Insights from paleoecology to community ecology

Ecologists and paleoecologists have become increasingly aware that the temporal and spatial scales of the two disciplines overlap considerably and provide complementary information. Pollen and macrofossil evidence from thousands of radiocarbon-dated sites worldwide indicate that species respond to environmental change independently, that communities are relatively open assemblages, and that instability and change characterize Quaternary environments and biotas. The extended temporal view provided by paleoecology also enables detection of the occurrence, intensity and changing frequency of periodic and unique events such as disturbances and environmental fluctuations. As these insights contribute to our understanding of a dynamic environment and biota, they may help to increase our ability to anticipate future changes in communities.