Community Structure Through Time: `Ubeidiya, a Lower Pleistocene Site As a Case Study

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Community Structure Through Time: `Ubeidiya, a Lower Pleistocene Site As a Case Study Community Structure through Time: `Ubeidiya, a Lower Pleistocene Site as a Case Study Thesis submitted for the degree of “Doctor of Philosophy” by Miriam Belmaker Submitted to the Senate of the Hebrew University March 2006 This work was carried out under the supervision of Prof. Eitan Tchernov Prof. Ofer Bar Yosef Prof. Uzi Motro this thesis is dedicated to Eitan Tchernov, my mentor, without whom this thesis would have never happened Contents Acknowledgments xii Abstract xiv I Framework 1 1 Introduction 2 2 The Site of `Ubeidiya 9 2.1 Geology and stratigraphy of the `Ubeidiya Formation . 9 2.2 Dating of the `Ubeidiya Formation . 10 2.3 Excavation history . 15 2.4 Previous paleoecological research . 17 2.5 The presence of early hominins at `Ubeidiya . 19 II Methodology 22 3 Paleontological Methodology 23 3.1 Stratigraphy . 23 3.1.1 Assignment of specimens to stratigraphic units . 23 3.1.2 Choice of strata for analysis . 25 3.2 Taxonomy . 26 3.2.1 Identification of specimens . 26 3.2.2 Choice of taxa for analysis . 28 3.3 Quantification . 30 3.3.1 Quantification of individuals per species . 30 3.3.2 Quantification of body elements . 31 i 4 Identification of Pattern of Persistence or Change in the Large Mammalian Commu- nity throughout the `Ubeidiya Sequence 34 4.1 The statistical model . 34 4.2 Independent variables of the null hypotheses: The taphonomy of the `Ubeidiya large mammal assemblages . 37 4.2.1 Weathering . 37 4.2.2 Fluvial transport . 39 4.2.3 Agents of accumulation . 41 4.2.4 Post depositional carnivore ravaging . 47 4.2.5 Density mediated processes . 50 4.3 Independent variables of the alternative hypothesis: The environmental proxy . 51 4.4 The dependent variables: The biodiversity of the `Ubeidiya large mammal assem- blages . 53 4.4.1 Faunal turnover . 53 4.4.2 Relative frequency of taxa . 54 5 Paleoecological Reconstruction 59 III Results 62 6 The Large Mammalian Fauna of `Ubeidiya 63 6.1 Overview of the large mammal fauna of `Ubeidiya . 63 6.2 The biogeographic origins of the large mammals present in `Ubeidiya with empha- sis on African taxa . 63 7 Taphonomic Analyses of `Ubeidiya Strata 69 7.1 Weathering . 69 7.2 Fluvial transport . 70 7.3 Agents of accumulation . 73 7.3.1 Body element representation . 73 7.3.2 Density mediated processes . 74 7.3.3 Evidence for hominin involvement in the accumulation of the `Ubeidiya large mammalian assemblages . 77 7.3.4 Evidence for carnivore involvement in the accumulation of the `Ubeidiya large mammalian assemblages . 83 7.4 Evidence for post depositional carnivore ravaging . 84 7.4.1 Tooth marks . 84 7.4.2 Proportion of carnivores of total assemblage . 85 7.4.3 Proportions of ``bone cylinders'' shaft fragments . 86 7.4.4 The effect of carnivore ravaging on body part distribution . 87 7.5 Interim summary and discussion: Taphonomy and the accumulation of the large mammalian fauna of `Ubeidiya . 89 8 Identification of Patterns of Persistence or Change 98 8.1 Faunal turnover . 98 8.2 Relative frequency analysis of taxa . 100 8.2.1 Multi-species analysis . 100 8.2.2 Individual taxa analysis . 103 8.2.3 Diversity indices . 107 8.3 Interim summary and discussion : Can persistence or change in the large mam- malian community be discerned throughout the `Ubeidiya sequence? . 115 9 Paleoecological Reconstruction of `Ubeidiya 124 9.1 Multivariate analysis of the mesoherbivore community . 124 9.2 Interim summary and discussion: The paleoecological milieu of `Ubeidiya . 