Population Aggregation in Ancient Arid Environments

Bibliographic Data

ID4835792
AuthorsMarco A Janssen (0000-0002-1240-9052, Arizona State University, corresponding author)
Year2010
Volume15
Issue2
Publication date2010-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueConservation Ecology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1195-5449 • E-ISSN: 1708-3087
PublisherResilience Alliance (PUBLISHER • CA)
DOI10.5751/es-03376-150219
OpenAlexW2212237881
LanguageEN
Citations received10
References cited7

Human societies have adapted to spatial and temporal variability, such as that found in the prehistoric American Southwest. A question remains as to what the implications are of different social adaptations to long-term vulnerability of small-scale human societies. A stylized agent-based model is presented that captures small-group decision making on movements and resource use in ancient arid environments. The impact of various assumptions concerning storage, exchange, sharing, and migration on indicators of aggregation and sustainability are explored. Climate variability is found to increase the resilience of population levels at the system level. Variability reduces the time a population stays in one location and can degrade the soils. In addition to climate variability, the long-term population dynamics is mainly driven by the level of storage and the decision rules governing when to migrate and with whom to exchange

Arid · Biology · Geography · Population · Evolutionary Game Theory and Cooperation · Land Use and Ecosystem Services · Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology · Ecology

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