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The global geography of human subsistence
Michael C Gavin1,2, Patrick H Kavanagh1, Hannah J Haynie1
1Human Dimensions of Natural Resources, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Royal Society Open Science
|March 7, 2019
Summary
Human subsistence strategies, from foraging to agriculture, are shaped by a global pattern of environmental, social, and historical factors. This study reveals predictable drivers behind how societies obtain food worldwide.
Area of Science:
- Anthropology
- Ecology
- Human Geography
Background:
- Human subsistence strategies significantly impact ecosystems and societal development.
- Past research on the drivers of subsistence variation faced limitations like small sample sizes and narrative reliance.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify the key environmental, social, and historical factors influencing global human subsistence strategies.
- To resolve long-standing debates on the drivers of subsistence variation using a comprehensive global dataset.
Main Methods:
- Utilized multi-model inference tools from biogeography.
- Analyzed a large global dataset comprising 818 societies.
Main Results:
- Identified a general global pattern in subsistence strategies.
- Found that a limited set of factors consistently predicts how human groups obtain food.
Conclusions:
- Environmental, social, and historical factors provide a predictable framework for understanding global subsistence patterns.
- Challenges the notion that unique local conditions solely determine subsistence strategies.
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