Marine Exploitation at South Point, Hawai'i Island: An Aspect of Adaptive Diversity in Hawaiian Prehistory.

Abstract

Island ecosystems have several significant characteristics, such as relative isolation, limitation in size, limitation in or even absence of certain resources, limitation in organic diversity, etc. (Fosberg 1965). Therefore, man in the island ecosystem must cope with several stresses, among which food is the most substantial. Food resources in the Pacific are usually limited quantitatively and qualitatively. Quantitatively, the amount of food is limited by land area; in other words, there is a clear carrying capacity in island ecosystems. Qualitatively, animal protein on islands is limited due to the general absence of mammals in the Pacific islands. Both quantitative and qualitative limitations in terrestrial food resources have led to an emphasis on exploitation of marine resources. Marine resources have been well preserved by traditional conservation mechanisms (Johaness 1978; 1981), and marine exploitation has worked to increase man's adaptability to the Pacific environment.