Rapid human-induced landscape transformation in Madagascar at the end of the first millennium of the Common Era
Rapid human-induced landscape transformation in Madagascar at the end of the first millennium of the Common Era
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DOI：
10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.01.007
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发表时间：
2016-02-15
影响因子：
4
通讯作者：
Randrianasy, Jeannot
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Burns, Stephen J.;Godfrey, Laurie R.;Randrianasy, Jeannot
马达加斯加早期人类居民对环境的影响仍有很大争议。本文利用从马达加斯加西北部Anjohibe洞穴采集的两根石笋，研究了马达加斯加西北部过去1800年的古生态和古气候。碳稳定同位素数据表明，从以C-3植物为主的植物区系到C-4草地系统的快速而完整的转变。这种转变在两个石笋中都很好地复制了，发生在公元890年，并在一个世纪内完成。我们推断，这种变化是由于大量增加使用火来促进牛饲料草的生长。此外，石笋氧同位素比值在碳同位素偏移过程中没有显著变化，表明景观变化与降水变化无关。我们的研究说明了早期居民对环境的深远影响，并暗示森林的丧失是大型动物灭绝的一个触发因素。(C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd.版权所有。
The environmental impact of the early human inhabitants of Madagascar remains heavily debated. We present results from a study using two stalagmites collected from Anjohibe Cave in northwestern Madagascar to investigate the paleoecology and paleoclimate of northwestern Madagascar over the past 1800 years. Carbon stable isotopic data indicate a rapid, complete transformation from a flora dominated by C-3 plants to a C-4 grassland system. This transformation is well replicated in both stalagmites, occurred at 890 CE and was completed within one century. We infer that the change was the result of a dramatic increase in the use of fire to promote the growth of grass for cattle fodder. Further, stalagmite oxygen isotope ratios show no significant variation across the carbon isotope excursion, demonstrating that the landscape transformation was not related to changes in precipitation. Our study illustrates the profound impact early inhabitants had on the environment, and implies that forest loss was one trigger of megafaunal extinction. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.