Pub Date : 2024-02-23DOI: 10.1177/09596836241231457
María Paula Weihmüller, Andrés Darío Izeta, Ashley Sharpe, Mai Takigami, Thiago Costa, Gabriela Roxana Cattáneo
The application of stable isotope analyses allows a diachronic characterisation of species habitat and feeding behaviour, information of utmost importance for zooarchaeological research. In South America, the former distribution of the guanaco ( Lama guanicoe) encompassed a much larger territory than the current one. Within the Argentinean Great Chaco, only a small native population persists in Northwestern Córdoba province, Central Argentina, where it was once widely distributed. In this paper, we present the first set of dentin and collagen δ13C and δ15N values for this relict population ( N = 18) along with archaeological data of guanaco specimens ( N = 19) dated to the Middle and Late Holocene from the nearby Ongamira valley. Neither deciduous and permanent teeth nor males and females show marked differences within the modern samples. Both modern and archaeological guanaco δ13C values indicate a mixed diet of C3 and, to a lesser extent, C4 plants. Conversely, the δ15N values exhibit distinct signals between the Arid and the Mountain Chaco subregions. The diet breadth of the archaeological guanacos suggests the use of transitional or ecotonal environments, also reflected in the size of their isotopic niche as opposed to modern guanacos. Regarding the timing of the species retraction in the region, there is no evidence of a shift in its habitat during the period between ~4700 and 190014C years BP. We suggest their retraction probably occurred later than previously proposed in regional zooarchaeological models.
{"title":"Assessing the diet of modern and archaeological guanacos from the Great Chaco in Córdoba, Argentina, through stable isotope analysis (δ13C, δ15N) of bone and dentin collagen Implications for paleoenvironmental and zooarchaeological studies","authors":"María Paula Weihmüller, Andrés Darío Izeta, Ashley Sharpe, Mai Takigami, Thiago Costa, Gabriela Roxana Cattáneo","doi":"10.1177/09596836241231457","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09596836241231457","url":null,"abstract":"The application of stable isotope analyses allows a diachronic characterisation of species habitat and feeding behaviour, information of utmost importance for zooarchaeological research. In South America, the former distribution of the guanaco ( Lama guanicoe) encompassed a much larger territory than the current one. Within the Argentinean Great Chaco, only a small native population persists in Northwestern Córdoba province, Central Argentina, where it was once widely distributed. In this paper, we present the first set of dentin and collagen δ<jats:sup>13</jats:sup>C and δ<jats:sup>15</jats:sup>N values for this relict population ( N = 18) along with archaeological data of guanaco specimens ( N = 19) dated to the Middle and Late Holocene from the nearby Ongamira valley. Neither deciduous and permanent teeth nor males and females show marked differences within the modern samples. Both modern and archaeological guanaco δ<jats:sup>13</jats:sup>C values indicate a mixed diet of C<jats:sub>3</jats:sub> and, to a lesser extent, C<jats:sub>4</jats:sub> plants. Conversely, the δ<jats:sup>15</jats:sup>N values exhibit distinct signals between the Arid and the Mountain Chaco subregions. The diet breadth of the archaeological guanacos suggests the use of transitional or ecotonal environments, also reflected in the size of their isotopic niche as opposed to modern guanacos. Regarding the timing of the species retraction in the region, there is no evidence of a shift in its habitat during the period between ~4700 and 1900<jats:sup>14</jats:sup>C years BP. We suggest their retraction probably occurred later than previously proposed in regional zooarchaeological models.","PeriodicalId":517388,"journal":{"name":"The Holocene","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139957115","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-22DOI: 10.1177/09596836241231450
Fernando J Fernández, Ailín A Guillermo, José Agustín Cordero, Pablo Teta, Sara García-Morato
The studies of the small mammal fossil and recent assemblages from the Limay river basin (Northwestern Patagonia) have strongly increased during the last decade. Taxonomic, taphonomic, and paleoecological information about small rodents and marsupials recovered from fossil sites offers the opportunity to discuss the periods of change and stability in the conformation of their communities through the Anthropocene. Here, we used two large data matrix of fossil and recent small mammal samples. As starting point, we considered the small mammal record of Epullán Grande cave (LL thereafter), which covers the Early Holocene/Post-hispanic Period, in order to assess the impact of anthropic activities on the small mammal communities during the Anthropocene. The taphonomic analysis performed on the newness samples from LL confirms the predatory activity of Tyto furcata on sigmodontines and human consumption on caviomorphs (mostly for the last ca. 1000 years). The analysis of manganese oxide staining suggested higher levels of moisture during the earliest formation of the LL sequence. The taxonomic results indicate a major diversity in the small mammal fossil assemblages to the later periods of LL and other fossil sequences of the Limay basin of the Anthropocene. Conversely, opportunistic sigmodontines ( Abrothrix olivacea, Calomys musculinus, Eligmodontia spp. and Oligoryzomys longicaudatus) experienced a growth in the recent samples. Some stenoic and specialist species ( Euneomys spp., Lestodelphys halli, Loxodontomys micropus and Reithrodon auritus) were abundant in the temporal units associated with the Anthropocene, but now are in retraction. Additionally, the drop in the diversity of recent assemblages supports a restructuration of small mammal communities from Limay river basin occurred in the 20th century.
