The socio-ecological niche

People and Nature
University of Washington
By: , and 

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Abstract

1. Ecologists recognise that we live on an increasingly human-dominated planet, yet most of the field's foundational concepts remain essentially biophysical, with little reference to human society.

2. There are few better examples of this divide between ecological and social theory than the niche concept. During its century-long history, the niche concept has been defined in many ways, including to describe the ecological roles of humans. To date, however, it has not incorporated human influences into its various descriptions of other species' ecological roles.

3. In this essay, we present the socio-ecological niche (SEN) concept, which builds on the literature in niche theory by contributing insights from the social sciences and humanities to better understand the roles of non-human species in modern socio-ecological systems.

4. We argue that the SEN enriches the niche concept and offers a point of connection between ecology and justice.

Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title The socio-ecological niche
Series title People and Nature
DOI 10.1002/pan3.70032
Volume 7
Issue 5
Publication Date April 10, 2025
Year Published 2025
Language English
Publisher British Ecological Society
Contributing office(s) Coop Res Unit Seattle
Description 13 p.
First page 1185
Last page 1197
Additional publication details