The Geography, Nature and History of the Tropical Pacific and its Islands (World Regional Geography Book Series)

This volume provides an accessible scientific introduction to the historical geography of Tropical Pacific Islands, assessing the environmental and cultural changes they have undergone and how they are affected currently by these shifts and alterations. The book emphasizes the roles of plants, animals, people, and the environment in shaping the tropical Pacific through a cross-disciplinary approach involving history, geography, biology, environmental science, and anthropology. With these diverse scientific perspectives, the eight chapters of the book provide a comprehensive overview of Tropical Pacific Islands from their initial colonization by native peoples to their occupation by colonial powers, and the contemporary changes that have affected the natural history and social fabric of these islands. The Tropical Pacific Islands are introduced by a description of their geological formation, development, and geography. From there, the book details the origins of the island's original peoples and the dawn of the political economy of these islands, including the domestication and trade of plants, animals, and other natural resources. Next, readers will learn about the impact of missionaries on Pacific Islands, and the affects of Wold War II and nuclear testing on natural resources and the health of its people. The final chapter discusses the islands in the context of natural resource extraction, population increases, and global climate change. Working together these factors are shown to affect rainfall and limited water resources, as well as the ability to sustain traditional crops, and the capacity of the islands to accomodate its residents. Preface 6 Contents 10 Chapter 1: An Introduction to the Tropical Pacific and Types of Pacific Islands 14 1.1 The Tropical Pacific Ocean 15 Rainfall in the Tropical Pacific 15 El Niño and la Niña and their Effects on Pacific Island Climate 16 Storms and Cyclones 19 1.2 The Tropical Pacific: How Many and What Kind of Islands 21 High Islands 24 Low Islands 27 1.3 Coral Reefs in the Pacific 28 Charles Darwin and the Evolution of Atolls 35 Atoll Lagoons 40 Uplifted and Emergent Atolls and Islands 43 Coral Reef Zones 44 The Reef Rim and Coral Islands 46 References 50 Chapter 2: Populating the Pacific 52 2.1 The Original Migrants and Wallacea 52 2.2 Linguistics and Migration Patterns 54 2.3 The Lapita Culture 56 Shifting Cultivation in the Western Pacific 57 The Evolution of Naval Architecture 58 Expansion into the Central and Eastern Pacific 59 The Lapita and the Plight of Native Birds 61 2.4 Characteristics of Melanesia, Polynesia and Micronesia 62 References 68 Chapter 3: European Exploration of the Pacific During the Age of Discovery 70 3.1 The Portuguese, the Spice Trade and the Prelude to Pacific Exploration 70 3.2 Magellan’s Pacific Odyssey 75 3.3 The Spanish and the Pacific Voyages of Pedro Fernandez de Quirós 76 La Primera y Segunda Introducción 76 The Third and Final Voyage 79 A First Sighting of Islands 81 References 89 Chapter 4: Import, Barter and Trade, and the Natural Resources of the Pacific Islands 90 4.1 Domestic Animals and Plants 90 Chickens 91 Dogs 91 Pigs 92 Breadfruit 94 Taro and Other Root Vegetables 94 Swamp Taro 97 Yams and Arrowroot 98 Sweet Potato 98 Coconut Palms 99 Pandanus 100 Bananas 102 4.2 Marine Resources 103 Fishing Techniques [2, 27] 103 4.3 The Tahitian Exchange 104 The European Introduction 104 The Salt Pork Trade 106 The Export of Breadfruit 108 The Practice and Influence of Whaling 109 4.4 Trade with China 111 Tea for Sandalwood 111 Bêche-de-Mer 112 Pearls and Pearl Oysters 114 4.5 Exotic and Invasive Species 116 Cats and Rats 117 Arboreal Snakes 118 Exotic Ants, Plants and Plagues 120 References 121 Chapter 5: The Cultural and Political Impact of Missionaries and Foreign Hegemony in the Pacific Islands 124 5.1 The Missionary Prelude: Polynesian Society and the Religious Pantheon 126 Human Sacrifice 127 Sexuality 128 The Tattoo 129 Infanticide 129 5.2 The Arrival of The London Missionary Society in Tahiti 130 5.3 How the Kingdom of Tahiti Became French 134 5.4 The Misadventures of Missionaries in Melanesia 136 5.5 American Business and British Missionary Influences in Fiji 138 Cotton, Sugar Cane, and Blackbirding 139 5.6 The Kingdom of Hawaii and How it Became American Territory 141 5.7 Religious Competition on Pacific Islands 142 References 144 Chapter 6: Pacific Islands and the Politics of Fertilizer 146 6.1 Seabirds and Guano 146 Guano From Peru: Not Much of It for You 149 6.2 The Guano Islands Act 151 6.3 From Guano to Coconuts 156 6.4 Guano and the Slave and Coolie Trade 158 6.5 The Nitrogen Wars and the End of the Guano Trade 160 6.6 Superphosphate and the Pacific Islands 163 Nauru Island, a Cautionary Tale 164 References 167 Chapter 7: Domination of Pacific Islands in War and in the Nuclear Age 169 7.1 Changes Before and After WWI 169 7.2 The Militarization of the Pacific Islands 171 7.3 Case Examples of Island Alteration: Midway, Palmyra and Johnston Atolls 173 7.4 American Nuclear Tests in the Marshall Islands 178 Fission and Fusion Bombs 181 7.5 British and French Nuclear Tests and the