{"title":"Small mammal records from Limay river basin (Northwestern Patagonia) in the Anthropocene from a taphonomical and paleoecological perspective","authors":"Fernando J Fernández, Ailín A Guillermo, José Agustín Cordero, Pablo Teta, Sara García-Morato","doi":"10.1177/09596836241231450","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09596836241231450","url":null,"abstract":"The studies of the small mammal fossil and recent assemblages from the Limay river basin (Northwestern Patagonia) have strongly increased during the last decade. Taxonomic, taphonomic, and paleoecological information about small rodents and marsupials recovered from fossil sites offers the opportunity to discuss the periods of change and stability in the conformation of their communities through the Anthropocene. Here, we used two large data matrix of fossil and recent small mammal samples. As starting point, we considered the small mammal record of Epullán Grande cave (LL thereafter), which covers the Early Holocene/Post-hispanic Period, in order to assess the impact of anthropic activities on the small mammal communities during the Anthropocene. The taphonomic analysis performed on the newness samples from LL confirms the predatory activity of Tyto furcata on sigmodontines and human consumption on caviomorphs (mostly for the last ca. 1000 years). The analysis of manganese oxide staining suggested higher levels of moisture during the earliest formation of the LL sequence. The taxonomic results indicate a major diversity in the small mammal fossil assemblages to the later periods of LL and other fossil sequences of the Limay basin of the Anthropocene. Conversely, opportunistic sigmodontines ( Abrothrix olivacea, Calomys musculinus, Eligmodontia spp. and Oligoryzomys longicaudatus) experienced a growth in the recent samples. Some stenoic and specialist species ( Euneomys spp., Lestodelphys halli, Loxodontomys micropus and Reithrodon auritus) were abundant in the temporal units associated with the Anthropocene, but now are in retraction. Additionally, the drop in the diversity of recent assemblages supports a restructuration of small mammal communities from Limay river basin occurred in the 20th century.","PeriodicalId":517388,"journal":{"name":"The Holocene","volume":"143 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139957120","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-21DOI: 10.1177/09596836241231444
Damián G Vales
Humans have altered marine ecosystems over very long-time scales and historical data is often needed to understand the true magnitude of human impacts. The Southwest Atlantic Ocean has a long history of large-scale removal of marine vertebrates due to whaling, sealing, and fishing in the past three centuries. Historical catch records are crucial in assessing the conservation status of these historically over-exploited populations and setting suitable recovery goals. However, several gaps in the history of exploitation of many populations limit our ability to judge recoveries success. This study examines the history of the Spanish fishing company, the Real Compañía Marítima (Royal Maritime Company), and reconstructs its catches of marine mammals in Patagonia and on the north coast of the Río de la Plata. The analysis of a wide range of historical sources reveals that, between the years 1790 and 1804, the Company extracted less than 100 southern right whales Eubalaena australis, some 200,000 South American fur seals Arctocephalus australis and South American sea lions Otaria flavescens, and a few southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina. Although the Company’s whale catch is negligible compared to that of other nations in the same whaling grounds, the amount of fur seals and sea lions removed from the ecosystem deserves attention. This historical survey provides us with the first estimate of the catches made by the Real Compañía Marítima. However, these figures only represent a small part of the extractive activities that took place in the region and further research is encouraged to assess the true dimension of human impacts on Southwest Atlantic ecosystems. The incorporation of retrospective data into ecological studies can be laborious and may have inherent biases, but it also provides valuable information for comprehending modern ecosystems and formulating appropriate conservation plans.
