The genocide hypothesis: human population grew exponentially since approximately 1150 CE, reached the carrying capacity, but maintained a stable population size and sustainable crops despite deforestation. Grey shaded area shows 95% confidence intervals of model predictions based on Ricker logistic population models: (a) model 1, (b) model 2 (palm cover effects), (c) model 3 (climatic effects; SOI) and (d) model 4 (SOI and palm cover effects). In between layers and subplots of greed, power struggles and environmentalism. Then eight years later Atanarjuat, an Inuit film, blasted onto the scene and won all the awards. This ‘ecocide hypothesis’ assumes a punctuated demographic crash caused by the abrupt reduction and replacement of native palm forest by grasslands, ultimately driven by unchecked population growth coupled with social instability as the per-capita food productivity decreased (figure 1b) [16–18]. (c) Reconstructed SPD for Rapa Nui.
volcano eruptions and tsunamis) in our analyses, these might have exerted positive synergistic impacts as documented for other Polynesian societies. Figure 4. First, a slow growth rate during the period 800–1100 CE (phase 1, figure 1d), followed by accelerated population growth from 1100 to 1400 CE (phase 2, figure 1d). Existing evidence suggests that forest clearance created widespread soil erosion between 1200 CE and 1650 CE [37,41].
Heu is one of the 800 remaining speakers of his native tongue. “The moai have opened a path for us to gain abundance,” Heu says in the film.
Palaeoenvironmental data. (b) SOI reconstruction (SOIpr), annually resolved (red thin line) and smoothed time series [39].
Young men from each Long Ear tribe compete in the annual Birdman Competition. The third phase characterizes three decrease–increase cycles (figure 1d,e). 1180121—2018.
This proxy assumes that temporal variations in the accumulation of archaeological 14C dates on a given region reflect human energy consumption/production [24], which in turn is a function of regional demographic patterns [27]. Orange arrows indicate equilibrium population sizes during the three declines. Given that, the location shots were good and fun to see. The rats preyed on the land birds (there were at least four species) and ate the tree seeds. I think it was because Rapa-Nui was ahead of its time. Equation (3.4) was fitted through nonlinear least squares using the nls (nonlinear least squares) library in the R platform, assuming (i) a constant carrying capacity, (ii) a linear effect of the interpolated palm pollen percentage, (iii) a linear effect of reconstructed SOI index and (iv) both effects combined (electronic supplementary material, table S2), and equation (3.5) was fitted using simple linear regression models. I've read that a key factor in the extinction of trees on the island was the introduction of the Polynesian rat that arrived with the first Polynesians. In fact, demographic and social collapses seem to be the rule across different farming cultures in the Pacific Islands [65]. The king reluctantly agrees. These technologies lasted for less than 600 years until population density lowered to its minimum [50]. How did they disappear ? The first is dated to 1450–1550 CE (coeval to the Little Ice Age—LIA) and has been attributed to climate–cultural feedbacks and synergies. Comparisons between model-predicted trajectories (lines) and observed SPD data (points) at Rapa Nui. By this means, we provide an alternative interpretation for the local population dynamic as well as new insights into the mechanisms underpinning the long-term trajectory of the human–environment interaction in the island.
More importantly, we aim to develop a framework based on a common palaeodemographic proxy to compare fairly dynamics among prehistoric populations from different cultural contexts or chronological phases. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/, which permits unrestricted use, provided the original author and source are credited. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. Under this hypothesis, the human population (N) is described with the following model: Our starting point is to use the R function [45] as a central element for connecting models and quantitative palaeodemographic, vegetational and palaeoclimate data. This was simply unthinkable in the 90's. K represents the first equilibrium population size, and orange arrows denote reconstructed consecutive population declines. The notion that forest degradation may have had a negligible impact on the crop production in the inherently nutrient-poor soils of Rapa Nui [14] has been challenged as it ignores concomitant soil erosion and loss of key ecosystem services (i.e. From Coraline to ParaNorman check out some of our favorite family-friendly movie picks to watch this Halloween. The gradual deterioration of the carrying capacity (dotted brown lines) is driven by negative hydroclimatic changes that lead to low crop productivity, intense land use and deforestation and in turn a lower equilibrium population size, K2. Yellow and green vertical bars denote periods of low and exponential population growths, respectively. Eight years later that changed-but it was too late for Rapa-Nui. Add the first question. Archaeologists still debate the official cause of Rapa Nui’s demise.
