Merchant on Animals into Resources

focus: what is nature and how is it manifest?

“To see nature as active is to recognize its formative role over geologic and historical time.” identity as layers of description; time as layered

“nature & culture seen as truly interactive
animal and plant interdependence.”
“the habitat is the locus of the reproduct

ive potential of the population.”
nature as increasingly controlled by culture
“Animals to New England’s Indians were spiritual equals in their homeland.” (29)

Water has sculpted the rocks of New England in dramatically influential ways:

• geological
  
• 4 ice ages in 1,000,000 years of advance retreat cycles
  
• Ice, snow, rain and fire shaped the vegetational succession of forests & wetlands.

Habitat

Maps
Europeans & Animals
beaver
fashion

Animal ancestors
Abenake subsistence patters & collapse
Production & reproduction
Transcendence
Denouement
Colonial degradation of Animals
Ecological repercussions