126 IV Discussion and Conclusions 133 10 Discussion 134 11 Conclusions 144 Bibliography 145 V Appendices 173 A Figures 174 B Tables 231 C Statistical Equations 270 D Names of Museum Collections Visited 276 E Grouping of Substrata into Strata 277 List of Figures 1 The Levant and the location of Plio-Pleistocene sites mentioned in the text . 175 2 The location of the `Ubeidiya Formation main outcrop in the central Jordan Valley . 176 3 Stratigraphy and lithology of the Fi cycle (Mallol, 2006) . 177 4 Schematic representation of the position of `Ubeidiya within the GPTS . 178 5 The plan of `Ubeidiya excavations 1960-1999 . 179 6 The stratigraphic sequence of `Ubeidiya strata . 180 7 The stratigraphic sequence of `Ubeidiya strata depicting `pooled strata’ . 181 8 Point by point rarefaction curves . 182 9 Ratio diagrams for small-medium and large mammals . 183 10 Limb bone portions . 184 11 Scattergram of correspondence analysis axes for weathering stages . 185 12 Dendrogram of correspondence analysis axes for weathering stages . 186 13 Grain shape distribution . 187 14 Scattergram of correspondence analysis axes for grain shape . 188 15 Dedrogram for correspondence analysis of grain shape . 189 16 Dedrogram of grain shape frequencies by size . 190 17 Percent MAU for Ruminantia E, epiphyseal data . 191 18 Correlation of percent MAU of Ruminantia E and BMD . 192 19 Percent MAU for Ruminantia F, epiphyseal data . 193 20 Correlation of percent MAU of Ruminantia F and BMD . 194 21 Percent MAU for Ruminantia G, epiphyseal data . 195 22 Correlation of percent MAU of Ruminantia G and BMD . 196 23 Percent MAU for Equidae, epiphyseal data . 197 24 Correlation of percent MAU of Equidae and BMD . 198 25 Percent MAU for Ruminantia E, complete limbs . 199 26 Correlation of percent MAU of Ruminantia E and FUI . 200 v 27 Percent MAU for Ruminantia F, complete limbs . 201 28 Correlation of percent MAU of Ruminantia F and FUI . 202 29 Percent MAU for Ruminantia G, complete limbs . 203 30 Correlation of percent MAU of Ruminantia G and FUI . 204 31 Percent MAU for Equidae, complete limbs . 205 32 Correlation of percent MAU of Equidae and GUI . 206 33 Cutmark on specimen UB 6227 . 207 34 PCA results for cutmark distributions . 208 35 Dendrogram of cut-mark distribution . 209 36 PCA for cut-mark frequency by body size . 210 37 Dendrogram for cut-mark frequencies by body size . 211 38 Carnivore modification by limb portion . 212 39 Percent “bone cylinders” . 213 40 Percent MAU of Ruminantia E correlated with percent MAU of hyaena ravaged bones . 214 41 Percent MAU of Ruminantia F correlated with percent MAU of hyaena ravaged bones . 215 42 Percent MAU of Ruminantia G correlated with percent MAU of hyaena ravaged bones . 216 43 Percent MAU of Equidae correlated with percent MAU of hyaena ravaged bones . 217 44 Dendrogram for body part distribution . 218 45 Scattergram for CA axes for presence-absence data . 219 46 Q and R clustering for presence-absence . 220 47 Scattergram for CA axes for NISP frequencies . 221 48 R and Q mode clustering for NISP frequencies . 222 49 Distribution of four common taxa in `Ubeidiya through time using NISP and MNI quantification . 223 50 Distribution of two groups of habitat specific taxa in `Ubeidiya using NISP quan- tification . 224 51 Species richness indices for `Ubeidiya strata . 225 52 Evenness diversity indices for `Ubeidiya strata . 226 53 Dominance diversity indices for `Ubeidiya strata . 227 54 Diversity indices for `Ubeidiya strata . 228 55 Scattergram for mesoherbivore presence-absence . 229 56 Scattergram for mesoherbivore frequencies . 230 List of Tables 1 Distribution of identified specimens from `Ubeidiya . 232 2 Large terrestrial mammal distribution among ‘Ubeidiya ‘pooled strata’ using NISP quantification . 233 3 Large terrestrial mammal distribution among ‘Ubeidiya ‘pooled strata’ using MNI quantification . 236 4 Percent of taxa of Africa biogeographic origin of total number of species across `Ubeidiya `pooled strata’ . ..
