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)*
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