The Neanderthal niche space of Western Eurasia 145 ka to 30 ka ago

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 14(1)

Published: April 2, 2024

Abstract Neanderthals occupied Western Eurasia between 350 ka and 40 ago, during the climatically volatile Pleistocene. A key issue is to what extent Neanderthal populations expanded into areas of conditions facilitated such range expansions. The generally based on distribution material, but land-altering nature glacial periods has erased much already sparse material evidence Neanderthals, particularly in northern latitudes. To overcome this obstacle species models can estimate past distributions however, most implementations are constrained spatially temporally may be artificially truncating niche space. Using dated contexts from sites across Eurasia, millennial-scale paleoclimate reconstructions, a spatiotemporal model, we infer fundamental climatic space occupation. We find that (a.) despite long timeframe, occupy relatively narrow space, (b.) estimated projected potential suggests larger geographic than record suggests, (c.) there was general decline size 145 ago onward, possibly contributing their extinction.

Language: Английский

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Climate-driven habitat shifts of high-ranked prey species structure Late Upper Paleolithic hunting

Scientific Reports, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 13(1)

Published: March 14, 2023

Abstract Changing climates in the past affected both human and faunal population distributions, thereby structuring diets, demography, cultural evolution. Yet, separating effects of climate-driven human-induced changes prey species abundances remains challenging, particularly during Late Upper Paleolithic, a period marked by rapid climate change ecosystem transformation. To disentangle hunter-gatherer populations on animal period, we synthesize disparate paleoclimate records, zooarchaeological data, archaeological data using ecological methods theory to test what extent anthropogenic impacts drove broad subsistence observed Paleolithic records. We find that assemblages European are consistent with habitat shifts impacting natural high-ranked landscape rather than resource depression. The study has important implications for understanding how impacted structured diet demography can serve as baseline considerations resilience adaptation present.

Language: Английский

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Understanding the spread of agriculture in the Western Mediterranean (6th-3rd millennia BC) with Machine Learning tools

Nature Communications, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 16(1)

Published: Jan. 15, 2025

Language: Английский

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Hunting to herding on the Andean Altiplano: Zooarchaeological insights into Archaic Period subsistence in the Lake Titicaca Basin, Peru (9.0–3.5 ka)

Journal of Anthropological Archaeology, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 77, P. 101658 - 101658

Published: Jan. 19, 2025

Language: Английский

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Was the Late Glacial human occupation of northernmost Europe facilitated by whales? New data and perspectives on lithic technology and the paleoecology of the Vendsyssel area, Northern Jutland, Denmark

The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown, P. 1 - 29

Published: Feb. 26, 2024

The archaeology of the Vendsyssel area in Northern Jutland suggests that early human foragers reached northernmost tip continental Europe during middle part Late Glacial Period. This occupation presents a paleoecological conundrum, however, as was likely characterized by low terrestrial productivity and mammalian biodiversity. Why did disperse so far north, what sustained them there? We here report an updated inventory lithic surface material recovered from Hollendskær region north-western Jutland. Based on our discussion assemblages, we recontextualize settlement European north vis-à-vis highly productive marine ecosystems circum-Kattegat. suggest beached whales may have been previously overlooked ecological attractor persistent biases impede understanding role land–sea interfaces facilitating earliest northward expansions.

Language: Английский

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Consistency in Verreaux's sifaka home range and core area size despite seasonal variation in resource availability as assessed by Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI)

American Journal of Primatology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 86(6)

Published: March 11, 2024

Abstract Primates are adept at dealing with fluctuating availability of resources and display a range responses to minimize the effects food scarcity. An important component primate conservation is understand how primates adapt their foraging ranging patterns in response resources. Animals optimize resource acquisition within home through selection resource‐bearing patches choose between contrasting strategies (resource‐maximizing vs. area‐minimizing). Our study aimed characterize strategy folivorous primate, Verreaux's sifaka ( Propithecus verreauxi ), by evaluating whether group size varied peak lean leaf seasons seasonally dry tropical forest Madagascar. We hypothesized that used maximization select high‐value so during periods depression, area did not significantly change size. characterized (i.e., primary productivity) season Kirindy Mitea National Park using remotely‐sensed Enhanced Vegetation Index data. calculated ranges 10 years focal animal sampling data collected on eight groups both 95% 50% kernel density estimation. accumulation curves ensure each had an adequate number locations reach seasonal asymptotes. Neither nor core areas differed across seasons, supporting hypothesis use strategy. With better understanding space strategies, managers can model anticipated changes under environmental and/or anthropogenic depression scenarios. These findings demonstrate value long‐term for characterizing patterns. also illustrate benefits satellite primates.

