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Cited by 48Land Use and Ecosystem ServicesHistorical and Environmental StudiesUrban Planning and Landscape Design

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 43 of the 45 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

An Ecological View of the History of the City of Cape Town

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Anderson, Pippin M. L., O'Farrell, Patrick J.·2012·Ecology and Society
DOI 10.5751/es-04970-170328
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Abstract

Rapid global urbanization and the knowledge that ecological systems underpin the future sustainability and resilience of our cities, make an understanding of urban ecology critical.The way humans engage with ecological processes within cities is highly complex, and both from a social and ecological perspective these engagements cannot be interpreted meaningfully on the basis of a single timeframe.Historical analyses offer useful insights into the nature of social-ecological interactions under diverse conditions, enabling improved decision-making into the future.We present an historical review of the evolving relationship between the urban settlement of Cape Town and the ecological processes inherent to its natural surroundings.Since its establishment, the people of Cape Town have been acutely aware of, and exploited, the natural resources presented by Table Mountain and its surrounding wilderness area.An examination of this pattern of engagement, explored through an ecological process lens, in particular drawing on the terminology provided by the ecosystem services framework, reflects a journey of the changing needs and demands of a growing urban settlement.Ecological processes, and their ensuing flow of ecosystem services, have been exploited, overexploited, interrupted, reestablished, conserved, and variably valued through time.Processes of significance, for example water provision, soil erosion, the provision of wood and natural materials, and the role of fire, are presented.This historical analysis documents the progression from a wilderness to a tamed and largely benign urban environment.Evident is the variable valuing of ecosystem service attributes through time and by different people, at the same time, dependent on their immediate needs.

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  • Recent assessments note that contributions of invasive species to people are largely negative.

    “Additionally, review studies noted little evidence on comparative benefits between native and nonnative plants for NbS design (40), though recent assessments note that contributions of invasive species to people are largely negative (41, 42).”

    From Global synthesis and regional insights for mainstreaming urban nature-based solutions (2025) · cites this paper as [41]

    The 1900–present section says invasive alien plants in Cape Town spread at the expense of ecosystem services and biodiversity, supporting a negative effect on people. But the 1800–1900 section also describes a benefit from introduced Acacia—stabilizing mobile sands—and the paper does not assess whether invasive species’ contributions to people are largely negative overall. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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2 of the 45 references couldn’t be matched to a known paper.

Research works printed but not linked: 11

  1. Cowling, R. M., D. M . Richardson, P.J. and Mustart. 1997. Fynbos. in R. M. Cowling, D. M. Richardson, and S.M. Pierce (editors), Vegetation of Southern Africa. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, U.K.
  2. Deacon, H. J. 1992. Human Settlement. in R.M. Cowling (editor) The ecology of Fynbos: nutrients, fire and diversity. Oxford University Press, Cape Town, South Africa.
  3. Grove, R. 1987. Early themes in African Conservation: the Cape in the nineteenth century. in D. Anderson, and R. Grove (editors). Conservation in Africa, people, policies and practice. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
  4. Hall, M. 1984. Man's historical and traditional use of fire in South Africa. in P. Booyse, and N.M. Tainton (editors). Ecological Effects of Fire in Southern African Ecosystems. Ecological Studies, Analysis and Synthesis, 48. Springer- Verlag, Berlin, Germany.
  5. Hornborg, A., J. R. McNeill, and J. Martinez-Alier. 2007. Rethinking environmental history: World system history and global environmental change. Globalization and environment series. AltaMira Press, UK.
  6. Kruger, F. J. 1977. Ecology of Cape Fynbos in relation to fire. in H.A. Mooney, and C.E. Conrad, editors. Proceedings of the Symposium on the Environmental Consequences of Fire and Ecology and Society 17(3): 28 http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol17/iss3/art28/ Fuel Management in Mediterranean Ecosystem. USDA Forest Service General Technical Report, WO-3, U.S.A. Laidler, P. W. 1939. The Growth of Government of Cape Town.
  7. Markell, A., M. Hall, and C. Schrire, 1995. The historical archaeology of Vergelegen, and early farmstead at the Cape of Good Hope. Society for Historical Archaeology 29(1):10- 34.
  8. Penn, N. 1996. 'Fated to perish': the destruction of the Cape San. in P. Skotnes, (editor). MISCAST. Negotiating the Presences of the Bushmen. University of Cape Town Press, Cape Town, South Africa.
  9. Phillips, H. 1984. Cape Town in 1829. In C. Saunders and H. Phillips, editors. Studies in the History of Cape Town, Volume 3. Centre for African Studies, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
  10. Richardson, D. M.., I. A. W. MacDonald, P. M. Holmes, and R. M. Cowling. 1992. Plant and Animal Invasions. in R. M. Cowling, (editor). The Ecology of Fynbos, Nutrients, Fire and Diversity. Oxford University Press, Cape Town, South Africa.
  11. Taylor, H. C. 1977. Aspects of the ecology of the Cape of Good Hope Nature Researve in relation to fire and conservation. in H. A. Mooney and C. E. Conrad, (editors). Proceedings of the Symposium on the Environmental Consequences of Fire and Fuel Management in Mediterranean Ecosystem. USDA Forest Service General Technical Report, WO-3, USA.

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Metadata

Authors
Anderson, P. M. L., & O'Farrell, P. J.
Affiliations
University of Cape Town (ZA)
ORCID
Anderson, Pippin M. L.
Venue
Ecology and Society
Publisher
Resilience Alliance, Inc.
Published
2012
Volume
17
Issue
3
ISSN
1708-3087 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.5751/es-04970-170328
OpenAlex
W2332671378
Cited by
48
References
45
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 4 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 1 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 5 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 4
FWCI
3.72
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
cc-by
Locations
  • Ecology and Society (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • Digital Library Of The Commons Repository (Indiana University) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Styrelsen för Internationellt Utvecklingssamarbete
  • Stiftelsen för Miljöstrategisk Forskning
  • University of Cape Town
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Global and Planetary Change › Land Use and Ecosystem Services
  • Social Sciences › Arts and Humanities › History › Historical and Environmental Studies
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Urban Planning and Landscape Design
Keywords
urban ecology, Cape Town, social-ecological systems, ecosystem services, urbanization history, Table Mountain, natural resource exploitation, water supply, soil erosion, fire, urban wilderness, urban sustainability

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