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Historical and Current Niche Construction in an Anthropogenic Biome: Old Cultural Landscapes in Southern Scandinavia

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  • Ove Eriksson

    (Department of Ecology, Environment and Plant Sciences, Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-10691, Sweden)

Abstract

Conceptual advances in niche construction theory provide new perspectives and a tool-box for studies of human-environment interactions mediating what is termed anthropogenic biomes. This theory is useful also for studies on how anthropogenic biomes are perceived and valued. This paper addresses these topics using an example: “old cultural landscapes” in Scandinavia, i.e., landscapes formed by a long, dynamic and continuously changing history of management. Today, remnant habitats of this management history, such as wooded pastures and meadows, are the focus of conservation programs, due to their rich biodiversity and cultural and aesthetic values. After a review of historical niche construction processes, the paper examines current niche construction affecting these old cultural landscapes. Features produced by historical niche construction, e.g., landscape composition and species richness, are in the modern society reinterpreted to become values associated with beauty and heritage and species’ intrinsic values. These non-utilitarian motivators now become drivers of new niche construction dynamics, manifested as conservation programs. The paper also examines the possibility to maintain and create new habitats, potentially associated with values emanating from historical landscapes, but in transformed and urbanized landscapes.

Suggested Citation

  • Ove Eriksson, 2016. "Historical and Current Niche Construction in an Anthropogenic Biome: Old Cultural Landscapes in Southern Scandinavia," Land, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-17, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:5:y:2016:i:4:p:42-:d:83530
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ove Eriksson & Sara A. O. Cousins, 2014. "Historical Landscape Perspectives on Grasslands in Sweden and the Baltic Region," Land, MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-22, March.
    2. Simon L. Lewis & Mark A. Maslin, 2015. "Defining the Anthropocene," Nature, Nature, vol. 519(7542), pages 171-180, March.
    3. Patricia J. Braaksma & Maarten H. Jacobs & André N. van der Zande, 2016. "The Production of Local Landscape Heritage: A Case Study in The Netherlands," Landscape Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 41(1), pages 64-78, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Anneli Ekblom & Anna Shoemaker & Lindsey Gillson & Paul Lane & Karl-Johan Lindholm, 2019. "Conservation through Biocultural Heritage—Examples from Sub-Saharan Africa," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(1), pages 1-15, January.
    2. Tulaci Bhakti & Fernanda Rossi & Pedro Oliveira Mafia & Eduardo Franco Almeida & Maria Augusta Gonçalves Fujaco & Cristiano Schetini Azevedo, 2021. "Preservation of historical heritage increases bird biodiversity in urban centers," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(6), pages 8758-8773, June.
    3. Ove Eriksson & Matilda Arnell & Karl-Johan Lindholm, 2021. "Historical Ecology of Scandinavian Infield Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-24, January.

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