Kenneth J. Kingsley is a conservation biologist with over 40 years of experience in ecological research and management. He holds a Ph.D. in Entomology and Ecology from the University of Arizona and has conducted field surveys for wildlife and plants in several states. He has published papers on endangered species and integrated pest management. Kingsley has worked for the National Park Service and as a senior scientist, and now volunteers his time conducting natural history interpretation, surveys, and studies.
This study compared the feeding behavior and resource use of an invasive barnacle, Balanus glandula, to a native barnacle, Notomegabalanus algicola, under different temperature and food availability conditions mimicking South Africa's west and south coasts. The invasive barnacle displayed higher filtration and removed more algal cells than the native species, regardless of temperature or food concentration. Under conditions mimicking the south coast (warmer temperature and lower food availability), B. glandula exhibited even higher filtration. Video analysis showed B. glandula had faster cirral beat rates under warmer conditions, though no differences in time spent feeding or number of feeding barnacles. The results suggest B. glandula is more efficient at
The document discusses major geological drivers of evolution on Earth over time, including tectonic movement, volcanism, climate change, and meteorite impacts. These geological forces have caused large-scale migrations, speciation events, mass extinctions, and adaptive radiations in species. Specific examples of major extinction events are described, such as the Permian-Triassic, Cretaceous-Paleogene, and more recent extinctions following human arrival and activities on various continents and islands.
Twenty million years of extinction and survival in the CaribbeanLiliana Davalos
- The document discusses extinction patterns of mammals in the Caribbean over the past 20 million years. It describes how biodiversity dynamics have involved both equilibrium and disequilibrium periods, influenced by disturbances like glaciation.
- Phylogenetic analyses have helped uncover extinction patterns and timing, though dates are still missing for many species. Extinction events have involved both pre-human and human-linked drivers, like the arrival of invasive species with Europeans.
- Traits like body size and herbivory influenced extinction risk. Models are exploring how species traits and island characteristics predict past and future extinction probabilities in the Caribbean. The lessons highlight avoidance of a sixth mass extinction through conservation of remaining ecosystems.
Photosynthetic rates of Camassia quamash under different burn regimesClaire Cook
1) The study examined the effect of varying burn regimes on the photosynthetic rates of Camassia quamash, a native prairie forb.
2) Productivity of C. quamash, as measured by photosynthetic rates, declined with increasing time since the last burn, with the highest rates found in plots burned in 2013.
3) Soil and foliar nitrogen levels did not significantly vary with burn regime. However, the 2013 burn plot, which had the highest photosynthetic rates, also had the highest percentages of nitrogen in the soil and foliage.
The Strawberry Canyon Research Plot (SCRP) is a 0.16 hectare permanent plot established to study invasive and native plant populations in Strawberry Canyon, Berkeley, California. A census of the plot found 17,225 individual woody stems representing 16 genera and 17 species, of which 5,736 were identified as invasive non-native plants. The understory is dominated by invasive Rubus discolor and native Toxicodendron diversilobum, while the canopy is dominated by native Quercus agrifolia and Umbellularia californica. The plot aims to further understanding of factors promoting invasive species establishment such as light availability, distance from water, and basal area dominance. It will also serve
Ecological stoichiometry examines the balance of elements like carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in ecological interactions and processes. A key study found that removing planktivorous fish from an eutrophic lake and allowing zooplankton populations like Daphnia to increase altered nutrient cycling. This increased the relative availability of nitrogen over phosphorus, countering the original low nitrogen to phosphorus input ratio and decreasing cyanobacteria dominance. The results supported theories linking nutrient ratios, growth rates, and food web structure based on organisms' nucleic acid and ribosomal RNA composition.
Kenneth J. Kingsley is a conservation biologist with over 40 years of experience in ecological research and management. He holds a Ph.D. in Entomology and Ecology from the University of Arizona and has conducted field surveys for wildlife and plants in several states. He has published papers on endangered species and integrated pest management. Kingsley has worked for the National Park Service and as a senior scientist, and now volunteers his time conducting natural history interpretation, surveys, and studies.
This study compared the feeding behavior and resource use of an invasive barnacle, Balanus glandula, to a native barnacle, Notomegabalanus algicola, under different temperature and food availability conditions mimicking South Africa's west and south coasts. The invasive barnacle displayed higher filtration and removed more algal cells than the native species, regardless of temperature or food concentration. Under conditions mimicking the south coast (warmer temperature and lower food availability), B. glandula exhibited even higher filtration. Video analysis showed B. glandula had faster cirral beat rates under warmer conditions, though no differences in time spent feeding or number of feeding barnacles. The results suggest B. glandula is more efficient at
The document discusses major geological drivers of evolution on Earth over time, including tectonic movement, volcanism, climate change, and meteorite impacts. These geological forces have caused large-scale migrations, speciation events, mass extinctions, and adaptive radiations in species. Specific examples of major extinction events are described, such as the Permian-Triassic, Cretaceous-Paleogene, and more recent extinctions following human arrival and activities on various continents and islands.
Twenty million years of extinction and survival in the CaribbeanLiliana Davalos
- The document discusses extinction patterns of mammals in the Caribbean over the past 20 million years. It describes how biodiversity dynamics have involved both equilibrium and disequilibrium periods, influenced by disturbances like glaciation.
- Phylogenetic analyses have helped uncover extinction patterns and timing, though dates are still missing for many species. Extinction events have involved both pre-human and human-linked drivers, like the arrival of invasive species with Europeans.
- Traits like body size and herbivory influenced extinction risk. Models are exploring how species traits and island characteristics predict past and future extinction probabilities in the Caribbean. The lessons highlight avoidance of a sixth mass extinction through conservation of remaining ecosystems.
Photosynthetic rates of Camassia quamash under different burn regimesClaire Cook
1) The study examined the effect of varying burn regimes on the photosynthetic rates of Camassia quamash, a native prairie forb.
2) Productivity of C. quamash, as measured by photosynthetic rates, declined with increasing time since the last burn, with the highest rates found in plots burned in 2013.
3) Soil and foliar nitrogen levels did not significantly vary with burn regime. However, the 2013 burn plot, which had the highest photosynthetic rates, also had the highest percentages of nitrogen in the soil and foliage.
