Dynamic Interaction Between Deforestation and Rice Cultivation During the Holocene in the Lower Yangtze River, China

Abstract

Human activity has transformed the Earth’s landscapes pervasively for thousands of years, and the most important anthropogenic alteration was the clearing of forests and the establishment of agriculture. As a center of rice domestication and early population growth, the lower Yangtze River has been extensively transformed in the Holocene. However, the timing, extent, and process of deforestation and its relationship with the intensification of rice cultivation remain controversial. Here, four representative archaeological sites ranging from 8,100 to 4,300 cal a BP, that is, Jingtoushan, Hemudu, Yushan, and Xiawangdu sites, were selected for detailed palynological analysis, and evidence of anthropogenic deforestation and subsistence strategy were also synthesized to investigate dynamic human–forest interaction. Although natural vegetation had already been altered at the Jingtoushan site around 8,000 cal a BP, it was more likely to be the management of acorns by limiting burning to open habitats and increasing yield. As the subsistence shifted from acorn exploitation toward rice cultivation after 6,000 cal a BP, real deforestation for agriculture may occur at the Yushan and Xiawangdu sites due to conflict on labor input and land use. However, these deforestations were just confined to the archaeological sites at local scale, and no consistent vegetation change occurred at regional scales induced by human activities until the last 3,000 years.

Variations in Holocene fire activity and its controls in the Ningshao Plain, eastern China

“…2022a; He et al . 2022), with active fire events mainly in the mid‐Holocene, differing from the fire records from natural sediments mentioned above and from this study (Fig. 3).…”

“…At the same time, other studies in the region showed different trends. Sediment profiles located in or very close to archaeological sites (<100 m) show frequent fire activity synchronizing with high intensity of human activity (Zong et al 2007;Innes et al 2009;Liu et al 2020;Li et al 2021;Dai et al 2022a;He et al 2022), with active fire events mainly in the mid-Holocene, differing from the fire records from natural sediments mentioned above and from this study (Fig. 3).…”

“…2022; He et al . 2022). As a rice cultivation site, the microcharcoal record during this time relates mostly to human behaviours.…”

Changes of Neolithic subsistence in south Hangzhou Bay coast, eastern China: An adaptive strategy to landscape processes

“…At the meantime, macrofossil remains and microfossil evidence from the JTS site would indicate rice cultivation was performed by the local people throughout their occupation period ( ca. 8,300–7,800 cal yr. BP) at the site ( Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Ningbo Institute of Cultural Heritage Management, Yuyao Hemudu Site Museum, 2021 ; He et al, 2022 ). Moreover, archaeological findings from the JTS site suggested an upgrade of farming tools from shell and bone Si (耜) ploughs to wooden ploughs to facilitate rice cultivation ( Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Ningbo Institute of Cultural Heritage Management, Yuyao Hemudu Site Museum, 2021 ).…”

“…Diatom and pollen evidence indicated a freshwater environment at the Kuahuqiao site ( Zong et al, 2007 ; Wu et al, 2016 ) and a brackish wetland setting in the YJV provided material bases for human settlements ( Supplementary Table S1 ). Charcoal analysis from both sites indicated that local people had adopted a slash-and-burn strategy to open vegetation for more resources and arable land ( Hu et al, 2020 ; He et al, 2022 ). Rice cultivation was confirmed at both sites assisted by primitive farming tools ( Figure 8A ).…”