A deadly cocktail: How a drought around 4200 cal. yr BP caused mass mortality events at the infamous ‘dodo swamp’ in Mauritius

Boer, Erik J. de; Vélez, María Isabel Álvarez; Rijsdijk, Kenneth F.; Louw, Perry Gb de; Vernimmen, Tamara; Visser, P.; Tjallingii, Rik; Hooghiemstra, H.

doi:10.1177/0959683614567886

Cited by 22 publications

(20 citation statements)

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“…All of these species had suffered significant environmental pressures in the past, such as major drought events, and survived (de Boer et al . ). Yet within ca 50 years of human occupation, and the introduction of frequent fire events, the extinctions had begun (Fig.…”

Section: Radiocarbon (14c) Dates Of Bulk Sediment Samples From Mare Tmentioning

confidence: 97%

Mauritius on fire: Tracking historical human impacts on biodiversity loss

et al. 2017

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Section: Radiocarbon (14c) Dates Of Bulk Sediment Samples From Mare Tmentioning

confidence: 97%

Mauritius on fire: Tracking historical human impacts on biodiversity loss

et al. 2017

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“…On the contrary, there is a ubiquitous presence of dung‐fungus spores – indicating the presence of large herbivorous vertebrates – in the lowlands of the Mascarenes reaching back thousands of years (e.g. de Boer et al ., ), and abundant evidence of the pre‐European presence of giant tortoises in the Mascarenes from fossil bones (Rijsdijk et al ., ).…”

Section: Early Austronesians In the Wio And Archaeological And Palaeomentioning

confidence: 99%

Origins of endemic island tortoises in the western Indian Ocean: a critique of the human‐translocation hypothesis

Hansen

Austin

Baxter

et al. 2016

Journal of Biogeography

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Origins of endemic island tortoises in the western Indian Ocean: a critique of the human-translocation hypothesis A B S T R A C T How do organisms arrive on isolated islands, and how do insular evolutionary radiations arise? In a recent paper, Wilm e et al. (2016a) argue that early Austronesians that colonized Madagascar from Southeast Asia translocated giant tortoises to islands in the western Indian Ocean. In the Mascarene Islands, moreover, the human-translocated tortoises then evolved and radiated in an endemic genus (Cylindraspis). Their proposal ignores the broad, established understanding of the processes leading to the formation of native island biotas, including endemic radiations. We find Wilm e et al.'s suggestion poorly conceived, using a flawed methodology and missing two critical pieces of information: the timing and the specifics of proposed translocations. In response, we here summarize the arguments that could be used to defend the natural origin not only of Indian Ocean giant tortoises but also of scores of insular endemic radiations worldwide. Reinforcing a generalist's objection, the phylogenetic and ecological data on giant tortoises, and current knowledge of environmental and palaeogeographical history of the Indian Ocean, make Wilm e et al.'s argument even more unlikely.

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“…However, the continuity of the bonebed is disrupted by basaltic rocks (unit E) that were dumped in 1943 and have sunk into the peaty bonebed (unit D) ( Fig. 5A; Rijsdijk et al, 2009Rijsdijk et al, , 2011De Boer et al, 2015). In the center of the marsh, at the base of the peaty bonebed, the peat is rich in wood stems and rootlets.…”

Section: Stratigraphymentioning

confidence: 99%

A review of the dodo and its ecosystem: insights from a vertebrate concentration Lagerstätte in Mauritius

Rijsdijk¹,

Hume²,

Louw³

et al. 2015

Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology

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The dodo Raphus cucullatus Linnaeus,1758, an extinct and flightless, giant pigeon endemic to Mauritius, has fascinated people since its discovery, yet has remained surprisingly poorly known. Until the mid-19th century, almost all that was known about the dodo was based on illustrations and written accounts by 17th century mariners, often of questionable accuracy. Furthermore, only a few fragmentary remains of dodos collected prior to the bird's extinction exist. Our understanding of the dodo's anatomy was substantially enhanced by the discovery in 1865 of subfossil bones in a marsh called the Mare aux Songes, situated in southeastern Mauritius. However, no contextual information was recorded during early excavation efforts, and the majority of excavated material comprised larger dodo bones, almost all of which were unassociated. Here we present a modern interdisciplinary analysis of the Mare aux Songes, a 4200-year-old multitaxic vertebrate concentration Lagerstätte. Our analysis of the deposits at this site provides the first detailed overview of the ecosystem inhabited by the dodo. The interplay of climatic and geological conditions led to the exceptional preservation of the animal and associated plant remains at the Mare aux Songes and provides a window into the past ecosystem of Mauritius. This interdisciplinary research approach provides an ecological framework for the dodo, complementing insights on its anatomy derived from the only associated dodo skeletons known, both of which were collected by Etienne Thirioux and are the primary subject of this memoir.Additional co-authors: Anneke H. Van Heteren, Vikash Rupear, Gorah Beebeejaun, Alan Grihault, J. (Hans) Van Der Plicht, Marijke Besselink, Juliën K. Lubeek, Max Jansen, Hege Hollund, Beth Shapiro, Matthew Collins, Mike Buckley, Ranjith M. Jayasena, Nicolas Porch, Rene Floore, Frans Bunnik, Andrew Biedlingmaier, Jennifer Leavitt, Gregory Monfette, Anna Kimelblatt, Adrienne Randall, Pieter Floore & Leon P. A. M. Claessen

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A deadly cocktail: How a drought around 4200 cal. yr BP caused mass mortality events at the infamous ‘dodo swamp’ in Mauritius

Abstract: Dear Reviewer #1. Thank you for your input and suggestions. We believe your suggestions have improved the manuscript.

Cited by 22 publications

References 58 publications

Mauritius on fire: Tracking historical human impacts on biodiversity loss

Mauritius on fire: Tracking historical human impacts on biodiversity loss

Origins of endemic island tortoises in the western Indian Ocean: a critique of the human‐translocation hypothesis

A review of the dodo and its ecosystem: insights from a vertebrate concentration Lagerstätte in Mauritius

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