The Strawberry Canyon Research Plot (SCRP) is a 0.16 hectare permanent plot established to study invasive and native plant populations in Strawberry Canyon, Berkeley, California. A census of the plot found 17,225 individual woody stems representing 16 genera and 17 species, of which 5,736 were identified as invasive non-native plants. The understory is dominated by invasive Rubus discolor and native Toxicodendron diversilobum, while the canopy is dominated by native Quercus agrifolia and Umbellularia californica. The plot aims to further understanding of factors promoting invasive species establishment such as light availability, distance from water, and basal area dominance. It will also serve
Ecological stoichiometry examines the balance of elements like carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus in ecological interactions and processes. A key study found that removing planktivorous fish from an eutrophic lake and allowing zooplankton populations like Daphnia to increase altered nutrient cycling. This increased the relative availability of nitrogen over phosphorus, countering the original low nitrogen to phosphorus input ratio and decreasing cyanobacteria dominance. The results supported theories linking nutrient ratios, growth rates, and food web structure based on organisms' nucleic acid and ribosomal RNA composition.
Geological time scale extinction. convertedAwais Bakshy
Extinction can occur at the population level, called local extinction, or at the species level, called true extinction. True extinction involves the loss of all populations of a species globally. Mass extinctions have occurred throughout history due to various causes like asteroid impacts, volcanic activity, climate change, and more recently, human activity. Currently most extinctions are caused by human interference with habitats and ecosystems. International organizations monitor extinction rates and endangered species to try and control further biodiversity loss.
Bachelor's thesis _ Current and historical distribution of the endemic Santa ...DeannaRhoades
I investigated the current and past range of the endemic Santa Cruz kangaroo rat, Dipodomys venustus venustus, by surveying (via Sherman live trapping) localities with suitable habitat based on historical range records and GIS habitat mapping. Live-trapping captured no kangaroo rats at any of the sites chosen for suitability. Potential explanations and recommended conservation actions are discussed. Thesis advisor: Gage H. Dayton.
Received a $1000 grant from the Ken Norris Natural History Center to conduct research.
The JBLM Fish & Wildlife Program aims to maintain and enhance ecosystems on the base to support biodiversity and the military mission. Approximately 97% of prairie habitat in the region has been lost due to degradation, forest encroachment, development, and agriculture. The program is restoring prairies through a 3 phase process: 1) removing invasive species mechanically, chemically, or with controlled fires, 2) planting native vegetation, and 3) restoring natural ecosystem processes like periodic fires. Certain prairie, pine, and oak habitats in Western Washington evolved with frequent low-intensity fires historically set by Native Americans. Reintroducing carefully controlled fires helps restore these fire-dependent ecosystems.
This lecture overviewed ecology and the different approaches used to study it. Ecology is defined as the study of interactions among living things and their environments. Researchers use a variety of approaches including field studies, laboratory experiments, inventories, large-scale experiments, simulation models, and studies at different temporal and spatial scales to better understand relationships between organisms and their environments from the level of individuals to entire ecosystems.
1) The document contains an English test for 11th grade students covering vocabulary, present perfect tense, and analytical exposition.
2) For the vocabulary section, students are asked to define words in Indonesian and match words with their meanings.
3) The present perfect tense section requires students to change verb tenses and write sentences using the present perfect tense.
4) The analytical exposition section asks students to answer comprehension questions about rainforests and identify the structure of a passage about the importance of libraries.
This study examines how beaver activity affects terrestrial ecosystems near streams. The researcher found that beaver ponds decrease the number of small trees and increase the relative abundance of red maple trees. Aquatic production from beaver ponds supports about 60% of the primary production required by terrestrial food webs. Higher trophic levels like spiders rely heavily on aquatic inputs, while lower trophic levels depend more on terrestrial production. The influence of aquatic inputs extends up to 60 meters into the forest and does not vary between pond and stream sites, likely due to the mobility of insect predators and emergent aquatic insects.
Presentation used to teach graduate class about Conservation Science and some of the leading Environmental Education authors that have shaped the history of both conservation and ecological thought: Leopold, Carson, E.O. Wilson, Muir, Ehrlich, Meyers and Mac Arthur. A comparison between important ecological terms are included in the presentation such as Keystone verses Umbrella species; the Edge Effect verses SLOSS; lastly Conservation Biology compared to Restoration Ecology.
This document discusses the history and development of conservation science. It describes how extinction rates are high, with 50-150 species going extinct daily. Conservation science emerged in the late 19th century with early ecologists. In the mid-20th century, scientists like Aldo Leopold, Rachel Carson, and E.O. Wilson helped educate the public on environmental issues and shape the scientific design of wilderness reserves through their research and advocacy work. Their work influenced the growth of the environmental movement and establishment of organizations like the Society for Conservation Biology.
Population: Carrying Capacity and Limiting Factors in Natural systemsPaliNalu
This document discusses the concept of carrying capacity, which refers to the maximum population size of a species that an ecosystem can sustain indefinitely. It provides examples showing how ecosystems have finite resources and limits, and exceeding those limits can damage the ecosystem and lead to population crashes. The document warns that human population growth is on an unsustainable "J-curve" and that exceeding environmental limits risks collapse, as seen in other species. It emphasizes the importance of respecting natural limits to protect ecosystems for long-term human well-being.
December 2019 presentation to Melbourne Emergence Meetup in the scope of ongoing Supervenience project series and as corollary to November's presentation re human infrastructure projects the group has taken an interest in. Includes pictures from recent visits to Stony Creek toxic fire site and Mud Island.
Nature as a Social Construct and Its Effects on Conservation in the GalapagosOlivia Chambliss
This document discusses how the concept of nature as something pristine and untouched by humans is a social construct that does not reflect reality. It uses the examples of the Galapagos Islands and conservation efforts there to show how human activity has historically shaped the landscape and ecosystems. While some view the needs of conservation and human settlement as mutually exclusive, the document argues a more holistic understanding is needed that recognizes the connections between people and nature.
Bachelor's thesis poster (Deanna K. Rhoades)DeannaRhoades
Bachelor's thesis, Undergraduate Symposium poster: "Current and historical distribution of the endemic Santa Cruz
kangaroo rat, Dipodomys venustus venustus"
This study examined whether Green Salamander populations persist on lands that were formerly surface coal mines in Virginia. Habitat and salamander surveys were conducted across 45 rock outcrops from undisturbed reference sites, mined highwalls, and remnant outcrops on former mines. Results showed remnant outcrops on former mines had habitat similar to undisturbed reference sites and Green Salamanders were present at 72% of remnant sites, including highly isolated ones within large surface mines. This suggests Green Salamander populations can persist on former mines through remnant habitat, contrary to assumptions that surface mining eliminates these populations. However, populations on former mines are likely small and fragmented with potential negative impacts.
R and k selection is very important aspect of knowing ecology a better way. This is based on natural selection of species (that is stable condition leads to k selection & unstable one leads to r selection).
