Integrated land history and global change science: : the example of the Southern Yucatán Peninsular Region project

Land histories originate in multiple disciplines. The corpus of this research, however, does not link well to the science of global environmental change, despite explicit recognition by that science to incorporate land history. History and global change science would both benefit by such linkages, which necessitates the development of “integrated land history.” This interdisciplinary research subject is identified here, illustrated through the Southern Yucatán Peninsular Region project. This project addresses tropical deforestation and agricultural change in a frontier “hot spot” of biotic diversity. It seeks to inform environmental and global change science, including its human and modeling dimensions. Emphasis is placed on the mutual benefits for both land history and global change studies created by the integration in question.