Coastal resource intensification across the Pleistocene–Holocene transition in Northern Spain: Evidence from shell size and age distributions of marine gastropods

Gutiérrez-Zugasti, Igor

doi:10.1016/j.quaint.2011.04.040

Cited by 77 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 43 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Intensification, or anthropic pressure, has been given as the reason for the decrease in the size and age of some the species gathered, but other explanations, such as environmental factors, have also been proposed (Á lvarez-Fernández et al 2011;Á lvarez-Fernández et al 2014a, b;Gutiérrez-Zugasti 2009a, 2011a, 2011b.…”

Section: Chronology and Diachrony Of The Process(es)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Re-evaluating the Neolithic: The Impact and the Consolidation of Farming Practices in the Cantabrian Region (Northern Spain)

Morera

Altuna²,

Álvarez-Fernández

et al. 2016

J World Prehist

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Research projects undertaken in the Cantabrian region since 1980 have produced new, high-quality information about the neolithisation process(es) in this area. It is now necessary to review this archaeological information and test the main hypotheses put forward to explain it. This paper presents an update on the archaeological evidence (sites, chronological dates, archaeozoological, archaeobotanical and technological information) for the early Neolithic in the Cantabrian region. It summarizes recent research on neolithisation in the region, and assesses the impact of this process during the early Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article

show abstract

Section: Chronology and Diachrony Of The Process(es)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Re-evaluating the Neolithic: The Impact and the Consolidation of Farming Practices in the Cantabrian Region (Northern Spain)

Morera

Altuna²,

Álvarez-Fernández

et al. 2016

J World Prehist

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Anthropogenic influences may explain limpet abundance and distribution in the region: these animals have been heavily exploited by humans since the first settlements of hunter-gatherers, mainly for food (e.g. Morales et al 1998, Gutiérrez-Zugasti 2011. If exploitation is too intense, it can drastically reduce population sizes and induce processes such as loss of genetic variability, changes in population structure and ultimately population decline and resource depression (Myers & Worm 2003, Ward & Myers 2005.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of limpet assemblages driven by environmental changes and harvesting in North Iberia

Muñoz-Colmenero¹,

Turrero²,

Hórreo³

et al. 2012

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Two limpet species, Patella depressa and P. vulgata, are the most accessible molluscs in the upper intertidal shore on the coast of Asturias (Northern Spain) and have been consumed by humans for thousands of years, with evidence of harvesting-driven directional selection for size since the Palaeolithic. These 2 species are also highly sensitive to environmental conditions, P. depressa being in expansion under the current warming conditions. Our coalescent analyses of mitochondrial DNA suggest that both species are currently in a process of slow decline in population growth after experiencing a recent bottleneck, presumably enhanced by human exploitation. Over a wider temporal scale, the evolution of these species in Asturias seems associated with climate change, which seems to have driven their expansion across the studied zone. Current differential compositions of Patella assemblages associated with short-term differences in temperature on North Iberian coasts are consistent with the preferred conditions for each species. Human exploitation may have contributed to the most recent changes in limpet population diversity and morphology (size) at a short temporal scale, whilst climate would have caused long-term changes and would be responsible for most of their present population distribution.

show abstract

“…Results based on shell sizes from El Mazo showed that P. lineatus, P. vulgata and P. depressa (Table 3) were smaller than top shells or limpets recovered in Magdalenian and Azilian assemblages from the Cantabrian region (Álvarez-Fernández 2013;Álvarez-Fernández et al 2011;Gutiérrez-Zugasti 2011b;Ortea 1986). However, shell sizes measured from units 108, 114 and 115 are slightly smaller than those from other Mesolithic assemblages of similar chronology, and are more similar to the sizes recorded from late Mesolithic and Neolithic assemblages (Arias et al 2007;Álvarez-Fernández et al 2011;Gutiérrez-Zugasti 2011b).…”

Section: Shellfish Gathering and Intensification In Northern Iberia Dmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Data relating to shell biometry and collection areas are also needed to confirm the existence of intensification. Thus, decrease in shell size and exploitation of lower and more exposed areas than in the Upper Palaeolithic have been suggested as potential indicators of intensification during the Mesolithic in the region (Gutiérrez-Zugasti 2011b).…”

Section: Shellfish Gathering and Intensification In Northern Iberia Dmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, Bailey and Craighead (2003) rejected that explanation and proposed decreased shell size was induced by changes in climatic and environmental conditions. Recently, Gutiérrez-Zugasti (2011b) addressed this topic by studying size and age distributions of marine gastropods (limpets and top shells) from Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic sites in northern Iberia. Results revealed a decrease in the mean size and age of these species.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Shells and Humans: Molluscs and Other Coastal Resources from the Earliest Human Occupations at the Mesolithic Shell Midden of El Mazo (Asturias, Northern Spain)

García-Escárzaga

Gutiérrez-Zugasti

González-Morales

et al. 2017

Papers From the Institute of Archaeology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Human populations exploited coastal areas with intensity during the Mesolithic in Atlantic Europe, resulting in the accumulation of large shell middens. Northern Spain is one of the most prolific regions, and especially the so-called Asturian area. Large accumulations of shellfish led some scholars to propose the existence of intensification in the exploitation of coastal resources in the region during the Mesolithic. In this paper, shell remains (molluscs, crustaceans and echinoderms) from stratigraphic units 114 and 115 (dated to the early Mesolithic c. 9 kys cal BP) at El Mazo cave (Asturias, northern Spain) were studied in order to establish resource exploitation patterns and environmental conditions. Species representation showed that limpets, top shells and sea urchins were preferentially exploited. One-millimetre mesh screens were crucial in establishing an accurate minimum number of individuals for sea urchins and to determine their importance in exploitation patterns. Environmental conditions deduced from shell assemblages indicated that temperate conditions prevailed at the time of the occupation and the morphology of the coastline was similar to today (rocky exposed shores). Information recovered relating to species representation, collection areas and shell biometry reflected some evidence of intensification (reduced shell size, collection in lower areas of exposed shores, no size selection in some units and species) in the exploitation of coastal resources through time. However, the results suggested the existence of changes in collection strategies and resource management, and periods of intense shell collection may have alternated with times of shell stock recovery throughout the Mesolithic.

show abstract

Coastal resource intensification across the Pleistocene–Holocene transition in Northern Spain: Evidence from shell size and age distributions of marine gastropods

Cited by 77 publications

References 43 publications

Re-evaluating the Neolithic: The Impact and the Consolidation of Farming Practices in the Cantabrian Region (Northern Spain)

Re-evaluating the Neolithic: The Impact and the Consolidation of Farming Practices in the Cantabrian Region (Northern Spain)

Evolution of limpet assemblages driven by environmental changes and harvesting in North Iberia

Shells and Humans: Molluscs and Other Coastal Resources from the Earliest Human Occupations at the Mesolithic Shell Midden of El Mazo (Asturias, Northern Spain)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About