{"title":"A reconstruction of the marine mammal harvest by the Real Compañía Marítima through the analysis of historical sources (AD 1790–1804)","authors":"Damián G Vales","doi":"10.1177/09596836241231444","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09596836241231444","url":null,"abstract":"Humans have altered marine ecosystems over very long-time scales and historical data is often needed to understand the true magnitude of human impacts. The Southwest Atlantic Ocean has a long history of large-scale removal of marine vertebrates due to whaling, sealing, and fishing in the past three centuries. Historical catch records are crucial in assessing the conservation status of these historically over-exploited populations and setting suitable recovery goals. However, several gaps in the history of exploitation of many populations limit our ability to judge recoveries success. This study examines the history of the Spanish fishing company, the Real Compañía Marítima (Royal Maritime Company), and reconstructs its catches of marine mammals in Patagonia and on the north coast of the Río de la Plata. The analysis of a wide range of historical sources reveals that, between the years 1790 and 1804, the Company extracted less than 100 southern right whales Eubalaena australis, some 200,000 South American fur seals Arctocephalus australis and South American sea lions Otaria flavescens, and a few southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina. Although the Company’s whale catch is negligible compared to that of other nations in the same whaling grounds, the amount of fur seals and sea lions removed from the ecosystem deserves attention. This historical survey provides us with the first estimate of the catches made by the Real Compañía Marítima. However, these figures only represent a small part of the extractive activities that took place in the region and further research is encouraged to assess the true dimension of human impacts on Southwest Atlantic ecosystems. The incorporation of retrospective data into ecological studies can be laborious and may have inherent biases, but it also provides valuable information for comprehending modern ecosystems and formulating appropriate conservation plans.","PeriodicalId":517388,"journal":{"name":"The Holocene","volume":"30 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139957121","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-21DOI: 10.1177/09596836241231454
Adolfo F Gil, Clara Otaola, Jonathan Dombrosky, Martín Luna, Gisela Quiroga, Armado Dauverné, Steve Wolverton, Roberto Pereyra Lobos, Gustavo Neme
This paper presents the results of a study on the isotopic ecology of guanacos in central western Argentina. We examine the historical population ecology of guanacos using stable isotope analysis of bone collagen from pre-Hispanic and modern guanaco populations ( n = 129), considering variability in two ecoregions: the Monte hot desert and the Andean-Patagonian cold desert. Our study addresses the consistency of guanaco diets over time, evaluating palaeoecology to provide information for conservation of this taxon. We found significant differences in isotopic niche size between modern and archaeological guanacos. When analyzed by ecoregion, there were significant differences in niche size through time, indicating that guanacos had distinctive dietary habits and occupied different ecological niches across the ecoregions. Comparing Standard Ellipse Areas (SEA) through time and across space, we observed that the archaeological SEA for guanacos is smaller than its modern counterpart in the Andean-Patagonia ecoregion. Conversely, in Monte, the archaeological SEA is larger than the one established for modern samples. The contrast between pre-Hispanic and modern populations highlight the impact of human activity and conservation efforts on the distribution and ecology of guanacos. These findings have important implications for understanding guanaco ecology with consequences for conservation policies.
{"title":"Dietary change of North Patagonian guanacos: A historical ecology perspective through the study of stable isotopes","authors":"Adolfo F Gil, Clara Otaola, Jonathan Dombrosky, Martín Luna, Gisela Quiroga, Armado Dauverné, Steve Wolverton, Roberto Pereyra Lobos, Gustavo Neme","doi":"10.1177/09596836241231454","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09596836241231454","url":null,"abstract":"This paper presents the results of a study on the isotopic ecology of guanacos in central western Argentina. We examine the historical population ecology of guanacos using stable isotope analysis of bone collagen from pre-Hispanic and modern guanaco populations ( n = 129), considering variability in two ecoregions: the Monte hot desert and the Andean-Patagonian cold desert. Our study addresses the consistency of guanaco diets over time, evaluating palaeoecology to provide information for conservation of this taxon. We found significant differences in isotopic niche size between modern and archaeological guanacos. When analyzed by ecoregion, there were significant differences in niche size through time, indicating that guanacos had distinctive dietary habits and occupied different ecological niches across the ecoregions. Comparing Standard Ellipse Areas (SEA) through time and across space, we observed that the archaeological SEA for guanacos is smaller than its modern counterpart in the Andean-Patagonia ecoregion. Conversely, in Monte, the archaeological SEA is larger than the one established for modern samples. The contrast between pre-Hispanic and modern populations highlight the impact of human activity and conservation efforts on the distribution and ecology of guanacos. These findings have important implications for understanding guanaco ecology with consequences for conservation policies.","PeriodicalId":517388,"journal":{"name":"The Holocene","volume":"32 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139957110","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-21DOI: 10.1177/09596836241231455
MB Velardez-Fresia, SV Urquiza
By comparing the present and past avifauna, we investigate the human practices that involved the knowledge and interaction with birds during the Late-Holocene in Puna Austral Argentina. Ethnoarchaeological methodology was used, which included the analysis of feathers recovered from archeological excavations and interviews with local people. Interviews and bird observations were carried out in the spring/summer months, and in some cases the interviewees accompanied us to make the sightings. The results show a correspondence between current and past bird populations for some species of Passeriformes, Strigiformes, Rheiformes, and Anseriformes. Continuity was observed in the interaction of people with certain birds. This is linked to their farming and livestock lifestyle. Currently this situation is changing due to the increasing expansion of mining activities. This research establishes a baseline to compare the consequences of mining on avifauna and the local population.