Recommended publications
  • Sand Dune Systems in Iran - Distribution and Activity
    Sand Dune Systems in Iran - Distribution and Activity. Wind Regimes, Spatial and Temporal Variations of the Aeolian Sediment Transport in Sistan Plain (East Iran) Dissertation Thesis Submitted for obtaining the degree of Doctor of Natural Science (Dr. rer. nat.) i to the Fachbereich Geographie Philipps-Universität Marburg by M.Sc. Hamidreza Abbasi Marburg, December 2019 Supervisor: Prof. Dr. Christian Opp Physical Geography Faculty of Geography Phillipps-Universität Marburg ii To my wife and my son (Hamoun) iii A picture of the rock painting in the Golpayegan Mountains, my city in Isfahan province of Iran, it is written in the Sassanid Pahlavi line about 2000 years ago: “Preserve three things; water, fire, and soil” Translated by: Prof. Dr. Rasoul Bashash, Photo: Mohammad Naserifard, winter 2004. Declaration by the Author I declared that this thesis is composed of my original work, and contains no material previously published or written by another person except where due reference has been made in the text. I have clearly stated the contribution by others to jointly-authored works that I have included in my thesis. Hamidreza Abbasi iv List of Contents Abstract ................................................................................................................................................. 1 1. General Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 7 1.1 Introduction and justification ........................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • The Impact of Large Terrestrial Carnivores on Pleistocene Ecosystems Blaire Van Valkenburgh, Matthew W
    The impact of large terrestrial carnivores on SPECIAL FEATURE Pleistocene ecosystems Blaire Van Valkenburgha,1, Matthew W. Haywardb,c,d, William J. Ripplee, Carlo Melorof, and V. Louise Rothg aDepartment of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095; bCollege of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 2UW, United Kingdom; cCentre for African Conservation Ecology, Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University, Port Elizabeth, South Africa; dCentre for Wildlife Management, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; eTrophic Cascades Program, Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331; fResearch Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, United Kingdom; and gDepartment of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0338 Edited by Yadvinder Malhi, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom, and accepted by the Editorial Board August 6, 2015 (received for review February 28, 2015) Large mammalian terrestrial herbivores, such as elephants, have analogs, making their prey preferences a matter of inference, dramatic effects on the ecosystems they inhabit and at high rather than observation. population densities their environmental impacts can be devas- In this article, we estimate the predatory impact of large (>21 tating. Pleistocene terrestrial ecosystems included a much greater kg, ref. 11) Pleistocene carnivores using a variety of data from diversity of megaherbivores (e.g., mammoths, mastodons, giant the fossil record, including species richness within guilds, pop- ground sloths) and thus a greater potential for widespread habitat ulation density inferences based on tooth wear, and dietary in- degradation if population sizes were not limited.
    [Show full text]
  • Geology of the Nairobi Region, Kenya
    % % % % % % % % %% %% %% %% %% %% %% % GEOLOGIC HISTORY % %% %% % % Legend %% %% %% %% %% %% %% % % % % % % HOLOCENE: %% % Pl-mv Pka %%% Sediments Mt Margaret U. Kerichwa Tuffs % % % % %% %% % Longonot (0.2 - 400 ka): trachyte stratovolcano and associated deposits. Materials exposed in this map % %% %% %% %% %% %% % section are comprised of the Longonot Ash Member (3.3 ka) and Lower Trachyte (5.6-3.3 ka). The % Pka' % % % % % % L. Kerichwa Tuff % % % % % % Alluvial fan Pleistocene: Calabrian % % % % % % % Geo% lo% gy of the Nairobi Region, Kenya % trachyte lavas were related to cone building, and the airfall tuffs were produced by summit crater formation % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % Pna % % % % %% % (Clarke et al. 1990). % % % % % % Pl-tb % % Narok Agglomerate % % % % % Kedong Lake Sediments Tepesi Basalt % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % %% % % % 37.0 °E % % % % 36.5 °E % % % % For area to North see: Geology of the Kijabe Area, KGS Report 67 %% % % % Pnt %% % PLEISTOCENE: % % %% % % % Pl-kl %% % % Nairobi Trachyte % %% % -1.0 ° % % % % -1.0 ° Lacustrine Sediments % % % % % % % % Pleistocene: Gelasian % % % % % Kedong Valley Tuff (20-40 ka): trachytic ignimbrites and associated fall deposits created by caldera % 0 % 1800 % % ? % % % 0 0 % % % 0 % % % % % 0 % 0 8 % % % % % 4 % 4 Pkt % formation at Longonot. There are at least 5 ignimbrite units, each with a red-brown weathered top. In 1 % % % % 2 % 2 % % Kiambu Trachyte % Pl-lv % % % % % % % % % % %% % % Limuru Pantellerite % % % % some regions the pyroclastic glass and pumice has been
    [Show full text]
  • Bibliography
    Bibliography Many books were read and researched in the compilation of Binford, L. R, 1983, Working at Archaeology. Academic Press, The Encyclopedic Dictionary of Archaeology: New York. Binford, L. R, and Binford, S. R (eds.), 1968, New Perspectives in American Museum of Natural History, 1993, The First Humans. Archaeology. Aldine, Chicago. HarperSanFrancisco, San Francisco. Braidwood, R 1.,1960, Archaeologists and What They Do. Franklin American Museum of Natural History, 1993, People of the Stone Watts, New York. Age. HarperSanFrancisco, San Francisco. Branigan, Keith (ed.), 1982, The Atlas ofArchaeology. St. Martin's, American Museum of Natural History, 1994, New World and Pacific New York. Civilizations. HarperSanFrancisco, San Francisco. Bray, w., and Tump, D., 1972, Penguin Dictionary ofArchaeology. American Museum of Natural History, 1994, Old World Civiliza­ Penguin, New York. tions. HarperSanFrancisco, San Francisco. Brennan, L., 1973, Beginner's Guide to Archaeology. Stackpole Ashmore, w., and Sharer, R. J., 1988, Discovering Our Past: A Brief Books, Harrisburg, PA. Introduction to Archaeology. Mayfield, Mountain View, CA. Broderick, M., and Morton, A. A., 1924, A Concise Dictionary of Atkinson, R J. C., 1985, Field Archaeology, 2d ed. Hyperion, New Egyptian Archaeology. Ares Publishers, Chicago. York. Brothwell, D., 1963, Digging Up Bones: The Excavation, Treatment Bacon, E. (ed.), 1976, The Great Archaeologists. Bobbs-Merrill, and Study ofHuman Skeletal Remains. British Museum, London. New York. Brothwell, D., and Higgs, E. (eds.), 1969, Science in Archaeology, Bahn, P., 1993, Collins Dictionary of Archaeology. ABC-CLIO, 2d ed. Thames and Hudson, London. Santa Barbara, CA. Budge, E. A. Wallis, 1929, The Rosetta Stone. Dover, New York. Bahn, P.
    [Show full text]
  • Download Vol. 19, No. 2
    0 X.' 1. ~ 494'*X' 4~ ·t _l of the FLORIDA STATE MUSEUM Biological Sciences Volume 19 1975 Number 2 DIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY STRUCTURE OF THE BRUSH CREEK MARINE INTERVAL (CONEMAUGH GROUP, UPPER PENNSYLVANIAN), IN THE APPALACHIAN BASIN OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA GRAIG D. SHAAK 2.1 4 .r , . - 7» 3 f Ij , f i:-S :; J. j . 1 I 2- r - * bA' f . 4..1.*LY' f~ - UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA GAINESVILLE Numbers of the BULLETIN OF THE FLORIDA STATE MUSEUM, BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, are published at irregular intervals. Volumes con- tain about 300 pages and are not necessarily completed in any one cal- endar year. CARTER R. GILBERT, Editor RHODA J. RYBAK, Managing Editor Consultants for this issue: GARRY G. ANDERSON DAVID NICOL Communications concerning purchase or exchange of the publications and all manuscripts should be addressed to the Managing Editor of the Bulletin, Florida State Museum, Museum· Road, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611. This public document was promulgated at an annual cost of $2,249.10 or $2.249 per copy. It makes available to libraries, scholars, and all interested persons the results of researches in the natural sciences, emphasizing the Circum-Caribbean region. Publication date: January 6, 1975 Price: $2.30 DIVERSITY AND COMMUNITY STRUCTURE OF THE BRUSH CREEK MARINE INTERVAL ( CONEMAUGH GROUP, UPPER PENNSYLVANIAN), IN THE APPALACHIAN BASIN OF WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA GRAIG D. SHAAKl SyNopsIs:. Nine Brush Creek localities ih western Pennsylvania were trench sampled for the purpose of recovering the total fauna from each visible marine horizon. The 9 localities provided 61 samples that were disaggregated by the Amine 220 tech- nique, washed, dried, and sieved into 305 individual samples.
