Why did the Mayan civilization collapse? Deforestation and climate change

Two studies analysing the reasons why the Yucatan cities were abandoned by the Mayan people during the 8th or 9th centuries reveal that a combination of unprecedented population density, prolonged drought and ill-advised deforestation contributing to erosion and soil depletion created a likely catastrophic situation.

"One of the lessons of these complementary studies," says climate modeler Robert Oglesby of the University of Nebraska, "is that our reshaping of the environment can often have unintended consequences—and we may not have any idea of what they are until it’s too late." He concludes by warning Guatemala, which is currently undergoing rapid deforestation, to "be that much more vulnerable to a severe drought."