Collapse of classic Maya civilization related to modest reduction in precipitation
Medina-Elizalde, M. and Rohling, E.J. (2012) Collapse of classic Maya civilization related to modest reduction in precipitation. Science, 335, (6071), 956-959. (doi:10.1126/science.1216629).
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Description/Abstract
The disintegration of the Classic Maya civilization in the Yucatán Peninsula and Central America was a complex process that occurred over an approximately 200-year interval and involved a catastrophic depopulation of the region. Although it is well established that the civilization collapse coincided with widespread episodes of drought, their nature and severity remain enigmatic. We present a quantitative analysis that offers a coherent interpretation of four of the most detailed paleoclimate records of the event. We conclude that the droughts occurring during the disintegration of the Maya civilization represented up to a 40% reduction in annual precipitation, probably due to a reduction in summer season tropical storm frequency and intensity.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| ISSNs: | 0036807 (print) 1095-9203 (electronic) |
| Related URLs: | |
| Subjects: | C Auxiliary Sciences of History > CB History of civilization Q Science > QE Geology |
| Divisions: | Faculty of Natural and Environmental Sciences > Ocean and Earth Science > Palaeoceanography & Palaeoclimate |
| Item ID: | 336791 |
| Date Deposited: | 04 Apr 2012 09:31 |
| Last Modified: | 26 Jul 2012 00:04 |
| Contributors: | Medina-Elizalde, M. (Author) Rohling, E.J. (Author) |
| Date: | 24 February 2012 |
| Status: | Published |
| URI: | http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/336791 |
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