Fallout Therefrom 185 7.6 The Postwar Period of Decolonization and Independence 187 7.7 Dependency, Unemployment, Emigration, and an Homage to Spam 189 References 190 Chapter 8: Compound Issues of Global Warming on the High and Low Islands of the Tropical Pacific 193 8.1 Climate Change and the Atmosphere 193 8.2 High Island Environments 198 The Terrestrial Realm of New Guinea and Other Western Pacific Islands 198 Natural Resources and their Extraction 199 8.3 Effects of Climate Change on High Islands 202 Papua New Guinea 202 The High Islands of Hawaii 203 8.4 Climate Change on Low Islands 204 Rising Sea Level 205 The Special Case of the Solomon Islands 207 8.5 Climate Change and Coral Reefs 208 Canaries in the Coalmine 210 8.6 The Marine Realms of Papua New Guinea and Kiribati 211 Papua New Guinea 211 The Exclusive Economic Zone and the PNG Tuna Fishery 212 Marine Protected Areas in Papua New Guinea 214 Climate Change and Management of Marine Resources in PNG and Kiribati 215 Kiribati’s MPA 215 The Future of Pacific Reefs 216 References 217 Index 221 This volume provides an accessible scientific introduction to the historical geography of Tropical Pacific Islands, assessing the environmental and cultural changes they have undergone and how they are affected currently by these shifts and alterations. The book emphasizes the roles of plants, animals, people, and the environment in shaping the tropical Pacific through a cross-disciplinary approach involving history, geography, biology, environmental science, and anthropology. With these diverse scientific perspectives, the eight chapters of the book provide a comprehensive overview of Tropical Pacific Islands from their initial colonization by native peoples to their occupation by colonial powers, and the contemporary changes that have affected the natural history and social fabric of these islands. The Tropical Pacific Islands are introduced by a description of their geological formation, development, and geography. From there, the book details the origins of the island's original peoples and the dawn of the political economy of these islands, including the domestication and trade of plants, animals, and other natural resources. Next, readers will learn about the impact of missionaries on Pacific Islands, and the affects of World War II and nuclear testing on natural resources and the health of its people. The final chapter discusses the islands in the context of natural resource extraction, population increases, and global climate change. Working together these factors are shown to affect rainfall and limited water resources, as well as the ability to sustain traditional crops, and the capacity of the islands to accomodate its residents This volume provides an accessible scientific introduction to the historical geography of Tropical Pacific Islands, assessing the environmental and cultural changes they have undergone and how they are affected currently by these shifts and alterations. The book emphasizes the roles of plants, animals, people, and the environment in shaping the tropical Pacific through a cross-disciplinary approach involving history, geography, biology, environmental science, and anthropology. With these diverse scientific perspectives, the eight chapters of the book provide a comprehensive overview of Tropical Pacific Islands from their initial colonization by native peoples to their occupation by colonial powers, and the contemporary changes that have affected the natural history and social fabric of these islands.Ԩe Tropical Pacific Islands are introduced by a description of their geological formation, development, and geography. From there, the book details the origins of the island's original peoples and the dawn of the political economy of these islands, including the domestication and trade of plants, animals, and other natural resources. Next, readers will learn about the impact of missionaries on Pacific Islands, and the affects of Wold War II and nuclear testing on natural resources and the health of its people. The final chapter discusses the islands in the context of natural resource extraction, population increases, and global climate change. Working together these factors are shown to affect rainfall and limited water resources, as well as the ability to sustain traditional crops, and the capacity of the islands to accomodate its residents Front Matter ....Pages i-xii An Introduction to the Tropical Pacific and Types of Pacific Islands (Walter M. Goldberg)....Pages 1-38 Populating the Pacific (Walter M. Goldberg)....Pages 39-56 European Exploration of the Pacific During the Age of Discovery (Walter M. Goldberg)....Pages 57-76 Import, Barter and Trade, and the Natural Resources of the Pacific Islands (Walter M. Goldberg)....Pages 77-110 The Cultural and Political Impact of Missionaries and Foreign Hegemony in the Pacific Islands (Walter M. Goldberg)....Pages 111-132 Pacific Islands and the Politics of Fertilizer (Walter M. Goldberg)....Pages 133-155 Domination of Pacific Islands in War and in the Nuclear Age (Walter M. Goldberg)....Pages 157-180 Compound Issues of Global Warming on the High and Low Islands of the Tropical Pacific (Walter M. Goldberg)....Pages 181-208 Back Matter ....Pages 209-214