Tropical pioneers : human agency and ecological change in the highlands of Sri Lanka, 1800-1900

Description

This is a documentation of the conversion of a tropical rainforest biome and the collision between what previously had been more discreet ecological zones within South Asia. By 1900 plantations and agriculture had removed virtually the entire primary forest cover of Sri Lanka."In 1800, the highlands of Sri Lanka had some of the most biologically diverse tropical rainforests in the world. By 1900, only a few craggy corners and mountain caps had been spared the firestick. Highland villagers, through the extension of slash-and-burn agriculture, and British managers, through the creation of plantations - first of coffee, then cinchona, and finally tea - had removed virtually the entire primary forest cover." "Tropical Pioneers documents the conversion of a tropical rainforest biome and the collision between what previously had been more discrete ecological zones within South Asia. The author demonstrates that profound ecological transformations occurred in the highlands of Sri Lanka during the nineteenth century and suggests that the integration of tropical ecological zones is an important theme for historians to investigate elsewhere."--Jacket.