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Saltré F, Chadœuf J, Higham T, Ochocki M, Block S, Bunney E, Llamas B, Bradshaw CJA. Environmental conditions associated with initial northern expansion of anatomically modern humans. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4364. [PMID: 38777837 PMCID: PMC11111671 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48762-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The ability of our ancestors to switch food sources and to migrate to more favourable environments enabled the rapid global expansion of anatomically modern humans beyond Africa as early as 120,000 years ago. Whether this versatility was largely the result of environmentally determined processes or was instead dominated by cultural drivers, social structures, and interactions among different groups, is unclear. We develop a statistical approach that combines both archaeological and genetic data to infer the more-likely initial expansion routes in northern Eurasia and the Americas. We then quantify the main differences in past environmental conditions between the more-likely routes and other potential (less-likely) routes of expansion. We establish that, even though cultural drivers remain plausible at finer scales, the emergent migration corridors were predominantly constrained by a combination of regional environmental conditions, including the presence of a forest-grassland ecotone, changes in temperature and precipitation, and proximity to rivers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédérik Saltré
- Global Ecology | Partuyarta Ngadluku Wardli Kuu, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia.
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
| | - Joël Chadœuf
- UR 1052, French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), Montfavet, France
| | - Thomas Higham
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, University Biology Building, Carl Djerassi Platz 1, A-1030, Wien, Austria
- Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3TG, UK
| | - Monty Ochocki
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, University of Vienna, University Biology Building, Carl Djerassi Platz 1, A-1030, Wien, Austria
- Oxford Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3TG, UK
| | - Sebastián Block
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, 08544-1003, USA
| | - Ellyse Bunney
- Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, Urrbrae, SA, 5064, Australia
| | - Bastien Llamas
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences, The Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, 5005, Australia
- National Centre for Indigenous Genomics, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
- Indigenous Genomics, Telethon Kids Institute, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Corey J A Bradshaw
- Global Ecology | Partuyarta Ngadluku Wardli Kuu, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA, 5001, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
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2
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Bradshaw CJA, Reepmeyer C, Saltré F, Agapiou A, Kassianidou V, Demesticha S, Zomeni Z, Polidorou M, Moutsiou T. Demographic models predict end-Pleistocene arrival and rapid expansion of pre-agropastoralist humans in Cyprus. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2318293121. [PMID: 38753504 PMCID: PMC11126943 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2318293121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
The antiquity of human dispersal into Mediterranean islands and ensuing coastal adaptation have remained largely unexplored due to the prevailing assumption that the sea was a barrier to movement and that islands were hostile environments to early hunter-gatherers [J. F. Cherry, T. P. Leppard, J. Isl. Coast. Archaeol. 13, 191-205 (2018), 10.1080/15564894.2016.1276489]. Using the latest archaeological data, hindcasted climate projections, and age-structured demographic models, we demonstrate evidence for early arrival (14,257 to 13,182 calendar years ago) to Cyprus and predicted that large groups of people (~1,000 to 1,375) arrived in 2 to 3 main events occurring within <100 y to ensure low extinction risk. These results indicate that the postglacial settlement of Cyprus involved only a few large-scale, organized events requiring advanced watercraft technology. Our spatially debiased and Signor-Lipps-corrected estimates indicate rapid settlement of the island within <200 y, and expansion to a median of 4,000 to 5,000 people (0.36 to 0.46 km-2) in <11 human generations (<300 y). Our results do not support the hypothesis of inaccessible and inhospitable islands in the Mediterranean for pre-agropastoralists, agreeing with analogous conclusions for other parts of the world [M. I. Bird et al., Sci. Rep. 9, 8220 (2019), 10.1038/s41598-019-42946-9]. Our results also highlight the need to revisit these questions in the Mediterranean and test their validity with new technologies, field methods, and data. By applying stochastic models to the Mediterranean region, we can place Cyprus and large islands in general as attractive and favorable destinations for paleolithic peoples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey J. A. Bradshaw
- Global Ecology | Partuyarta Ngadluku Wardli Kuu, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA5001, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW2522, Australia
| | - Christian Reepmeyer
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW2522, Australia
- Commission for Archaeology of Non-European Cultures, German Archaeological Institute, Bonn53173, Germany
- College of Arts, Society and Education, James Cook University Cairns, Cairns, QLD4870, Australia
| | - Frédérik Saltré
- Global Ecology | Partuyarta Ngadluku Wardli Kuu, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA5001, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW2522, Australia
| | - Athos Agapiou
- Cyprus University of Technology, Lemesos3036, Cyprus
| | | | - Stella Demesticha
- Archaeological Research Unit, University of Cyprus, Nicosia1095, Cyprus
| | - Zomenia Zomeni
- Geological Survey Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment of the Republic of Cyprus, Nicosia1301, Cyprus
| | | | - Theodora Moutsiou
- College of Arts, Society and Education, James Cook University Cairns, Cairns, QLD4870, Australia
- Archaeological Research Unit, University of Cyprus, Nicosia1095, Cyprus
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3
