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The article contains a quote stating that "For reasons that are unclear, approximately 500 years ago, aboriginal populations declined significantly throughout Eastern North America and more broadly throughout the Americas." It's my understanding that there is at this point more or less a consensus that the depopulation of North America in this time period (after 1492 but before Europeans actually reached most of the interior areas of the continent) is primarily due to epidemics of contagious disease introduced by contact with Europeans, such as smallpox. For instance,

says outright that "Repeated outbreaks of Old World infectious diseases such as influenza, measles and smallpox (to which they had no natural immunity) were the main cause of depopulation." I'd argue that information should be included here, if the article is going to discuss the causes of the depopulation of Native Americans during this time period at all.

I study prehistoric ecosystems in Eastern North America, and I am not aware of any solid evidence supporting the notions expressed in this article. The references given are not appropriate, and are not from peer-reviewed literature. Most available literature on this subject suggests that climate and climate change (not Native Americans) played the most important role in determining prehistoric forest ecology.

I believe this article should be amended to better reflect current scientific views (i.e. the notions expressed in this article are controversial and currently not well supported by data) and include proper references. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 137.122.14.20 (talk) 21:10, 2 March 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Just to follow up seven years later: I agree. The evidence that the grasslands in the Southeast are 1. lightning caused 2. naturally at least as widespread as forests, if not more so, and 3. much older than the last glacial maximum; has accumulated in the 15 years since the source reference was written. I've provided a more modern reference, and re-worded some of the climatic claims.Masebrock (talk) 05:49, 8 February 2017 (UTC)[reply]

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I think that there should be a section on endangered species in the woodlands. The red-cockaded woodpecker, for example, is a keystone species that many are actively trying to protect in the remaining longleaf woodlands. Also, I did not see any mention of attempts to restore longleaf pine habitat. Sggeer (talk) 23:17, 25 January 2023 (UTC)[reply]