The arrival of European livestock in the Americas, particularly cattle, sheep, and pigs, transformed the physical environment of the New World. Lacking natural predators and grazing on open ranges, these animals reproduced at astronomical rates, often destroying native agricultural fields and altering indigenous land-use patterns. Conversely, the introduction of American crops like maize and potatoes to Afro-Eurasia stimulated significant population growth by providing nutrient-rich, caloric alternatives to traditional staples. This reciprocal transfer of biological agents reshaped human societies, diets, and ecological systems globally, laying the groundwork for the modern global economy.
—Alfred W. Crosby, *The Columbian Exchange*, 1972
Based on the passage, the ecological changes brought by the Columbian Exchange most directly led to which of the following developments?
- A demographic surge in Afro-Eurasia driven by the cultivation of nutrient-rich crops native to the Americas.Cevap
- BThe introduction of domesticated livestock like cattle and sheep to Europe, which revolutionized European farming.
- CThe transition of Spanish colonies from coerced labor systems to agricultural systems based purely on land ownership.
- DThe unification of diverse Native American cultures into a single agricultural society to protect grazing lands.