Early on, there were hardly any uninhabited regions – humans changed the earth’s ecology very early on, researchers report. However, our ancestors shaped their environment in a mostly sustainable way for a long time, according to the study. This gives important indications for improved concepts in environmental protection: Instead of trying to restore ecosystems to an already inaccessible original state, traditionally living people and their knowledge should be more closely involved in the development of environmental protection measures, say the scientists.
The current situation seems clear: humans have left their often problematic stamp on most of the terrestrial ecosystems. But how did this reshaping of our planet develop? With a few exceptions, the anthropogenic transformation of nature has so far been considered a development of the modern age and above all a product of the industrial age. It was even assumed that until around 1500 AD, the majority of the earth’s land area was still largely uninhabited and thus original. Concepts in the context of environmental protection, which aim to remove the human factor from threatened ecosystems as far as possible, are based on these assumptions.
Because of “wild” nature areas
But the interdisciplinary research team led by Erle Ellis from the University of Maryland in Baltimore have now shown that this is a questionable way of looking at things. For the study, they have compiled extensive information from the fields of archeology, ecology, anthropology and nature conservation on a global level in order to develop a comprehensive picture of the history of terrestrial land use over the past 12,000 years. In addition, the researchers investigated the extent to which human influences are linked to today’s characteristics of biodiversity in various ecosystems on earth.
The results initially reflected: “Already 12,000 years ago, almost three quarters of the earth’s land area was inhabited and was thus influenced by humans. Areas completely untouched by humans were almost as rare as they are today, ”says Ellis. Co-author Nicole Boivin from the Max Planck Institute for the History of Man in Jena adds: “A large part of the areas that we call ‘wild’ today were thus shaped and shaped by humans thousands of years ago”. But the team’s further results showed: “Not all human activities are and were ‘bad’. Our study found a close correlation between areas of high biodiversity and areas that have long been inhabited by indigenous and traditional peoples, ”says Boivin.
Land use isn’t necessarily bad
As the researchers explain, people made many landscapes more productive for themselves through slash and burn, arable farming, and plant and animal domestication. In many cases, however, these interventions even contributed to creating good conditions for a large variety of species and high biodiversity, according to the results of the investigation. “The problem is not human use per se,” says Boivin. Instead, she says it is important to focus on the real causes of the damage: “The problem is the type of land use we see in industrialized societies: it is characterized by unsustainable agricultural practices and enormous exploitation,” said Boivin.
In contrast, the history of land use in connection with the current characteristics of biodiversity shows how natural and cultural heritage can often go hand in hand. “For nature conservation, working more closely with archeology and anthropology can provide significant added value by allowing stakeholders to learn more about the history of the regions in which they operate,” says Ellis.
Impetus for a rethinking of environmental protection
Above all, he and his colleagues now see the study results as an impetus to rethink environmental protection, because the results could be incorporated into basic concepts. “This study confirms, to an extent not previously shown, that indigenous peoples have often managed and influenced ecosystems in positive ways for thousands of years,” says co-author Darren Ranco of the University of Maine at Orono. “These findings are of particular importance for the rights and self-determination of these people.” The researchers are now calling for indigenous and traditional peoples to be more closely involved in the development and construction of sustainable, local ecosystems.
“Previous conservation efforts have often focused on removing humans from the equation in order to protect natural landscapes or to enable human-altered landscapes to return to their original state,” said Boivin. “However, we advocate a different approach. Instead, we must recognize that traditional land management practices in particular, which we know from archaeological records and which are practiced by many indigenous peoples, actually support biodiversity. We have to promote and strengthen that, ”says the scientist in conclusion.
Source: University of Maryland Baltimore County, Max Planck Institute for the History of Humankind, specialist article: PNAS, doi: 10.1073 / pnas.2023483118