Publisher description: In this book, Timothy Silver traces the effects of English settlement on South Atlantic ecology, showing how all three cultures--Indian, European, and African--interacted with and were, in turn, affected by, their changing environment. In assessing such ecological changes, Silver pays particular attention to regional variations, explaining how local geography and settlement patterns influenced the environment. And while his focus is the English South, Silver also shows us how economic and ecological developments in Europe, the Caribbean, and elsewhere frequently dictated how South Atlantic colonists used their land. Consequently, his book provides an engaging and detailed look at the complex relationships among humans, plants, and animals in a unique and diverse region of North America.