ABSTRACT
Historical ecology is an invaluable research tool, both in scholarly research and applied research, as in policy-making. Central concepts associated with historical ecology, such as the domesticated landscape and the significance of human agency, allow researchers to frame human–environment interactions in its dynamic reality. This chapter demonstrates that historical ecology has been instrumental in reshaping scholarly understanding of the past, particularly in locales lacking in extensive historic documentation, like pre-Columbian Amazonia. Lessons that scholars have learned from examining the past through the lens of historical ecology have been numerous. The chapter presents some case studies: Amazonian dark earths (ADE), Llanos de Mojos, freelisting and the Ka'apor, and aboriginal fire management, Indeed, in the context of extreme worldwide human-mediated disturbance, or the Anthropocene, understanding social-ecological systems (SES) is a critical part of social research today; the outcomes of past human–environment interactions have implications for future outcomes.
