Deux musées pour un héritage : Les collections unangax̂ de l’île d’Unga

Cet article s’intéresse aux destins parallèles de deux collections unangax̂ (aléoutes) constituées dans la seconde moitié du XIXe siècle par le Français Alphonse Pinart et l’Américain William Dall. Fondées sur une rivalité entre ces deux personnages, ces collections, issues de leurs explorations respectives de cavernes funéraires de l’île d’Unga, forment un ensemble d’objets aussi unique qu’énigmatique, divisé entre le Château-Musée de Boulogne-sur-Mer (France) et le National Museum of Natural History de la Smithsonian Institution (États-Unis). Les auteures retracent ici le parcours singulier de ces objets qui, malgré leur caractère exceptionnel, restent à ce jour encore très peu étudiés.This article looks at the parallel fates of two Unangax̂ (Aleut) collections from the second half of the nineteenth century made by French Alphonse Pinart and American William Dall. Their explorations of Unga Island burial caves, partly driven by their rivalry, resulted in collections of unique and enigmatic objects divided between the Château-Musée de Boulogne-sur-Mer (France) and the Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History (United States). In this article, the authors retrace the particular course of these objects, which, despite their exceptional character, remain understudied

Adaptive Management of Rangeland Systems

Adaptive management is an approach to natural resource management that uses structured learning to reduce uncertainties for the improvement of management over time. The origins of adaptive management are linked to ideas of resilience theory and complex systems. Rangeland management is particularly well suited for the application of adaptive management, having sufficient controllability and reducible uncertainties. Adaptive management applies the tools of structured decision making and requires monitoring, evaluation, and adjustment of management. Adaptive governance, involving sharing of power and knowledge among relevant stakeholders, is often required to address conflict situations. Natural resource laws and regulations can present a barrier to adaptive management when requirements for legal certainty are met with environmental uncertainty. However, adaptive management is possible, as illustrated by two cases presented in this chapter. Despite challenges and limitations, when applied appropriately adaptive management leads to improved management through structured learning, and rangeland management is an area in which adaptive management shows promise and should be further explored

Microorganisms and climate change:terrestrial feedbacks and mitigation options

Microbial processes have a central role in the global fluxes of the key biogenic greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) and are likely to respond rapidly to climate change. Whether changes in microbial processes lead to a net positive or negative feedback for greenhouse gas emissions is unclear. To improve the prediction of climate models, it is important to understand the mechanisms by which microorganisms regulate terrestrial greenhouse gas flux. This involves consideration of the complex interactions that occur between microorganisms and other biotic and abiotic factors. The potential to mitigate climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions through managing terrestrial microbial processes is a tantalizing prospect for the future