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Mitchell DR, Cairns SC, Körtner G, Bradshaw CJA, Saltré F, Weisbecker V. Differential developmental rates and demographics in Red Kangaroo ( Osphranter rufus) populations separated by the dingo barrier fence. J Mammal 2023; 104:929-940. [PMID: 37800099 PMCID: PMC10550248 DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyad053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/27/2023] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Decommissioning the dingo barrier fence has been suggested to reduce destructive dingo control and encourage a free transfer of biota between environments in Australia. Yet the potential impacts that over a century of predator exclusion might have had on the population dynamics and developmental biology of prey populations has not been assessed. We here combine demographic data and both linear and geometric morphometrics to assess differences in populations among 166 red kangaroos (Osphranter rufus)-a primary prey species of the dingo-from two isolated populations on either side of the fence. We also quantified the differences in aboveground vegetation biomass for the last 10 years on either side of the fence. We found that the age structure and growth patterns, but not cranial shape, differed between the two kangaroo populations. In the population living with a higher density of dingoes, there were relatively fewer females and juveniles. These individuals were larger for a given age, despite what seems to be lower vegetation biomass. However, how much of this biomass represented kangaroo forage is uncertain and requires further on-site assessments. We also identified unexpected differences in the ontogenetic trajectories in relative pes length between the sexes for the whole sample, possibly associated with male competition or differential weight-bearing mechanics. We discuss potential mechanisms behind our findings and suggest that the impacts of contrasting predation pressures across the fence, for red kangaroos and other species, merit further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Rex Mitchell
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia
| | - Stuart C Cairns
- Centre for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2350, Australia
| | - Gerhard Körtner
- Centre for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2350, Australia
| | - Corey J A Bradshaw
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia
- Global Ecology | Partuyarta Ngadluku Wardli Kuu, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia
| | - Frédérik Saltré
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia
- Global Ecology | Partuyarta Ngadluku Wardli Kuu, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia
| | - Vera Weisbecker
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, South Australia 5001, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia
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4
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Legge S, Rumpff L, Garnett ST, Woinarski JCZ. Loss of terrestrial biodiversity in Australia: Magnitude, causation, and response. Science 2023; 381:622-631. [PMID: 37561866 DOI: 10.1126/science.adg7870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Australia's biota is species rich, with high rates of endemism. This natural legacy has rapidly diminished since European colonization. The impacts of invasive species, habitat loss, altered fire regimes, and changed water flows are now compounded by climate change, particularly through extreme drought, heat, wildfire, and flooding. Extinction rates, already far exceeding the global average for mammals, are predicted to escalate across all taxa, and ecosystems are collapsing. These losses are symptomatic of shortcomings in resourcing, law, policy, and management. Informed by examples of advances in conservation practice from invasive species control, Indigenous land management, and citizen science, we describe interventions needed to enhance future resilience. Many characteristics of Australian biodiversity loss are globally relevant, with recovery requiring society to reframe its relationship with the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Legge
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
- Fenner School of Society and the Environment, The Australian National University, Acton, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Libby Rumpff
- School of Agriculture, Food and Ecosystem Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, Australia
| | - Stephen T Garnett
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - John C Z Woinarski
- Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, Northern Territory, Australia
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5
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Lauer DA, Lawing AM, Short RA, Manthi FK, Müller J, Head JJ, McGuire JL. Disruption of trait-environment relationships in African megafauna occurred in the middle Pleistocene. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4016. [PMID: 37463920 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39480-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Mammalian megafauna have been critical to the functioning of Earth's biosphere for millions of years. However, since the Plio-Pleistocene, their biodiversity has declined concurrently with dramatic environmental change and hominin evolution. While these biodiversity declines are well-documented, their implications for the ecological function of megafaunal communities remain uncertain. Here, we adapt ecometric methods to evaluate whether the functional link between communities of herbivorous, eastern African megafauna and their environments (i.e., functional trait-environment relationships) was disrupted as biodiversity losses occurred over the past 7.4 Ma. Herbivore taxonomic and functional diversity began to decline during the Pliocene as open grassland habitats emerged, persisted, and expanded. In the mid-Pleistocene, grassland expansion intensified, and climates became more variable and arid. It was then that phylogenetic diversity declined, and the trait-environment relationships of herbivore communities shifted significantly. Our results divulge the varying implications of different losses in megafaunal biodiversity. Only the losses that occurred since the mid-Pleistocene were coincident with a disturbance to community ecological function. Prior diversity losses, conversely, occurred as the megafaunal species and trait pool narrowed towards those adapted to grassland environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Lauer
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA.
