Arid West Archaeobotany

Conducting research and providing expertise in paleoethnobotany and paleoecology across the arid west

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  • Research
    • Four Corners potato project
    • Systematic Study of Starch Granules
    • Ecology of Human Diets
    • Monte Verde Starch Study
    • Plant Cultivation/Domestication
    • Paleoecology
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What We do

In our lab, we examine the ecology of human diets using archaeobotanical evidence from stratified sites in western North America. From our point of view, human diet is an ecological phenomenon dependent upon the supply, harvest, processing and energetic returns of plant and animal resources from natural ecosystems.

Our Tools

Artifacts from archaeological sites (and museum collections), such as ground stone tools, coprolites, pottery and hearth features provide clues to past human diets and ancient environments. Those clues include macrobotanical remains (leaves, twigs, seeds, fruits) and microbotanical remains (starch granules, pollen grains) that come from plant species having specific environmental signatures and provided food and other benefits to ancient people.

Collaborative Approach

Uniting different disciplines allows us to develop new approaches to answering old questions. We collaborate with researchers in archaeology, plant biology, ecology, genetics, and phytochemistry allowing us to address questions about human resource use, plant domestication and dietary choice in natural environments.
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