Ebook: Easter Island: Scientific Exploration into the World’s Environmental Problems in Microcosm

Easter Island, a World Heritage Site is still, after over 50 years since Thor Heyerdahl's work on the island, a fascinating area to explore and learn about a culture that has only remnants remaining, while documenting a marine ecology still mostly unknown.

Easter Island: Scientific Exploration into the World's Environmental Problems in Microcosm presents the research results from three years of interdisciplinary expeditions to Easter Island. The primary objectives were to investigate the effects of human population growth on the ecology of the island and to discover whether any dramatic climatic changes such as a prolonged El Niño could have disrupted the island's fragile ecosystem. The interdisciplinary scientific team were mainly researching the paleontology, archaeology, climatology, and geophysics of the island. This book now brings together the results of the three expeditions, identifies new areas of research, and hopefully will continue to inspire aspiring scientists to revisit this amazing island to explore and demystify this timeless enigma of human history.

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Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xii
Introduction: An Easter Island Experience—How it all Started....Pages 1-15
Front Matter....Pages 17-17
A Cultural Icon: Scientific Exploration into the World’s Environmental Problems in Microcosm....Pages 19-28
Rapa Nui National Park, Easter Island, Chile: An Eco-Tourism Outline with Issues and Suggestions....Pages 29-36
Documenting Petroglyphs on Easter Island....Pages 37-52
The Corals and Coral Reefs of Easter Island — A Preliminary Look....Pages 53-77
Front Matter....Pages 79-79
Rapid Vegetational and Sediment Change from Rano Aroi Crater, Easter Island....Pages 81-92
Mata Ki Te Rangi: Eyes Towards the Heavens....Pages 93-111
Stable Isotope Record of El Nino-Southern Oscillation Events from Easter Island....Pages 113-132
Prehistoric Destruction of the Primeval Soils and Vegetation of Rapa Nui (Isla de Pascua, Easter Island)....Pages 133-153
The Endemic Marine Invertebrates of Easter Island: How Many Species and for How Long?....Pages 155-175
Finfish in the Rano Kau Caldera of Easter Island....Pages 177-183
Front Matter....Pages 185-185
Aerial Surveys of Isle De Pasqua: Easter Island and the New Birdmen....Pages 187-194
Easter Island Under Glass: Observations and Conversations....Pages 195-206
Mapping the Poike Ditch....Pages 207-221
Addendum....Pages 223-225
Back Matter....Pages 227-240

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Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xii
Introduction: An Easter Island Experience—How it all Started....Pages 1-15
Front Matter....Pages 17-17
A Cultural Icon: Scientific Exploration into the World’s Environmental Problems in Microcosm....Pages 19-28
Rapa Nui National Park, Easter Island, Chile: An Eco-Tourism Outline with Issues and Suggestions....Pages 29-36
Documenting Petroglyphs on Easter Island....Pages 37-52
The Corals and Coral Reefs of Easter Island — A Preliminary Look....Pages 53-77
Front Matter....Pages 79-79
Rapid Vegetational and Sediment Change from Rano Aroi Crater, Easter Island....Pages 81-92
Mata Ki Te Rangi: Eyes Towards the Heavens....Pages 93-111
Stable Isotope Record of El Nino-Southern Oscillation Events from Easter Island....Pages 113-132
Prehistoric Destruction of the Primeval Soils and Vegetation of Rapa Nui (Isla de Pascua, Easter Island)....Pages 133-153
The Endemic Marine Invertebrates of Easter Island: How Many Species and for How Long?....Pages 155-175
Finfish in the Rano Kau Caldera of Easter Island....Pages 177-183
Front Matter....Pages 185-185
Aerial Surveys of Isle De Pasqua: Easter Island and the New Birdmen....Pages 187-194
Easter Island Under Glass: Observations and Conversations....Pages 195-206
Mapping the Poike Ditch....Pages 207-221
Addendum....Pages 223-225
Back Matter....Pages 227-240
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