Soils and Agricultural Carrying Capacity

The modern environment of Chunchucmil challenges farmers today and probably challenged ancient farmers because of its aridity and skeletal soils (see chapter 6 for a discussion of potential differences between modern and ancient sea level and rainfall). For decades, researchers (Beach 1998a; Dahlin et al. 2005; Dunning and Beach 2010; Farrell et al. 1996; Hixson 2011; Hutson et al. 2007; vlcek et al. 1978; Magnoni 2008; Ardren 2003; Sweetwood et al. 2009) have investigated the economy and soil resources of the Chunchucmil region as part of the Pakbeh Regional Economy Program (PREP) in order to understand the reasons Chunchucmil prospered