How life's forms modify and evolve the Earth: fire farming (Introduction)

by David Turell , Sunday, November 17, 2024, 19:35 (4 days ago) @ David Turell

New studies on fire use:

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241116195644.htm

"Some of the first human beings to arrive in Tasmania, over 41,000 years ago, used fire to shape and manage the landscape, about 2,000 years earlier than previously thought.

"A team of researchers from the UK and Australia analysed charcoal and pollen contained in ancient mud to determine how Aboriginal Tasmanians shaped their surroundings. This is the earliest record of humans using fire to shape the Tasmanian environment.

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"When the first Palawa/Pakana (Tasmanian Indigenous) communities eventually reached Tasmania (known to the Palawa people as Lutruwita), it was the furthest south humans had ever settled.

"These early Aboriginal communities used fire to penetrate and modify dense, wet forest for their own use -- as indicated by a sudden increase in charcoal accumulated in ancient mud 41,600 years ago.

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"Analysis of the ancient mud showed a sudden increase in charcoal around 41,600 years ago, followed by a major change in vegetation about 40,000 years ago, as indicated by different types of pollen in the mud.

"This suggests these early inhabitants were clearing forests by burning them, in order to create open spaces for subsistence and perhaps cultural activities," said Adeleye. "Fire is an important tool, and it would have been used to promote the type of vegetation or landscape that was important to them."

"The researchers say that humans likely learned to use fire to clear and manage forests during their migration across the glacial landscape of Sahul -- a palaeocontinent that encompassed modern-day Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea and eastern Indonesia -- as part of the extensive migration out of Africa.

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"Burning practices are still practiced today by Aboriginal communities in Australia, including for landscape management and cultural activities. However, using this type of burning, known as cultural burning, for managing severe wildfires in Australia remains contentious. The researchers say understanding this ancient land management practice could help define and restore pre-colonial landscapes.

"'These early Tasmanian communities were the island's first land managers," said Adeleye. "If we're going to protect Tasmanian and Australian landscapes for future generations, it's important that we listen to and learn from Indigenous communities who are calling for a greater role in helping to manage Australian landscapes into the future.'"

Comment: this is one isolated area of engineered fire use. Original fire use is much older than this example.