Human‐driven geomorphological processes and soil degradation in Northwest Argentina: A geoarchaeological view

Abstract

The study of human-driven processes is useful to gain a better understanding of the long-term evolution of land degradation, soil erosion, and geomorphology as well as resource availability for human settlement. The objective of this paper is to identify the long-term results of human impact on the vulnerable dryland ecosystems in Northwest Argentina, specifically to analyze the consequences of the spread and consolidation of the agricultural way of life on the landscape. To reach this objective, a multiproxy interdisciplinary geoarchaeological study was conducted to link an evolutionary geomorphological model with the soil development and degradation, peopling, and land use change during the Upper Holocene and integrate distinct areas of the Tafí Valley region, which is the most studied area, other neighbouring valleys, and the Puna. The analyses identified positive human-driven impacts that led to a general degradation of the landscape during the agricultural Prehispanic Period, dated between ca. 2000 and 500 BP. This degradation is manifested by accelerated morphogenesis, mainly fine-grained accumulated sediments, thick deposits, and the presence of human debris interbedded with the natural sediments. The success of the productive agricultural systems that expanded during the Formative Period led to a gradual increase in the demographic density, resulting in extensive environmental degradation due to overexploitation of the drylands of Northwest Argentina, in some cases increased by adverse climatic changes.

Geomorphology of Tafi valley (Tucumán Province, Northwest Argentina)

“…600 BP . In previous papers, this unit was linked to landscape overexploitation by Prehispanic agricultural peoples, which triggered accelerated morphodynamic processes (Sampietro-Vattuone et al, 2018). A new volcanic tephra is interbedded in unit H3 (V2), whose age was estimated at ca.…”

Aplicación de los drones en diversos contextos arqueológicos y en casos de reconstrucción geoarqueológica

“…500 AC-1000 AD) y posteriormente durante los Desarrollos Regionales (ca. 1000-1500 AD) (Sampietro Vattuone et al 2018). En la actualidad, la zona está sometida a un intenso proceso de degradación por presión antrópica, tanto por asentamiento y construcción de viviendas como por los trabajos de excavación de una empresa de extracción de áridos.…”

Late Holocene anthropic degradation records in semi-arid environments (NE Spain and NW Argentina)

“…This unit has an intermediate soil dating from ca. 2.45 BP which marks the beginning of the H2B subunit in which the Tafi Culture is settled and whose duration is estimated at between 2296 ± 70 BP and 1040 ± 20 BP Sampietro Vattuone et al, 2018b). The well-preserved remains of these occupations extend through various areas of the valley, and are easily visible as they used large blocks of stone from the alluvial fans to build houses and the walls of their farming terraces ( Fig.…”