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Ancient Maya farming practices continue to influence tree species distribution centuries after their civilization’s decline.
Brokaw and colleagues studied how ancient Maya land use affects tree species in today’s forests. They found that soil changes and forest management by the Maya still impact tree distribution, highlighting how human actions can have long-lasting effects on ecosystems.
The researchers discovered that certain useful tree species are more abundant today in areas with high ancient Maya activity, either because they caused substantial changes to soil characteristics or favoured their presence in their lands. This suggests that Maya cultivation and management of these species gave them a lasting advantage in the forest.
To reach these conclusions, the team compared tree species in areas with different levels of ancient Maya settlement across three countries. They also analysed archaeological plant remains and modern forest surveys, looking for correlations between past Maya use and current tree abundance.
This study builds on previous work suggesting Maya influence on forests but provides more rigorous evidence. It shows that while some areas reflect ancient management, others appear less affected, indicating a complex legacy across the landscape.
The modern forest in the Maya Lowlands potentially exhibits a long-term record of past human activity that varies across the landscape. If we understand how that variability reflects the past, then we may have the understanding to manage this landscape to conserve biodiversity and meet human needs.
Brokaw, N., Ward, S. E., Beach, T., Luzzadder-Beach, S., Walling, S., Cortes-Rincon, M., & Valdez, F. (2024). The ancient Maya and the modern forest. Biotropica, 56(1), e13370. (OA) https://doi.org/10.1111/btp.13370
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