Quality of picture and sound is good. The historic details of this film are questionable, but the central theme—the destruction of the island's irreplaceable forests—is well authenticated. But it stirs up passions: the Easter Island. the ‘ahu moai’ tradition), not a demographic process. This relationship is unclear, however, for the period 800–1100 CE due to the noisy nature of the palaeodemographic data (i.e. Reviewed in the United States on March 25, 2019. I am also interested to see the ancient Island Petroglyphs which explain some of the history. (d) These models support the hypothesis that the Rapa Nui experienced major demographic changes well before the arrival of European colonizers. In fact, when SPD data are expressed as ratios of either palm pollen percentage (figure 2c) or SOI (figure 2d), we find a common negative linear R function, which provides additional evidence for the feedback relationship between land use, demography and climate in driving Rapa Nui population dynamics. Precipitation at Rapa Nui depends on the westerlies winds crossing the island, which in turn are controlled by the interplay of the South Pacific Anticyclone (SPA), the South Pacific Convergence Zone (SPCZ) and the westerly storm tracks [32]. Quickly browse titles in our catalog based on the ones you have picked. In fact, deforestation after the arrival of humans is a common phenomenon in the colonization of Polynesia [57] and elsewhere [58–61]. K represents the first equilibrium population size, and orange arrows denote reconstructed consecutive population declines. Recommend watching a few of the other docs, even if they're a bit older for a wider perspective. This decision lies with our need for data validated as proxies for population levels. Ramana takes one last look at the sunset and goes into the cave. In terms of the ratio number of archaeological sites/geographic area, this study from the British Island and Ireland has a spatial sampling intensity of 1.8 sites × 100 km−2 [3], whereas our spatial sampling intensity is 58 sites × 100 km−2. Methodology: M.L., S.A.E., N.C.-B. The working-class Short Ears have no ear plugs and a different tattoo. Another, less apparent population decline occurred between the arrival of the first Europeans in 1722 CE and in 1774 CE for as yet unknown reasons. When I cam back, it would not work so I reloaded the page. Travelling or based outside United States? I have watched this Documentary multiple times - back to back - just to see if I was being a hater.......However, I have decided that this documentary on Easter Island is a Biased piece of work. Our results point to a major influence of La Niña episodes on the local hydroclimate. Rapa Nui is a timeless story and one which reminds us that, in any time and place, we are all the same and subject to the same self-created perils. (c) Relationship between per-capita growth rates and the SPD per unit of palm pollen % for the same period (line fitted by linear regression; y = 0.44 – 2935x, F1,20 = 97.23, p < 0.0001, r2 = 0.82). The population decline from 1430 to 1550 CE (involving approximately four generations) could be in the origin of the posterior major socio-cultural changes in the island, such as from the moai cult to the birdman cult [62] (figure 4a), initiated around 1600 CE [63]. Looking for something to watch? Finally, our results support the hypothesis that Rapa Nui experienced a long-term climatic trend towards drier conditions since the initial colonization of the island. Brought on vacation just before we went to Easter Island. This warm (cold) phase also results in increased (suppressed) frontal precipitations facilitated by the weakening (intensification) and northward (southward) migration of the Pacific High, as well as through the equatorward (poleward) incursion of mid-latitude westerlies. Stone mulching farming and other agriculture features to assure food consumption prevented further soil and plant erosion because of wind and rain action [49–52]. Professional critics could not understand it because it told a story from the perspective of indigenous people: there were no white people to dumb it down for a white audience. The collapse occurred after European colonization [14]. Before anything is decided about the fate of Ramana or Make, an iceberg is spotted off the coast.
Well done, highly informative, and enjoyable, Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2019.
The ethnic struggle in the story is derived from the legend of the Hanau epe. Uncertainty on SPD estimates were incorporated by resampling a joint multivariate normal distribution of the estimated parameters considering the asymptotic distribution of maximum-likelihood estimates. Directed by John Forsen.