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Palm Forest to Gardens and Grassland: A Study of Environmental and Geomorphological Changes of the Te Niu, Rapa Nui Landscape

2022; Springer Nature (Netherlands); Linguagem: Inglês

10.1007/978-3-030-91127-0_18

2215-1672

Joan A. Wozniak,

Isotope Analysis in Ecology

A series of Pleistocene volcanic eruptions and subsequent lava flows originating from Maunga Terevaka (Baker et al. 1974; Gonzalez-Ferran et al. 2004) formed the landscape of the northwest coast of Rapa Nui. Numerous lava flows are visible as layers of basalt on the 100-meter-high cliff face of the northwest coast. Paleosols were observed between some of these basalt layers. The presence of paleosols suggests that plants took root in the sediments and gravels derived from the weathering lavas. The most notable plant on Rapa Nui was a palm resembling the Chilean wine palm (Jubaea chilensis). The palm has been classified as Phascalococcos disperta. Its extinction occurred after the arrival of Polynesians on the island. This extinction has become symbolic of how humans can change their environment as a means to establish new environs, and at times to their own detriment (Diamond 2005).