{"title":"Long-term interactions between avifauna and humans in the southern Andean Puna during the Late-Holocene","authors":"MB Velardez-Fresia, SV Urquiza","doi":"10.1177/09596836241231455","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09596836241231455","url":null,"abstract":"By comparing the present and past avifauna, we investigate the human practices that involved the knowledge and interaction with birds during the Late-Holocene in Puna Austral Argentina. Ethnoarchaeological methodology was used, which included the analysis of feathers recovered from archeological excavations and interviews with local people. Interviews and bird observations were carried out in the spring/summer months, and in some cases the interviewees accompanied us to make the sightings. The results show a correspondence between current and past bird populations for some species of Passeriformes, Strigiformes, Rheiformes, and Anseriformes. Continuity was observed in the interaction of people with certain birds. This is linked to their farming and livestock lifestyle. Currently this situation is changing due to the increasing expansion of mining activities. This research establishes a baseline to compare the consequences of mining on avifauna and the local population.","PeriodicalId":517388,"journal":{"name":"The Holocene","volume":"20 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139957113","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-21DOI: 10.1177/09596836241231442
Facundo Sesto Rubini, Julián Mignino, Nicolás M Guardia, Agustín Zarco, Pablo Teta, Agustina A Ojeda, José Manuel López
Barn owls are the most widely distributed group of owls in the world and are among the most common accumulators of small vertebrate remains at archeological and paleontological sites. Despite its importance as a bone remains accumulator and predictor of paleoenvironmental conditions due to its generalist habits, the vertebrate prey of this raptor has been scarcely studied from an ecological community perspective, especially considering the diverse range of prey it captures. Archeological, paleontological, and taphonomic studies typically reveal taxon-specific patterns, focusing primarily on small rodents. In order to overcome this problem, we studied an assemblage of vertebrate bones from barn owl pellets in the central Monte Desert of Argentina. Our analysis included the full range of prey taxa, including rodents, marsupials, birds, and reptiles, addressed from both an ecological and neo-taphonomic perspective. We compare the taxonomic and taphonomic findings with those from regional small vertebrate records obtained from various sampling types over the past 50 years to explore recent environmental changes within the Anthropocene. The assemblage of small vertebrate prey presented here comprises five species of cricetids, one species from the Caviidae family, and at least one ctenomyid rodent species. Additionally, the assemblage includes one species of didelphid marsupial, one reptile species, and at least six passeriform bird species that belong to separate families. The overall taphonomic trends are consistent with the typical barn owl pattern. However, our analysis identified a larger percentage of postcranial elements exhibiting signs of digestion compared to pellet-derived vertebrate bone assemblages previously documented. Furthermore, it is important to note that a significant proportion of avian bone fragments exhibit distinct signs of digestion.