Dan Metcalfe_Long-term monitoring of tropical rainforests of eastern AustraliaTERN Australia
Long-term monitoring of tropical rainforests in eastern Australia has provided key insights into the maintenance of biodiversity, role of natural disturbances, and dynamics of vertebrate populations over decades. This research has informed management of invasive species and climate change scenarios. While only covering 0.2% of Australia, these rainforests harbor significant biodiversity and are culturally important. Ongoing threats include fragmentation, weeds, feral animals, and climate change. Long-term local investment in monitoring is critical to understanding community change over time.
1. The document summarizes Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection as presented in his 1859 book On the Origin of Species. It discusses how Darwin built on earlier ideas about transmutation of species and biogeography to develop the theory of evolution by descent with modification and natural selection.
2. Darwin proposed that species slowly evolve over generations through natural selection of inheritable traits that aid survival and reproduction in the local environment. He provided evidence from artificial selection, biogeography, homology, and his observations of the Galapagos finches.
3. The theory revolutionized biology by providing a naturalistic explanation for adaptation and the diversity of life without needing to invoke design. While controversial when first published
This document discusses a study that examined how habitat heterogeneity influences social interactions in zebrafish. The study investigated whether shoal cohesion and aggression in zebrafish varies based on their previous experience with refuge availability and the immediate availability of refuge. Experiments were conducted with zebrafish in homogeneous and heterogeneous habitats to determine if shoal cohesion and aggression differed based on refuge conditions. The results found that shoal cohesion and aggression in zebrafish does vary based on the immediate availability of refuge in their habitat.
This document discusses mass extinction events that have occurred throughout history. It provides details on 5 major extinction events, including their timing in millions of years ago and potential causes such as asteroid impacts, volcanic activity, and climate change. Causes of species extinction are also explored, including climate change, changes in sea levels/currents, asteroids/cosmic radiation, acid rain, disease, invasive species, habitat loss, pollution, and human population growth.
Oxfam is supporting a project in Bolivia to revive an ancestral farming technique called camellones that was used by early cultures to farm sustainably in the flood-prone Beni region. Camellones are elevated ridges surrounded by canals that allow crops to be grown even during floods. Oxfam helped a community build experimental camellones and plant crops. Initial results are promising, with the harvests expected to be shared communally. If successful, camellones could help local farmers better cope with regular floods and droughts while protecting the environment.
This document provides an overview of the Atlas of the Mammals of Ontario. It was created through the collection of distribution data from institutions and volunteers. Species accounts and range maps are provided for Ontario's 86 wild mammal species. The maps show mammal records plotted within grid squares, with symbols indicating the time period of the record. The atlas aims to document the current distribution of mammals in Ontario and identify areas needing more research. It is intended to aid conservation efforts and environmental assessments.
This document summarizes Nicholas Fiegel's geology assignment around their house. The assignment involved observing and documenting geologic changes, identifying three specific rock types, and documenting a geologic law or unconformity. Fiegel documents finding pumice, conglomerate rock, and hornfels in their property. Background information is provided on the geology of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Fiegel also summarizes finding fossils and observing present-day animals like dogs, pine trees, and dragonflies. The document discusses the laws of superposition and examples of angular unconformities.
What sparked the cambrian explosion 2016Marcus Cabral
- Recent discoveries from reef formations in Namibia and other sites suggest that a small increase in oxygen levels, rather than a large spike, may have crossed an ecological threshold that enabled the emergence of predators and triggered the Cambrian explosion of animal diversity. This predatory relationship likely set off an evolutionary arms race, leading to the rapid emergence of complex body types and behaviors seen in later periods. While oxygen was still important, it may not have needed to rise to modern levels to support this evolutionary burst.
Geological time scale extinction. convertedAwais Bakshy
Extinction can occur at the population level, called local extinction, or at the species level, called true extinction. True extinction involves the loss of all populations of a species globally. Mass extinctions have occurred throughout history due to various causes like asteroid impacts, volcanic activity, climate change, and more recently, human activity. Currently most extinctions are caused by human interference with habitats and ecosystems. International organizations monitor extinction rates and endangered species to try and control further biodiversity loss.
Bachelor's thesis _ Current and historical distribution of the endemic Santa ...DeannaRhoades
I investigated the current and past range of the endemic Santa Cruz kangaroo rat, Dipodomys venustus venustus, by surveying (via Sherman live trapping) localities with suitable habitat based on historical range records and GIS habitat mapping. Live-trapping captured no kangaroo rats at any of the sites chosen for suitability. Potential explanations and recommended conservation actions are discussed. Thesis advisor: Gage H. Dayton.
Received a $1000 grant from the Ken Norris Natural History Center to conduct research.
The JBLM Fish & Wildlife Program aims to maintain and enhance ecosystems on the base to support biodiversity and the military mission. Approximately 97% of prairie habitat in the region has been lost due to degradation, forest encroachment, development, and agriculture. The program is restoring prairies through a 3 phase process: 1) removing invasive species mechanically, chemically, or with controlled fires, 2) planting native vegetation, and 3) restoring natural ecosystem processes like periodic fires. Certain prairie, pine, and oak habitats in Western Washington evolved with frequent low-intensity fires historically set by Native Americans. Reintroducing carefully controlled fires helps restore these fire-dependent ecosystems.
This lecture overviewed ecology and the different approaches used to study it. Ecology is defined as the study of interactions among living things and their environments. Researchers use a variety of approaches including field studies, laboratory experiments, inventories, large-scale experiments, simulation models, and studies at different temporal and spatial scales to better understand relationships between organisms and their environments from the level of individuals to entire ecosystems.
1) The document contains an English test for 11th grade students covering vocabulary, present perfect tense, and analytical exposition.
2) For the vocabulary section, students are asked to define words in Indonesian and match words with their meanings.
3) The present perfect tense section requires students to change verb tenses and write sentences using the present perfect tense.
4) The analytical exposition section asks students to answer comprehension questions about rainforests and identify the structure of a passage about the importance of libraries.
This study examines how beaver activity affects terrestrial ecosystems near streams. The researcher found that beaver ponds decrease the number of small trees and increase the relative abundance of red maple trees. Aquatic production from beaver ponds supports about 60% of the primary production required by terrestrial food webs. Higher trophic levels like spiders rely heavily on aquatic inputs, while lower trophic levels depend more on terrestrial production. The influence of aquatic inputs extends up to 60 meters into the forest and does not vary between pond and stream sites, likely due to the mobility of insect predators and emergent aquatic insects.
Presentation used to teach graduate class about Conservation Science and some of the leading Environmental Education authors that have shaped the history of both conservation and ecological thought: Leopold, Carson, E.O. Wilson, Muir, Ehrlich, Meyers and Mac Arthur. A comparison between important ecological terms are included in the presentation such as Keystone verses Umbrella species; the Edge Effect verses SLOSS; lastly Conservation Biology compared to Restoration Ecology.
