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Question

11.1. Define the Anthropocene and its key characteristics.
Match the anthropologist with the fieldwork they conducted that relates to the environment.
Drag each item on the left to its matching item on the right.
Julian Steward
Owen Lattimore
Bronislaw Malinowski
Zora Neale Hurston
Indigenous people and land in the Great Basin area of the American West
Press Space to open
Trobriand gardens
Press Space to open
migrant workers in Florida’s Everglades swampland
Press Space to open
Chinese water management and irrigation farming

Answer 1

### 11.1. Define the Anthropocene and its key characteristics.

The **Anthropocene** is a proposed geological epoch that marks the period during which human activity has become the dominant influence on climate and the environment. The term signifies a new era in Earth's history characterized by significant global changes resulting from human actions.

Key characteristics of the Anthropocene include:
- **Climate Change:** Accelerating global temperatures, melting ice caps, and rising sea levels due to increased greenhouse gas emissions.
- **Biodiversity Loss:** Significant decline in species populations and extinction rates due to habitat destruction, pollution, and overexploitation.
- **Pollution:** High levels of pollution, including plastic waste, chemical contaminants, and air pollution, affecting ecosystems and human health.
- **Urbanization:** Rapid expansion of urban areas leading to changes in land use and natural habitats.
- **Anthropogenic Landscapes:** Transformation of natural landscapes through agriculture, deforestation, mining, and other human activities.
- **Technological Impact:** Growing influence of technology and industrial processes on the environment and natural resources.

### Matching Anthropologists with Their Fieldwork Related to the Environment

1. **Julian Steward**
- Match: **Indigenous people and land in the Great Basin area of the American West**

2. **Owen Lattimore**
- Match: **Chinese water management and irrigation farming**

3. **Bronislaw Malinowski**
- Match: **Trobriand gardens**

4. **Zora Neale Hurston**
- Match: **migrant workers in Florida’s Everglades swampland**