Introduction: origins and settlement of the indigenous populations of the Aleutian Archipelago

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Publication Type Journal Article
School or College College of Social & Behavioral Science
Department Anthropology
Creator O'Rourke, Dennis H.
Other Author West, Dixie; Crawford, Michael H.
Title Introduction: origins and settlement of the indigenous populations of the Aleutian Archipelago
Date 2010
Description The series of papers in this special issue of Human Biology use an interdisciplinary approach to address regional questions and to integrate disparate Aleutian data into a broad, synthetic effort. The contributors leverage decades of data on Aleut origins, biogeography, and behavior through integration of molecular analyses, linguistics, archaeology, and ethnography. This research explores the origin and colonization of the Aleutian archipelago, communication and the extent of prehistoric cultural exchange among Aleut subgroups, ethnographic information as applied to human biological variation, metric and genetic variation among Aleut groups, and prehistoric dietary reconstruction. The Aleutian archipelago, composed of eastern, central, and western islands, extends 1,800 km between the North American and Asian continents and divides the northern Pacific Ocean from the Bering Sea. Volcanic in origin and formed during the early Tertiary, the archipelago is composed of more than 200 islands divided into six groups, separated by ocean passes. The climate is maritime and is characterized by foggy and cloudy weather, frequent rain and winds, and often cold but not severe annual temperatures. The Aleutians form the southern boundary for the most biologically and commercially important region of the Pacific-the Bering Sea. Until recently, this area was a rich ecotone that supported abundant populations of large marine mammals, ocean fisheries, thick kelp forests, complex near-shore ecosystems and intertidal zones, spawning streams, and a highly diverse avian fauna pivotal to the adaptations and survival of the human groups who, in the past, peopled the islands of the archipelago. However, the Aleutians, once considered one of the richest island ecosystems in the world, have been undergoing considerable biotic turnover (Estes and Duggins 1995). Population densities of marine mammals and some economical fish have dramatically declined, and the once thick kelp forests have decreased (Committee on the Alaska Groundfish Fishery and Steller Sea Lions 2003; Trites et al. 1999). In contrast, Aleutian waters have witnessed increases in sea urchin, pollack, and shark populations, species that were historically uncommon in this ecosystem (Estes et al. 1998; Springer 1999). This biotic restructuring has occurred over a short time period and carries socioeconomic consequences and lessons for local inhabitants-and the world community, especially if rapid global warming is the cause (Estes et al. 1998).
Type Text
Publisher Wayne State University Press
Volume 82
Issue 06-May
First Page 481
Last Page 486
Language eng
Bibliographic Citation West, D., O'Rourke, D., & Crawford, M. H. (2010). Introduction: origins and settlement of the indigenous populations of the Aleutian Archipelago (2010) Human Biology, 82 (5-6), 481-6. October-December.
Rights Management (c)Wayne State University Press
Format Medium application/pdf
Format Extent 99,426 bytes
Identifier ir-main,15372
ARK ark:/87278/s66d6bbd
Setname ir_uspace
ID 704583
Reference URL https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s66d6bbd
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