An approach to human ecodynamics and resilience in the economic trajectories of agropastoral societies in northern La Rioja (Argentina) from the 3rd to 17th centuries CE

Abstract

Over the past decades, numerous studies have examined human ecodynamics, focusing on the trajectories of socio-ecological systems (SES) and the co-evolution of natural and social subsystems. Resilience Theory (RT) provides a conceptual framework for analyzing these dynamics, particularly through the metaphor of adaptive cycles. In this study, we investigate the consumption patterns of agropastoral societies that inhabited northern La Rioja from the 3rd to 17th centuries CE, exploring long-term human adaptation in the drylands of northwestern Argentina. Zooarchaeological analysis revealed shifts in consumption patterns over time. From the 3rd to 7th centuries CE, subsistence strategies were primarily centered on the exploitation of artiodactyls. However, by the 11th century CE, a process of residential site abandonment and dietary diversification emerged. The results indicate significant changes in faunal exploitation, particularly a decline in Artiodactyla consumption, driven mainly by demographic growth and socio-economic adjustments. These transformations led to greater mobility and a shift toward opportunistic resource exploitation. Our findings highlight the resilience and adaptability of human populations in response to socio-economic and demographic challenges. Local societies demonstrated flexibility in adapting to environmental unpredictability and demographic shifts by adjusting their strategies to new conditions.