Quo vadis human ecology? An analysis of its basic characteristics

This paper analyses the characteristics and specificities of human ecology. It aims at providing a description of this evolving scientific area that goes beyond the definitions. The analysis is guided by two questions:
(1) What are the problems and the needs that drive contemporary human ecology? The text focuses on well known characteristics as interdisciplinarity, complexity and scientific uncertainty. However, it also introduces the aspects interrelatedness and incommensurality as fundamental for human ecological. The nature of contemporary problems in human ecology is such that traditional scientific answers based on e.g. risk and uncertainty analysis are not sufficient anymore. The human ecologist will complete them with stakeholder analysis. The need for a sound ethical framework is advocated.
(2) How can we build on a heritage of research to safeguard the future of human ecology? To provide a documented reply, 15 research papers have been analysed in depth. What emerges is a human ecology that covers a wide aray of topics, handles a combination of concepts that reflect integration, uses a mix of methods that stem from a broad group of scientific disciplines, and is often policy targeted in its applications.
The paper provides an over all picture of an emerging scientific discipline that is both most necessary and well equipped to tackle the most complex human ecological problems of the near future.