Characterizing Past Communities to Build Future Ones: Lessons from Caribbean Conservation Paleobiology

Abstract

The Caribbean is one of the most well-studied biodiversity hotspots, but the diversity of today’s Caribbean is only a fraction of what once existed there, as natural and anthropogenic processes have contributed to extinction and extirpation across multiple taxonomic groups. Given this long-term history of environmental perturbations and human impacts, paleobiology is well-suited to inform ongoing conservation needs in the Caribbean, which continues to be impacted by habitat degradation, species introductions, and other global change phenomena. I show how fossil, archaeological, and ecological data elucidate patterns of biodiversity loss and resilience, with direct implications for conservation management. While conservation paleobiology has significant potential in the Caribbean, it also faces major challenges in implementation, in part due to colonial histories and practices of parachute science. I summarize how this colonial legacy perpetuates knowledge and resource gaps, and outline ways in which we can move toward an equitable conservation paleobiology. One path forward is through education and partnership with local communities. I highlight my program, NEET Young Innovators, a partnership between the University of Texas at Austin, the Negril Education Environment Trust, the University of the West Indies Mona, and the Jamaican Ministry of Education and Youth. The NEET Young Innovators program develops place-based, experiential curriculum and STEM camps for Jamaican students and teachers. Capitalizing on paleobiology’s status as a “gateway science,” we created and implemented a suite of conservation paleobiology lesson plans in a STEM camp designed to cultivate environmental stewardship and broaden awareness of Caribbean natural history and biodiversity among Jamaican youths. Through integrative research, reflection, and inclusive partnership, paleobiology can guide the conservation, management, and restoration of biodiversity in this critical ecosystem.