User:Alex Oeser/sandbox/assignment8

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Biological globalization is a process characterized by the movement of both plant and animal species to areas other than where they would naturally reside. As humans have become more advanced in methods of transportation, agricultural trade has expanded, allowing species of plants to be introduced to entirely new continents. The same can be said for the translocation of animal species, a process which has steadily increased as intercontinental trade has become more prevalent.

Early examples of biological globalization throughout history have been largely related to European colonization of new locations, including the Columbian exchange.

Add New Section: Disease
In the Early modern period, the Columbian exchange served as a process of biological globalization as European voyages introduced new species, diseases, and plants to the native population of North America. Diseases frequently seen plaguing the European and African populations such as smallpox, influenza, malaria, and yellow fever accompanied voyagers traveling from these locations to the Americas. The sudden introduction of many new infectious diseases, to a population of people who lack any immunity resulted in several epidemics among the Native American populations scattered throughout mainland North America, as well the Caribbean islands. The spread of these diseases caused drastic drops in Native American populations in these areas, as much as 99% among the Caribbean islands, and within the range of 50-95% in the Americas as a whole by the year 1650.

Add New Section: The Columbian Exchange
An early prevalent example of biological globalization is the expansion of European exploration, and the resulting Columbian exchange, the process of European voyages introducing many new biological factors to the Americas. Notably the Columbian Exchange brought many new diseases to the continent, posing a threat to local populations. Additionally, the Europeans introduced many new species of animals to the lands of the Americas, particularly the various domesticated animals they were familiar with. The grassland plains of the Americas provided a suitable climate for animals such as goats, sheep, pigs, horses, and cattle. Expansion of the local economies through improvements to farming methods and transportation was the primary motivation behind introducing these new species, but the impacts of this process produced significant impacts on the biodiversity of the Americas. The introduction of horses long term resulted in a dramatic reduction in the population of bison in North America, as the Plains Indians were able to hunt bison to a greater extent on horseback. The Columbian Exchange also introduced new species of plants to the Americas, particularly high yielding food crops including rice, wheat, rye, and barley. This was not a one way exchange though, as many local crops of the Americas quickly expanded to Europe and Africa as well, including crops that are popular across these regions to this day, including one of the most prevalent drug crops in the world, Tobacco.

Add New Section: Other Colonization Efforts
As countries expanded into new frontier locations with harsher climates, the necessity for cheap food supply sources fueled an effort to produce resilient and adaptable wheat that transcended cultural boundaries. The expansion and colonization of the New World, expansion northward into Canada, and emerging areas in Russia, India, Africa, Poland, and Ukraine all fueled demand for this product. The communication and cooperation between many of the first plant scientists, breeders, and farmers was the foundation of a worldwide effort to produce this resilient grain that was so sought after. Though the forms of wheat that are grown across the world possess unique adaptations to their respective regions, the persistence of wheat as an agricultural product across the world is a prime example of Biological Globalization.