{"title":"The barn owl as an accumulator of bone remains in central western Argentina: multi-taxa neo-taphonomic approach and implications for Holocene contexts","authors":"Facundo Sesto Rubini, Julián Mignino, Nicolás M Guardia, Agustín Zarco, Pablo Teta, Agustina A Ojeda, José Manuel López","doi":"10.1177/09596836241231442","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09596836241231442","url":null,"abstract":"Barn owls are the most widely distributed group of owls in the world and are among the most common accumulators of small vertebrate remains at archeological and paleontological sites. Despite its importance as a bone remains accumulator and predictor of paleoenvironmental conditions due to its generalist habits, the vertebrate prey of this raptor has been scarcely studied from an ecological community perspective, especially considering the diverse range of prey it captures. Archeological, paleontological, and taphonomic studies typically reveal taxon-specific patterns, focusing primarily on small rodents. In order to overcome this problem, we studied an assemblage of vertebrate bones from barn owl pellets in the central Monte Desert of Argentina. Our analysis included the full range of prey taxa, including rodents, marsupials, birds, and reptiles, addressed from both an ecological and neo-taphonomic perspective. We compare the taxonomic and taphonomic findings with those from regional small vertebrate records obtained from various sampling types over the past 50 years to explore recent environmental changes within the Anthropocene. The assemblage of small vertebrate prey presented here comprises five species of cricetids, one species from the Caviidae family, and at least one ctenomyid rodent species. Additionally, the assemblage includes one species of didelphid marsupial, one reptile species, and at least six passeriform bird species that belong to separate families. The overall taphonomic trends are consistent with the typical barn owl pattern. However, our analysis identified a larger percentage of postcranial elements exhibiting signs of digestion compared to pellet-derived vertebrate bone assemblages previously documented. Furthermore, it is important to note that a significant proportion of avian bone fragments exhibit distinct signs of digestion.","PeriodicalId":517388,"journal":{"name":"The Holocene","volume":"61 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139957122","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-21DOI: 10.1177/09596836241231436
Ariadna Svoboda, Damián G Vales
The northern coast of the San Jorge Gulf, Atlantic Patagonia, is recognised as a marine biodiversity hot spot and is designated as a priority conservation area. Among marine mammals, three species of pinnipeds inhabit the region. While South American sea lions ( Otaria flavescens) have a higher abundance and a larger number of colonies than South American fur seals ( Arctocephalus australis), a few individuals of the Southern elephant seal ( Mirounga leonina) reside in the region. Nevertheless, little is known about the abundance and distribution of these pinnipeds before the 18th century, when various extractive activities became widespread, including the unregulated exploitation of furs and oil. This study aims to examine whether the distribution and relative abundance of ancient pinnipeds differ from present-day populations. To achieve this, we conducted inter-specific identification of pinniped bone remains coming from archaeological assemblages dated from 6000 to 600 14C years BP and reviewed historical sources to contrast these retrospective data with modern ecological literature. The results suggest changes over time in the relative abundances of species within the pinniped community. The relative abundance of fur seals was greater than or equal to that of sea lions in most Late-Holocene pinniped assemblages. Additionally, fur seals have been recorded in historical and Late-Holocene periods in places where they are currently very rare. These findings are consistent with the higher relative abundance of fur seals recorded in other archaeological sites along the Patagonian coast, suggesting that modern distribution and abundance have been heavily affected by commercial hunting. This study contributes to a better understanding of the nature and magnitude of the anthropic impact on the marine ecosystem of the northern coast of the San Jorge Gulf. It also provides historical baseline information to strengthen conservation policies and restoration efforts.
{"title":"Historical ecology of pinnipeds of the northern coast of the San Jorge Gulf (central Patagonia, Argentina) since the Late-Holocene","authors":"Ariadna Svoboda, Damián G Vales","doi":"10.1177/09596836241231436","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09596836241231436","url":null,"abstract":"The northern coast of the San Jorge Gulf, Atlantic Patagonia, is recognised as a marine biodiversity hot spot and is designated as a priority conservation area. Among marine mammals, three species of pinnipeds inhabit the region. While South American sea lions ( Otaria flavescens) have a higher abundance and a larger number of colonies than South American fur seals ( Arctocephalus australis), a few individuals of the Southern elephant seal ( Mirounga leonina) reside in the region. Nevertheless, little is known about the abundance and distribution of these pinnipeds before the 18th century, when various extractive activities became widespread, including the unregulated exploitation of furs and oil. This study aims to examine whether the distribution and relative abundance of ancient pinnipeds differ from present-day populations. To achieve this, we conducted inter-specific identification of pinniped bone remains coming from archaeological assemblages dated from 6000 to 600 <jats:sup>14</jats:sup>C years BP and reviewed historical sources to