How Much Is Enough? First Steps to a Social Ecology of the Pergamon Microregion

Environmental carrying capacity, not labor availability, likely limited local self-sufficiency in the Pergamon microregion during its transition from the Hellenistic to Roman Imperial periods. Researchers developed a transparent, reproducible model to assess agricultural production relative to environmental suitability and workforce, using topographic derivatives to create a carrying capacity index. Findings suggest that strategic investments, such as terrace construction, could have enhanced self-sufficiency. This study lays groundwork for understanding socio-ecological resilience in historical landscapes, with future research needed to explore system dynamics under varying environmental and cultural pressures.

Laabs, J., & Knitter, D. (2021). How Much Is Enough? First Steps to a Social Ecology of the Pergamon Microregion. Land, 10(5), 479. https://doi.org/10.3390/land10050479