This document discusses the history and development of conservation science. It describes how extinction rates are high, with 50-150 species going extinct daily. Conservation science emerged in the late 19th century with early ecologists. In the mid-20th century, scientists like Aldo Leopold, Rachel Carson, and E.O. Wilson helped educate the public on environmental issues and shape the scientific design of wilderness reserves through their research and advocacy work. Their work influenced the growth of the environmental movement and establishment of organizations like the Society for Conservation Biology.
Population: Carrying Capacity and Limiting Factors in Natural systemsPaliNalu
This document discusses the concept of carrying capacity, which refers to the maximum population size of a species that an ecosystem can sustain indefinitely. It provides examples showing how ecosystems have finite resources and limits, and exceeding those limits can damage the ecosystem and lead to population crashes. The document warns that human population growth is on an unsustainable "J-curve" and that exceeding environmental limits risks collapse, as seen in other species. It emphasizes the importance of respecting natural limits to protect ecosystems for long-term human well-being.
December 2019 presentation to Melbourne Emergence Meetup in the scope of ongoing Supervenience project series and as corollary to November's presentation re human infrastructure projects the group has taken an interest in. Includes pictures from recent visits to Stony Creek toxic fire site and Mud Island.
Nature as a Social Construct and Its Effects on Conservation in the GalapagosOlivia Chambliss
This document discusses how the concept of nature as something pristine and untouched by humans is a social construct that does not reflect reality. It uses the examples of the Galapagos Islands and conservation efforts there to show how human activity has historically shaped the landscape and ecosystems. While some view the needs of conservation and human settlement as mutually exclusive, the document argues a more holistic understanding is needed that recognizes the connections between people and nature.
Bachelor's thesis poster (Deanna K. Rhoades)DeannaRhoades
Bachelor's thesis, Undergraduate Symposium poster: "Current and historical distribution of the endemic Santa Cruz
kangaroo rat, Dipodomys venustus venustus"
This study examined whether Green Salamander populations persist on lands that were formerly surface coal mines in Virginia. Habitat and salamander surveys were conducted across 45 rock outcrops from undisturbed reference sites, mined highwalls, and remnant outcrops on former mines. Results showed remnant outcrops on former mines had habitat similar to undisturbed reference sites and Green Salamanders were present at 72% of remnant sites, including highly isolated ones within large surface mines. This suggests Green Salamander populations can persist on former mines through remnant habitat, contrary to assumptions that surface mining eliminates these populations. However, populations on former mines are likely small and fragmented with potential negative impacts.
R and k selection is very important aspect of knowing ecology a better way. This is based on natural selection of species (that is stable condition leads to k selection & unstable one leads to r selection).
Dan Metcalfe_Long-term monitoring of tropical rainforests of eastern AustraliaTERN Australia
Long-term monitoring of tropical rainforests in eastern Australia has provided key insights into the maintenance of biodiversity, role of natural disturbances, and dynamics of vertebrate populations over decades. This research has informed management of invasive species and climate change scenarios. While only covering 0.2% of Australia, these rainforests harbor significant biodiversity and are culturally important. Ongoing threats include fragmentation, weeds, feral animals, and climate change. Long-term local investment in monitoring is critical to understanding community change over time.
1. The document summarizes Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection as presented in his 1859 book On the Origin of Species. It discusses how Darwin built on earlier ideas about transmutation of species and biogeography to develop the theory of evolution by descent with modification and natural selection.
2. Darwin proposed that species slowly evolve over generations through natural selection of inheritable traits that aid survival and reproduction in the local environment. He provided evidence from artificial selection, biogeography, homology, and his observations of the Galapagos finches.
3. The theory revolutionized biology by providing a naturalistic explanation for adaptation and the diversity of life without needing to invoke design. While controversial when first published
This document discusses a study that examined how habitat heterogeneity influences social interactions in zebrafish. The study investigated whether shoal cohesion and aggression in zebrafish varies based on their previous experience with refuge availability and the immediate availability of refuge. Experiments were conducted with zebrafish in homogeneous and heterogeneous habitats to determine if shoal cohesion and aggression differed based on refuge conditions. The results found that shoal cohesion and aggression in zebrafish does vary based on the immediate availability of refuge in their habitat.
This document discusses mass extinction events that have occurred throughout history. It provides details on 5 major extinction events, including their timing in millions of years ago and potential causes such as asteroid impacts, volcanic activity, and climate change. Causes of species extinction are also explored, including climate change, changes in sea levels/currents, asteroids/cosmic radiation, acid rain, disease, invasive species, habitat loss, pollution, and human population growth.
Oxfam is supporting a project in Bolivia to revive an ancestral farming technique called camellones that was used by early cultures to farm sustainably in the flood-prone Beni region. Camellones are elevated ridges surrounded by canals that allow crops to be grown even during floods. Oxfam helped a community build experimental camellones and plant crops. Initial results are promising, with the harvests expected to be shared communally. If successful, camellones could help local farmers better cope with regular floods and droughts while protecting the environment.
This document provides an overview of the Atlas of the Mammals of Ontario. It was created through the collection of distribution data from institutions and volunteers. Species accounts and range maps are provided for Ontario's 86 wild mammal species. The maps show mammal records plotted within grid squares, with symbols indicating the time period of the record. The atlas aims to document the current distribution of mammals in Ontario and identify areas needing more research. It is intended to aid conservation efforts and environmental assessments.
This document summarizes Nicholas Fiegel's geology assignment around their house. The assignment involved observing and documenting geologic changes, identifying three specific rock types, and documenting a geologic law or unconformity. Fiegel documents finding pumice, conglomerate rock, and hornfels in their property. Background information is provided on the geology of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Fiegel also summarizes finding fossils and observing present-day animals like dogs, pine trees, and dragonflies. The document discusses the laws of superposition and examples of angular unconformities.
What sparked the cambrian explosion 2016Marcus Cabral
- Recent discoveries from reef formations in Namibia and other sites suggest that a small increase in oxygen levels, rather than a large spike, may have crossed an ecological threshold that enabled the emergence of predators and triggered the Cambrian explosion of animal diversity. This predatory relationship likely set off an evolutionary arms race, leading to the rapid emergence of complex body types and behaviors seen in later periods. While oxygen was still important, it may not have needed to rise to modern levels to support this evolutionary burst.
Can we learn to handle the heat of forest firesJulianne Cox
Wildfires are increasing in severity and frequency in California due to climate change and a century of fire suppression. Researchers are studying post-fire "nuke zones" and finding they harbor increased biodiversity and are important habitat. Their findings challenge conventional wisdom of aggressively salvage logging burned areas and indicate forests would benefit from emulating natural fire regimes through less intervention.
