Eco-cultural niche modeling : New tools for reconstructing the geography and ecology of past human populations

摘要: Prehistoric human populations were infuenced by climate change and resulting environmental variability developed a wide variety of cultural mechanisms to deal with these conditions. In an efort understand the infuence factors on prehistoric social technical systems, there is need establish methods which model evaluate rules driving forces behind human-environment interactions. We describe new set analytical tools―an approach termed Eco-Cultural Niche Modeling (ECNM)―that can be used address issues test current hypotheses. This approach’s modeling architectures are reconstruct past systems in Old New Worlds, natural within they operated―namely geological, paleobiological paleoenvironmental conditions―and also develop informed hy- potheses concerning geographic spread, migration, eco-cultural adaptations populations. The ECNM has recently been explored at two National Science Foundation- European Foundation-funded workshops. goals ECNM, results proof-of-concept projects, that remain unresolved, potential this ofer disciplines paleoanthropology archaeology