Abrupt late Pleistocene ecological and climate change on Tahiti (French Polynesia)

Prebble, Matthew; Whitau, Rose; Meyer, Jean‐Yves; Sibley-Punnett, Llewellyn; Fallon, Stewart; Porch, Nick

doi:10.1111/jbi.12807

Cited by 14 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…Fossil evidence indicates that some of these commensal plants may have been dispersed naturally, perhaps by seabirds, and by Polynesians. Sigesbeckia orientalis , for example, is found in a 40,000-y-old fossil deposit from Tahiti, Society Islands, French Polynesia, indicating that this and other commensal plants may have a prehuman Pacific Island distribution, but this does not discount human-mediated introductions (55). On Rapa, S .…”

Section: Commensal Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Early tropical crop production in marginal subtropical and temperate Polynesia

Prebble

Anderson

Augustinus

et al. 2019

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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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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Section: Commensal Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Early tropical crop production in marginal subtropical and temperate Polynesia

Prebble

Anderson

Augustinus

et al. 2019

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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“…In this respect, the Marquesas are similar to the Society Islands and to Hawaii, both of which show evidence for within‐island diversification in many of their largest endemic radiations (Cowie & Holland, ; Hembry & Balukjian, ). Undoubtedly within‐island diversification has occurred in other, unstudied endemic Marquesan radiations as well, perhaps driven by topographic complexity and Pleistocene climate‐driven vegetation changes (Prebble et al., ).…”

Section: Diversification Within Islandsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolutionary biogeography of the terrestrial biota of the Marquesas Islands, one of the world's remotest archipelagos

Hembry

2018

Journal of Biogeography

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Aim Here I review phylogenetic studies concerning the biogeography of the Marquesas Islands, an oceanic hotspot archipelago in the Pacific Ocean formed <5.5 Ma, and compare patterns (particularly pertaining to colonization and diversification) within the archipelago to those reported from the Hawaiian and Society Islands. Location Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia (Pacific Ocean). Methods I reviewed 37 phylogenetic studies incorporating Marquesas‐endemic taxa. I asked the following questions: (a) where are the sister‐groups of Marquesas lineages distributed? (b) are Marquesas‐endemic “radiations” monophyletic or polyphyletic? (c) what major between‐island phylogeographic barriers are seen in the Marquesas? (d) what evidence exists for diversification within islands? (e) how old is the Marquesas biota compared to the archipelago's age? Finally, these patterns are compared with those seen in the Society Islands and Hawaii. Results Most Marquesan lineages have their closest known relatives on other Pacific plate archipelagos (particularly the Society, Hawaiian, and Austral islands). Most Marquesas‐endemic radiations are found to be monophyletic, and among‐island diversification appears to be common. There is limited evidence for within‐island diversification. Some radiations may be consistent with a weak progression rule in which younger lineages are on younger islands. Crown ages of no Marquesas radiations appear to be older than the age of the archipelago (with one exception). Main conclusions Diversification of the Marquesas biota resembles that of the Hawaiian Islands more than that of the Society Islands. Many radiations are monophyletic and some appear to diversify in parallel with the formation of the archipelago.

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“…In addition, the levels of genetic and species diversity found within insular lineages (Condamine, Leslie, & Antonelli, 2017;García-Verdugo et al, 2013;Kier et al, 2009) suggest that diversification greatly exceeded extinction over geological time. However, recent studies indicate that Pleistocene climatic oscillations may have locally impacted on the biota of subtropical archipelagos (Norder et al, 2019;Prebble et al, 2016;Weigelt, Steinbauer, Sarmento Cabral, & Kreft, 2016). Thus, it is plausible that background extinction on islands could be related to recent climatic events, in addition to abrupt geological episodes (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pleistocene extinctions as drivers of biogeographical patterns on the easternmost Canary Islands

García‐Verdugo

Caujapé‐Castells²,

Illera

et al. 2019

Journal of Biogeography

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Subtropical islands are often viewed as refuges where Quaternary climatic shifts driving global episodes of extinction were buffered. Island biodiversity, however, may have been impacted by climatic fluctuations at local scales, particularly in spatially heterogeneous island systems. In this study, we generated a conceptual framework for predicting the potential impact of Pleistocene extinctions on the biogeographical pattern of the Canarian spermatophyte flora, with a focus on the easternmost Canarian islands (ECI). Then, we performed an exhaustive bibliographic revision (270 studies) to examine whether taxonomic, phylogenetic and phylogeographical data support our predictions. Although molecular information is limited for many lineages, the available data suggest that the majority of extant ECI plant taxa may be the result of relatively recent (<1 Ma) dispersal from surrounding insular and mainland areas. Different lines of evidence are compatible with the idea of a Pleistocene period of frequent lineage extirpation on ECI. Extinction may thus have provided new ecological opportunities for recent (re)colonization, with some cases of recent establishment mediated by facilitation. Considering background extinction on ECI, we describe five general patterns of colonization for Canarian plant lineages. In addition to factors related to island ontogeny and long‐distance dispersal, we suggest that Pleistocene extinctions may have significantly contributed to extant biogeographical patterns in the Canarian archipelago, such as the biased distribution ranges of island plants and the low endemic richness on ECI. This new scenario provides testable hypotheses for future studies dealing with the phylogeography, taxonomy and conservation of terrestrial biodiversity on the Canarian islands, and possibly, on other near‐shore islands.

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Abrupt late Pleistocene ecological and climate change on Tahiti (French Polynesia)

Cited by 14 publications

References 49 publications

Early tropical crop production in marginal subtropical and temperate Polynesia

Early tropical crop production in marginal subtropical and temperate Polynesia

Evolutionary biogeography of the terrestrial biota of the Marquesas Islands, one of the world's remotest archipelagos

Pleistocene extinctions as drivers of biogeographical patterns on the easternmost Canary Islands

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