A closer look at the history of the Amazon rainforest reveals that its indigenous people have lived there for thousands of years “without any detectable loss or degradation of species.” Peruvian researchers examined soil layers for microscopic fossil evidence of human impact on the Amazon. However, we discovered that there were no major changes during prehistoric times, such as forests being cleared or converted to farmland. This study was published in the academic journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Dr. Dolores Piperno of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, who led the study, said that uncovering how indigenous people were able to survive while preserving the rich biodiversity in the Amazon could also be helpful in the current conservation situation. Piperno’s research also sheds light on a long-running debate about the extent to which indigenous peoples have influenced the Amazon’s vast and diverse landscape. Some studies suggest that the current shape of the Amazon was largely formed by indigenous people before Europeans arrived in South America.
According to a recent study, the tree species that make up most of today’s forests were planted by indigenous people in prehistoric times. Dr Piperno told the BBC: “This discovery provides evidence that indigenous peoples have used the rainforest in a sustainable way for thousands of years without causing any detectable species loss or problems. ” In search of evidence, researchers conducted a type of plant archaeological study, excavating soil layers and searching for information to reconstruct the history of the rainforest. What they examined was soil from three locations in a remote region of northeastern Peru. All three areas are located between rivers and valleys, and are located at least 1 kilometer from flow paths and floodplains. Because the forest covers more than 90% of the Amazon land area, research on it is important to understand the impact of indigenous peoples on the entire Amazon landscape. The researchers examined each sediment layer to find microscopic plant fossils called ‘phytoliths’ that have grown in the forest for thousands of years. “We have found almost no traces of human modification over the past 5,000 years,” Dr Piperno said. He added, “We found a lot of evidence that the riverside forest was less invaded and modified.” Dr Suzette Plantois from the University of Bergen, a researcher on the Human on Planet Earth project, said this was important research for uncovering the history of human impact on Amazon biodiversity.
He explained, “Such studies are like a puzzle-assembly process that creates evidence to support or refute the theory that today’s Amazon is a giant forest created after thousands of years of human management.” He added, “It will be very interesting to see which side will have the most conclusive evidence.” Scientists explained that this discovery will identify the value of indigenous knowledge in helping to preserve biodiversity in the Amazon by informing us about species that are optimal for regeneration and recovery. “Indigenous peoples have tremendous knowledge about the forests and environments in which they live,” Dr. Piperno said. “This must be included in human conservation plans.” Dr Plantua told the BBC: “The longer we wait, the more likely it is that that knowledge will be lost. It is now time to integrate knowledge and evidence to create sustainable management plans for the Amazon and include the presence of prehistoric humans in those plans. “It’s time,” he said.
