Lara Barbara (FINO Consortium), “From the balance of nature to resilience”

Abstract: Starting from the second half of the XX century, the diffusion in ecology of alternative theories to the balance of nature paradigm has led to the establishment of resilience as a central concept in the study of ecosystems (Holling 1973, Desjardins 2015). In this talk I will try to answer the question whether the concept of resilience is nothing else than a new term for the old balance of nature, or if it rather introduces a genuine substantial change in the understanding of ecosystems (Delettre, Kornillou 2022). To do so, after briefly reviewing the main definitions of “resilience”, I will assess the consequences of the introduction of the concept in ecosystem ecology. In particular, I will argue that, unlike the concept of balance, that of resilience (i) allows to attribute ecosystems a true evolutive dimension; (ii) is suited to address the human-nature dichotomy; and (iii) is not value-laden. In conclusion, some concerns about the actual tendencies in the use of the term are expressed.

Attend the seminar clicking here! (PW: JSvFUMPu368)