This document provides an overview of early human history from prehistory to 3000 BC. It discusses key topics like the origins of humans in Africa based on genetic and fossil evidence. As humans spread out of Africa, they developed new stone tools and lived as hunter-gatherers. The Neolithic Agricultural Revolution led to permanent settlements and early civilizations along major river valleys in various regions including Africa, Asia, India, and China. Early civilizations had defining characteristics like cities, centralized governments, job specialization, and writing systems. Cultural diffusion helped spread ideas and technologies between civilizations. The document provides examples of important figures and developments in early Egyptian and Mesopotamian civilizations.
The document summarizes theories about what caused the mass extinction that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. The two leading hypotheses are that it was caused by an asteroid impact (the Alvarez hypothesis) or massive volcanic eruptions in India known as the Deccan Traps. Recent evidence has strengthened the asteroid impact theory, finding evidence of an impact crater in the Gulf of Mexico and material from the impact throughout the layers from that time period. However, some scientists argue volcanic activity may have also contributed by weakening ecosystems before the impact. More research is still needed to determine the precise timing and roles of both the asteroid impact and volcanic eruptions.
Our environment is constantly changing. There is no denying that. However, as our environment changes, so does the need to become increasingly aware of the problems that surround it. With a massive influx of natural disasters, warming and cooling periods, different types of weather patterns and much more, people need to be aware of what types of environmental problems our planet is facing.
· Botkin, D. B., & Keller, E. A. (2014). Environmental science Ea.docxoswald1horne84988
· Botkin, D. B., & Keller, E. A. (2014). Environmental science: Earth as a living planet (9th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, Inc
Chapter 10: Ecological Restoration
10.1 What Is Ecological restoration?
Ecological restoration is defined as providing assistance to the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, dam- aged, or destroyed.2 Originally until near the end of the 20th century, restoration seemed simple: Just remove all human actions and let nature take care of itself. But this led to surprising and undesirable results. A classic example is the conservation of Hutcheson Memorial Forest, the last remaining known uncut, therefore primeval, forest in New Jersey. This forest has been owned since 1701 by the Met- tler family, who farmed and kept this forest as a woodlot that they never harvested, as careful family records showed. In 1954, Rutgers University obtained the forest, and ecolo- gist Murray Buell, who arranged for the purchase, planned that it would be left undisturbed and therefore would rep- resent an old-growth oak-hickory forest, the kind that was supposed to be the final endpoint of forest succession (see Chapter 6 for a discussion of succession).
What was this forest supposed to be like? In 1749 to 1750, the Swedish botanist Peter Kalm traveled from Philadelphia to Montreal, collecting plants for Carl Lin- naeus. Kalm traveled through this area of New Jersey and described the forests as being composed of large oaks, hickories, and chestnuts, so free of underbrush that one could drive a horse and carriage through the woods.3
An article in Audubon in 1954 described this wood as “a climax forest . . . a cross-section of nature in equilibrium in which the forest trees have developed over a long pe- riod of time. The present oaks and other hardwood trees have succeeded other types of trees that went before them. Now these trees, after reaching old age, die and return their substance to the soil and help their replacements to sturdy growth and ripe old age in turn.”4 But this was not how the forest looked in the 1950s nor how it looks today (Figure 10.4). There are some old trees, many of them in poor condition, and the forest is dense with young tree stems of many sizes. Few oaks have regenerated. In the 1960s, the majority of the seedlings in the forest were maples.
What went wrong? Reconstruction of the forest his- tory showed that prior to 1701 when Europeans took over the land, the Indians had burned this forest on average every ten years. These frequent light fires keep the land relatively open and supported oaks and hickories, resistant to fire, and suppressed maples, easily killed by fire.
These findings created a dilemma. The nature pre- serve was set up to provide an example of the way the forests were before European alternation of the land, and therefore would never be subjected to cutting, planting, fires, or any other human action. But the forest wasn’t like that at all. What should be done? Should it be l.
For most of our time on Earth, we humans have survived by hunting and gathering food from our natural environment.
Register to explore the whole course here: https://school.bighistoryproject.com/bhplive?WT.mc_id=Slideshare12202017
Taylor & Francis, Ltd. and Association of American Geographer.docxMARRY7
Taylor & Francis, Ltd. and Association of American Geographers are collaborating with JSTOR to digitize, preserve and
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The Pristine Myth: The Landscape of the Americas in 1492
Author(s): William M. Denevan
Source: Annals of the Association of American Geographers, Vol. 82, No. 3, The Americas before
and after 1492: Current Geographical Research (Sep., 1992), pp. 369-385
Published by: on behalf of the Taylor & Francis, Ltd. Association of American Geographers
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The Pristine Myth: The Landscape of the
Americas in 1492
William M. Denevan
Department of Geography, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706
Abstract. The myth persists that in 1492 the
Americas were a sparsely populated wilder-
ness, "a world of barely perceptible human
disturbance." There is substantial evidence,
however, that the Native American landscape
of the early sixteenth century was a humanized
landscape almost everywhere. Populations
were large. Forest composition had been
modified, grasslands had been created, wild-
life disrupted, and erosion was severe in
places. Earthworks, roads, fields, and settle-
ments were ubiquitous. With Indian depopu-
lation in the wake of Old World disease, the
environment recovered in many areas. A good
argument can be made that the human pres-
ence was less visible in 1750 than it was in 1492.
Key Words: Pristine myth, 1492, Columbus, Native
American settlement and demography, prehistoric
New World, vegetation change, earthworks.
"This is the forest primeval . . . "
Evangeline: A Tale of Acadie
(Longfellow, 1847).
HAT was the New World like at the
time of Columbus?-"Geography as
_ it was," in the words of Carl Sauer
(1971, x).1 The Admiral himself spoke of a "Ter-
restrial Paradise," beautiful and green and fer-
tile, teeming with birds, with naked people
living ...
Animal extinction poses a serious threat to humanity according to many biologists. An estimated 1.5 million species have gone extinct, with current extinction rates being between 2.7 to 270 species lost per day. Half of all plant and animal species may be extinct by 2100 if current practices continue. The main causes of extinction are habitat loss, pollution, climate change, and overhunting. While extinction is a natural phenomenon, human activities have greatly accelerated extinction rates in recent centuries.
Animal extinction poses a serious threat to humanity according to many biologists. An estimated 1.5 million species have gone extinct, with current extinction rates being between 2.7 to 270 species lost per day. Half of all plant and animal species may be extinct by 2100 if current practices continue. The main causes of extinction are habitat loss, pollution, climate change, and overhunting. While some nations have taken action, more work needs to be done globally to prevent widespread extinction of animals.
