Read this excerpt from a passage about easter island, an island in the south
pacific that once supported a complex civilization,
easter island lies in the southern pacific, and because of
the antarctic winds, it has a cooler climate compared with
its tropical polynesian neighbors. today, much of the
island is a nature park, and its towns thrive on tourists who
come to see the ancient carved moai. not too long ago,
however, the island was nearly uninhabitable. though
civilization on easter island survived, infertile soil and a
raging rat population brought about a natural collapse of
the island's ecosystem.
which type of evidence would support the author's claim?