Easter Island

More about the book

Easter Island has been well studied by members of various disciplines, but little work has been carried out on the geo-ecology of the island. This small format book goes some way to reconstructing the environment of the island in prehistoric and historic times, examining both the natural resources of the island and the crops and species that the first settlers may have brought with them. The authors' research demonstrates that the island was once covered in a subtropical palm forest which died out too years ago through a combination of woodland clearance, burning, soil erosion and intensive horticulture. The book studies changes in the landscape and landuse over time and develops a sequence of environmental and cultural history for the island to the present day.