| | - A Michelle Lawing
- Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Rachel A Short
- Department of Natural Resource Management, South Dakota State University, Rapid City, SD, 57703, USA
| | - Fredrick K Manthi
- Department of Earth Sciences, National Museums of Kenya, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Johannes Müller
- Leibniz Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity Science, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin, 10115, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jason J Head
- Department of Zoology and University Museum of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK
| | - Jenny L McGuire
- Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Quantitative Biosciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
- School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, 30332, USA
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6
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Crabtree SA, Dunne JA. Towards a science of archaeoecology. Trends Ecol Evol 2022; 37:976-984. [PMID: 36055892 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2022.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
We propose defining a field of research called 'archaeoecology' that examines the past ~60 000 years of interactions between humans and ecosystems to better understand the human place within them. Archaeoecology explicitly integrates questions, data, and approaches from archaeology and ecology, and coalesces recent and future studies that demonstrate the usefulness of integrating archaeological, environmental, and ecological data for understanding the past. Defining a subfield of archaeoecology, much as the related fields of environmental archaeology and palaeoecology have emerged as distinct areas of research, provides a clear intellectual context for helping us to understand the trajectory of human-ecosystem interactions in the past, during the present, and into the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefani A Crabtree
- Department of Environment and Society, College of Natural Resources, Utah State University, 5200 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-5200, USA; The Ecology Center, Utah State University, 5205 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-5200, USA; Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA; Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, James Cook University, PO Box 6811, Cairns, QLD 4870, Australia; Crow Canyon Research Institute, 23390 County Road K, Cortez, CO 81321, USA.
| | - Jennifer A Dunne
- Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe, NM 87501, USA.
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7
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Cowie RH, Bouchet P, Fontaine B. The Sixth Mass Extinction: fact, fiction or speculation? Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2022; 97:640-663. [PMID: 35014169 PMCID: PMC9786292 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 81] [Impact Index Per Article: 40.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
There have been five Mass Extinction events in the history of Earth's biodiversity, all caused by dramatic but natural phenomena. It has been claimed that the Sixth Mass Extinction may be underway, this time caused entirely by humans. Although considerable evidence indicates that there is a biodiversity crisis of increasing extinctions and plummeting abundances, some do not accept that this amounts to a Sixth Mass Extinction. Often, they use the IUCN Red List to support their stance, arguing that the rate of species loss does not differ from the background rate. However, the Red List is heavily biased: almost all birds and mammals but only a minute fraction of invertebrates have been evaluated against conservation criteria. Incorporating estimates of the true number of invertebrate extinctions leads to the conclusion that the rate vastly exceeds the background rate and that we may indeed be witnessing the start of the Sixth Mass Extinction. As an example, we focus on molluscs, the second largest phylum in numbers of known species, and, extrapolating boldly, estimate that, since around AD 1500, possibly as many as 7.5-13% (150,000-260,000) of all ~2 million known species have already gone extinct, orders of magnitude greater than the 882 (0.04%) on the Red List. We review differences in extinction rates according to realms: marine species face significant threats but, although previous mass extinctions were largely defined by marine invertebrates, there is no evidence that the marine biota has reached the same crisis as the non-marine biota. Island species have suffered far greater rates than continental ones. Plants face similar conservation biases as do invertebrates, although there are hints they may have suffered lower extinction rates. There are also those who do not deny an extinction crisis but accept it as a new trajectory of evolution, because humans are part of the natural world; some even embrace it, with a desire to manipulate it for human benefit. We take issue with these stances. Humans are the only species able to manipulate the Earth on a grand scale, and they have allowed the current crisis to happen. Despite multiple conservation initiatives at various levels, most are not species oriented (certain charismatic vertebrates excepted) and specific actions to protect every living species individually are simply unfeasible because of the tyranny of numbers. As systematic biologists, we encourage the nurturing of the innate human appreciation of biodiversity, but we reaffirm the message that the biodiversity that makes our world so fascinating, beautiful and functional is vanishing unnoticed at an unprecedented rate. In the face of a mounting crisis, scientists must adopt the practices of preventive archaeology, and collect and document as many species as possible before they disappear. All this depends on reviving the venerable study of natural history and taxonomy. Denying the crisis, simply accepting it and doing nothing, or even embracing it for the ostensible benefit of humanity, are not appropriate options and pave the way for the Earth to continue on its sad trajectory towards a Sixth Mass Extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert H. Cowie
- Pacific Biosciences Research CenterUniversity of HawaiiHonoluluHawaii96822U.S.A.
