People and the Land through Time

Book excerpt: A revised and updated edition of a classic book that defines the field of historical ecology People and the Land through Time, first published in 1997, remains the only introduction to the field of historical ecology from the perspective of ecology and ecosystem processes. Widely praised for its emphasis on the integration of historical information into scientific analyses, it will be useful to an interdisciplinary audience of students and professionals in ecology, conservation, history, archaeology, geography, and anthropology. This up-to-date second edition addresses current issues in historical ecology such as the proposed geological epoch, the Anthropocene; historical species dispersal and extinction; the impacts of past climatic fluctuations; and trends in sustainability and conservation.