While Jared may have stretched things a bit in how and why civilizations transistion from looseknit hunter-gatherers to organized and settle "states", it does seem somewhat logical that having domesticatalbe plants and animals would be an advantage.
Many of the choices for plants and animals may have been already "preset" prior or during early mans existence. lots of potential animals went extinct in N. Americal prior to mans arrival, so in a way, they were hosed when they got here. But, When you have sources of reliable growns food and anaimals that you can "farm or use for transport, it tend to make folks less "wahderlust" . THis is what leads to "settleing " more or less in places (rather than moving about , following animal migrations or seasonal ones. Some of that movement would still happen even with domesticated plants and animals (rotating crops, moving to other grazing areas) but being able to stay in one spot left room for folks to do other things like keep track of stuff, breed, and protect the group better (as it grew). It is postulated that all this extra time enabled man to diversify in thier ideas and general organizations such that they had reasons to discover stuff. IF they found a new thing or way and it worked , they kept it and may have traded it when other groups were found.
An Atlantean story may have had a good mix of plants and animals and being on a "mid-atlantic. volcanic" island-contenent, they could have had sources of metals too. so when it came time to bug out, they could tke some of that knowledge with them (depends at what level they achived).
THere is a book seris out about such a mid atlantic continent (forget the name and all).
Good luck with your story.
Many of the choices for plants and animals may have been already "preset" prior or during early mans existence. lots of potential animals went extinct in N. Americal prior to mans arrival, so in a way, they were hosed when they got here. But, When you have sources of reliable growns food and anaimals that you can "farm or use for transport, it tend to make folks less "wahderlust" . THis is what leads to "settleing " more or less in places (rather than moving about , following animal migrations or seasonal ones. Some of that movement would still happen even with domesticated plants and animals (rotating crops, moving to other grazing areas) but being able to stay in one spot left room for folks to do other things like keep track of stuff, breed, and protect the group better (as it grew). It is postulated that all this extra time enabled man to diversify in thier ideas and general organizations such that they had reasons to discover stuff. IF they found a new thing or way and it worked , they kept it and may have traded it when other groups were found.
An Atlantean story may have had a good mix of plants and animals and being on a "mid-atlantic. volcanic" island-contenent, they could have had sources of metals too. so when it came time to bug out, they could tke some of that knowledge with them (depends at what level they achived).
THere is a book seris out about such a mid atlantic continent (forget the name and all).
Good luck with your story.