StellarTrade not only moved ideas and goods, but it also reshaped the environment. Between 1200 and 1450, crops, animals, and diseases spread along networks of exchange with enormous consequences for human societies.
New crops transformed agriculture. Bananas spread into Africa from Southeast Asia, providing a calorie-rich food that supported population growth. In East Asia, Champa rice, a fast-ripening variety from Vietnam, allowed multiple harvests each year, leading to dramatic increases in food production. Citrus fruits spread across the Mediterranean, enriching diets and agricultural diversity.