The last great migration: Human colonization of the remote Pacific Islands

In this chapter we outline the last major human migrations with the discovery and settlement of the Pacific Islands. The last phase of this expansion resulted in colonization of the eastern Pacific with more than 500 remote islands ranging from tropical, subtropical, temperate, and sub-Antarctic, varying in size and landforms, and comprising just 289,000 km2 of land over more than 20 million km² of ocean. Reanalysis of radiocarbon dates for the region shows that migrations into the most remote Pacific occurred just over 1000-800 years ago, proceeded more rapidly than previously held, and included dispersal of plants and animals that invaded and disrupted unique and fragile island biotas. Human impacts profoundly transformed pristine ecosystems with habitat loss, the impacts of invasive rats, dogs, and pigs, as well as human predation. Successful human colonization led to natural environments transformed into agriculturally productive systems.