contrast these retrospective data with modern ecological literature. The results suggest changes over time in the relative abundances of species within the pinniped community. The relative abundance of fur seals was greater than or equal to that of sea lions in most Late-Holocene pinniped assemblages. Additionally, fur seals have been recorded in historical and Late-Holocene periods in places where they are currently very rare. These findings are consistent with the higher relative abundance of fur seals recorded in other archaeological sites along the Patagonian coast, suggesting that modern distribution and abundance have been heavily affected by commercial hunting. This study contributes to a better understanding of the nature and magnitude of the anthropic impact on the marine ecosystem of the northern coast of the San Jorge Gulf. It also provides historical baseline information to strengthen conservation policies and restoration efforts.","PeriodicalId":517388,"journal":{"name":"The Holocene","volume":"50 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139957118","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-21DOI: 10.1177/09596836241231464
Julián Mignino, José Manuel López, Thiago Costa, Miguel Giardina
The objective of this study is to characterize the taphonomic signature of Strix chacoensis in bone and tooth remains of microvertebrates (birds and micromammals). The chaco owl is a bird of prey whose diet and bone modification patterns are little known. In a sample of 41 pellets, an unusual proportion of bird remains over mammal remains was observed. We evaluate the ecological implications of this phenomenon, which could designate Strix chacoensis as a bioindicator of well-preserved forest and shrubland environments when combined with the specific ecological requirements of the prey species. Furthermore, taphonomic patterns vary across taxonomic groups: bird remains exhibited lower modifications due to breakage and digestion compared to micromammal remains. Therefore, this raptor can be characterized as having a minimal impact on bird remains and an intermediate impact on mammal remains.
{"title":"Strix chacoensis (Aves: Strigiformes) as an accumulator of vertebrate material in an endangered world: Exploring new taphonomic and ecological perspectives","authors":"Julián Mignino, José Manuel López, Thiago Costa, Miguel Giardina","doi":"10.1177/09596836241231464","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09596836241231464","url":null,"abstract":"The objective of this study is to characterize the taphonomic signature of Strix chacoensis in bone and tooth remains of microvertebrates (birds and micromammals). The chaco owl is a bird of prey whose diet and bone modification patterns are little known. In a sample of 41 pellets, an unusual proportion of bird remains over mammal remains was observed. We evaluate the ecological implications of this phenomenon, which could designate Strix chacoensis as a bioindicator of well-preserved forest and shrubland environments when combined with the specific ecological requirements of the prey species. Furthermore, taphonomic patterns vary across taxonomic groups: bird remains exhibited lower modifications due to breakage and digestion compared to micromammal remains. Therefore, this raptor can be characterized as having a minimal impact on bird remains and an intermediate impact on mammal remains.","PeriodicalId":517388,"journal":{"name":"The Holocene","volume":"76 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139957111","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-21DOI: 10.1177/09596836241231435
Analia Andrade, Pablo Teta, Mercedes Grisel Fernández, Pablo Marcelo Fernández
Past and current climatic and environmental changes have contributed to configure actual species distributions and abundances. Knowing their evolution over time allows discrimination between natural and anthropogenic causes in current composition of faunal communities. We evaluate the changes in small mammal assemblages from the north-central Patagonian Andean forests since the Late-Holocene to recent times and their relationship with the environmental modifications driven by human activities. A bone sequence from Población Anticura archaeological site (lower Manso river valley, Río Negro province, Argentina) was studied, which encompasses a time span from the early Late-Holocene (3350 ± 100–2270 ±80 years BP) to final Late-Holocene (1420 ± 70–530 ±50 years BP) and Historical times (480 ± 70–280 ±40 years BP). The species composition indicates that forest environment established in the area from at least the Late-Holocene (dominance of Loxodontomys micropus, with subordinate frequencies of Abrothrix olivacea, A. hirta, Geoxus valdivianus, Irenomys tarsalis, and Paynomys macronyx), with patches of (or near to) open environments (presence of Reithrodon auritus and cavids). It is remarkable the presence of cavids, which increased their abundance in the sequence towards Historical times but disappeared nowadays. The low frequencies (<10%) of the rodent Oligoryzomys longicaudatus along the entire sequence is also relevant, since this rodent is the reservoir of the Andes strain of the Hantavirus (ANDV), which causes pulmonary syndrome. This mouse dominates the small mammal assemblages from forests and ecotonal shrublands of northwestern Patagonia (abundances exceed 50% in owl pellets recently collected from the study area). Current configuration of forest and ecotonal assemblages, particularly the high abundance of O. longicaudatus, should be mainly linked to anthropogenic causes, including the introduction of cattle, land clearing, and the advance of introduced plant species such as the sweet briar ( Rosa eglanteria). Particularly, this exotic shrub offers shelter and additional food for O. longicaudatus, turning their shrublands into spaces of high epidemiological risk.
