Proper Literature Review Example About Political Ecology

Megan Ybarra and Paul Greenough examines the politics of ecology management in different academic works. The two works have similarities and contradictions between them, with some of the arguments rhyming with the popular beliefs while others are contradictory. In the article titled Bio-Ironies of the Fractured Forest appearing on the Series called In Search of The Rain Forest, Mr Greenough examines different hypotheses on conservation and the relationship between the wildlife and human beings which he refers to as “bio-ironies”). The first bio-irony discussed is that the modern exercise of conservation banishes conventional inhabitants of the forest only to permit for the intrusion of criminal groups). Greenough argues that forests are prime hideouts for criminals who thrive in these settings through payouts to corrupt law enforcement officers. The second bio-irony stated is that there is a direct relationship between the success of conservation efforts and the public outrage in killing the animals targeted by the preservation efforts). With the use of an example of tigers, Greenough explains that an increase in their numbers leads to increase in cases of Tiger attacking humans which in turn leads to attacks of Tigers by enraged residents. The third bio-irony stated is that tigers thrive on human attention, Greenough suggesting that the more people become aware of a certain species, the more likely it is of its numbers to go up.
On the other hand, Megan Ybarra examines the impact of military practices in the conservation efforts in Guatemala. The paper examines literature that indicates Guatemalan military suggests that the country’s lowlands as a dangerous place where rebels had perfect cover in an environment where it is hard for the government forces to fight them). The connection between the forests and violence in the past and the present and the battle with narcotics in the forests are also examined. The author concludes that the military and conservation agencies need to focus on getting a balance between preservation of natural economy and the maintenance of law and order and avoidance of violence.
The two papers prove a similar theme in that conservations are not always positive for the general populations. Both authors agree that criminals are likely to find a hiding place in the forests. Areas that conservation activists argue should remain uninhabited by humans are likely to become hideouts for criminals and drug dealers. Another conclusion that both Greenough and Ybarra agree on is that both the conservation efforts helps in protecting species but also it is important to find a balance between habitat and preservation.
Greenough and Ybarra make critical assumptions in their conclusion on the downside of conservation is the importance of maintaining ecological conditions of the environment. The two authors fail to mention the relationship between global warming and deforestation and how the loss of different species which only survives under specific conditions interference impacts the balance in the ecosystem. The two papers prioritize people as the dominant species ignoring the reality that human beings are also part of the food chain and unsurprisingly, not at the top of the food chain. The old argument on the food chain acting as the balance in the ecosystem suggests that an overpopulation of human beings may pose the challenge of depleting the available resources which may pose a problem to the very existence of life.