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Some implications of paleoecology for contemporary ecology

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Abstract

The paleoecological record allows contemporary ecologists to put current phenomena into the context of a longer time-frame, thereby providing the opportunity to evaluate the importance of slowly operating processes, past cyclic or unusual events, disturbance regimes, and historically constrained phenomena. We briefly outline the environmental history of the Quaternary, discuss the spatial and temporal resolution of the paleoecological evidence for biotic change, and summarize data relevant to such current issues as the nature of the biotic community, the role of disturbance, stability versus rapid change, evolutionary theory, explanations of species diversity, and refugia theory. Finally, we offer examples of the utility of paleoecological techniques for ecologists and environmental scientists.

Sommaire

Le dossier paleoécologique peut aider les écologistes contemporaines à mettre les phénomènes actuels dans le contexte d’une période plus longue, ainsi fournissant l’occasion d’évaluer l’importance des processus qui s’effectuent lentement, d’événements cycliques ou inhabituels du passé de régimes perturbatrices, et du phénomènes historiquement contraints. Nous traçons brièvement l’histoire du milieu environnement du Quaternaire, discutons la résolution spaciale le temporelle de l’evidence paleoécologique du changement biotique et résumons les donneés applicable à des issues actuels tel que la nature de la communauté biotique, le role du dérangement, la stabilité contre le changement rapide, la théorie d’évolution, les explications de la diversité des espèces, et la théorie d’évolution, les explications de la diversité des espèces, et la théorie de refugia. Finalement, nous présentons des exemples de l’utilité des techniques paleoécologique pour les écologistes et les savants qui étudient l’environnement.

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Schoonmaker, P.K., Foster, D.R. Some implications of paleoecology for contemporary ecology. Bot. Rev 57, 204–245 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02858563

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