| | - Philippe Bouchet
- Institut Systématique Evolution Biodiversité (ISYEB), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Université, EPHEUniversité des Antilles57 rue Cuvier CP 5175005 ParisFrance
| | - Benoît Fontaine
- UMS 2006 Patrinat (OFB, CNRS, MNHN), Centre d'Écologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (UMR 7204), Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle43 rue Buffon CP 13575005 ParisFrance
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8
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Karp AT, Faith JT, Marlon JR, Staver AC. Global response of fire activity to late Quaternary grazer extinctions. Science 2021; 374:1145-1148. [PMID: 34822271 DOI: 10.1126/science.abj1580] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
[Figure: see text].
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison T Karp
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - J Tyler Faith
- Natural History Museum of Utah, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.,Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.,Origins Centre, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | | | - A Carla Staver
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.,Yale Institute for Biospheric Studies, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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9
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Abstract
Cooper et al. (Research Articles, 19 February 2021, p. 811) propose that a weakening geomagnetic field prior to the Laschamps Excursion explains megafaunal extinctions and human cultural changes that they claim happened 42,000 years ago. However, these authors misrepresent both the data and interpretations of cited work on extinctions and human cultural changes, so the specific claims they make about extinctions and cultural changes are false.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Hawks
- Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA, and Centre for the Exploration of the Deep Human Journey, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
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10
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Cooper A, Turney CSM, Palmer J, Hogg A, McGlone M, Wilmshurst J, Lorrey AM, Heaton TJ, Russell JM, McCracken K, Anet JG, Rozanov E, Friedel M, Suter I, Peter T, Muscheler R, Adolphi F, Dosseto A, Faith JT, Fenwick P, Fogwill CJ, Hughen K, Lipson M, Liu J, Nowaczyk N, Rainsley E, Ramsey CB, Sebastianelli P, Souilmi Y, Stevenson J, Thomas Z, Tobler R, Zech R. Response to Comment on "A global environmental crisis 42,000 years ago". Science 2021; 374:eabh3655. [PMID: 34793228 DOI: 10.1126/science.abh3655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Our paper about the impacts of the Laschamps Geomagnetic Excursion 42,000 years ago has provoked considerable scientific and public interest, particularly in the so-called Adams Event associated with the initial transition of the magnetic poles. Although we welcome the opportunity to discuss our new ideas, Hawks' assertions of misrepresentation are especially disappointing given his limited examination of the material.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Cooper
- South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia, and BlueSky Genetics, P.O. Box 287, Adelaide, SA 5137, Australia
| | - Chris S M Turney
- Chronos 14Carbon-Cycle Facility and Earth and Sustainability Science Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Jonathan Palmer
- Chronos Carbon-Cycle Facility and Earth and Sustainability Science Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Alan Hogg
- Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Matt McGlone
- Ecosystems and Conservation, Landcare Research, P.O. Box 69040, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Janet Wilmshurst
- Ecosystems and Conservation, Landcare Research, P.O. Box 69040, Lincoln, New Zealand.,School of Environment, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Andrew M Lorrey
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd., Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Timothy J Heaton
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, UK
| | - James M Russell
- Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | | | - Julien G Anet
- Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Centre for Aviation, Winterthur, Switzerland
| | - Eugene Rozanov
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climatic Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.,Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos and World Radiation Center, Davos, Switzerland.,Department of Physics of Earth, Faculty of Physics, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Marina Friedel
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climatic Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ivo Suter
- Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Peter
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climatic Science, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Raimund Muscheler
- Department of Geology, Quaternary Sciences, Lund University, Lund, Sweden
| | - Florian Adolphi
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Anthony Dosseto
- Wollongong Isotope Geochronology Laboratory, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - J Tyler Faith
- Natural History Museum of Utah and Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | - Pavla Fenwick
- Gondwana Tree-Ring Laboratory, P.O. Box 14, Little River, Canterbury 7546, New Zealand
| | - Christopher J Fogwill
- School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Keele, Keele, Staffordshire, UK
| | - Konrad Hughen
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Matthew Lipson
- Centre for Excellence in Climate System Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Jiabo Liu
- Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Norbert Nowaczyk
- Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section 4.3, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Eleanor Rainsley
- School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Keele, Keele, Staffordshire, UK
| | - Christopher Bronk Ramsey
- Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, School of Archaeology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3TG, UK
| | - Paolo Sebastianelli
- Faculty of Mathematics, Astronomy and Physics (FAMAF), National University of Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina, and School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales, Kensington, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Yassine Souilmi
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Janelle Stevenson
- Archaeology and Natural History, School of Culture History and Language, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Zoe Thomas
- Chronos Carbon-Cycle Facility and Earth and Sustainability Science Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Raymond Tobler
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Roland Zech
- Institute of Geography, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany
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11
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Zeller U, Göttert T. Humans, megafauna and landscape structure – Rock engravings from Namibia encourage a comparative approach to central Europe and southern Africa. VERTEBRATE ZOOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.3897/vz.71.e72811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
This paper deals with reflections that arose after observing prehistoric rock engravings at different locations in Namibia. These observations stimulated comparative considerations with focus on southern Africa and central Europe. Similar to the Aurignacian rock art of European origin, the most common motifs in the Namibian rock engravings are large animals. While in Europe, the species that served as a blueprint for the illustration of Aurignacian rock art have mostly disappeared, the megafauna illustrated on the rock engravings in Namibia can still be found in the immediate vicinity of the rock art. Against this background, we discuss and further develop a comparative regional approach. We reconstruct and evaluate the suitability of African savannas and still-existing megafauna communities as an appropriate reference-frame for natural European grassland systems and extinct associated warm-adapted megafauna (Eemian Interglacial megafauna). Special attention is laid on the unique situation in Africa in the light of a global extinction wave of megafauna following increasing human activity in the Late Quaternary. This leads us to discuss the use of domesticated ungulates as surrogate taxa to fulfill ecosystem functions in Europe as part of concepts termed “rewilding” or “naturalistic grazing”. After critically examining these concepts, we conclude that using domesticated forms as representatives of extinct or locally disappeared species in Europe has its justification to some extent. If, however, the naturally occurring megaherbivore community still exists (Africa), these naturally occurring species should be given priority due to their organismic abilities and limitations adapted to the harsh conditions in their specific environment. Finally, we discuss the application of (transboundary) protected areas as effective instruments to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts. A holistic approach, including nature conservation and preservation of cultural achievements (domesticated forms, grazing systems), appears promising for the effective protection of the natural African savanna ecosystems with their unique fauna elements, as illustrated in rock engravings that inspired us to write this paper.
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Dorey JB, Groom SVC, Velasco-Castrillón A, Stevens MI, Lee MSY, Schwarz MP. Holocene population expansion of a tropical bee coincides with early human colonization of Fiji rather than climate change. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:4005-4022. [PMID: 34184342 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2020] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 06/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
There is substantial debate about the relative roles of climate change and human activities on biodiversity and species demographies over the Holocene. In some cases, these two factors can be resolved using fossil data, but for many taxa such data are not available. Inferring historical demographies of taxa has become common, but the methodologies are mostly recent and their shortcomings often unexplored. The bee genus Homalictus is developing into a tractable model system for understanding how native bee populations in tropical islands have responded to past climate change. We greatly expand on previous studies using sequences of the mitochondrial gene COI from 474 specimens and between 171 and 3928 autosomal (DArTSeq) single nucleotide polymorphism loci from 19 specimens of the native Fijian bee, Homalictus fijiensis, to explore its historical demography using coalescent and mismatch analyses. We ask whether past changes in demography were human- or climate-driven, while considering analytical assumptions. We show that inferred changes in population sizes are too recent to be explained by past climate change. Instead we find that a dramatic increase in population size for the main island of Viti Levu coincides with increasing occupation by humans and their modification of the environment. We found no corresponding change in bee population size for another major island, Kadavu, where human populations and agricultural activities have been historically very low. Our analyses indicate that molecular approaches can be used to disentangle the impacts of humans and climate change on a major tropical pollinator and that stringent analytical approaches are required for reliable interpretation of results.
