ABSTRACT

This paper explores the concept of suitability within applications of Ideal Distribution Models (IDMs). Specifically, we investigate the effectiveness of single measures of suitability in contexts where diverse local populations practised a range of subsistence strategies with different environmental requirements and sociocultural consequences. To do so, we draw on legacy survey data from northern Afghanistan, within the historic region of Bactria. This region of Central Asia has a rich history of nomadic pastoralism as well as dense urban settlement, with these two lifeways often occurring concurrently with complex social and economic interdependencies developing between pastoral and agricultural societies. Conceptually, we predict that such diversity should be difficult to model by conventional IDMs, as what may be defined as a low ranked habitat by one definition of suitability may be highly ranked in another. On the other hand, identifying strong deviations from IDMs may in fact indicate shifts in subsistence strategies and settlement patterns occurring across various periods of sociopolitical and cultural change. Based on our analysis, we conclude that single measures of suitability do not sufficiently model settlement patterns as predicted by IDMs but do in fact help highlight long-term processes of ecological engineering and inheritance.

摘要

本文探讨了理想分布模型 (IDM) 应用中适用性的概念。具体来说，我们调查了在不同当地人口实施一系列具有不同环境要求和社会文化后果的生计策略的情况下，单一适用性措施的有效性。为此，我们利用了阿富汗北部历史悠久的巴克特里亚地区的遗留调查数据。这个中亚地区有着丰富的游牧历史和密集的城市聚居区，这两种生活方式经常同时发生，同时在牧区和农业社会之间发展复杂的社会和经济相互依存关系。从概念上讲，我们预测这种多样性应该很难用传统的 IDM 建模，因为在一个适宜性定义中可能被定义为低等级栖息地的栖息地可能在另一种适宜性定义中被高度排列。另一方面，识别出与 IDM 的强烈偏差实际上可能表明在社会政治和文化变革的各个时期发生的生计战略和定居模式的转变。根据我们的分析，我们得出的结论是，单一的适宜性度量不足以模拟 IDM 预测的沉降模式，但实际上有助于突出生态工程和继承的长期过程。