Abstract

The SCAPE project is examining human-environmental interactions of pre-contact groups in localities that exhibit exceptional physiographic and ecological diversity within the Canadian Prairies Ecozone. Research in the Lauder Sand Hills of southwestern Manitoba has identified several multi-component occupations dating to over 5,000 BP. It is believed that the area has provided a diverse array of resources to pre-contact groups due to its unique geomorphology, which has resulted in frequent local variations in relief, microclimatic and soil conditions, and an increased variety and abundance of plant and animal resources. Recent geomorphic evidence indicates that the environment has remained relatively unchanged for at least the last 2,000 years. While increased diversity has been used to explain the patterns of intense occupation in the area, as of yet there has been no formal investigation comparing the relative diversity of the sand hills with adjacent areas of the prairie ecozone. This research presents a GIS-based approach for quantitatively assessing resource diversity using a variety of existing geospatial databases.