Erle C. Ellis, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Systems at University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and Visiting Associate Professor in the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University, will speak on Global Ecology: The History of Humans on the Land at the Arnold Arboretum’s Hunnewell Building on Thursday, September 12 beginning at 7 pm. Erle Ellis maps “anthropogenic landscapes” or areas of Earth’s terrestrial surface where humans have directly altered ecological patterns and processes. Such transformations to the land, whether for food, shelter, or otherwise serving the needs of human populations, are primary drivers of global changes in climate, biodiversity and biogeochemistry. Erle will speak of human-induced ecological changes to the Earth System over many millennia and the novel ecosystems thus created, challenging long-held ideas about native ecosystems and what is wild.  Free for Arboretum members, $10 nonmember (Students: call 617-384-5277 to register free). Register on line at https://my.arboretum.harvard.edu/Info.aspx?DayPlanner=1245&DayPlannerDate=9/12/20131186&DayPlannerDate=4/29/2013&utm_source=September-October+2013+Lectures+and+Classes&utm_campaign=Fall+2013+Classes&utm_medium=email.