Polynesians introduced the tropical crop taro (Colocasia esculenta) to temperate New Zealand after 1280 CE, but evidence for its cultivation is limited. This contrasts with the abundant evidence for big game hunting, raising longstanding questions of the initial economic and ecological importance of crop production. Here we compare fossil data from wetland sedimentary deposits indicative of taro and leaf vegetable (including Sonchus and Rorippa spp.) cultivation from Ahuahu, a northern New Zealand offshore island, with Raivavae and Rapa, both subtropical islands in French Polynesia. Preservation of taro pollen on all islands between 1300 CE and 1550 CE indicates perennial cultivation over multiple growing seasons, as plants rarely flower when frequently harvested. The pollen cooccurs with previously undetected fossil remains of extinct trees, as well as many weeds and commensal invertebrates common to tropical Polynesian gardens. Sedimentary charcoal and charred plant remains show that fire use rapidly reduced forest cover, particularly on Ahuahu. Fires were less frequent by 1500 CE on all islands as forest cover diminished, and short-lived plants increased, indicating higher-intensity production. The northern offshore islands of New Zealand were likely preferred sites for early gardens where taro production was briefly attempted, before being supplanted by sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas), a more temperate climate-adapted crop, which was later established in large-scale cultivation systems on the mainland after 1500 CE.

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The lateness and prominence of Polynesian colonisation of New Zealand make it an ideal place to investigate the Anthropocene. We review the Anthropocene as a process and the information needed to understand the consequences of ongoing human-environmental interaction. Elsewhere in the world, a lengthy history complicates the ability to differentiate between the impact of people on the environment and the consequences of engagement. In New Zealand, engagement is not only of short duration but the landmass has a long coastline, with numerous offshore islands. These characteristics provide the scope to study the impact of engagement where it is particularly discernible. We introduce one such island, Ahuahu (Great Mercury Island). Upon arrival, Polynesian colonists found a temperate, geologically complex land covered in forest, populated by a diverse endemic flora and fauna. They knew how to produce crops and exploit wild food sources but had to rapidly adapt to new conditions marginal to production and new technological possibilities. The New Zealand case study allows consideration of whether the processes involved in creating the phenomena described by the Anthropocene are global, directional and inevitable, or are due to local, small-scale changes related to particular forms of production by Māori, and their capacity to construct environmental change. RÉSUMÉ Le retard et la proéminence de la colonisation Polynésienne de la Nouvelle-Zélande en font un lieu idéal pourétudier l'Anthropocène. Nous examinons l'Anthropocène en tant que processus et les informations nécessaires pour comprendre les conséquences d'une interactioncontinue avec l'environnement humain. Ailleurs dans le monde, une longue histoire complique la capacitéà différencier l'impact des personnes sur l'environnement et les conséquences de l'engagement. En Nouvelle-Zélande, l'engagement est non seulement de courte durée, mais la masse terrestre a un long littoral avec de nombreusesîles au large des côtes. Ces caractéristiques permettent d'étudier l'impact de l'engagement là où il est particulièrement discernable. Nous présentons une de cesîles, Ahuahu (Great Mercury Island). À leur arrivée, les colons Polynésiens ont trouvé une terre tempérée et géologiquement complexe recouverte de forêts peuplées d'une faune et d'une flore endémiques diverses. Ils savaient produire des récoltes et exploiter des sources alimentaires sauvages, mais devaient s'adapter rapidementà de nouvelles conditions marginalesà la production età de nouvelles possibilités technologiques. L'étude de cas Néo-Zélandaise permet de déterminer si les processus impliqués dans la création des phénomènes décrits par l'Anthropocène sont mondiaux, directionnels et inévitables, ou sont dusà des changements locauxà petiteéchelle liésà des formes particulières de production des Maoris età leur capacitéà construire des changements environnementaux. Mots-clés l'Anthropocène, Nouvelle-Zélande, Maori, Ahuahu TUHINGA WHAKARĀPOPOTÓ Ki te aro atu ki te ao whānui, he nohonga hou a Aotearoa. Nā tēnā, he when...

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