{"title":"Late-Holocene stability and recent changes in small mammal communities in north-central Andean forests of Patagonia","authors":"Analia Andrade, Pablo Teta, Mercedes Grisel Fernández, Pablo Marcelo Fernández","doi":"10.1177/09596836241231435","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09596836241231435","url":null,"abstract":"Past and current climatic and environmental changes have contributed to configure actual species distributions and abundances. Knowing their evolution over time allows discrimination between natural and anthropogenic causes in current composition of faunal communities. We evaluate the changes in small mammal assemblages from the north-central Patagonian Andean forests since the Late-Holocene to recent times and their relationship with the environmental modifications driven by human activities. A bone sequence from Población Anticura archaeological site (lower Manso river valley, Río Negro province, Argentina) was studied, which encompasses a time span from the early Late-Holocene (3350 ± 100–2270 ±80 years BP) to final Late-Holocene (1420 ± 70–530 ±50 years BP) and Historical times (480 ± 70–280 ±40 years BP). The species composition indicates that forest environment established in the area from at least the Late-Holocene (dominance of Loxodontomys micropus, with subordinate frequencies of Abrothrix olivacea, A. hirta, Geoxus valdivianus, Irenomys tarsalis, and Paynomys macronyx), with patches of (or near to) open environments (presence of Reithrodon auritus and cavids). It is remarkable the presence of cavids, which increased their abundance in the sequence towards Historical times but disappeared nowadays. The low frequencies (<10%) of the rodent Oligoryzomys longicaudatus along the entire sequence is also relevant, since this rodent is the reservoir of the Andes strain of the Hantavirus (ANDV), which causes pulmonary syndrome. This mouse dominates the small mammal assemblages from forests and ecotonal shrublands of northwestern Patagonia (abundances exceed 50% in owl pellets recently collected from the study area). Current configuration of forest and ecotonal assemblages, particularly the high abundance of O. longicaudatus, should be mainly linked to anthropogenic causes, including the introduction of cattle, land clearing, and the advance of introduced plant species such as the sweet briar ( Rosa eglanteria). Particularly, this exotic shrub offers shelter and additional food for O. longicaudatus, turning their shrublands into spaces of high epidemiological risk.","PeriodicalId":517388,"journal":{"name":"The Holocene","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139957116","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2024-02-20DOI: 10.1177/09596836241231456
Julián Mignino, José Manuel López, Celeste Tamara Samec
This special volume considers major recent changes in southern South American animal communities. Eleven papers consider megafauna, pinnipeds, marine mammals, small terrestrial mammals and birds and are grouped under four sub-headings: (1) Isotopic insights into guanaco populations; (2) Historical sources and marine ecosystem change; (3) Changes in small mammal communities and human impacts; and (4) megafaunal extinction, domestication, avifauna and recent interactions with humans. Although some of these contributions include changes that occurred earlier in the Holocene, many highlight a current decrease in the taxonomic diversity of communities and ecosystems in different environments, which are likely to have been caused by modern human activities. The Anthropocene concept is seen as providing a useful framework for understanding and mitigation of such adverse human impacts.
{"title":"Zooarchaeological perspectives in the framework of the Anthropocene: Contributions to ecological, environmental and conservation studies from South America","authors":"Julián Mignino, José Manuel López, Celeste Tamara Samec","doi":"10.1177/09596836241231456","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1177/09596836241231456","url":null,"abstract":"This special volume considers major recent changes in southern South American animal communities. Eleven papers consider megafauna, pinnipeds, marine mammals, small terrestrial mammals and birds and are grouped under four sub-headings: (1) Isotopic insights into guanaco populations; (2) Historical sources and marine ecosystem change; (3) Changes in small mammal communities and human impacts; and (4) megafaunal extinction, domestication, avifauna and recent interactions with humans. Although some of these contributions include changes that occurred earlier in the Holocene, many highlight a current decrease in the taxonomic diversity of communities and ecosystems in different environments, which are likely to have been caused by modern human activities. The Anthropocene concept is seen as providing a useful framework for understanding and mitigation of such adverse human impacts.","PeriodicalId":517388,"journal":{"name":"The Holocene","volume":"78 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2024-02-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"139957117","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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