Language: Английский

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A Cold Habitat: Mapping Blade Assemblages Between the Siberian Altai and the Tibetan Plateau During MIS 3

Journal of Paleolithic Archaeology, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 7(1)

Published: April 30, 2024

Abstract How and why early hunter–gatherers expanded into the challenging environments of Tibetan Plateau during Pleistocene remain largely unexplained. The discovery archaeological site Nwya Devu, characterized by lithic blade production, brings new evidence human expansion to high elevations ca. 40–30 ka. assemblage currently lacks technological antecedents in East Asia. During Marine Isotope Stage 3, surrounding lowlands were dominated a distinct type industry broadly named “core flake.” It is suggested that Devu derives from traditions eastern Eurasian Steppe, clustered hub for Upper Paleolithic technology. In contrast Asian lowlands, shares number environmental similarities with North Central Asia such as low temperature humidity, long winters, strong seasonality, grassland landscapes. Blade core-and-flake technologies tend be associated different We hypothesize this geographic distribution indicates sets behavioral adaptations map onto ecozones are relevant 3. To evaluate working model, we parameters both period. results show conditions on at align those assemblages documented Steppe assemblages. technology strongly low-temperature environments. These findings suggest steppe belt may have benefited their behaviorally adaptive advantages when moving highland Plateau,

Language: Английский

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Small populations of Palaeolithic humans in Cyprus hunted endemic megafauna to extinction

Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 291(2031)

Published: Sept. 1, 2024

The hypothesized main drivers of megafauna extinctions in the late Quaternary have wavered between over-exploitation by humans and environmental change, with recent investigations demonstrating more nuanced synergies these depending on taxon, spatial scale, region. However, most studies still rely comparing archaeologically based chronologies timing initial human arrival into naïve ecosystems palaeontologically inferred dates extinctions. Conclusions arising from also depend reliability dated evidence, dating uncertainties, correcting for low probability preservation (Signor–Lipps effect). While some models been developed to test susceptibility theoretical offtake rates, none has explicitly linked energetic needs, prey choice, hunting efficiency examine plausibility human-driven Using island Cyprus terminal Pleistocene as an ideal case because its settlement (~14.2–13.2 ka), small area (~11 000 km 2 ), diversity (2 species), we stochastic population dynamics, dictated requirements, hunting-efficiency functions whether at end could caused extinction dwarf hippopotamus ( Phanourios minor ) elephants Palaeoloxodon cypriotes ). Our reveal not only that estimated sizes n = 3000–7000) Late easily driven both species within < 1000 years, model predictions match observed, Signor–Lipps-corrected chronological sequence palaeontological record P. ~12–11.1 ka, followed ~10.3–9.1 ka).

Language: Английский

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Hunting with dogs: a synthesis of ethnohistorical data and discussion of their implications for prehistoric subsistence in New Guinea

Archaeology in Oceania/Archæology & physical anthropology in Oceania, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 59(1), P. 1 - 28

Published: Oct. 18, 2023

ABSTRACT The advent of the dog is widely recognised as a major development in economic organisation ancient and contemporary hunter‐gatherer agricultural societies. Although utility dogs assisting recent historical New Guinean hunters commonly emphasised anthropological discourse, to date there has been no critical evaluation their actual contributions hunting yields nutrition. As result, it remains unclear what significance likely have had for prehistoric economies Guinea. Here we present comprehensive synthesis review evidence use within Guinea, focusing on ways which they assist; kinds game help capture; degree improve efficiency; how this affects taxonomic makeup average body‐size human diets. We then apply findings consideration affected Guinea after introduction Late Holocene. reliance tends produce over‐representation few mammal species yields, identify potential zooarchaeological signatures dogs, discuss excavated sites at these may be visible. Dogs transformative effect outcomes Guinea's environments, novel marked significant island's previously underestimated.

Language: Английский

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Mechanisms of hunting native megafauna to extinction by Palaeolithic humans on Cyprus

Research Square (Research Square), Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: Jan. 24, 2024

Abstract The hypothesised main drivers of megafauna extinctions in the late Quaternary have wavered between over-exploitation by humans and environmental change, with recent investigations demonstrating more nuanced synergies these depending on taxon, spatial scale, region. However, most studies still rely comparing archaeologically based chronologies timing initial human arrival into naïve ecosystems palaeontologically inferred dates extinctions. Conclusions arising from also depend reliability dated evidence, dating uncertainties, correcting for low probability preservation (Signor-Lipps effect). While some models been developed to test susceptibility theoretical offtake rates, none has explicitly linked energetic needs, prey choice, hunting efficiency examine plausibility human-driven Using island Cyprus terminal Pleistocene as an ideal case because its settlement (~ 14.2 ka–13.2 ka), small area 11,000 km 2 ), diversity (2 species), we stochastic population dynamics, dictated requirements, hunting-efficiency functions whether at end could caused extinction dwarf hippopotamus ( Phanourios minor ) elephants Palaeoloxodon cypriotes ). Our reveal not only that estimated sizes N = 3,000–7,000) Late easily driven both species within < 1,000 years, model predictions match observed, Signor-Lipps-corrected chronological sequence palaeontological record ~ 12 ka–11.1 ka, followed 10.3 ka–9.1 ka).

Language: Английский

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