Another burning question: hunter-gatherer exploitation of Macrozamia spp.

Macrozamia seeds have long been considered an important economic resource to Australian hunter-gatherers. As a result of limited ecological data during the 1970's-1980's, seed production in Macrozamia spp. has been conceptualised as low yield and irregular, but easily stimulated through pyrogenic manipulation to produce high yield, regular resource gluts. This paper reviews and synthesises ecological data on Macrozamia ecology and seed production collated over the last few decades to argue that current archaeological conceptions of Macrozamia seed production and reproductive responses to fire are flawed, and to further consider how these resources were used in the past. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]