Related Terminology
Myth of the Pristine Environment: the idea that human history is separate from the history of the environment; that nature can exist independent of human activities, and that the environment can be in a state of equilibrium. [Dispelling the myth: scholars show that native peoples, past and present, have transformed the face of the earth for tens of thousands of years]. Myth of the Noble Savage: the idea that native peoples live in harmony with nature (low impact on the environment) native peoples as natural stewards of the environment. [Dispelling the myth: scholars point to cases of over-hunting, cutting and burning of forests, soil erosion, and degradation of the environment by native peoples past and present. It is difficult to measure changes in biodiversity, "degradation," and "deforestation." Whether human activity is good or bad for the environment is often a subjective value judgment. anthropogenic landscape: ("human made") environments that show evidence of having been transformed by and/or created through human activities (both intentional and unintentional). Few, if any, of the landsurfaces of the Americas can be considered "natural" because of 12,000 or more years of continuous and intense human impact (burning, clearing, agriculture, building, etc.). Historical ecologists view the Amazonian environment as a human "garden" created and maintained by native peoples. Historical Ecology: A long-term view of ecology that considers human activities (past and present) as major factors in creating nature and environmental biodiversity. The major postulates are 1) Much, if not all, of the non-human biosphere has been affected by human activity; 2) Human activity does not necessarily lead to environmental degradation and can actually increase biodiversity, 3) the specific history of local and regional landscapes must be taken into consideration (historical contingency), 4) Change rather than stability creates a healthy environment. Llanos de Mojos (Llanos de Moxos) (Bolivia): large region of savannas, wetlands and gallery forests in NE Bolivia (the Bolivian Amazon). Raised fields: elevated platforms of earth used to grow crops in seasonally flooded wetlands and savannas. Causeways and canals: two classes of earthworks found in the Llanos de Mojos, Bolivia; used for transportation and communication across the savannas; may have been used to control water levels for agriculture, aquaculture, and canoe traffic during the rainy season (when the savannas are flooded). Fish Weirs: a barrier or enclosure of wood, basketry, nets, stone, or earth used to capture fish; structures used to trap migrating fish in lakes, streams, rivers, or savannas (in the case of Baures in the Bolivian Amazon). Fishery: a place for catching fish and other aquatic species; improved wetland habitat for the capture, storage, and management of fish and other aquatic species (in the case of Baures in the Bolivian Amazon; fish weirs, artificial ponds, canals, and causeways).