Wayne, my source is Webster's New World College Dictionary (2006 -- I find it helps to upgrade one's dictionary every decade or so).
In this source there are 3 noun definitions -- a picture of scenery, the branch of art dealing with such pictures, and an expanse of natural scenery; plus 1 verb definition -- to change the natural features of a piece of ground to make it more attractive. To me, "landscape ecology" does not really match this "natural scenery" definition, because we study, describe and manipulate "landscapes" that range from pristine wilderness to urbanized developments. The key seems to be in the scale at which we study and operate. I am really not practicing landscape ecology if I let a diverse native plant community grow in my small urban backyard or restore 1 acre of rural wetland. But I am practicing landscape ecology if I utilize city land use decision making and action to maintain or increase tree cover retention, structural and (native) species diversity, stream buffers, wetlands and surface water management features, even though the density standard is 5 dwellings per acre. And I am practicing landscape ecology if I work to restore and preserve 1,000 acres of natural wetland and its adjacent and affected ecosystems. Warren W. Aney Tigard, Oregon -----Original Message----- From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Wayne Tyson Sent: Saturday, 17 April, 2010 20:59 To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Ecology Terminology Ecologist Landscape Re: [ECOLOG-L] Marine Landscape Ecologist Thanks, Warren, that's more understandable. I haven't looked up the etymology of landscape recently, but when I did some years ago, I ended up at the Indo-European root "skep," to "hack" or "to cut."* Either way, the term is embedded in the language. It is only a curiosity, and the actual original meaning is most likely lost to history. However, I do think it is unfortunate that the term aid in the misunderstanding that "landscape" (being expanded [I wonder by whom and when?] to include natural areas) is equivalent to "landscape" as a verb, almost exclusively meaning to replace ecosystems with plants (with little or not regard to animals except to exclude and kill them) chosen, not by the interaction of co-evolved species with each other and their environment, but in accordance with the whims of the owner or artist (e.g. landscape architect) to concoct a "proper" fantasyland, commonly "using" plants (from a "palette") readily available from a nursery industry that bear little relation to the natural environmental context. Such semantic confusion is regrettable in my view, particularly when it plays into the hands of those who displace natural, self-sufficient biological systems with maintenance-dependent assemblages that have effects far beyond their physical boundaries. I did not intend to expand this query into this area, and I do not intend to imply that it is (apparently) more than a part of what appears to be "landscape ecology" as you have explained it. Certainly some watersheds and their "landscapes" are free of "landscaping," but many have been greatly altered, even poisoned, with their Q pushed through the erosion threshold, by landscaping and other urban development that is not only insensitive to natural, self-sufficient ecosystems, but actively and intentionally hostile to them. That's mostly why I think there should be separate terms for such distinctly different systems, especially within the realm of science and intellectual discipline. WT *I believe the Old Dutch "scap" shares this root. As I recall, the "American Heritage Dictionary" was one reference for this. I would appreciate learning of any "correction" that may have been made to this. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Warren W. Aney" <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, April 17, 2010 11:08 AM Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Ecology Terminology Ecologist Landscape Re: [ECOLOG-L] Marine Landscape Ecologist > Wayne, as you probably know, we used to use terms such as "watershed > management" to describe a more holistic approach to broad-area applied > ecology. Wanting to make it geographically less exclusive and > scientifically more refined, we started using the term "landscape > ecology." > > That's an oversimplification, I know, but it's a useful term that makes > sense to practitioners, decision-makers and bystanders. And "scape" in > this > sense comes from the Dutch "scap" which is related to "create" or "shape" > (e.g., "landscaping" which produces a "landscape"). So the meaning of > "landscape" was expanded to include natural areas which are already > nature-"shaped." > > Warren W. Aney > Senior Wildlife Ecologist > Tigard, Oregon > > -----Original Message----- > From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Wayne Tyson > Sent: Friday, 16 April, 2010 23:09 > To: [email protected] > Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Ecology Terminology Ecologist Landscape Re: [ECOLOG-L] > Marine Landscape Ecologist > > What is a landscape ecologist? > > WT > > PS: "scape" comes from the root, "skep," meaning to cut or to hack. > Ironic, > given the current vernacular, no? > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Jim DeCoster" <[email protected]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Friday, April 16, 2010 9:42 AM > Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Marine Landscape Ecologist > > >> Marine Landscape Ecologist - isn't that an oxymoron? >> >> >> >> >> >> Date: Thu, 15 Apr 2010 11:12:54 -0400 >> From: Chris Jeffrey <[email protected]> >> Subject: Job Announcement - Marine Landscape Ecologist >> >> *MARINE SCIENTIST NEEDED FOR CONTRACT POSITION WITH NATIONAL OCEANIC & >> ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION (NOAA)* > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- > ---- > > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 8.5.437 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/2815 - Release Date: 04/16/10 > 18:31:00 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- No virus found in this incoming message. 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