This manual provides a comprehensive analysis of American perceptions of immigrant and invasive species, exploring the historical and cultural dimensions of these introductions. Published in 2007, it delves into how attitudes towards non-native flora and fauna have evolved since the 1850s, drawing parallels between human immigration and the arrival of alien species on American soil. The work examines key themes such as the ecological and societal impacts of these species, including competition with native life and the anxieties they generate. It situates this history within broader scientific, social, and cultural contexts, offering case studies like the English sparrow and eucalyptus tree to illustrate its points.
The purpose of this document is to offer an in-depth exploration of environmental history, cultural history, and social history as they relate to the perception and management of invasive species. It is designed for readers interested in understanding the complex relationship between humans and the natural world, particularly concerning the ecological and societal consequences of species introductions. The manual aims to provide a detailed historical account and analytical framework for comprehending these issues, contributing to a deeper understanding of environmental conservation and protection.
Sometimes by accident and sometimes on purpose, humans have transported plants and animals to new habitats around the world. Arriving in ever-increasing numbers to American soil, recent invaders have competed with, preyed on, hybridized with, and carried diseases to native species, transforming our ecosystems and creating anxiety among environmentalists and the general public. But is American anxiety over this crisis of ecological identity a recent phenomenon? Charting shifting attitudes to alien species since the 1850s, Peter Coates brings to light the rich cultural and historical aspects of this story by situating the history of immigrant flora and fauna within the wider context of human immigration. Through an illuminating series of particular invasions, including the English sparrow and the eucalyptus tree, what he finds is that we have always perceived plants and animals in relation to ourselves and the polities to which we belong. Setting the saga of human relations with the environment in the broad context of scientific, social, and cultural history, this thought-provoking book demonstrates how profoundly notions of nationality and debates over race and immigration have shaped American understandings of the natural world.
Author: Coates, Peter
Publisher: University of California Press
Illustration: N
Language: ENG
Title: American Perceptions of Immigrant and Invasive Species: Strangers on the Land
Pages: 00266 (Encrypted PDF)
On Sale: 2007-01-15
SKU-13/ISBN: 9780520249301
Category: Nature : Environmental Conservation & Protection - General
Category: Nature : Ecology
Category: Nature : Plants - General
Sometimes by accident and sometimes on purpose, humans have transported plants and animals to new habitats around the world. Arriving in ever-increasing numbers to American soil, recent invaders have competed with, preyed on, hybridized with, and carried diseases to native species, transforming our ecosystems and creating anxiety among environmentalists and the general public. But is American anxiety over this crisis of ecological identity a recent phenomenon? Charting shifting attitudes to alien species since the 1850s, Peter Coates brings to light the rich cultural and historical aspects of this story by situating the history of immigrant flora and fauna within the wider context of human immigration. Through an illuminating series of particular invasions, including the English sparrow and the eucalyptus tree, what he finds is that we have always perceived plants and animals in relation to ourselves and the polities to which we belong. Setting the saga of human relations with the environment in the broad context of scientific, social, and cultural history, this thought-provoking book demonstrates how profoundly notions of nationality and debates over race and immigration have shaped American understandings of the natural world.
Author: Coates, Peter
Publisher: University of California Press
Illustration: N
Language: ENG
Title: American Perceptions of Immigrant and Invasive Species: Strangers on the Land
Pages: 00266 (Encrypted PDF)
On Sale: 2007-01-15
SKU-13/ISBN: 9780520249301
Category: Nature : Environmental Conservation & Protection - General
Category: Nature : Ecology
Category: Nature : Plants - General
