The novelty of the book is a strong focus on perception, perspectives
and prediction by scientists with profound insight into the ecology of
ecosystems or into human demands and activity. The challenge is to
bridge from empirical data and the knowledge of the past to the
possibilities of the performance in the future. We assume that there is
scope for more cooperation between the fields of ecology and practical
philosophy or other social sciences in organising ecosystems and shaping
the cultural future of humankind, and that such collaboration should be
accorded considerably more priority.
This book deals with environmental processes seen within a framework of
the nature of ecosystems and human cultures. The future of the
environment, the development of ecosystems and effective nature
conservation management are the essentials of this book. Human nature
and culture, and in particular their interactions, are interpreted as a
set of rules and as given. The aim is not only to assess the
significance of human influence on species composition and biodiversity
but also to weigh up the subsequent potentials for action. In this book
we will analyze the problems independently of one another, even if they
are interconnected.
This book focuses on perspectives and prognoses for the impacts of
anthropogenic activity on ecosystems and thus on species conservation.
Its goal is to improve assessments of the impacts of human activity on
the environment. We are aware that prognoses have very often proven to
be false. It is difficult to impossible to be able to predict with
precision how evolution and ecosystems will change in future under
anthropogenic influence. This strengthens our resolve to attempt to
retain the highest possible degree of scientific integrity and
professionalism and not to shy away from expressing the uncertainty of
our own ideas and prognoses. We venture prognoses in this book and we
will fail. However, we hope that we will be wrong on the right side.
