Insights Gained from Including People in Our Models of Nature and Modes of Science

Abstract

Across the natural sciences, humans are typically conceptualized as external disruptors of nature rather than adaptable components of it. Historical evidence, however, challenges this dominant schema. Here, we describe the broad repertoire of ecological functions performed by people in place-based societies across the Pacific Ocean over millennia, illustrating their roles as ecosystem engineers, dispersers, bioturbators, nutrient cyclers, predators, and herbivores. By considering the reciprocal relationships between people and the ecosystems within which they are embedded, evidence of humanity's ability to experiment, learn, adapt, innovate, and sustain diverse and resilient social–ecological relationships emerges. Therefore, recognizing people as inseparable components of marine ecosystems and their millennia of engagement with coastal ocean spaces is critical to both understanding marine ecosystems and devising resilient and equitable ocean policies.