Paleoecology of Easter Island: Natural and Anthropogenic Drivers of Ecological Change

This concise synthesis examines Easter Island's ecological transformation through multiple scientific lenses, combining paleoecological data with archaeological evidence and molecular phylogenetics to address the long-standing debate about what really happened to this remote civilization. The book moves beyond simplistic narratives of ecological collapse to present a nuanced analysis of how climate patterns and human activity interacted over centuries. Rather than offering definitive answers, it provides readers with the interdisciplinary tools to understand how different research fields approach this complex historical puzzle.

What makes this work particularly valuable is its holistic framework that integrates specialized research into an accessible narrative, allowing readers to see how scientific evidence from different disciplines can converge or contradict. The book serves as both an introduction to Easter Island's mysteries and a case study in how modern science reconstructs ancient environmental histories. For anyone fascinated by historical ecology, environmental archaeology, or the intersection of climate and culture, this synthesis offers a sophisticated yet readable entry point into one of anthropology's most enduring debates.