Christopher Izaak Roos

This research provides geoarchaeological data on ancient fire regimes and their environmental consequences. Comparisons to independent archaeological and climatic data indicate that ancient environments and fire regimes were influenced by both climate and aboriginal land use. During the prehistoric occupation by Pueblo villagers, fire was used to recycle nutrients within a non-swidden, shifting agricultural strategy. This land-use strategy fit within natural fire cycles and resulted in highly localized environmental impacts. During the protohistoric Apache occupation, fire was used to transform the productive landscape within a highly mobile, foraging-farming, land-use strategy resulting in widespread landscape transformation.