The root for agriculture does not include a derivation meaning "to cut". My American heritage has it linked to the indo-european "kwel" meaning "to dwell or stay" as in to dwell in a land. That we "cut" the land when we dwell in it permanently is, I suppose, an inevitable consequence of being agriculturalists.
-----Original Message----- From: Wayne Tyson [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Saturday, June 17, 2006 11:12 PM To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Subject: Re: Conservation in Agricultural Landscapes and NCEAS proposal Yes, my American Heritage Dictionary does say that, but one needs to go to the appendix of Indo-European roots for "skep," for the 'Base of words with various technical meanings such as "to cut," "to scrape," "to hack."' What I meant was that almost anything done to add species to a monoculture should increase biological diversity--this for rhetorical effect through its absurdity (granted, my humor is far from shared by all). As for the root of agriculture, I cannot find my original source for the Latin "cultus" meaning "to cut" exactly, but I'll work on it. Meanwhile, any help from etymologists or Latin scholars, hell, even entomologists who would care to bug me or put a bug in my ear, would be welcome. My point with the word origins is that the pre-historic roots of terms can at least provide entertaining, if not informative, contrasts to current semantics. For example, "landscaping" can be more accurately portrayed as land-scraping without resort to punning. Ecologists, I presume, understand the absurdity of replacing organisms like azaleas, for example, with camellias, that may not fit as well into, say, the Oregon "landscape," to employ the popular phrase, ironically requiring the scraping of the land to effect the transformation of the indigenous to the exotic. And this is no doubt one of the gentler examples--I could cite "landscaping" with birch trees in the desert, or killing off the American bison, a free and abundant source of protein, for a bunch of Bos sp. and Rice Crispies. Thanks to Warren for his challenge and alertness in catching my errors. WT As to on-line etymologies, the one's I've found are pretty shallow. I'lla bega da question later--if I can find the reference. At 11:24 AM 6/17/2006, Warren W. Aney wrote: >Wayne raises some interesting points, most of which I agree with, but he >says a few things that seem to need challenging. First, my American >Heritage Dictionary says "landscape" derives from the Dutch word for schap = >ship. The online Free Dictionary goes back even further and says it derives >from the Indo-European route scap = state, condition. See >http://www.thefreedictionary.com/landscape > >Second, I'm not too sure what Wayne means by the comment "Anything done to >any 'landscape,' particularly agricultural (Fr. agri, "field" and cultus >"cut") ones, should increase biological diversity." Again, my dictionaries >show a somewhat different word derivation -- "agriculture" derives from >Latin ager = land and cultura = cultivation. But the more important point >is that it's well accepted that modern landscape management can and does >result in decreased biological diversity in many systems. > >Consider that in my part of the world diverse shrub-grassland systems have >been replaced by large and extensive wheatfields or crested-wheatgrass range >monocultures. Multi-age diverse species forests have been replaced by >extensive single-age single-species tree farms. And the corn-soybean >monocultures of our midwest seem to be less biologically diverse than the >former grass-woodland prairies. > >Granted, traditional farming has sometimes resulted in increased biological >diversity. Again, in my part of the world smaller brush bordered >diversified farm fields once replaced less diverse oak-grass savannas, but >these have now been replaced with less diverse and larger grass seed fields. >And I've read that traditional coffee farms may have replaced less diverse >tropical forests, but these are now being replaced by even less diverse >coffee plantations. > >Warren Aney >Senior Wildlife Ecologist >Tigard, OR > >-----Original Message----- >From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Wayne Tyson >Sent: Friday, 16 June, 2006 14:51 >To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU >Subject: Re: Conservation in Agricultural Landscapes and NCEAS proposal > > >Please see my [[comments]] within your text below. It seems that I >corresponded at length with someone working there a few years ago, >but I can't remember her name. I will not be submitting a proposal. > >WT > >PS: The term "landscape" is derived from the Old Dutch word "skep," >meaning "to cut," to "hack," etc. Its meaning has been altered by >semantic erosion over the years, but it may be useful to consider its >origins and the level of consciousness with respect to its >consequences, particularly in this context. Certainly a >food-production system that requires less labor, materials, and >equipment, such as a biologically diverse ecosystem, whether by >accident or design, might be considered more, not less efficient and >bottom-line productive, than an exploitative, expedient, wasteful >"system" that comes from an unwarranted assumption that "increases" >are unlimited, whether through "Green Revolutions" or "Genetic >Engineering." Such systems are, however, profitable in terms of >money extraction, particularly for export-based economies, aka >"cultural parasitism." > >At 08:26 AM 6/16/2006, Fabrice De Clerck wrote: > >Hello All - > > > >After reading the NCEAS call for proposals regarding funding for > >Distributed Graduate Seminars (DGS) I would be interested in seeing > >if anyone out there would be like to develop a DGS on "Conservation > >of Biodiversity in Agricultural Landscapes". Here at CATIE in Costa > >Rica we have accomplished quite a bit of work and have some > >significant databases/experience on species conservation in pasture, > >coffee, and cacao landscapes. > > > >In particular, there are three principle questions I'd like to > >explore, though these would be open to consideration/discussion once > >partners are finalized: > > > >1) Can agricultural landscapes be managed for the conservation of > >biodiversity > >[[Anything done to any "landscape," particularly agricultural (Fr. >agri, "field" and cultus "cut") ones, should increase biological >diversity.]] > > >2) What is the relationship between biodiversity and the functioning > >(crop productivity, disease and pest resistance) > >[[Monoculture favors predators of the crop concerned; biodiversity >(depending upon the species involved) can increase pest predator >populations and activity, improve crop plant nutrition (as in >influencing microbial populations that influence nutrient pathways), >and otherwise affect productivity (e.g. shade, water >infiltration/percolation, improved respiration, erosion >reduction). Crop genetic diversity can affect disease resistance and >altered environments can have direct and indirect effects on pest >activity. Biodiversity also can (depending upon species, >populations, assemblages, structure, etc.) adversely affect crop >production; however, some such can be involved in tradeoff phenomena >that affect production and crop quality.]] > > >3) To link data in Costa Rica, and potential partners in the US, what > >is the role of semi-natural habitat in agricultural landscapes play > >in the conservation of migratory species, particularly those species > >that migrate between/through Costa Rica and North American landscapes. > >[[An excellent, if seldom-considered factor.]] > > > >Both ecological questions and social questions, such as what drives > >farmers to conserve on-farm biodiversity could be open for > >consideration. > >[[Well-entrenched cultural customs, such as those which may have had >a role in the demise of certain Pre-Columbian cultures, are not >necessarily optimal, but merely expedient. Continued, persistent >demonstration of the results of biodiversity (including mixed-crop, >non-tillage systems may be essential, as well as careful integration >such that the changes, their evaluation and further development, are >rendered a product of a given culture rather than that of outsiders >with outsize egos.]] > > > >If your are interested, please drop me an email. We are particularly > >interested in institutions that serve high proportions of of groups > >underrepresented in science. For more information on the NCEAS call > >for proposals, please visit: http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/opportunity/ > >rfp.html > > > >Cheers, > >Fabrice
