In his study of Mesoamerican agricultural history, environmental historian Dr. Aris Thorne investigated the response of ancient Maya communities to the volcanic eruption of Tierra Blanca Joven in the sixth century CE. While some scholars argue that the widespread deposition of volcanic ash led to a catastrophic decline in agricultural productivity that forced communities to abandon their settlements, Thorne contends that many Maya farmers adapted successfully. He argues that rather than abandoning their fields, these farmers mitigated the impacts of soil acidification and atmospheric cooling by shifting their primary cultivation from maize to root crops, which are more resilient to such environmental stresses.
Which finding, if true, would most directly support Thorne's argument?
- AChemical analysis of soil layers from the region reveals that the acidity levels returned to pre-eruption baselines within two decades of the volcanic event.
- Excavations of domestic middens from the post-eruption period show a marked decrease in maize residue alongside a high concentration of starch residues from sweet potato and cassava plants.Answer
- CHistorical accounts from neighboring regions suggest that trade in wild tubers increased significantly across Mesoamerica during the sixth century CE.
- DPollen records indicate that the overall diversity of plant species in Mesoamerican forests declined sharply following the eruption.