2.6 - Environmental Consequences of Connectivity

Agricultural Effects of Exchange Networks

Migration of Crops

• Champa Rice: Introduced to China from Vietnam, Champa rice was drought-resistant, flood-resistant, and could yield two crops a year. This innovation supported the growing population and altered land use, allowing cultivation in previously unworkable areas through terraced farming and paddies. As a result, many people migrated southward, contributing to urban growth.

• Bananas: Indonesian seafarers brought bananas to Sub-Saharan Africa, improving nutrition and boosting population growth. This enabled Bantu-speaking peoples to expand into areas where traditional food sources like yams were not viable, increasing cultivated land and enriching diets.

• Cotton, Sugar, and Citrus Crops: Spread by Islamic caliphs, these crops became new staples in various regions. The markets of Samarkand introduced new fruits, vegetables, and citrus products to Europe. The high demand for sugar later drove the massive use of enslaved labor in the Americas.

Environmental Degradation

• Overgrazing: In Great Zimbabwe, severe overgrazing led to abandonment of the city in the late 1400s.

• Soil Erosion and Deforestation: In feudal Europe, overuse of farmland and deforestation caused soil erosion, reducing agricultural productivity. The Little Ice Age (c. 1300–c. 1800) further decreased agricultural output.

• Mayans: Environmental degradation also contributed to the decline of the Mayan civilization.

Spread of Epidemics through Exchange Networks

• The Black Death: Spread by the Mongol conquests, fleas carrying the bubonic plague moved from southern China to Central Asia, Southeast Asia, and Europe. Caravanserai, which housed both people and animals, may have facilitated the disease spread.

  • Impact on Europe: The plague killed one-third of Europe's population, leading to a decline in agricultural production and a shift in labor relations. Workers' labor became more valuable, allowing them to demand higher wages and contributing to the decline of feudalism.

  • Global Impact: The Black Death caused significant loss of life in North Africa, China, and Central Asia. Approximately 25 million people in Asia died between 1332 and 1347. South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa were largely spared due to fewer trading ports.