Geological and archaeological records preserve a history of the relationships between Earth’s climate, human activities, and terrestrial ecosystems through time. Though the insights provided by these long-term records can play a valuable role in present-day efforts to sustain biodiversity, it is difficult to tease apart the climatic and human-driven processes that have shaped the world around us. Our work was organized around an emerging approach for addressing this challenge: combining the collection of new data in the field and laboratory with computer-generated models. The modelling approach simulates the formation of different kinds of geological (e.g., animal fossils) and archaeological (e.g., stone tools) datasets, allowing us to identify how different processes, such as aridification, expanding human populations, or a combination of both, lead to different patterns detectable in the record. Our team set out to implement this strategy in southern Africa’s Cape Floristic Region, a biodiversity hotspot of global significance, with the aim of understanding how climate and human impacts shaped the plant and animal populations of this unique region over the past 1,000,000 years. In doing so, we developed educational modules that teach fundamental ecological concepts in K-12 settings, provided research opportunities for students, and enhanced public exposure to science through museum outreach.

Intellectual merit: Our research led to important contributions across the paleo-sciences (e.g., archaeology, paleontology, geology). First, through work in the field and lab, we developed many new records that inform on long-term changes in climate, flora and fauna, wildfire, and human populations. This includes, for example, a detailed record of ancient vegetation change spanning the last 300,000 years. Second, we explored the complex relationships between these records. For example, over a series of studies, we examined how climate change, human activities, and large herbivores influenced wildfire activity through time. These observations from the past are important to how we manage and live with wildfire today. Additionally, our observations also challenged long-standing notions about relationships between climate change and terrestrial environments in the study region, showing that there is still much to learn about the past. Third, our work illustrating how computer models can be used to disentangle the complex drivers of environmental change has been cited by a broad range of paleo-science research, from the study of human origins to dinosaur evolution.

Broader impacts: We modified our computer simulations so that they could be used as games that teach fundamental ecological concepts, such as the concept of carrying capacity or the relationship between predator and prey populations. These were first deployed in a Salt Lake City high school, and later expanded to middle and high school teachers through the Science for Educators Specialization program at University of Nebraska. Additionally, our project provided research and training opportunities for one high school student, twelve undergraduates, and eight graduate students. Student collaborators participated in fieldwork (e.g., archaeological excavation) and laboratory work (e.g., measuring isotopes in fossils) as part of an international research team, forging connections that shaped their ongoing educational and professional development. Our student collaborators also had opportunities to share their work at public outreach events through the Natural History Museum of Utah, the University of Utah’s public-facing platform for science communication.

Last Modified: 12/05/2024
Modified by: John Faith