USP Electronic Research Repository

Marginal islands and sustainability: 2,000 years of human settlement in eastern Micronesia

Thomas, Frank R. (2015) Marginal islands and sustainability: 2,000 years of human settlement in eastern Micronesia. Ekonomska i ekohistorija, 11 (11). pp. 64-74. ISSN 1845-5867

[img]
Preview
PDF
Download (1MB) | Preview
[img]
Preview
PDF
Download (4MB) | Preview

Abstract

Low coral islands in the Pacific are often perceived as marginal habitats for human settlement. This view is supported by the small and fragmented islet landmass, poor soils, lack of perennial surface fresh water, and extreme vulnerability to flooding by storm waves, and more recently, rising sea-level attributed to global warming. The atolls and table reefs of Kiribati and the Marshall Islands have produced some of the earliest dates for human settlement of eastern Micronesia. Sustainability for the last 2,000 years was just as likely the result of relatively low population densities, low impact extractive technologies, and efficient use of limited resources, as the application of intentional and unintentional conservation practices.

Item Type: Journal Article
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GF Human ecology. Anthropogeography
H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General)
Divisions: Faculty of Arts, Law and Education (FALE) > Oceania Centre for Arts, Culture and Pacific Studies
Depositing User: Fulori Nainoca - Waqairagata
Date Deposited: 28 Dec 2015 00:40
Last Modified: 01 May 2016 22:17
URI: http://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/8649
UNSPECIFIED

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item

Document Downloads

More statistics for this item...