Coastal Archaeology and Historical Ecology for a Changing Planet

Abstract

Our ocean planet is home to diverse marine environments and organisms that played an important role in human evolution and ecology. Today, coastal marine ecosystems are dramatically degraded and threatened by climate change, habitat destruction, overfishing, and more, leaving key questions about the future of ocean ecosystems in increasingly unstable times. Archaeology provides perspectives on past marine ecosystems and people’s role in shaping and influencing coastal environments prior to the dramatic changes of the postindustrial era. Drawing on archaeological research from the California Coast and the Chesapeake Bay, I explore how an understanding of long-term human interactions with marine ecosystems can help address contemporary environmental challenges and better prepare us for an uncertain future. Although clear examples of archaeological research guiding present-day biological conservation management and policy are limited, there are important signs of success. These include collaboration with Indigenous communities; growing recognition by biologists, ecologists, and other scientists of the significance of archaeological and historical ecological perspectives; and continued emphasis on the links between environmental conservation and social justice.