Botkin Environmental Science Earth as Living Planet 8th txtbk

18 CHAPTER 1 Key Themes in Environmental Sciences
As more of the story of Easter Island emerges from scientific
and social studies, the effects of resource exploitation,
invasive rats, and European contact will become clearer, and
the environmental lessons of the collapse will lead to a better
understanding of how we can sustain our global human culture.
However, the primary lesson is that limited resources can support
only a limited human population.
Like Easter Island, our planet Earth is isolated in our solar
system and universe and has limited resources. As a result,
the world’s growing population is facing the problem of how
to conserve those resources. We know it takes a while before
environmental damage begins to show, and we know that some
0 500 1000 Kilometers
0
500
1000 Miles
ECUADOR
PERU
COL
BRAZIL
environmental damage may be irreversible. We are striving to
develop plans to ensure that our natural resources, as well as the
other living things we share our planet with, will not be damaged
beyond recovery. 29
Critical Thinking Questions
1. What are the main lessons to take from Easter Island’s
history?
2. People may have arrived at Easter Island 1,500 years ago or
later, perhaps 800 years ago. Does the timing make a significant
difference in the story? How?
3. Assuming that an increasing human population, introduction
of invasive rats, loss of trees, the resulting soil erosion,
and, later, introduced European diseases led to collapse of
the society, can Easter Island be used as a model for what
could happen to Earth? Why? Why not?
SOUTH
PACIFIC
OCEAN
LIMA
BOLIVIA
(a)
Easter
Island
(CHILE)
Isla Sala
y Gomez
(CHILE)
Isla San Ambrosio
(CHILE)
Isla San Félix
(CHILE)
CHILE
Achipiélago Juan
Fernandez
(CHILE)
SANTIAGO
ARGENTINA
FIGURE 1.18 Easter Island, collapse of a society. (a) Location
of Easter Island in the Pacific Ocean, several thousand kilometers
west of South America; (b) map of Easter Island showing the three
major volcanoes that anchor the three corners of the small island;
and (c) large statues carved from volcanic rock before the collapse
of a society with several thousand people.
(b)
507 m
500 m
450 m
400 m
350 m
300 m
250 m
200 m
150 m
100 m
50 m
0
Motu Tautara
Motu Ko Hepoko
Tahai
Hanga Roa
Maikati Te Moa
Te Peu
Vai Mata
A Kivi
A Tanga
Papa Tekena
Vaka Kipo
216 m Maunga O Tu’u
300 m
Mount Tuutapu
270 m
Volcano Terevaka
507 m
Maunga Kote
Mro Oone
194 m
Te Ata Hero Hanga Roa
Maunga Orito
Ana Kai
220 m
Tangata
Hanga Te’e
Mataveri
Hanga Tarakiu
Poukura
Vinapu Hanga
Orongo Volcano
Hahave
Rano Kau
Motu
Point Kikiri Rosa
Kau Kau
0
Motu Iti
0
(ml) 3
Motu Nui
South Cape
(km) 5
Vai Tara Kai Ua
Nau Nau
Oroi
Akahanga
Ura Uranga
Te Machina
Te Pito Kura
Mount Pui
302 m Maunga Ana
Marama
165 m Volcano
Rano
Rarku
HATU HI
Maunga
Te Kahu Rere
Kekii Tau A Ure
Taharoa
Tongariki
One Makihi
Hanga
Tetenga Ty’u Tahi
Runga Va’e
Road or major track
Minor track
Populated place
Vinapu Ahu (ceremonial platform)
Moai
Petroglyphs
Ruins
Volcano
Puakatike
370 m
Santiago
(c)