Colonization during colonialism: developing a framework to assess the rapid ecological transformation of Mauritius’s pristine ecosystem
Colonization during colonialism: developing a framework to assess the rapid ecological transformation of Mauritius’s pristine ecosystem
The colonization of Mauritius exemplifies the role played by humans in altering the ecosystems of remote oceanic islands. This paper focuses on how we study those islands first colonized under the global mantle of colonialism. Here we aim to provide a theoretical framework for historical ecological investigations to disentangle the processes, impacts, and outcomes of colonization during colonialism, considering local, regional, and global drivers. The paper provides a review of existing literature, outlines a proposed research program encompassing paleoecology, paleoclimatology, archeology, and history, and offers details of potential research sites. We present “historical ecology” as a framework to aid future work, and argue that a refined understanding of the impact of human colonization can help create a nuanced chronology of environmental degradation that typifies Mauritius. Such detailed assessment is necessary to inform contemporary ecological conservation efforts. Finally, we argue that narratives of changing ecosystems and practice can help construct “usable pasts,” often missing from historical records, for the multicultural populace of the island.
archeology, biodiversity, enslavement, environment, extinction, historical ecology, indenture, oceanic islands
Seetah, Krish
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Manfio, Stefania
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Balbo, Andrea
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Farr, Helen
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Florens, Vincent
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12 April 2022
Seetah, Krish
36b0b3ff-d5f7-44ee-8970-51c29b76f165
Manfio, Stefania
64fa98e6-fc0d-4081-9bc1-6024e602b46f
Balbo, Andrea
3232ba0b-862c-48bc-8870-3e970ccaf0ae
Farr, Helen
4aba646f-b279-4d7a-8795-b0ae9e772fe9
Florens, Vincent
e97e0a31-da66-49b8-a243-fe523910e5b3
Seetah, Krish, Manfio, Stefania, Balbo, Andrea, Farr, Helen and Florens, Vincent
(2022)
Colonization during colonialism: developing a framework to assess the rapid ecological transformation of Mauritius’s pristine ecosystem.
Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, 10, [791539].
(doi:10.3389/fevo.2022.791539).
Abstract
The colonization of Mauritius exemplifies the role played by humans in altering the ecosystems of remote oceanic islands. This paper focuses on how we study those islands first colonized under the global mantle of colonialism. Here we aim to provide a theoretical framework for historical ecological investigations to disentangle the processes, impacts, and outcomes of colonization during colonialism, considering local, regional, and global drivers. The paper provides a review of existing literature, outlines a proposed research program encompassing paleoecology, paleoclimatology, archeology, and history, and offers details of potential research sites. We present “historical ecology” as a framework to aid future work, and argue that a refined understanding of the impact of human colonization can help create a nuanced chronology of environmental degradation that typifies Mauritius. Such detailed assessment is necessary to inform contemporary ecological conservation efforts. Finally, we argue that narratives of changing ecosystems and practice can help construct “usable pasts,” often missing from historical records, for the multicultural populace of the island.
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fevo-10-791539
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Accepted/In Press date: 15 February 2022
Published date: 12 April 2022
Additional Information:
Funding Information:
Open Access for this article was funded by the Stanford Archaeology Center Director’s Fund. KS received funding from Australian National University, Canberra, Australia (2009), PI: Atholl Anderson “The search for prehistoric colonization events in Mauritius”; British Academy Small Research Grant, London, UK, (2009), “Slavery, indenture and colonialism: the bittersweet past of Mauritius” (SG-54650); British Council Darwin Now Award, London, UK (2009); “The immigrant population of Mauritius”; British Academy, Small Research Grant, London, UK, (2010); and “Mauritius: an exploration of colonial legacies on an island paradise” (SG-10085).
Funding Information:
Open Access for this article was funded by the Stanford Archaeology Center Director?s Fund. KS received funding from Australian National University, Canberra, Australia (2009), PI: Atholl Anderson ?The search for prehistoric colonization events in Mauritius ?; British Academy Small Research Grant, London, UK, (2009), ?Slavery, indenture and colonialism: the bittersweet past of Mauritius ? (SG-54650); British Council Darwin Now Award, London, UK (2009); ?The immigrant population of Mauritius ?; British Academy, Small Research Grant, London, UK, (2010); and ?Mauritius: an exploration of colonial legacies on an island paradise ? (SG-10085).
Publisher Copyright:
Copyright © 2022 Seetah, Manfio, Balbo, Farr and Florens.
Keywords:
archeology, biodiversity, enslavement, environment, extinction, historical ecology, indenture, oceanic islands
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 468128
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/468128
PURE UUID: a20f914a-3ce8-499f-8bc6-b1d570b21998
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Date deposited: 03 Aug 2022 16:37
Last modified: 17 Mar 2024 03:20
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Contributors
Author:
Krish Seetah
Author:
Stefania Manfio
Author:
Andrea Balbo
Author:
Vincent Florens
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