Humans have shaped plant biodiversity for thousands of years

Have you ever pondered over the behind-the-scenes forces that scrutinize the vibrant array of plant life surrounding us? Or questioned the tangible, yet mysterious, transformation of our nature over the centuries? Researchers from the renowned University of York have revealed the impact of humans on biodiversity.

Our lead researcher in this tale of time-hopping exploration is Jonathan Gordon, a postdoctoral fellow at the Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity of the University of York.

Gordon, alongside experts from the Department of Archaeology and the Department of Mathematics, has embarked on an expedition through time with a unique instrument – pollen.

Power of pollen

The team employed global pollen datasets to investigate the variety of plant communities as far back as 12,000 years ago, heralding the Holocene era.

Ever since the dawn of the Holocene until the onset of the Industrial Revolution, these pollen records show an intriguing pattern – the pace of plant community changes, and the variety of plants within those communities, amplified with increased human land use.

Humans have been a crucial driver of vegetation change, sometimes even positively affecting biodiversity.

However, these changes varied dramatically based on geography. As humans began to shape the land, plant communities flourished with diversity across most of the northern hemisphere.

But the story unfolded differently in Africa, South America and select parts of North America. Here, increased human land use corresponded to a decline in plant diversity.

Shining a light on tradition

Gordon explains that over long evolutionary time spans, humans have often had surprising positive effects on local and regional plant biodiversity.

The study suggests that traditional farming and forestry practices, interacting with region-specific plant communities, augmented diversity in many Northern Hemisphere locations where forests made room for pastures, crops, and settlements. The clearing resulted in diverse habitats, providing a haven for light-loving plants.

Interestingly, our interactions with the environment have led to such increased diversity, questioning the usual notion of human activity solely being a threat to nature.

Beliefs involving humans and biodiversity

“The common assumption when tackling biodiversity issues is that human influence needs to be removed in order for the environment to thrive as nature intended it to,” expressed Professor Chris Thomas.

“In many places biodiversity thrives because of many thousands of years of human activities, and in others it can suffer, and so it is important to know the differences in order to develop appropriate conservation policies.” 

“In a European context, for example, this work suggests that low-intensity, traditional farming methods practised over multiple millennia resulted in elevated biodiversity levels.”

“Encouraging traditional methods and reintroducing them in locations where they have now been abandoned, could be part of future conservation strategies that seek to include, rather than reject out of hand, humans from diverse ecological systems.”

Lessons from the past

While the historical data primarily sheds light on the benefits of traditional farming practices, it also prompts a reflection on how modern agriculture could impact biodiversity.

The intensification of farming since the Industrial Revolution has often resulted in monocultures and habitat destruction, contrasting sharply with the diverse and rich landscapes shaped by ancient agricultural methods.

By studying these past interactions, researchers hope to derive valuable lessons that could inform more sustainable and biodiversity-friendly agricultural practices today.

Human activities and biodiversity

Despite the wealth of information gleaned from the pollen datasets, there remain many uncharted territories in understanding the long-term impacts of human activities on biodiversity.

Tropical regions like Amazonia and Central Africa, as well as large parts of Asia, remain less studied. These regions, with their unique ecosystems and histories of human interaction, may hold further insights into the complex relationship between humans and biodiversity.

Future research aims to map out these territories, offering a more global perspective on how human activity has shaped plant communities.

Vision for the future

Looking ahead, the study underscores the importance of integrating traditional practices with modern conservation efforts. By recognizing the beneficial impacts of human history on certain plant communities, we can develop frameworks that support both biodiversity and agricultural productivity.

This approach advocates for a balanced coexistence, where human ingenuity and natural diversity enhance one another.

Gordon and his team envision a future where policies and land management strategies draw from historical precedents to foster environments rich in both species and cultural heritage, ensuring that the tapestry of biodiversity continues to thrive for generations to come.

Future of biodiversity and human impact

Should we exclude humans to preserve the environment? Or, could we learn from our ancestors’ low-impact land use methods to help encourage biodiversity?

This study prompts us to rethink our approach towards environmental conservation. It challenges the common assumption that the environment thrives best devoid of human influence.

The research emphasizes the need for a more varied approach to increasing global biodiversity, directing us to consider the human-Earth relationship from a wider historical lens.

“So, who are we in the grand scheme of our planet?” you might wonder. Well, according to this research, we are both the orchestrators and the audience in the symphony of biodiversity. And perhaps, it’s time we learned to play our part a little better.

The research is published in the journal Nature Ecology and Evolution.

—–

Like what you read? Subscribe to our newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content, and the latest updates. 

Check us out on EarthSnap, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

—–