranscendentalism in his 1836 essay, in his 1836 essay, NatureNature. As a result of this ground . As a result of this ground breaking work he gave a speech entitled breaking work he gave a speech entitled The American ScholarThe American Scholar in 1837, in 1837, which is considered to be America's "Intellectual Declaration of which is considered to be America's "Intellectual Declaration of Independence." He once said "Make the most of yourself, for that is all Independence." He once said "Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you." Considered one of the great there is of you." Considered one of the great oratorsorators of the time, Emerson's of the time, Emerson's enthusiasm and respect for his audience enraptured crowds. His support for enthusiasm and respect for his audience enraptured crowds. His support for abolitionismabolitionism late in life created controversy, and he was subject to abuse late in life created controversy, and he was subject to abuse from crowds while speaking on the topic. When asked to sum up his work, from crowds while speaking on the topic. When asked to sum up his work, he said his central doctrine was "the infinitude of the private man.he said his central doctrine was "the infinitude of the private man.””**

*Wikepedia is the major source for many portions of *Wikepedia is the major source for many portions of the rest of todaythe rest of today’’s slides and fuller information about s slides and fuller information about these individuals and legislative acts can be these individuals and legislative acts can be founded by searching Google by names of people founded by searching Google by names of people and names of institutions and legislative acts.and names of institutions and legislative acts.