L’Epoca dell’Antropocene: scenari dell’ecologia

The era of Anthropocene: ecology scenarios

Abstract

The Earth is in a new phase of its long history, which geologists have identified as the Anthropocene. This phase, as the name suggests, is characterized by the capability of human activities of influencing and shifting the climatic, chemical, geomorphological, and biological balances of the Earth system, and its obvious impact and disturbing consequences precisely for human societies. Ecology in this context presents itself as the correct discipline to address, with a transdisciplinary perspective that dialogues fruitfully with other fields of knowledge, the problems of the Anthropocene. In particular, there are certain points, such as the finiteness and complexity of the Earth system, the very reality of the Anthropocene, and the meaning of the words limit and balance that also help other disciplines to find the right way in the new situation in which humanity finds itself.