Historical Ecology in Amazonia

Historical ecology is at the heart of the ongoing debate about the degree to which pre-Columbian humans transformed Amazonian ecosystems. For more than 30 years, specialists in the Amazon have been studying ancient human impacts on Amazonian forests and savannas. People and their environment must be studied from the point of view of the dynamics of their interaction, taking into account historical episodes, cultural practices and livelihood strategies. The basic condition for the success of this type of research is effective interdisciplinary cooperation. Four examples of recent themes in Amazonian historical ecology are presented here: domesticated plants and landscapes in forested Amazonia; the geoglyphs of western Amazonia; domestication of floodplain savanna landscapes; and anthroposols of forested Amazonia.