Maya Permanently Altered Land To Respond to Climate Change, Study Says

Mayan activity more than 2,000 years ago contributed to the decline of Central America’s tropical lowlands and continues to influence the land and environment today, say researchers at the University of Texas at Austin. Evidence shows that during the “Mayacene” — a period from 3,000 to 1,000 years ago when humans began greatly affecting the environment — the Maya’s advanced urban and rural infrastructure altered tropical forest ecosystems. Clay and soil sequences indicate erosion and land-use changes, and sediments near wetlands reveal chemical signatures of agriculture, says the study, which was published in the journal Quaternary Science Reviews. The researchers say features such as constructed wetlands, vast field systems, and terraces show that the Maya managed land and water to adapt to climate change and rising sea levels. “Though it has no doubt accelerated in the last century, humans’ impact on the environment has been going on a lot longer,” said lead researcher Tim Beach.