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Affiliation(s)
- James B Dorey
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Biological and Earth Sciences, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Scott V C Groom
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | | | - Mark I Stevens
- Biological and Earth Sciences, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Michael S Y Lee
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.,Biological and Earth Sciences, South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA, Australia
| | - Michael P Schwarz
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
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Bradshaw CJA, Norman K, Ulm S, Williams AN, Clarkson C, Chadœuf J, Lin SC, Jacobs Z, Roberts RG, Bird MI, Weyrich LS, Haberle SG, O'Connor S, Llamas B, Cohen TJ, Friedrich T, Veth P, Leavesley M, Saltré F. Stochastic models support rapid peopling of Late Pleistocene Sahul. Nat Commun 2021; 12:2440. [PMID: 33927195 PMCID: PMC8085232 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21551-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The peopling of Sahul (the combined continent of Australia and New Guinea) represents the earliest continental migration and settlement event of solely anatomically modern humans, but its patterns and ecological drivers remain largely conceptual in the current literature. We present an advanced stochastic-ecological model to test the relative support for scenarios describing where and when the first humans entered Sahul, and their most probable routes of early settlement. The model supports a dominant entry via the northwest Sahul Shelf first, potentially followed by a second entry through New Guinea, with initial entry most consistent with 50,000 or 75,000 years ago based on comparison with bias-corrected archaeological map layers. The model's emergent properties predict that peopling of the entire continent occurred rapidly across all ecological environments within 156-208 human generations (4368-5599 years) and at a plausible rate of 0.71-0.92 km year-1. More broadly, our methods and approaches can readily inform other global migration debates, with results supporting an exit of anatomically modern humans from Africa 63,000-90,000 years ago, and the peopling of Eurasia in as little as 12,000-15,000 years via inland routes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey J A Bradshaw
- Global Ecology, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia.
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia.
| | - Kasih Norman
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Centre for Archaeological Science, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Sean Ulm
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- College of Arts, Society and Education, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Alan N Williams
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Climate Change Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
- EMM Consulting, St Leonards, NSW, Australia
| | - Chris Clarkson
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- School of Social Science, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, Australia
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Jena, Germany
- Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Joël Chadœuf
- UR 1052, French National Institute for Agricultural Research (INRA), Montfavet, France
| | - Sam C Lin
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Centre for Archaeological Science, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Zenobia Jacobs
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Centre for Archaeological Science, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Richard G Roberts
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Centre for Archaeological Science, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Michael I Bird
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Laura S Weyrich
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Department of Anthropology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, USA
| | - Simon G Haberle
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Department of Archaeology and Natural History, School of Culture, History and Language, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Sue O'Connor
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Department of Archaeology and Natural History, School of Culture, History and Language, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Bastien Llamas
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- School of Biological Sciences, Environment Institute, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- National Centre for Indigenous Genomics, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Tim J Cohen
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Centre for Archaeological Science, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
| | - Tobias Friedrich
- Department of Oceanography, School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology, University of Hawai'i at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawai'i, USA
| | - Peter Veth
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- Archaeology and the Centre for Rock Art Research and Management M257, School of Social Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia
| | - Matthew Leavesley
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
- College of Arts, Society and Education, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
- Department of Anthropology and Sociology, University of Papua New Guinea, Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea
| | - Frédérik Saltré
- Global Ecology, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, NSW, Australia
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14
