In 1492, Amazonia may have been home to about eight million human beings, challenging the 20th century idea of an undisturbed land, according to the authors of an interdisciplinary review. Amazonia was a major centre of crop domestication: at least 83 native species were domesticated, and at least 55 imported subtropical species were cultivated.
Throughout an eight millennia history of occupation, landscape domestication accelerated, giving way to village gardens, cultivated fields, orchards, domesticated forests, associated anthropogenic soils and earthworks.
The authors believe that Amazonia was as populous and culturally diverse as other regions of tropical forest.
Original research paper published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences on July 21, 2015.
Names and affiliations of selected authors