    [Show full text]
  • O Ssakach Drapieżnych – Część 2 - Kotokształtne
    PAN Muzeum Ziemi – O ssakach drapieżnych – część 2 - kotokształtne O ssakach drapieżnych - część 2 - kotokształtne W niniejszym artykule przyjrzymy się ewolucji i zróżnicowaniu zwierząt reprezentujących jedną z dwóch głównych gałęzi ewolucyjnych w obrębie drapieżnych (Carnivora). Na wczesnym etapie ewolucji, drapieżne podzieliły się (ryc. 1) na psokształtne (Caniformia) oraz kotokształtne (Feliformia). Paradoksalnie, w obydwu grupach występują (bądź występowały w przeszłości) formy, które bardziej przypominają psy, bądź bardziej przypominają koty. Ryc. 1. Uproszczone drzewo pokrewieństw ewolucyjnych współczesnych grup drapieżnych (Carnivora). Ryc. Michał Loba, na podstawie Nyakatura i Bininda-Emonds, 2012. Tym, co w rzeczywistości dzieli te dwie grupy na poziomie anatomicznym jest budowa komory ucha środkowego (bulla tympanica, łac.; ryc. 2). U drapieżnych komora ta jest budowa przede wszystkim przez dwie kości – tylną kaudalną kość entotympaniczną i kość ektotympaniczną. U kotokształtnych, w miejscu ich spotkania się ze sobą powstaje ciągła przegroda. Obydwie części komory kontaktują się ze sobą tylko za pośrednictwem małego okienka. U psokształtnych 1 PAN Muzeum Ziemi – O ssakach drapieżnych – część 2 - kotokształtne Ryc. 2. Widziane od spodu czaszki: A. baribala (Ursus americanus, Ursidae, Caniformia), B. żenety zwyczajnej (Genetta genetta, Viverridae, Feliformia). Strzałkami zaznaczono komorę ucha środkowego u niedźwiedzia i miejsce występowania przegrody w komorze żenety. Zdj. (A, B) Phil Myers, Animal Diversity Web (CC BY-NC-SA
    [Show full text]
  • Estrategias De Subsistencia De Los Primeros Grupos Humanos Que Poblaron Europa
    ESTRATEGIAS DE SUBSISTENCIA DE LOS PRIMEROS GRUPOS HUMANOS QUE POBLARON EUROPA ESTRATEGIAS DE SUBSISTENCIA DE LOS PRIMEROS GRUPOS HUMANOS QUE POBLARON EUROPA: EVIDENCIAS CONSERVADAS EN BARRANCO LEÓN Y FUENTE NUEVA-3 (ORCE) M. PATROCINIO ESPIGARES* RESUMEN Varios yacimientos del Pleistoceno inferior de España, Francia e Italia preservan las evidencias de presencia humana más antiguas de Europa. En este contexto, son particularmente interesantes dos localidades ubicadas en las inmediaciones de la villa de Orce (Cuenca de Baza, Granada), Barranco León (BL) y Fuente Nueva-3 (FN-3), datadas en torno a 1,4 Ma. En estos yacimientos se han identificado evidencias de procesado de cadáveres de grandes mamíferos, realizado con herra- mientas líticas de factura Olduvayense. A estos hallazgos hay que sumarle la presencia de un diente de leche atribuido a Homo sp. en Barranco León. En este trabajo se describen en detalle las marcas de origen antrópico localizadas en estos yacimientos, se analizan los patrones de procesado de los cadáveres, y se discute sobre las estrategias de subsistencia de las primeras comunidades humanas que habitaron Europa. Palabras clave: Marcas de corte, Estrategias de subsistencia, Pleistoceno Inferior, Homo sp. ABSTRACT Several Early Pleistocene sites from Spain, France and Italy preserve ancient evidence of human presence. In this context are particularly interesting two localities placed near the town of Orce (Baza Basin, Granada), Barranco León (BL) and Fuente Nueva-3 (FN-3), dated to ~1.4 Ma. At these sites, evidence of processing of large mammal carcasses produced with Oldowan tools have been recovered. These findings are accompanied by the presence of a deciduous tooth, attributed to Homo sp., in Barranco León.
