The ecological impact of early human activity in Brownsberg Nature Park, Suriname

It is increasingly recognized that human legacies from the pre-contact (<1492 CE) and colonial (>1492 CE) periods have shaped the modern biodiversity of Amazonian forests. However, past human activities varied widely across the region and did not always produce lasting ecological effects. In addition, site-specific assessments of historical human influence remain scarce for many Amazonian forests. Here, we assess whether past human activities have led to long-term ecological changes in Brownsberg Nature Park (BNP). Vegetation and fire histories were reconstructed using phytolith and charcoal analyses, respectively. Multivariate and non-parametric tests were applied to evaluate spatial and temporal variation in vegetation dynamics across the park. The results indicate that BNP has been inhabited by Indigenous Peoples since at least c. 670 CE, yet forests experienced minimal deforestation for millennia. Forest management, small-scale/localized cultivation activities, rubber tapping and burning events contributed to the development of modern forests characterized by (i) higher abundances of palms, (ii) changes in arboreal phytoliths suggesting disturbance-recovery trajectories, and (iii) localized patches of Guadua bamboo. These various responses suggest strong interactions between environmental conditions and human activities in shaping forest composition and highlight the importance of conserving BNP’s forests for both their ecological and cultural value.