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Anthropogenic hillslope terraces and swidden agriculture in Jiuzhaigou National Park, northern Sichuan, China |
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| Authors: | Amanda Henck James Taylor Yongxian Li Barbara Grub Alicia Robbins Tom Hinckley Lauren Urgenson Xinxin Hu Yaowu Yuan Xun Liao |
| Institution: | a Department of Earth and Space Sciences, Box 351310, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA b Department of Anthropology, Box 353100, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA c Department of Archaeology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China d Science Department, Jiuzhaigou National Park Management Office, Jiuzhai County, Sichuan, China e College of Forest Resources, Box 352100, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA f UW-SU Undergraduate Exchange Program, Advisor, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA g Department of Chemical Engineering, Box 351750, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA h Department of Biology, Box 351800, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195, USA i Department of Environmental Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China |
| Abstract: | Small, irregular terraces on hillslopes, or terracettes, are common landscape features throughout west central China. Despite their prevalence, there is limited understanding of the nature of these topographic features, the processes that form them, and the role humans played in their formation. We used an interdisciplinary approach to investigate the geology, ecology, and cultural history of terracette development within Jiuzhaigou National Park, Sichuan Province, China. Terracettes occur on south facing, 20° slopes at 2500 m elevation, which appears to coincide with places people historically preferred to build villages. Ethnographic interviews suggest that traditional swidden agricultural cycles removed tree roots, causing the loess sediments to lose cohesion, slump, and the terrace risers to retreat uphill over time. This evidence is supported by landslide debris at terracette faces. Archaeological analysis of terracette sites reveal remains of rammed spread soil structures, bones, stone tools, and ceramics dating from at least 2200 years before present within a distinct paleosol layer. Radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence dating of terracette sediments ranged in age from between 1500 and 2000 14C yr BP and between 16 and 0.30 ka, respectively. These multiple lines of evidence indicate a long history of human habitation within Jiuzhaigou National Park and, taken together, suggest strong links between terracette formation and human-landuse interactions. |
| Keywords: | Terraces Traditional ecological knowledge Jiuzhaigou National Park Human-landuse interactions Geoarchaeology Hillslope geomorphology Terracettes China |
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