Agro Ecosystem Development Agro Ecosystem Development in Southeast Asiain Southeast Asia
Freidrich Seewald Freidrich Seewald
Lisa Kealhofer’s AnalysisLisa Kealhofer’s Analysis
1) End of Pleistocene: 1) End of Pleistocene: development of new development of new strategies (food strategies (food production) production) responding to change responding to change in resource availability in resource availability
2) Mid-Holocene: 2) Mid-Holocene: formation of agro formation of agro ecosystems as a new ecosystems as a new type of social risk type of social risk
Agriculture production was propagated by 2 distinct events
There is no evidence of environmental change in the mid-Holocene that would have caused changes in farming practices
Cenozoic Time Scale
Kealhofer’s AnalysisKealhofer’s Analysis
VSVS
Kealhofer’s AnalysisKealhofer’s Analysis
Agro ecosystem development was Agro ecosystem development was separate from domestication separate from domestication
Domestication was caused by Domestication was caused by environmental riskenvironmental risk
Agro ecosystems were developed by Agro ecosystems were developed by changing social riskschanging social risks
Social RisksSocial Risks
Group dynamics, Group dynamics, economic, political, economic, political, and religious (food and religious (food tributes) tributes)
Kealhofer’s AnalysisKealhofer’s Analysis
Evidence that early Holocene experienced Evidence that early Holocene experienced increased rainfall and more frequent increased rainfall and more frequent burning (swiddening)burning (swiddening) Both of these suggest increased cultural Both of these suggest increased cultural
management of ecosystems management of ecosystems
Kealhofer’s AnalysisKealhofer’s Analysis
Rainfall amounts and burning frequency Rainfall amounts and burning frequency occurred at different rates in Thailandoccurred at different rates in Thailand
Resulted in regional differences in Resulted in regional differences in development development Central coastal and Northeast- 5000BCECentral coastal and Northeast- 5000BCE Central inland- 3000BCECentral inland- 3000BCE Southern- 2000BCESouthern- 2000BCE
Kealhofer’s Take HomeKealhofer’s Take Home
The spread of agro ecosystems caused The spread of agro ecosystems caused changes in social organization (friction)changes in social organization (friction) New social groupsNew social groups New roles for familiesNew roles for families These may have intensified and moderated These may have intensified and moderated
the frictionthe friction
Dorian Fuller et al.’s AnalysisDorian Fuller et al.’s Analysis
Wet Rice Production and Methane levels Wet Rice Production and Methane levels
Fuller at al.Fuller at al. Wet rice production produces methaneWet rice production produces methane
After 3000BC CH4 began increasing, therefore so did wet rice After 3000BC CH4 began increasing, therefore so did wet rice productionproduction
As rice production increased, per capita land use decreased and As rice production increased, per capita land use decreased and population rosepopulation rose
Fuller et al. Fuller et al.
The beginnings of rice agriculture were in The beginnings of rice agriculture were in the early-middle Holocenethe early-middle Holocene Congruent with Kealhofer’s second eventCongruent with Kealhofer’s second event
Fuller et al.Fuller et al.
Rice domestication came to Southeast Rice domestication came to Southeast Asia from ChinaAsia from China In Thailand Khok Phanom Di 2000BCIn Thailand Khok Phanom Di 2000BC Northeast, Ban Chiang (earlier than Khok Northeast, Ban Chiang (earlier than Khok
Phanom Di)Phanom Di) Majority of early rice fields were in naturally Majority of early rice fields were in naturally
flooding zonesflooding zones
Fuller et al.Fuller et al.
3000-1000 years ago 3000-1000 years ago livestock was livestock was dispersed throughout dispersed throughout Southeast AsiaSoutheast Asia
Fuller et al. Take HomeFuller et al. Take Home
Wet rice/livestock Wet rice/livestock spread trend closely spread trend closely fits the Holocene fits the Holocene methane curvemethane curve Increase in wet rice Increase in wet rice
production and the production and the increased increased domestication domestication contributed to the contributed to the increasing methane increasing methane levelslevels