Ecological
Imperialism

Earth, Wind and Fire

Why European imperialism?

■ Alfred Crosby: “Ecological Imperialism”

– Creation of “neo-Europes”

Breakup of Pangaea

Breakup of Pangaea

Breakup of Pangaea

Breakup of Pangaea

Breakup of Pangaea

Breakup of Pangaea

Breakup of Pangaea

Breakup of Pangaea

Pangaea, Ecology, & History

■ Ecological isolation

– America

– South Africa

– Australia

■ East-West orientation of Old World

Geography and Culture

Human expansion

People Arrive, Animals Depart

Europeans’ portmanteau biota

■ Open niches throughout the world

■ Disease

■ Plants

– Grains, grasses, weeds

– Few native plants

■ Animals

– Pigs & cattle make inedible edible

– Horses thrive in open grassland niche

■ Insects and vermin

– Bees, rats, roaches

■ Failure if niches full, diseases worse

Contact’s effect on American ecology

■ Trade changes Indian relation with animals

– Beaver skins, deerskin, buffalo hides

– Dependency

■ Animals flourish as Indians die off

– Europeans find amazing abundance, like Eden

■ Demographic collapse worsens Little Ice Age