Researcher Perceptions of Historical Knowledge for Ecological Research: A Case Study in the Southeastern U.S.

A growing trend favors holistic approaches to understanding and producing knowledge about the natural world, such as social-ecological systems (SES) and interdisciplinary fields like environmental history and political ecology. Similar to many other fields, the ecological sciences increasingly recognize the importance of site-specific history. However, research addressing scientists’ perspectives and practices concerning historical knowledge within their research is lacking. This study addresses that gap by interviewing 14 researchers who have published ecological or natural sciences projects at a single long-term research site, the Duke Forest, regarding their understanding of Duke Forest’s history and perceptions of its role in scientific research. The resulting data show that, among our interviewees, (1) all had more knowledge of ecosystem history than social history; (2) many did not consider site history a necessary component of their research; (3) opinions varied about the relevance of history in different stages of the scientific method; (4) many considered long-term ecological research sites such as the Duke Forest to be valuable. This research contributes to the evaluation of research practices in order to support more holistic research in the ecological sciences.