Ancient peoples shaped the Amazon rainforest: Trees domesticated by pre-Columbian peoples remain more common in forests near ancient settlements
www.sciencedaily.com
We often think of the Amazon rainforest as a vast expanse of nature untouched by humans. But a new study suggests that's not true -- in fact, today's rainforest is shaped by trees that were cultivated by indigenous peoples thousands of years ago.
  • chaogomu@kbin.social
    0·
    1 year ago

    North America was covered in curated forest as well.

    Smallpox and genocide put an end to that…

    • alwaysconfused@lemmy.ca
      01·
      1 year ago

      A similar story could be said about Australia. It used to be lush and green because the indigenous people there had worked with the land to help make it that way. That all turned to the famous red desert outback after it was colonized. All the ancient knowledge of the land was destroyed and all that work had come undone.