Alien invasions: using fossil insects and plants to recognise past human impacts on Pacific island biodiversity

We will examine fossil insect records of selected Pacific islands focussing on invasive species and the changes in island biodiversity following human arrival. The use of fossil insects is an established archaeological tool in the northern Hemisphere; however, there has been no exploration of its utility in the Indo-Pacific region. Fossil insect assemblages will reveal a unique insight into human impact on tropical Pacific ecosystems and enable enhanced ability to recognize human arrival in the absence of secure archaeological evidence. A detailed context for the insect record will be provided by characterisation of the plant micro and macrofossil record.