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Societal Collapse > Lectures > Flashcards

Lectures Flashcards

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1
Q

How can we use speleothems to show a change in climate?

A

Absolute carbon dating based on radiation emitted

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2
Q

How can friendly neighbours cause collapse?

A
  • Decreased support
  • Dependence on a vital import
  • Weakening of a trade partner
  • Friends who are friends of enimies
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3
Q

How can cultural values contribute to collapse?

A
  • Religious views can prevent a society from changing
  • Cultural customs may limit a society to one specific area based on limitations of recourses
  • Cultural views on power may prevent positive interactions with others
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4
Q

What is the difference between Ultimate and Proximate factors?

A
  • Ultimate is the Underlying factors

- Proximate is the final blow

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5
Q

What was the environmental catalyst for Norse Greenland societal collapse?

A

Mini ice age, much colder

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6
Q

What are the 4 causes of Norse Greenland demise?

A

Failure to adapt
Too little too late
Cultural Conservatism
Climate

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7
Q

When did the Norse first settle Greenland?

A

980’s, led by Erik the Red

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8
Q

When did the Norse disappear from Greenland?

A

Just after 1410 when the last message was sent

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9
Q

What disease did the Norse Greenlanders suffer from?

A

Middle ear disease, shows poor nutrition

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10
Q

What was life expectancy at the end of Norse Greenland?

A

Less than 30

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11
Q

Why did the Norse Greenland population struggle to reproduce?

A

Death of young females due to poor conditions

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12
Q

Compared with the Norse, how did the local natives fare at the time of Norse collapse?

A

They were flourishing due to correct adaption to climate

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13
Q

Why did the Norse fail to adapt?

A

Cultural views and Christianity, thought that the ways of the Inuit were unholy

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14
Q

Where does the name Anasazi mean?

A

The Ancient Ones

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15
Q

Where were the Anasazi located?

A

South west USA, New Mexico, Utah, Arizona, Colorado

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16
Q

How long did the Anasazi live for?

A

600 years, 600-1200Ad

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17
Q

What was the population of the Anasazi?

A

30,000-100,000 depending on estimates

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18
Q

What tragedy in North Italy was caused by a failure to react to a problem?

A

The Vajont Dam disaster

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19
Q

How can crowd phycology lead to collapse?

A

Following of methods or actions

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20
Q

Why did Easter island loose all trees?

A

Deforested for creation of island statues

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21
Q

How can we track the climate of Easter Island?

A

Using lake varves from 3 volcanic craters

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22
Q

Name the 5 main methods for climate dating societal collapse?

A 
Tree rings
Lake Varves
Soeleothems
Coral
Ice Cores
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23
Q

Name examples of societal collapse?

A

Easter Island, Roman, Greek, Aztec, Maya, Anasazi, Egypt, Inca and Norse Greenland

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24
Q

Define societal collapse?

A

The fall of a complex human society?

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25
How can lake varves be used to show climate change?
Sediment at the lake bed, light layer = summer and dark layer = winter, the width tell us time period
26
What are the 5 climate characteristics of the Anasazi habitat today?
``` Fragile ecosystems Poor soils Low rainfall Low plant growth rates Major droughts ```
27
What do we know about past Anasazi climates?
Much wetter and milder than today
28
Which Anasazi tribes used higher elevations to survive?
Mongollon, Mes Verde
29
Which Anasazi tribes used lower elevations to survive?
Hohokam
30
Which Anasazi tribes utilised rainfall collection methods?
Hohokam
31
Which Anasazi tribes had sited near springs?
Mimbres and Chaco
32
How can we few past climates using ice cores?
Using the heavy deuterium isotope, large quantities means a cold climate
33
Why do hostile neighbours lead to collapse?
Proximity, sharing of recourses Hostility, war
34
How can we use coral for dating?
Uranium emission, form of carbon dating
35
What is Dendrochronology and how can it be used for dating?
Tree rings, light ring equally summer and dark equally winter, larger rings means period of favourable conditions
36
What is PMA in the context of the Anasazi?
Pack rat Midded Analysis, study droppings to show past vegetation and ground coverage
37
What 4 things must a society fail to act on the collapse?
``` Fail to Anticipate Perceive Attempt Solve - a problem ```
38
What is Niche Appropriation?
The over use of just 1 rescource
39
What are the Proximate causes of Anasazi demise?
``` Deforestation-Anasazi Salinisation-Hohokam Cold-Mesa Verde Lack of water-Anasazi Poor Soil-Mogollon Arroyo Cutting-Chaco ```
40
Why did the success of the Anasazi lead to its downfall?
Overpopulation
41
What did over use of channel agriculture lead to?
Arroyo channel cutting
42
At the end of Anasazi reign, how far did they go to collect timber?
50miles, 1000m elevation
43
What evidence of violence at the time of Anasazi collapse is there?
Canalbalism
44
Why did the Anasazi run out of water?
Poor agricultural methods, poor water retention
45
Why did the Anasazi start to disappear?
Prolonged drought, resource mismanagement
46
How many trees were cut down to make Pueblo Benito?
250,000
47
How tall was the highest Anasazi structure?
6 stories
48
What was the peak population of Easter Island?
20,000
49
What 5 human activities environmental collapse?
``` Over farming Alien invasion Habitat destruction Islandisation Pollution ```
50
Why is Easter Island a good example of collapse?
Isolated from the outside world
51
Who inhabited Easter Island?
The Rapa Nui
52
When did the Rapa Nui inhabit Easter Island?
800-1200Ad
53
How to societies lead to environmental damage?
Living in a fragile environment Over harvesting materials Manipulation of land
54
Why did the Rapa Nui not try and solve the effects of deforestation and climate change?
They did not perceive the problems as negative
55
What are intrinsic cultural factors?
Factors that hold a society together
56
What is a renewable rescource?
One that naturally recovers itself
57
What 5 things cause societal collapse?
Friendly Neighbours, Hostile Neighbours, Intrinsic Cultural Factors, Climate Change, Environmental Damage
58
Where did the original settlers of Greenland come from?
Norway
59
How long did the Norse flourish in Greenland?
5 Centuries
60
Which Viking discovered the demise of the Vikings?
Ivar Bardarson
61
What did Ivar Bardarson find when he arrived in Greenland?
Cattle and few other domestic animals
62
Where did scientists look to find information from the Norse Greenlanders?
Rubbish midden
63
How far did the Norse empire stretch for?
From Scandinavia, east across Russia and south to the Mediterranean
64
Where is the only site where the Vikings landed on the American continent?
L'anse Aux Meadows
65
How many people lived in Greenland at peak time before collapse?
6,000
66
What led to the poor health of the Vikings ?
Poor living conditions
67
How are flies used to indentify living conditions?
Certain species breed in decaying animal matter, or other places that can determine climatic situation
68
What project in Greenland produces ice cores used for climate analysis?
GISP2, Greenland ice sheet program
69
What do high duterium levels show?
Summer time, or warm periods
70
Why are the Norse Greenlanders seen to be taking too much hay?
Not enough grass to sustain the population.
71
When did the Norse finally turn to native animals as a source of food?
After they had run out of all other foods, too little too late

Societal Collapse (2 decks)

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