Social-ecological Complexities and Novel Ecosystems

Earth’s ecosystems are no longer pristine areas (i.e., historical ecosystems); rather, they have been altered by human beings who have used them as sources of goods and services. While doing this, they have modified their ecological structure and introduced non-native species resulting in emerging or novel ecosystems. In this chapter, we discuss the social-ecological complexities associated with Latin American ecosystems and discuss the need to embrace their novelty.