Projects

BOSTAN TREE (2024-2026) - Bioarchaeology of Orchards and Sustainable Terroir in the Arid Near East – Trends in Ecology and Evolution - Funded by ERC

Project leader: G Bar-Oz (University of Haifa, Israel)

Scientists involved from our team : M Gros-Balthazard, Y Bourgeois, M Besseiche, E Testé

Engaging with the myriad challenges linked to global warming and the unchecked expansion of drylands, the project seeks to develop models for implementing past agricultural know-how in modern socioeconomic contexts. Our novel methodology fuses cutting-edge interdisciplinary scientific approaches from the humanities and natural sciences with an inclusive citizen science framework to examine the ecological history and cultivar diversity of relic ‘heritage horticulture’ in four distinct arid regions in southern Israel. Focusing on the bioarchaeology of trees, we will define the historical, biological and environmental principles of dryland heritage horticulture systems and create a method for the exploration, analysis and ultimate dissemination of the crucial data they contain. When combined, this unprecedented compendium of perspectives—coupling broad socio-geographical scientific viewpoints with more precise biogenetic, archaeological, and natural science analytics—can expand our understanding of the factors that drove the sustainability of heritage horticulture in marginal areas. The risks involve the potential for insufficient finds, poor archaeological preservation, and inconclusive analytic results, including limited amounts of ancient DNA and low genetic diversity among relic trees. Yet, the outcome of our study—an archaeologically informed grasp of ancient agrarian resilience—can definitively contribute to the field of environmental history and have a positive impact on present-and-future agricultural dynamics. Indeed, deep knowledge of how bygone farmers related to the landscape and managed their limited resources, particularly the terrain, soil and water, holds vital implications for climate change adaptation and current-day food security. Moreover, the unique history of dryland farming and its remarkable development in marginal regions can inspire landscape policy management initiatives that promote cultural heritage restoration and landscape reclamation