The domestication of Amazon rainforests by pre-Columbian societies

背景：前哥伦布时代（公元1492年之前）人类社会将亚马逊河流域从原始荒野转变为驯化景观的程度是热带生态学中最具争议的争论之一。亚马逊是原始荒野的旧模式，几千年来几乎没有受到人类活动的影响，近年来，在亚马逊南部大部分地区发现了巨大的土方工程，这一模式受到了挑战。然而，尽管很明显这些古代“土方”社会改变了他们的自然景观，但他们在多大程度上也驯化了他们的森林——例如通过焚烧、砍伐森林、农林业——是非常有争议的。亚马逊雨林的生物多样性在多大程度上受到数千年人类土地利用的影响，与理解当前生物多样性、雨林恢复力和土地利用可持续性的模式高度相关。该项目的总目标是确定前哥伦比亚社会对玻利维亚亚马逊雨林的影响- -在砍伐森林的规模、火的使用和丰富森林的经济有用物种方面。方法和方法：该项目主要关注玻利维亚亚马逊地区的巨大土丘地区——热带雨林和季节性洪水泛滥的稀树草原的马赛克景观。该学生将采用双重数据建模方法：A)古生态学——从湖泊沉积物岩心中分析花粉化石和木炭，以重建过去约2000年前哥伦布时期森林影响的地方和区域尺度历史；即，与这种筑土堆文化相关的森林砍伐规模和森林管理类型（如农林业、火灾）。b)建模——将开发一个基于主体的模型（使用NetLogo），以深入了解这一古老文化驯化这些热带雨林的过程，以及这一古老土地利用的遗产在今天的森林中存在的程度。该学生将使用他们的古生态学数据，连同先前发表的古生态学、考古学和人类学数据，以及来自RAINFOR生态样地网络的植物区系数据来参数化模型。培训机会：Mayle将提供实地和实验室古生态技术培训，其中包括对玻利维亚亚马逊进行为期4周的实地考察。Singarayer将提供基于代理的建模培训。如果需要，可以通过相关的NERC高级培训短期课程获得进一步培训。这个博士项目补充了一个更大的国际研究项目，名为“前哥伦布时代亚马逊地区人类与环境的关系”（HERCA） （https://research.reading.ac）。uk/herca/)，为学生提供了与英国、欧洲和南美的考古学家和古环境科学家合作的绝佳机会。

Background: The extent to which pre-Columbian (pre-AD1492) human societies transformed Amazonia from a virgin wilderness into a domesticated landscape is one of the most contentious debates in tropical ecology. The old paradigm of Amazonia as a pristine wilderness, little impacted by millennia of human occupation, has been challenged in recent years by remarkable discoveries of monumental earthworks across much of southern Amazonia. However, although it is clear that these ancient 'earthmoving' societies transformed their physical landscape, the extent to which they also domesticated their forests - e.g. via burning, deforestation, agroforestry - is highly contentious. The degree to which the biodiversity of Amazonian rainforests was shaped by millennia of human land use is highly relevant for understanding current patterns of biodiversity, rainforest resilience and land-use sustainability. The overall aim of this project is to determine the impact of Pre-Columbian societies upon Bolivian Amazonian rainforests - with respect to scale of deforestation, use of fire, and enrichment of forests with economically useful species. Approach and Methods: This project focuses on the monumental mound region of Amazonian Bolivia - a mosaic landscape of rainforests and seasonally-flooded savannas. A dual data-modelling approach will be undertaken by the student: a) Palaeoecology - fossil pollen and charcoal will be analysed from lake-sediment cores to reconstruct local- and regional-scale histories of pre-Columbian forest impact over the last ca. 2,000 years; i.e. scale of forest clearance and type of forest management (e.g. agroforestry, fire) associated with this mound-building culture. b) Modelling - an agent-based model will be developed (using NetLogo) to provide insights into the process by which this ancient culture domesticated these rainforests, and the extent to which a legacy of this ancient land use exists in today's forests. The student will parameterize the model using their palaeoecological data, together with previously published palaeoecological, archaeological and anthropological data, as well as floristic data from the RAINFOR ecological plot network. Training opportunities: Training in field- and lab-based palaeoecological techniques will be provided by Mayle, which will include a 4-week fieldtrip to the Bolivian Amazon. Training in agent-based modelling will be provided by Singarayer. Further training may be acquired via relevant NERC Advanced Training Short courses if need be. This PhD project complements a much larger international research project, entitled 'Human-Environment Relationships in pre-Columbian Amazonia' (HERCA) (https://research.reading.ac.uk/herca/), providing excellent opportunities for the student to collaborate with archaeologists and palaeoenvironmental scientists across the UK, Europe, and South America.