Abstract

In the last 20,000 years humans have become the most powerful force shaping the geographic distribution of animal species, eclipsing natural processes in the tempo, if not scope, of biogeographic changes realized. Today, bioinvasions are among the most significant threats facing wildlife. Archaeology can contribute to sound wildlife management and conservation policy by documenting animal introductions, the diversity and complexity of human–non-native species relationships and post-invasion ecological dynamics in the past. However, doing so requires systematic, rigorous approaches to chronology, faunal assemblage characteristics and often poorly understood variables, such as propagule pressure, supported by multi-proxy data and formal standards of evidence. Focusing on case studies from the pre-Columbian Caribbean, I explore these important considerations and their relevance to modern biodiversity conservation.