Palaeoeconomic and Environmental Reconstructions in Island and Coastal Archaeology

This collection contains the abstracts of the papers presented in the session entitled "Palaeoeconomic and Environmental Reconstructions in Island and Coastal Archaeology," at the 84th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Coastal and island environments have long been important habitats for humans and their fossil ancestors. However, these environments are also delicate ecosystems that are susceptible to damage or alteration from a myriad of natural and cultural forces. The influence of environmental change and anthropogenic forces on island and coastal settings has long been a topic of interest in archaeology. Shifts in environmental conditions and intensive exploitation of nearshore habitats by humans can have a dramatic and damaging impact on ecosystems. Conversely, these changes in environmental conditions can also lead to the proliferation of natural resources, and the repeated, long-term use of these habitats by groups can result in unique management systems that build and maintain stable and productive ecosystems. Finally, researchers must also consider the ecological limitations of the taxa in their assemblages, as these variables can also significantly affect the way an ecosystem adapts to external pressures. It is therefore clear that to properly understand the use and evolution of island and coastal settings, researchers must take a holistic approach that integrates all these variables into their interpretations. This session will broadly focus on the impacts that environmental and anthropogenic forces have on island and coastal settings.