Ecologies of the Past

How do we gain knowledge of past ecologies and how do we use that knowledge? This chapter introduces the philosophy of paleoecology, a subdiscipline at the intersection of the environmental and historical sciences. We sketch the epistemology of paleoecology, emphasizing the use of traces to reconstruct both particular ecosystems and long-term ecological trends, as well as the importance of integrating multiple lines of evidence and integration into historical context. We then discuss how paleoecological studies are particularly well-placed to situate our species into ecological thinking whilst challenging views and practices which separate H. sapiens from nature. Finally, we argue that paleoecological knowledge, through bridging past, present and future ecologies, can play a set of crucial roles in conservation efforts.