Climate Change and Threatened Paleoecological Landscapes of South Florida

Summary

South Florida contains millions of acres of wetlands, subtropical estuaries and prehistoric waterways interconnecting thousands of tree islands and shell work islands, comprising one of the largest and most complex prehistoric maritime landscapes worldwide. Recursive human and natural dynamics shaped these landscapes over deep time, but will soon be lost by rising sea level. Integrated archaeological and paleo-ecological studies are critical to understanding the long term impacts of humans on the development, emergence, evolution and future of these landscapes before irreplaceable data is lost by climate change impacts. We present case studies for site protection and mitigating site loss, which include integrating ecosystem restoration, building living shorelines, and engaging locals in citizen science for heritage stewardship and resource management.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for American Archaeology 82nd Annual Meeting, Vancouver, BC (2017)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 17589