Stop Animal Extinction
The author wants to research and help stop animal extinction because they like animals. The main causes of animal extinction are deforestation, greenhouse gases, forest fires, and pollution. Burning fossil fuels increases greenhouse gases which trap heat and warm the planet, melting glaciers. This makes the oceans more acidic and inhospitable for sea life. While animals cannot be completely stopped from going extinct, efforts can be made to help them.
The document provides an overview of fire ecology in Big Sur and the Central Coast Ranges, including:
1) It discusses different plant communities and their responses to fire, as well as how fire regimes impact individual plants and plant populations.
2) It reviews the fire history of the region over the past 20,000 years, from the Pleistocene to periods of Native American burning to modern fire suppression.
3) It examines a recent large wildfire, the 2008 Basin Complex Fire, which burned over 240,000 acres in Big Sur following years of drought.
Mossel Bay's Pinnacle Point Caves on South Africa's Garden Route Coast have revealed the earliest evidence for modern human behaviour - which places Mossel Bay as the birthplace of culture and complex technology. This is drawing great interest from the public. In this document we present a background to the research, and provide information on attractions, activities, and some suggested itineraries for visitors who are interested in the subject of our origins.
Over millions of years, modern humans populated most regions of the world as they migrated and adapted to various environments. As human societies became more complex, they developed religious beliefs and practices like cave paintings and burial rituals. New evidence from fossils and genetics supports the theory that Homo sapiens originated in Africa and migrated outward, populating areas and gradually replacing earlier human groups.
Australian archaeology can be divided into three main categories: aboriginal, historical, and maritime. Aboriginal archaeology studies the origins of Australia's indigenous peoples and aims to understand how the first migrants arrived. Historical archaeology examines industrial and structural changes to understand social and economic shifts. Maritime archaeology focuses on ships and infrastructure to learn about life near water. Together, these types of archaeology are revealing Australia's history by analyzing artifacts and sites and how human activity responded to environmental changes over time.
Archaeologists studying the Middle Stone Age in Mossel Bay's Pinnacle Point Caves have discovered the earliest evidence for modern human behaviour: here's a guide to how you can experience the Garden Route and learn about human origins at the same time
This document discusses how modern scientific findings align with the biblical account of creation in Genesis. It notes that the universe is around 15 billion years old, and Earth around 4.5 billion years old, consistent with Genesis. On the first day of creation, plasma in the form of water and amino acids formed, along with matter and energy - this aligns with scientific findings that asteroids may have delivered these building blocks to early Earth. The document argues this supports that Genesis is consistent with established scientific laws like Einstein's equation E=mc2 relating to mass, energy and the speed of light.
Scientists James Goff and Scott Nichol sought to explain how pebbles from the ocean floor ended up on cliff tops at Henderson Bay. Through examining evidence such as the rounded shape of pebbles, oral histories of tsunamis, and layers in a core sample from a nearby swamp, they determined that a massive tsunami caused by the underwater Healy volcano around 1450 AD washed the pebbles inland and destroyed Māori villages along the coast. The scientists' study of this event provided insights into New Zealand's geological history and the forces that have shaped the landscape.
Kinetic studies on malachite green dye adsorption from aqueous solutions by A...Open Access Research Paper
Water polluted by dyestuffs compounds is a global threat to health and the environment; accordingly, we prepared a green novel sorbent chemical and Physical system from an algae, chitosan and chitosan nanoparticle and impregnated with algae with chitosan nanocomposite for the sorption of Malachite green dye from water. The algae with chitosan nanocomposite by a simple method and used as a recyclable and effective adsorbent for the removal of malachite green dye from aqueous solutions. Algae, chitosan, chitosan nanoparticle and algae with chitosan nanocomposite were characterized using different physicochemical methods. The functional groups and chemical compounds found in algae, chitosan, chitosan algae, chitosan nanoparticle, and chitosan nanoparticle with algae were identified using FTIR, SEM, and TGADTA/DTG techniques. The optimal adsorption conditions, different dosages, pH and Temperature the amount of algae with chitosan nanocomposite were determined. At optimized conditions and the batch equilibrium studies more than 99% of the dye was removed. The adsorption process data matched well kinetics showed that the reaction order for dye varied with pseudo-first order and pseudo-second order. Furthermore, the maximum adsorption capacity of the algae with chitosan nanocomposite toward malachite green dye reached as high as 15.5mg/g, respectively. Finally, multiple times reusing of algae with chitosan nanocomposite and removing dye from a real wastewater has made it a promising and attractive option for further practical applications.
Microbial characterisation and identification, and potability of River Kuywa ...Open Access Research Paper
Water contamination is one of the major causes of water borne diseases worldwide. In Kenya, approximately 43% of people lack access to potable water due to human contamination. River Kuywa water is currently experiencing contamination due to human activities. Its water is widely used for domestic, agricultural, industrial and recreational purposes. This study aimed at characterizing bacteria and fungi in river Kuywa water. Water samples were randomly collected from four sites of the river: site A (Matisi), site B (Ngwelo), site C (Nzoia water pump) and site D (Chalicha), during the dry season (January-March 2018) and wet season (April-July 2018) and were transported to Maseno University Microbiology and plant pathology laboratory for analysis. The characterization and identification of bacteria and fungi were carried out using standard microbiological techniques. Nine bacterial genera and three fungi were identified from Kuywa river water. Clostridium spp., Staphylococcus spp., Enterobacter spp., Streptococcus spp., E. coli, Klebsiella spp., Shigella spp., Proteus spp. and Salmonella spp. Fungi were Fusarium oxysporum, Aspergillus flavus complex and Penicillium species. Wet season recorded highest bacterial and fungal counts (6.61-7.66 and 3.83-6.75cfu/ml) respectively. The results indicated that the river Kuywa water is polluted and therefore unsafe for human consumption before treatment. It is therefore recommended that the communities to ensure that they boil water especially for drinking.
Optimizing Post Remediation Groundwater Performance with Enhanced Microbiolog...Joshua Orris
Results of geophysics and pneumatic injection pilot tests during 2003 – 2007 yielded significant positive results for injection delivery design and contaminant mass treatment, resulting in permanent shut-down of an existing groundwater Pump & Treat system.
Accessible source areas were subsequently removed (2011) by soil excavation and treated with the placement of Emulsified Vegetable Oil EVO and zero-valent iron ZVI to accelerate treatment of impacted groundwater in overburden and weathered fractured bedrock. Post pilot test and post remediation groundwater monitoring has included analyses of CVOCs, organic fatty acids, dissolved gases and QuantArray® -Chlor to quantify key microorganisms (e.g., Dehalococcoides, Dehalobacter, etc.) and functional genes (e.g., vinyl chloride reductase, methane monooxygenase, etc.) to assess potential for reductive dechlorination and aerobic cometabolism of CVOCs.
