Lander Brian

Presentation

Dates : january-october 2022

I am an environmental historian of ancient China. My main research topic is the understanding of how the natural ecosystems of the central regions of China have been converted into anthropogenic ecosystems. I use data from different disciplines to reconstruct the ecosystems of these regions. My book The King’s Harvest analyzes the formation of agricultural systems in northern China and traces the formation of political systems, arguing that political organizations have greatly increased the ability of human societies to transform environments. I am currently studying the long-term transformation of wetlands in the Yangzi River valley, particularly through the reconstruction of its hydraulic systems.

Talk(s)/Project: From the Yellow River to the Yangzi River: an environmental history of ancient China

Research thematics

• History