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Bradshaw CJ, Johnson CN, Llewelyn J, Weisbecker V, Strona G, Saltré F. Relative demographic susceptibility does not explain the extinction chronology of Sahul's megafauna. eLife 2021; 10:63870. [PMID: 33783356 PMCID: PMC8043753 DOI: 10.7554/elife.63870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The causes of Sahul’s megafauna extinctions remain uncertain, although several interacting factors were likely responsible. To examine the relative support for hypotheses regarding plausible ecological mechanisms underlying these extinctions, we constructed the first stochastic, age-structured models for 13 extinct megafauna species from five functional/taxonomic groups, as well as 8 extant species within these groups for comparison. Perturbing specific demographic rates individually, we tested which species were more demographically susceptible to extinction, and then compared these relative sensitivities to the fossil-derived extinction chronology. Our models show that the macropodiformes were the least demographically susceptible to extinction, followed by carnivores, monotremes, vombatiform herbivores, and large birds. Five of the eight extant species were as or more susceptible than the extinct species. There was no clear relationship between extinction susceptibility and the extinction chronology for any perturbation scenario, while body mass and generation length explained much of the variation in relative risk. Our results reveal that the actual mechanisms leading to the observed extinction chronology were unlikely related to variation in demographic susceptibility per se, but were possibly driven instead by finer-scale variation in climate change and/or human prey choice and relative hunting success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Corey Ja Bradshaw
- Global Ecology Partuyarta Ngadluku Wardli Kuu, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Tarndanya (Adelaide), Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Christopher N Johnson
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, Australia.,Dynamics of Eco-Evolutionary Pattern, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
| | - John Llewelyn
- Global Ecology Partuyarta Ngadluku Wardli Kuu, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Tarndanya (Adelaide), Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, Australia
| | - Vera Weisbecker
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, Australia.,College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Giovanni Strona
- Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Frédérik Saltré
- Global Ecology Partuyarta Ngadluku Wardli Kuu, College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Tarndanya (Adelaide), Australia.,ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Wollongong, Australia
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15
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Cooper A, Turney CSM, Palmer J, Hogg A, McGlone M, Wilmshurst J, Lorrey AM, Heaton TJ, Russell JM, McCracken K, Anet JG, Rozanov E, Friedel M, Suter I, Peter T, Muscheler R, Adolphi F, Dosseto A, Faith JT, Fenwick P, Fogwill CJ, Hughen K, Lipson M, Liu J, Nowaczyk N, Rainsley E, Bronk Ramsey C, Sebastianelli P, Souilmi Y, Stevenson J, Thomas Z, Tobler R, Zech R. A global environmental crisis 42,000 years ago. Science 2021; 371:811-818. [PMID: 33602851 DOI: 10.1126/science.abb8677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Geological archives record multiple reversals of Earth's magnetic poles, but the global impacts of these events, if any, remain unclear. Uncertain radiocarbon calibration has limited investigation of the potential effects of the last major magnetic inversion, known as the Laschamps Excursion [41 to 42 thousand years ago (ka)]. We use ancient New Zealand kauri trees (Agathis australis) to develop a detailed record of atmospheric radiocarbon levels across the Laschamps Excursion. We precisely characterize the geomagnetic reversal and perform global chemistry-climate modeling and detailed radiocarbon dating of paleoenvironmental records to investigate impacts. We find that geomagnetic field minima ~42 ka, in combination with Grand Solar Minima, caused substantial changes in atmospheric ozone concentration and circulation, driving synchronous global climate shifts that caused major environmental changes, extinction events, and transformations in the archaeological record.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan Cooper
- South Australian Museum, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia. .,BlueSky Genetics, PO Box 287, Adelaide, SA 5137, Australia
| | - Chris S M Turney
- Chronos Carbon-Cycle Facility, and Earth and Sustainability Science Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
| | - Jonathan Palmer
- Chronos Carbon-Cycle Facility, and Earth and Sustainability Science Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Alan Hogg
- Radiocarbon Dating Laboratory, University of Waikato, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
| | - Matt McGlone
- Landcare Research, PO Box 69040, Lincoln, New Zealand
| | - Janet Wilmshurst
- Landcare Research, PO Box 69040, Lincoln, New Zealand.,School of Environment, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland 1142, New Zealand
| | - Andrew M Lorrey
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research Ltd, Auckland 1010, New Zealand
| | - Timothy J Heaton
- School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S3 7RH, UK
| | - James M Russell
- Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Ken McCracken
- University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Julien G Anet
- Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Centre for Aviation, 8401 Winterthur, Switzerland
| | - Eugene Rozanov
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climatic Science, ETH Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland.,Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos and World Radiation Center, 7260 Davos, Switzerland.,Department of Physics of Earth, Faculty of Physics, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg 198504, Russia
| | - Marina Friedel
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climatic Science, ETH Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Ivo Suter
- Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology (Empa), 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Peter
- Institute for Atmospheric and Climatic Science, ETH Zurich, 8006 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Raimund Muscheler
- Department of Geology, Quaternary Sciences, Lund University, 22362 Lund, Sweden
| | - Florian Adolphi
- Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Anthony Dosseto
- Wollongong Isotope Geochronology Laboratory, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW 2522, Australia
| | - J Tyler Faith
- Natural History Museum of Utah and Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, USA
| | - Pavla Fenwick
- Gondwana Tree-Ring Laboratory, PO Box 14, Little River, Canterbury 7546, New Zealand
| | - Christopher J Fogwill
