Environmental constraints and diffusion shaped the global transition to food production.

ABSTRACT: The transition from foraging to plant cultivation represents the most important shift in the economic history of early Holocene societies. This process unfolded independently in different regions of the globe, resulting in varied plant assemblages, cultivation strategies, dietary practices, and landscape modifications. To investigate the drivers of this transition, we employed a machine-learning approach. Using Random Survival Forest, we analyze a comprehensive dataset of radiocarbon dates linked to the first adoption of domesticated plants, coupled with environmental predictors. Our findings indicate strong spatial autocorrelation in the timing of agricultural adoption, underscoring the role of diffusion and contact between regions. Region-specific bioclimatic factors emerged as influenti

SUBMITTER: Gregorio de Souza J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11893810 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature