Old World Plants

and Animals in
the New World

Ecological Imperialism

Introduction of exotic plants and animals

into new ecosystems

Old World
Wheat
Sugar cane
Horses
Cattles
Pigs
The Columbian Exchange
By Alfred Crosby

New World

Maize
Potatoes
Tobacco
Cocoa
Tomatoes
Cotton

It was NOT a good idea

(Old world to New world)

Reduction of plants and animals

Introduction of
Rats

Weeds

(dandelions, not MJ)

Birds (Starlings)
Contact

animals

with European plants and

It was NOT a good idea

(New world to Old world)
This was a two way process, so the same
effects were felt by the old world.
For a complete list (Old to new and vice
versa):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbian_Excha
nge#Examples

Benefits

Increased types of food in the world

Caused extermination of some plants and
animals

Tripled

the number of cultivable food

plants
Animals as important source of dietary
protein

Additional animal power!!!!

Alive and Dead

Benefits

Ox-drawn plow
From intensive to extensive agriculture
Intensive - small area, many workers
Extensive large area, few workers

Soil

destabilization and erosion

Not a benefit

Effect of Indigenous people

one with nature

A flaw

In Hawaii

Pigs ate native flowers and dug holes

Holes filled with water

Water was good environment for insects

Insects killed birds

Effect of Indigenous people

New England
Hunting for game and wild food (even before
the coming of new world indigenous poeple)
Permanent and semipermanent villages
Clearing and planting small areas

Used fire for clearing

Mobile hunter gatherers (with season)

Fish

Birds
Deer
Berries
Plants

Effect of Indigenous people

New England

Agriculture

Corn
Squash
Beans
Tobacco

Barter system
No concept of surplus
Land and resources were shared

Increased Ecological
Imperialism
Due

to improvement of world-system
Europeans attraction to rare and exotic
Examples

Shipping of Indian elephant

Polar bears from Greenland
New species of plants for botanical
gardens

Increased Ecological
Imperialism
Tulips

Mania!!!! (1600)

Dutch
Spread from Turkey to Netherlands (1565)
A bulb would cost as much a townhouse
in Amsterdam

Success?
Considered

a success when the

European environment, along with its
traditional stock-rearing and graingrowing practices, is most closely
replicated.

The End?
No,

not yet. (haha)

It was a time of colonialism, plants and
animals were moved between colonies
but didnt return to the source.

The pineapple
breadfruit

The Consequences
Spread

of botanical gardens

Not just for the rich anymore

So that plants could be prepared for
transport for long travels
DEICs

garden at Cape town

Englands Kew Gardens
Garden at St. Vincent, in the Caribbean

The Consequences
Increased

pace of change

Capt. William Bligh

1792
2000 breadfruit

1200 different plants

Tahiti to Caribbean
To England

David Douglas
1820s to 1930s
Royal Horticulture Society
200 different plants, via the Pacific

The Consequences
Breakdown

of major biogeographical

barriers

New combinations of plants and animals

weeds (still dandelions) became global
in distribution
Homogenized flora and fauna in most
parts of the world

The Consequences
With

the growing homogeneity of

environment, this changes our attitude
towards nature as well as expanding the
world-system.