par Dogny Piette, Clara 
Président du jury Dahdouh-Guebas, Farid
Promoteur Molino, JF;Odonne, Guillaume
Publication Non publié, 2023-08-31
Président du jury Dahdouh-Guebas, Farid
Promoteur Molino, JF;Odonne, Guillaume
Publication Non publié, 2023-08-31
Mémoire
| Résumé : | This study in historical ecology explores the impact of pre-Columbian Amerindian societieson the current forest ecosystems of French Guiana, situated within the Guayana Shield.Utilizing data from 155 plots, we identify 7 indicator species of pre-Columbian humanactivities, which are more abundant in the southern part of French Guiana. The findingssuggest that pre-Columbian human activities have left significant traces on the present-dayfloristic composition, characterized by an enrichment of food species and a reduction intimber-yielding species in anthropized areas. Untangling the effects of human activities fromenvironmental influences remains a challenge, requiring interdisciplinary studies. Theutilization of the anthropization index emerges as a valuable tool for predicting potentiallyanthropized sites, facilitating the planning of targeted research endeavors such as LIDARsurveys and archaeological excavations. Additionally, the results of the Inverse DistanceWeighting (IDW) analysis reveal a distinct North-South separation in the relative abundanceof the 7 indicator species. Exploring past ecological systems in French Guiana enhances ourunderstanding of Amazonian forests and deepens our comprehension of the connectionsbetween societies and their natural environments. This study underscores the increasingsignificance of historical ecology in unraveling the intertwined influences of humans and theenvironment in shaping current ecosystems. It highlights the vital role of historical ecologicalresearch not only in conservation and sustainable management of ecosystems but also inexpanding our insights into the interplay between societies and their surroundings. |
