JOURNAL ARTICLE

Population boom didn't doom Rapa Nui: Scientists dispute the idea that early islanders caused an 'ecocide'.

  • Published In: Science News, 2024, v. 206, n. 2. P. 14 1 of 3

  • Database: Academic Search Ultimate 2 of 3

  • Authored By: Bower, Bruce 3 of 3

Abstract

A new analysis challenges the idea that the early settlers of Rapa Nui (Easter Island) caused an ecological and social disaster through a population boom. Researchers suggest that the Polynesian seafarers who reached the island around 800 years ago maintained a modest farming system and a small, stable population of around 3,900 individuals until Europeans arrived in 1722. However, other researchers argue that the investigation's data is limited and that it is difficult to estimate the number of early settlers and their agricultural practices. Advanced satellite imagery and further study of cultivation areas on Rapa Nui are needed to gain a better understanding of precontact human numbers. [Extracted from the article]

Additional Information

  • Source:Science News. 2024/08, Vol. 206, Issue 2, p14
  • Document Type:Article
  • Subject Area:Social Sciences and Humanities
  • Publication Date:2024
  • ISSN:0036-8423
  • Accession Number:178602025
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