Prehistoric Migration: Early Southeast Asian Settlers Migrate Due to Rapid Sea-Level Rise

Researchers from several fields have discovered that early inhabitants of Southeast Asia were forced to migrate due to the region's rapid sea level rise during the prehistoric era, which has increased the genetic variety of the area today.

Cause of prehistoric human migration in Southeast Asia

(Photo : Krzysztof Hepner/ via Unsplash)

Around 26,000 years ago, a vast landmass of rainforests and coastal mangroves known as The Sundaland on the South Asian continental shelf included the Malay Peninsula, Sumatra, Borneo, and Java, as per ScienceDaily.

However, the sea level climbed 130 meters during the last significant phase of global warming in Earth's history, which lasted from the Last Glacial Maximum to the middle of the Holocene.

The Sundaland was separated into smaller islands as a result of the sea level rise, which also destroyed land crossings and flooded and buried half of the region.

Paleogeography, the study of ancient physical landscapes, and population genetics were used by the team of Nanyang Technological University, Singapore scientists to reconstruct the history of the landmass in order to understand the effects on humans living in The Sundaland in one of the most dramatic sea-level rises in Earth's history.

The team was able to identify the groupings' genetic origin and demographic history, along with the number and distribution of their populations, by analyzing the high-quality genomic data.

The NTU study gave an unbiased demographic history of the indigenous populations residing in The Sundaland by employing whole-genome sequence data, which precisely revealed information about an individual's full genetic composition inherited from both the mother and the father.

Also Read: Scientists Disprove 'Ice Bridge' Theory of Human Migration

Sea level rise affects human ancestry

The study was the first to link the effects of prehistoric sea level rise to human ancestry in Southeast Asia, and it was published in the peer-reviewed journal Communications Biology in February.

Professor Benjamin Horton, the co-author of the paper and director of NTU's EOS, stated that understanding past sea levels is crucial for forecasting how rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels will affect Earth's climate and elevate sea levels in the future.

These predictions help society prepare for and adjust to the effects of climate change.

The NTU team wants to continue its investigation into the history of human migration from North Asia to America and other Southeast Asian countries.

Overpopulation is the effects of migration

It makes sense that more people on the planet will put more strain on resources.

The need for food, water, housing, energy, healthcare, transportation, and other resources will rise as the population grows, as per Population Media Center.

All of this consumption increases the likelihood of major catastrophes like pandemics, increases conflicts, and degrades the environment.

Population growth will unavoidably contribute to pressures that worsen climate change by increasing deforestation, reducing biodiversity, and increasing pollution and emissions.

Overpopulation and environmental disruption-induced scarcity have the potential to intensify violence and political upheaval.

Warfare over water, land, and energy resources has been taking place in the Middle East and other places, and as the world's population rises, the unrest is certain to get worse.