Cultivating Catastrophe: Agrarian Societies and the Anthropocene's Deep Past
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2025
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| author | Revista, Zen HISTORY, 10 |
| author_facet | Revista, Zen HISTORY, 10 |
| contents | The concept of the Anthropocene, denoting a new geological epoch shaped by human activity, typically points to the Industrial Revolution or mid-20th century as its inception. However, an accumulating body of evidence suggests that the roots of significant human-induced environmental change extend much deeper into the past, specifically to the emergence and expansion of agrarian societies during the Holocene. This paper argues that the Neolithic Revolution, characterized by the domestication of plants and animals, widespread deforestation, intensive land use, and the onset of systemic alterations to biogeochemical cycles, initiated a trajectory of environmental transformation that laid the groundwork for the modern Anthropocene. We synthesize archaeological, paleoclimatological, and paleoecological data to demonstrate how early agricultural practices, despite limited population sizes, generated substantial impacts on global ecosystems, including alterations to atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, extensive soil degradation, and profound changes in biodiversity. By examining these deep historical patterns, this study re-evaluates the temporal boundaries of the Anthropocene and highlights the long-term, cumulative nature of human interaction with the Earth system, challenging conventional narratives that focus solely on recent industrialization. Understanding these ancient legacies is crucial for addressing contemporary environmental crises and fostering sustainable futures. |
| format | Recurso digital |
| id | zenodo_https___doi_org_10_5281_zenodo_17760506 |
| institution | Zenodo |
| language | |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publisher | Zenodo |
| record_format | zenodo |
| spellingShingle | Cultivating Catastrophe: Agrarian Societies and the Anthropocene's Deep Past Revista, Zen HISTORY, 10 The concept of the Anthropocene, denoting a new geological epoch shaped by human activity, typically points to the Industrial Revolution or mid-20th century as its inception. However, an accumulating body of evidence suggests that the roots of significant human-induced environmental change extend much deeper into the past, specifically to the emergence and expansion of agrarian societies during the Holocene. This paper argues that the Neolithic Revolution, characterized by the domestication of plants and animals, widespread deforestation, intensive land use, and the onset of systemic alterations to biogeochemical cycles, initiated a trajectory of environmental transformation that laid the groundwork for the modern Anthropocene. We synthesize archaeological, paleoclimatological, and paleoecological data to demonstrate how early agricultural practices, despite limited population sizes, generated substantial impacts on global ecosystems, including alterations to atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, extensive soil degradation, and profound changes in biodiversity. By examining these deep historical patterns, this study re-evaluates the temporal boundaries of the Anthropocene and highlights the long-term, cumulative nature of human interaction with the Earth system, challenging conventional narratives that focus solely on recent industrialization. Understanding these ancient legacies is crucial for addressing contemporary environmental crises and fostering sustainable futures. |
| title | Cultivating Catastrophe: Agrarian Societies and the Anthropocene's Deep Past |
| url | https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.17760506 |