    [Show full text]
  • Early and Middle Pleistocene Faunal and Hominins Dispersals Through Southwestern Asia
    Early and Middle Pleistocene Faunal and Hominins Dispersals through Southwestern Asia The Harvard community has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters Citation Bar-Yosef, Ofer and Miriam Belmaker. Forthcoming. Early and Middle Pleistocene faunal and hominins dispersals through Southwestern Asia. Quaternary Science Reviews 29. Published Version doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2010.02.016 Citable link http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:4270472 Terms of Use This article was downloaded from Harvard University’s DASH repository, and is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Open Access Policy Articles, as set forth at http:// nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of- use#OAP 1 Early and Middle Pleistocene Faunal and Hominins Dispersals through 2 Southwestern Asia 3 4 5 Ofer Bar-Yosef and Miriam Belmaker 6 Department of Anthropology 7 Harvard University 8 11 Divinity Avenue 9 Cambridge MA 02138 10 Phone ++ 1 617 495 1279 11 Fax ++ 1 617 496 8041 12 1 12 Abstract 13 This review summarizes the paleoecology of the Early and Middle Pleistocene of 14 southwestern Asia, based on both flora and fauna, retrieved from a series of ‘windows’ 15 provided by the excavated sites. The incomplete chrono-stratigraphy of this vast region 16 does not allow to accept the direct chronological correlation between the available sites 17 and events of faunal and hominin dispersals from Africa. It also demonstrates that 18 hominins survived in a mixed landscape of open parkland with forested surrounding hills. 19 In addition, the prevailing environmental conditions are not sufficient to explain the 20 differences between ‘core and flake’ and the Acheulian industries that probably reflect 21 the learned traditions of different groups of hominins successful adaptations to new 22 ecological niches away from the African savanna.
    [Show full text]
  • Scale and Structure of Time-Averaging (Age Mixing) in Terrestrial Gastropod Assemblages from Quaternary Eolian Deposits of the E
    Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 251 (2007) 283–299 www.elsevier.com/locate/palaeo Scale and structure of time-averaging (age mixing) in terrestrial gastropod assemblages from Quaternary eolian deposits of the eastern Canary Islands ⁎ Yurena Yanes a, , Michał Kowalewski a, José Eugenio Ortiz b, Carolina Castillo c, Trinidad de Torres b, Julio de la Nuez d a Department of Geosciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 4044 Derring Hall, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, US b Biomolecular Stratigraphy Laboratory, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Minas de Madrid, C/ Ríos Rosas 21, 28003, Madrid, Spain c Departamento de Biología Animal, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, s/n. 38206, La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain d Departamento de Edafología y Geología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, s/n. 38206, La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain Received 13 November 2006; received in revised form 10 March 2007; accepted 9 April 2007 Abstract Quantitative estimates of time-averaging (age mixing) in gastropod shell accumulations from Quaternary (the late Pleistocene and Holocene) eolian deposits of Canary Islands were obtained by direct dating of individual gastropods obtained from exceptionally well-preserved dune and paleosol shell assemblages. A total of 203 shells of the gastropods Theba geminata and T. arinagae, representing 44 samples (=stratigraphic horizons) from 14 sections, were dated using amino acid (isoleucine) epimerization ratios calibrated with 12 radiocarbon dates. Most samples reveal a substantial variation in shell age that exceeds the error that could be generated by dating imprecision, with the mean within-sample shell age range of 6670 years and the mean standard deviation of 2920 years.
    [Show full text]
  • Middle-To-Late-Pleistocene.Pdf
    Quaternary International 382 (2015) 200e214 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Quaternary International journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/quaint Middle to Late Pleistocene human habitation in the western Nefud Desert, Saudi Arabia * Eleanor M.L. Scerri a, , Paul S. Breeze b, Ash Parton c, Huw S. Groucutt c, Tom S. White c, Christopher Stimpson c, Laine Clark-Balzan c, Richard Jennings c, Abdullah Alsharekh d, Michael D. Petraglia c a PACEA, University of Bordeaux, UMR 5199 Batiment^ B8, Allee Geoffrey St Hilaire, CS 50023, 33615 Pessac Cedex, France b Department of Geography, King's College London, K4U.06 Strand Campus, London WC2R 2LS, United Kingdom c School of Archaeology, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford, 28 New Barnett House, Little Clarendon Street, Oxford OX1 2HU, United Kingdom d Department of Archaeology, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2627, Riyadh 12372, Saudi Arabia article info abstract Article history: The Nefud Desert is crucial for resolving debates concerning hominin demography and behaviour in Available online 8 October 2014 the Saharo-Arabian belt. Situated at the interface between the Mediterranean Westerlies and African Monsoonal climate systems, the Nefud lies at the centre of the arid zone crossed by Homo sapiens Keywords: dispersing into Eurasia and the edges of the southernmost known extent of the Neanderthal range. In Pleistocene Palaeoenvironments 2013, the Palaeodeserts Project conducted an intensive survey of the western Nefud, to: (1) evaluate Lower Palaeolithic Pleistocene population dynamics in this important region of the Saharo-Arabian belt and (2) Middle Palaeolithic contribute towards understanding early modern human range expansions and interactions between different hominin species.
