More important, the very existence of so much healthy forest after twelve thousand years of use by large populations suggests that whatever Indians did before swidden must have been ecologically more sustainable. A three-time National Magazine Award finalist, he is the recipient of writing awards from the American Bar Association, the American Institute of Physics, the Alfred P. (Large cattle ranches are the major offenders in the Amazon, but small-scale farmers are responsible for up to a third of the clearing.) Fortunately, it is a relatively new practice, which means it has not yet had much time to cause damage. At the same time, it pours huge amounts of carbon dioxide into the air, a factor in global warming. Mann’s thesis is essential to understanding his book. His book examines the various factors that brought non-native species around the world. The burning sends up in smoke most of the nutrients in the vegetation-almost all of the nitrogen and half the phosphorus and potassium. Introduction Mann attempts to explain the series of events that produces a tomatoes in his garden but the fruit is not native to his country (America). Although swidden does permit the forest to regrow, it is wildly inefficient and environmentally unsound. Slash-and-burn cultivation has become one of the driving forces behind the loss of tropical forest. In 1493, Mann has again given readers an eye-opening scientific interpretation of our past, unequaled in its authority and fascination. “In the Amazon, the turn to swidden was unfortunate. In this history, Mann uncovers the germ of todays fiercest political disputes, from immigration to trade policy to culture wars.
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