In 2022, the first commercial application of MetaArray™ was performed at the site. MetaArray™ utilizes statistical analysis, such as principal component analysis and multivariate analysis to provide evidence that reductive dechlorination is active or even that it is slowing. This creates actionable data allowing users to save money by making important site management decisions earlier.
The results of the MetaArray™ analysis’ support vector machine (SVM) identified groundwater monitoring wells with a 80% confidence that were characterized as either Limited for Reductive Decholorination or had a High Reductive Reduction Dechlorination potential. The results of MetaArray™ will be used to further optimize the site’s post remediation monitoring program for monitored natural attenuation.
Epcon is One of the World's leading Manufacturing Companies.EpconLP
Epcon is One of the World's leading Manufacturing Companies. With over 4000 installations worldwide, EPCON has been pioneering new techniques since 1977 that have become industry standards now. Founded in 1977, Epcon has grown from a one-man operation to a global leader in developing and manufacturing innovative air pollution control technology and industrial heating equipment.
Presented by The Global Peatlands Assessment: Mapping, Policy, and Action at GLF Peatlands 2024 - The Global Peatlands Assessment: Mapping, Policy, and Action
Improving the viability of probiotics by encapsulation methods for developmen...Open Access Research Paper
The popularity of functional foods among scientists and common people has been increasing day by day. Awareness and modernization make the consumer think better regarding food and nutrition. Now a day’s individual knows very well about the relation between food consumption and disease prevalence. Humans have a diversity of microbes in the gut that together form the gut microflora. Probiotics are the health-promoting live microbial cells improve host health through gut and brain connection and fighting against harmful bacteria. Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus are the two bacterial genera which are considered to be probiotic. These good bacteria are facing challenges of viability. There are so many factors such as sensitivity to heat, pH, acidity, osmotic effect, mechanical shear, chemical components, freezing and storage time as well which affects the viability of probiotics in the dairy food matrix as well as in the gut. Multiple efforts have been done in the past and ongoing in present for these beneficial microbial population stability until their destination in the gut. One of a useful technique known as microencapsulation makes the probiotic effective in the diversified conditions and maintain these microbe’s community to the optimum level for achieving targeted benefits. Dairy products are found to be an ideal vehicle for probiotic incorporation. It has been seen that the encapsulated microbial cells show higher viability than the free cells in different processing and storage conditions as well as against bile salts in the gut. They make the food functional when incorporated, without affecting the product sensory characteristics.
Evolving Lifecycles with High Resolution Site Characterization (HRSC) and 3-D...Joshua Orris
The incorporation of a 3DCSM and completion of HRSC provided a tool for enhanced, data-driven, decisions to support a change in remediation closure strategies. Currently, an approved pilot study has been obtained to shut-down the remediation systems (ISCO, P&T) and conduct a hydraulic study under non-pumping conditions. A separate micro-biological bench scale treatability study was competed that yielded positive results for an emerging innovative technology. As a result, a field pilot study has commenced with results expected in nine-twelve months. With the results of the hydraulic study, field pilot studies and an updated risk assessment leading site monitoring optimization cost lifecycle savings upwards of $15MM towards an alternatively evolved best available technology remediation closure strategy.
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Global Peatlands Map and Hotspot Explanation Atlas
THE ANCIENT ECOLOGY OF FIRE
1. archaeology.org 55
T
he Quiroste Valley on California’s
central coast lies sheltered from
the wind that blows in from
the Pacific not two miles distant.
Coniferous pine and redwood trees
stand along the valley’s rim and sweep
down into the lowland where they
compete with thickets of poison
oak, buckeye, and coyote brush. This
overgrown valley of some 200 acres
was once the home of the Quiroste, a
people who would not recognize their
traditional lands today. When a Spanish
expedition first visited the Quiroste’s
village in 1769, the valley was full of
meadows, hazel groves, and stretches of
burned earth. The expedition chaplain,
Juan Crespi, noted in his diary that
the Quiroste hunter-gatherers were
careful managers of the landscape. He
wrote that they regularly burned the
meadowlands “for a better yield of the
grass seeds that they eat.”
On public lands today, vegetation
often goes unmanaged and, as a
result, becomes the tinder that fuels
wildfires. Nearly 7,000 blazes ravaged
California in 2016 alone. But for the
Quiroste, fire was a powerful tool. They
used it to manage a number of food
resources, not just grass seeds. And by
regularly setting controlled fires, the
Quiroste also kept themselves safe
from catastrophic wildfires, which feed
on dense undergrowth. Recently, a
group of archaeologists, ecologists, and
members of a local Native American
tribe set out to understand the history
of this practice in the Quiroste
Valley, now part of Año Nuevo State
Park. “We had a lot of questions we
wanted answers to,” says University of
Lessons emerge from the ways in which North American hunter-
gatherers managed the landscape around them
by Antone Pierucci
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA
THE ANCIENT ECOLOGY
OF FIRE
Firefighters watch a 2015
wildfire in northern California.
Destructive blazes such as these
were less common in the region
in the ancient past.
2. ARCHAEOLOGY • September/October 201756
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA
California, Berkeley, archaeologist Kent
Lightfoot, one of the project’s directors.
“First and foremost we wanted to
know if we could even identify the
general pattern of human-made fires
in the archaeological record. Then,
if so, we wanted to know when they
started, how widespread the practice
was, and what its impact on the local
ecosystem was.” Identifying fires from
the ancient past is difficult enough, but
differentiating natural ones caused by
lightning strikes from those deliberately
set posed a serious problem for the
researchers. Underlying the challenge
was the fact that some scholars have
argued that prescribed burns might not
have been as widespread in the ancient
past as they had become when the
Spanish first arrived in California.
As a first step, the team studied
how ecosystems on the central Califor-
nia coast have reacted to fires caused
by lightning in the recent past. Eco-
systems similar to the Quiroste Valley
take about 100 years to fully recover
from a fire. The first plants to regrow
are grasses and herbaceous plants. But
grasslands are disturbance-dependent
communities, meaning they can only
persist with regular grazing, tillage,
or burning that removes encroaching
woody plants. Given no further dis-
turbance, grasses don’t last long, and
within about 20 to 30 years most of
the grassland is choked out by coyote
brush and poison oak scrublands.
Within a century, the vegetation
reaches a mature stage, with most
areas covered by scrublands and mixed
conifer forests, and once again the
landscape becomes fuel for wildfires.
