Socioecology Research Today

In 2010, formicologist E.O. Wilson proposed his theory of group selection as the explanation for the evolution of complex altruistic social behaviors. As described by Paul Bloom in the New York Times Book Review, it is “the notion that a gene for helping behavior can thrive even if it’s disadvantageous for the individual—so long as [...]

Human use of land has transformed ecosystem pattern and process across most of the terrestrial biosphere, a global change often described as historically recent and potentially catastrophic for both humanity and the biosphere. Interdisciplinary paleoecological, archaeological, and historical studies challenge this view, indicating that land use has been extensive and sustained for millennia in some [...]

Our analysis shows that Indigenous people not only have more to lose from ‘development’ which erodes natural capital than do non-Indigenous people, but they also have significantly less to gain. Under current institutional arrangements it thus seems that, at best, ‘development’ may have a relatively benign impact on their well-being. At worst, it may have [...]

The non-linear, unexpected and severe responses of ecosystems to the environmental changes crossing ecological thresholds or environmental limits, necessitate the regular monitoring of the human-induced pressures to the urban ecosystems. The present study aims to introduce a spatial decision support system for sustainable environmental planning and management of urban ecosystems by establishing an Urban Carrying [...]

Since Fukushima, few people still consider nuclear power as a safe technology. The explosion of Deepwater Horizon was yet another incident revealing the dangers involved in the hunt for fossil fuels. Despite the public attention and outrage at these events, neither the concept of environmental citizenship, nor the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change [...]

The supposition that agricultural intensification results in land sparing for conservation has become central to policy formulations across the tropics. However, underlying assumptions remain uncertain and have been little explored in the context of conservation incentive schemes such as policies for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation, conservation, sustainable management, and enhancement of carbon [...]

A literature survey of studies reporting nitrous oxide uptake in the soils of natural ecosystems is used to suggest that the median uptake potential is 4 μg m−2 hr−1. The highest values are nearly all associated with soils of wetland and peatland ecosystems. Globally, the consumption of nitrous oxide in soils is not likely to [...]

In a report released yesterday, the Bar Association makes these proposals related to environmental issues in New York City: II. INFRASTRUCTURE, THE ENVIRONMENT AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS …………………………………………………………………………………………….. 11 A. Continue to Pursue an Ambitious Environmental Agenda ……………………………. 11 1. Continue to Advocate for Municipal, National and Global Action on Climate Change …………………………………………………………………………………………………… 12 2. Encourage [...]

A textbook example of an unaccounted-for consequence (externality) of commercial or industrial activity is the production of pollutants where neither the producer nor the buyer bears the cost of using common environmental resources. Dasgupta and Ehrlich offer a theoretical analysis of externalities in two other areas of modern life—human fertility and material consumption. For example, [...]

The majority of population growth in developing countries will occur in small cities closely linked to agricultural zones, with poor access to water and sanitation. Wastewater management priorities in these regions will be different from those in larger cities and developed countries. Two wastewater treatment systems in Bolivia, one with an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket [...]