    [Show full text]
  • Rodentia, Mammalia) in Europe'
    Resumen EI yacimiento de Trinchera Oolina es uno de los mas importantes de la Sierra de Atapuerca par su contenido en restos humanos, Homo antecessor en el nivel de Trinchera Dolina 6. Ade­ mas de esto la enorme riqueza en restos arqueol6gicos y paleontol6gicos hace de Trinchera Dolina un yacimiento unico, de referencia obligada para el Pleistoceno y Paleolitico de Euro­ pa. Bioestratigraficamente, el yacimiento de Trinchera Oolina (TO) puede dividirse en tres grandes unidades: la que comprende los niveles TD3 a T06; la de los niveles T07 a TOS infe­ rior y I. de TO 8 superior. T011. Palabras clave: Mamiferos, Pleistoceno. Abstract Gran Dolina is one of the Pleistocene sites located at the Sierra de Atapuerca (Spain). The Gran Dolina deposits belong to different chronological periods of the Early and Middle Pleistocene. The uppermost levels of Gran Dolina (TDII, TDIO and TD8b) contain Middle Pleistocene (post-Cromerian) macro- and micromammal assemblages. The excavation works have overpassed level TDII and have not concluded yet at TDIO: TDII is poor in macromammal remains (carnivores and herbivores) but rich in rodents. The macromammals fossil material from TDtt is very scarce and this enables (for the macromammals) definite conclusions about the chronology and type of community of these levels. The lowermost levels of Gran Dolina (TD3/4, TD5, TD6 and TD8a) contain a different mammal assemblage with typical late Early Pleistocene-Cromerian species. This radical substitution of taxa is placed at TD8 layer probably due to a stratigraphic gap in this level. The level TD6 of the Gran Dolina site contains the earliest fossil human remains of Europe, Homo antecessor, and it has also a rich and diverse micromammal assemblage.
    [Show full text]
  • Pleistocene Cave Hyenas in the Iberian Peninsula: New Insights from Los Aprendices Cave (Moncayo, Zaragoza)
    Palaeontologia Electronica palaeo-electronica.org Pleistocene cave hyenas in the Iberian Peninsula: New insights from Los Aprendices cave (Moncayo, Zaragoza) Víctor Sauqué, Raquel Rabal-Garcés, Joan Madurell-Malaperia, Mario Gisbert, Samuel Zamora, Trinidad de Torres, José Eugenio Ortiz, and Gloria Cuenca-Bescós ABSTRACT A new Pleistocene paleontological site, Los Aprendices, located in the northwest- ern part of the Iberian Peninsula in the area of the Moncayo (Zaragoza) is presented. The layer with fossil remains has been dated by amino acid racemization to 143.8 ± 38.9 ka (earliest Late Pleistocene or latest Middle Pleistocene). Five mammal species have been identified in the assemblage: Crocuta spelaea (Goldfuss, 1823) Capra pyre- naica (Schinz, 1838), Lagomorpha indet, Arvicolidae indet and Galemys pyrenaicus (Geoffroy, 1811). The remains of C. spelaea represent a mostly complete skeleton in anatomical semi-connection. The hyena specimen represents the most complete skel- eton ever recovered in Iberia and one of the most complete remains in Europe. It has been compared anatomically and biometrically with both European cave hyenas and extant spotted hyenas. In addition, a taphonomic study has been carried out in order to understand the origin and preservation of these exceptional remains. The results sug- gest rapid burial with few scavenging modifications putatively produced by a medium sized carnivore. A review of the Pleistocene Iberian record of Crocuta spp. has been carried out, enabling us to establish one of the earliest records of C. spelaea in the recently discovered Los Aprendices cave, and also showing that the most extensive geographical distribution of this species occurred during the Late Pleistocene (MIS4- 2).
    [Show full text]