This fire ecology research suggests
that anthropogenic, or human-made,
fires would create a landscape domi-
nated by open, prairie-like vegetation,
while those fires occurring naturally
would result in a landscape of shrubs
and conifer forests, such as the one in
the present-day Quiroste Valley. Using
these expectations about natural fire
cycles and the succession of plant
species, the team hypothesized that
they could differentiate between the
general pattern of anthropogenic fires
and that of natural ones in the archae-
ological record. “If people frequently
burned the landscape in the past,” says
Lightfoot, “we would expect to find
archaeobotanical and faunal remains
that reflect widespread grasslands and
fire-adapted trees.”
Between 2007 and 2009, the
team, which includes members of
the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, who
trace their ancestry to the Quiroste,
systematically surveyed the site of the
large village first described by Crespi
in 1769. Low-impact magnetometry
helped them pinpoint potential fire
pits and other human-made features
in the ground, which they uncovered
in a series of small excavation units.
Under the direction of University of
California, Berkeley, archaeologist Rob
Northern California’s Quiroste Valley today is largely overgrown, but early Spanish accounts describe a much more diverse
landscape that was carefully tended to by the Quiroste people.
3. ARCHAEOLOGY • September/October 201758
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA
Cuthrell, soil samples from these exca-
vations were sent to Berkeley for flota-
tion analysis. This procedure separates
small artifacts, faunal specimens, and
botanical remains from the soil itself.
The samples are placed in a bucket,
which is then filled with water and agi-
tated. The heavy soil sinks to the bot-
tom and the rest floats to the top to be
recovered and analyzed.
Cuthrell remembers his surprise as
the ancient material was processed.
“We found a lot of charred hazelnuts,”
he recalls, “which was odd because
hazelnut shrubs aren’t found much in
the valley anymore.” The team also
recovered grasses, tarweeds, and clover
in even higher densities than hazel-
nuts. Perhaps most significant was the
near-complete lack of charcoal from
fir and pine trees, the species of trees
that ought to be growing in abundance
in the valley in the absence of regular
fires. Instead, the researchers found
that redwood—a fire-adapted tree that
would have persisted well in an envi-
ronment where frequent, low-intensity
fires were set—was the primary fuel
people at the site were using.
The animal bones from the site were
also suggestive. The team uncovered a
higher ratio of vole bones than bones of
wood rats. As the name implies, wood
rats are usually found in closed habitats
such as woods, while voles prefer open
grassland. More evidence came from
phytoliths, microscopic silica structures
produced by certain types of plants
that remain in the soil long after the
plants themselves have decayed. In and
around the Quiroste Valley, the soil
contains high ratios of grass phytoliths.
“That indicates extensive grass cover
in the valley for several hundred to
thousands of years,” says Cuthrell. With
everything processed and analyzed, the
research team felt confident that they
had identified a long history of human-
made fires in the valley.
Radiocarbon dating suggested that
this practice dates back to at least a.d.
1000, when the site in the Quiroste
Valley was first inhabited. Exactly when
prescribed burning first came into use
in the area outside the valley is difficult
to say, but new excavations at older
sites are already showing that the prac-
tice could have begun several hundred
years earlier. Other studies along the
western coast of North America have
revealed a similar pattern of human-
made fires. A project conducted by the
U.S. National Park Service and Simon
Fraser University in British Columbia
revealed that tribes along the coast of
Washington State used fire to maintain
productive prairie land starting at least
2,000 years ago. Now the evidence
from the Quiroste Valley and other
sites farther north, near San Francisco,
shows that this practice of landscape
management was far more extensive
than previously believed. “It certainly
suggests,” says Lightfoot, “that it was a
fairly widespread practice going back to
ancient times.”
T
he implications of hunter-gath-
erers using this sort of landscape
management are far-reaching.
“I think a key point is that they were
forward-thinking in their interactions
(continued on page 62)
Members of the research team retrieve a pollen and carbon sample to help
determine whether prehistoric people set controlled fires in the ancient past.
5. ARCHAEOLOGY • September/October 201764
land and stands of herbs and berry-
producing plants, the Quiroste would
have improved the availability of nuts,
greens, and fruits as well as grass seeds.
As an added benefit, this mosaic of
grassland and groves of trees and bush-
es would have attracted wild game.
T
he woods threatened to encroach
on the valley as soon as the
Spanish prohibited the practice
of prescribed burning in the late eigh-
teenth century. However, extensive
cattle grazing under Mexican and then
American control kept the grasslands
in a sort of artificial stasis for the next
few centuries. Ironically, the land-
scape then underwent its most dra-
matic transformation, when the valley
entered the California State Parks sys-
tem. The famous watchword of “Take
nothing but photos, and leave nothing
but footprints” that governs much of
American conservation philosophy
has resulted in landscapes dominated
by mature vegetation that is prone to
catastrophic wildfires. “It sounds nice,
but in reality it just doesn’t work,”
admits Hylkema.
Valentin Lopez, tribal chairman of
the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, takes
that criticism one step further, explain-
ing that many modern conservation
practices are “completely contrary to
Native American stewardship.” The
archaeological evidence has borne out
this point, revealing a millennium-long
tradition of direct human impact on
the landscape, one that created a sym-
biotic relationship between humans
and nature. People received nourish-
ment from the plants their land man-
agement practices had encouraged to
grow, and the environment, without the
accumulation of piles of dried and dead
plant material, didn’t feed the type of
devastating wildfires that would leave
the land completely unusable.
For the people who tended the land
for generations, this relationship went
beyond mere gathering for the sake of
sustenance. “Native American steward-
ship was all about having a relationship
with Mother Earth and the plants,” says
Lopez. “It was all a part of the tribe’s
spirituality.” Today, the Amah Mutsun
Tribal Band is able to sustain that kind
of relationship with the Quiroste Val-
ley. Starting in 2014, the newly created
Amah Mutsun Land Trust began to
implement the sort of land manage-
ment practices in the valley that the
archaeological research had revealed.
Although prescribed burning in the
Quiroste Valley is not yet feasible due
to the severe overgrowth, members of
the tribe have begun manually clearing
strips of land and have reintroduced
native plant species. These cleared
areas, with the occasional berry-pro-
ducing bush growing up from native
grass, serve several ends. They increase
the biodiversity of public lands, provide
a supply of native ceremonial plants for
the Amah Mutsun to harvest, and cre-
ate much-needed fire breaks in the oth-
erwise fuel-choked land. Acre by acre,
the tribe is continuing a millennia-long
practice in an effort to bring the land-
scape of the Quiroste Valley, once again,
back into balance. n
Antone Pierucci is a freelance writer in
Stockton, California.
LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA
Members of the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band (top) remove undergrowth from the
Quiroste Valley. Tribal member Abran Lopez (above) chops down nonnative hemlock.