Environmental predictors of pre-European deforestation on Pacific islands
Article Abstract:
Some Pacific island societies, such as those of Easter Island and Mangareva, inadvertently contributed to their own collapse by causing massive deforestation. The European-contact conditions and nine environmental variables for 81 sites on 69 Pacific islands from Yap in the west to Easter in the east, and from Hawaii in the north to New Zealand in the south is given. The statistical decreases in deforestation and/or forest replacement with island rainfall, elevation, area, volcanic ash fallout, Asian dust transport and makatea terrain (uplifted reef), and increases with latitude, age and isolation is detected.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 2004
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A new world of differences
Article Abstract:
The southernmost countries of the New World, Argentina and Chile, lie in the temperate zone as do the United States and Canada, and are the richest in Central or South America, but both are still three times poorer than the United States or Canada. This suggests that geographical factors furnish part of the problem to the fact that the countries of the Americas and those of the Caribbean present stark contrasts in fortune.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 2006
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The double puzzle of diabetes
Article Abstract:
The genetic and evolutionary consequences of geographical differences in food history, may provide the reason for the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus, exploding in most populations except in Europe. The genetics and lifestyle risk factor of diabetes are discussed.
Publication Name: Nature
Subject: Zoology and wildlife conservation
ISSN: 0028-0836
Year: 2003
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