- School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Keele, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK
| | - Konrad Hughen
- Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
| | - Mathew Lipson
- Centre of Excellence for Climate System Science, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Jiabo Liu
- Southern University of Science and Technology, Department of Ocean Science and Engineering, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Norbert Nowaczyk
- Helmholtz Centre Potsdam, GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences, Section 4.3, 14473 Potsdam, Germany
| | - Eleanor Rainsley
- School of Geography, Geology and the Environment, University of Keele, Keele, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, UK
| | - Christopher Bronk Ramsey
- Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art, School of Archaeology, University of Oxford, OX1 3TG, UK
| | - Paolo Sebastianelli
- Faculty of Mathematics, Astronomy and Physics (FAMAF), National University of Cordoba, X5000HUA, Argentina
| | - Yassine Souilmi
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Janelle Stevenson
- Archaeology and Natural History, School of Culture History and Language, ANU College of Asia and the Pacific, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.,Australia ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Australian National University, ACT 2601, Australia
| | - Zoë Thomas
- Chronos Carbon-Cycle Facility, and Earth and Sustainability Science Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia
| | - Raymond Tobler
- Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Roland Zech
- Institute of Geography, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, 07743 Jena, Germany
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16
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Amano N, Wang YV, Boivin N, Roberts P. 'Emptying Forests?' Conservation Implications of Past Human-Primate Interactions. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 36:345-359. [PMID: 33431163 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2020.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Non-human primates are among the most vulnerable tropical animals to extinction and ~50% of primate species are endangered. Human hunting is considered a major cause of increasingly 'empty forests', yet archaeological data remains under-utilised in testing this assertion over the longer-term. Zooarchaeological datasets allow investigation of human exploitation of primates and the reconstruction of extinction, extirpation, and translocation processes. We evaluate the application and limitations of data from zooarchaeological studies spanning the past 45 000 years in South and Southeast Asia in guiding primate conservation efforts. We highlight that environmental change was the primary threat to many South and Southeast Asian non-human primate populations during much of the Holocene, foreshadowing human-induced land-use and environmental change as major threats of the 21st century.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noel Amano
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Jena, Germany.
| | - Yiming V Wang
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Jena, Germany
| | - Nicole Boivin
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Jena, Germany
| | - Patrick Roberts
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Jena, Germany.
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17
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Peters KJ, Saltré F, Friedrich T, Jacobs Z, Wood R, McDowell M, Ulm S, Bradshaw CJA. FosSahul 2.0, an updated database for the Late Quaternary fossil records of Sahul. Sci Data 2019; 6:272. [PMID: 31745083 PMCID: PMC6864098 DOI: 10.1038/s41597-019-0267-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 10/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The 2016 version of the FosSahul database compiled non-human vertebrate megafauna fossil ages from Sahul published up to 2013 in a standardized format. Its purpose was to create a publicly available, centralized, and comprehensive database for palaeoecological investigations of the continent. Such databases require regular updates and improvements to reflect recent scientific findings. Here we present an updated FosSahul (2.0) containing 11,871 dated non-human vertebrate fossil records from the Late Quaternary published up to 2018. Furthermore, we have extended the information captured in the database to include methodological details and have developed an algorithm to automate the quality-rating process. The algorithm makes the quality-rating more transparent and easier to reproduce, facilitating future database extensions and dissemination. FosSahul has already enabled several palaeoecological analyses, and its updated version will continue to provide a centralized organisation of Sahul's fossil records. As an example of an application of the database, we present the temporal pattern in megafauna genus richness inferred from available data in relation to palaeoclimate indices over the past 180,000 years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katharina J Peters
- Global Ecology Lab, College of Science and Engineering and ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, South Australia, 5001, Australia.
| | - Frédérik Saltré
- Global Ecology Lab, College of Science and Engineering and ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, South Australia, 5001, Australia
| | - Tobias Friedrich
- Department of Oceanography, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
| | - Zenobia Jacobs
- Centre for Archaeological Science, School of Earth, Atmospheric and Life Sciences and ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Rachel Wood
- Radiocarbon Facility, Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
- School of Archaeology and Anthropology, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, 2601, Australia
| | - Matthew McDowell
- Dynamics of Eco-Evolutionary Patterns and ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, 7001, Australia
| | - Sean Ulm
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, College of Arts, Society and Education, James Cook University, PO Box 6811, Cairns, Queensland, 4870, Australia
| | - Corey J A Bradshaw
- Global Ecology Lab, College of Science and Engineering and ARC Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, South Australia, 5001, Australia
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