Anthropocene: Weekly Reading 8/30

Anthropocene is a term used to mark the time period in which human activity has a significant impact on global ecosystems. Urban ecologists study this impact and the change of ecological communities under urbanization. Through the study of trees, open spaces and wildlife, such ecologists seek to document the change in the earth’s ecology over its lifetime and in term develop means of conserving what remains of the earth’s natural life in a human dominated era. The article “Human Domination of Earth’s Ecosystems” affirms the belief of us presently existing in the Anthropocene era with reports of the multitude of changes that have occurred over land and water due to the increase of the human population. In particular, I noted the receding of coastal lands. Around 60% of humans live on the coast. Because of this occupancy, this land is being further deteriorated. For example, the use of mangrove land for shrimp farming has left many of these shores open to greater erosion as they have been made less stable. Deeming this era to be the one of Anthropocene highlights the gravity of human impact not just on individual communities of natural life but entire interconnected ecosystems. The Second article “Conservation in the Anthropocene” goes further to state that, while humans are aware of the great impact they have made upon the environment, their also great efforts to maintain a semblance of untouched wildlife with preserves, farms, national parks and the like have been unsuccessful and in some cases further damaging to the earths delicately balanced ecosystems. For a long time, human impact in areas that are now under careful watch by ecologists have been endangering the stability of the land needed for human survival. For example, the article references replanting trees in the amazon rainforest, which has seen great amounts of deforestation in such short spans of time due to logging and clearing of tracts of land. Clearing these fields loosened the soils, making them less able to hold on to nutrient. As a result of this positive feedback cycle, when humans were able to finally realize and figure a way to correct the damage of the deforestation, the soils were eroded so much that such efforts supplied little resolution to the greater issue. The recognition and study of the current state in the world as being heavily dominated by the wants and manipulations of humanity is a successful means for understanding the huge losses that have been accrued over time. However, whether or not they are a means of resolution to such a great issue as lessening human impact on the world’s ecosystems in not definitive. In my opinion, it is possible that we have reached our tipping point on this earth ravishing it of its natural resources and entangling its intricate ecosystems. It is up to urban ecologist to denote the changes taking place although a solution is far from being found.