Exploring the use of stable carbon isotope ratios in short-lived leporids for local paleoecological reconstruction

Smith, Stephen; Mauldin, Raymond P.; Munoz, Cynthia M.; Hard, Robert J.; Paul, Debajyoti; Skrzypek, Grzegorz; Villanueva, Patricio; Kemp, Leonard

doi:10.4081/arc.2014.5306

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…For each species, we derived information on body mass and dietary guild using an updated version of the late Quaternary global mammal database (MOM ver. 4.1, Smith et al ) and a variety of literature sources (Whitaker , Kurtén and Anderson , Linzey , Norrie and Millar , Pinter et al , McDonald , Barreto et al , Koch et al , Martinoli et al , Rivals and Semprebon , Schmidt , DeSantis et al , Feranec et al , Prado et al , Pérez‐Crespo et al , Ugan and Coltrain , Yeakel et al , Jasinski and Wallace , Smith et al , Yann and DeSantis ). Note that the frugivore/granivore guild included animals that ate either fruit or seeds.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unraveling the consequences of the terminal Pleistocene megafauna extinction on mammal community assembly

et al. 2015

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Recent studies connecting the decline of large predators and consumers with the disintegration of ecosystems often overlook that this natural experiment already occurred. As recently as 14 ka, tens of millions of large‐bodied mammals were widespread across the American continents. Within 1000 yr of the arrival of humans, ∼ 80% were extinct including all > 600 kg. While the cause of the late Pleistocene (LP) extinction remains contentious, largely overlooked are the ecological consequences of the loss of millions of large‐bodied animals. Here, we examine the influence of the LP extinction on a local mammal community. Our study site is Hall's Cave in the Great Plains of Texas, which has unparalleled fine‐grained temporal resolution over the past 20 ka, allowing characterization of the community before and after the extinction. In step with continental patterns, this community lost 80% of large‐bodied herbivores and 20% of apex predators at the LP extinction. Using tightly constrained temporal windows spanning full glacial to modern time periods and comprehensive faunal lists, we reconstruct mammal associations and body size distributions over time. We find changes in alpha and beta diversity, and in the statistical moments associated with periods of climate change as well as with the LP extinction event. Additionally, there is a fundamental change in the composition of herbivores, with grazers being replaced by frugivores/granivores starting about 15 ka; the only large‐bodied grazer remaining today is the bison Bison bison. Moreover, the null model program PAIRS reveals interesting temporal patterns in the disassociation or co‐occurrence of species through the terminal Pleistocene and Holocene. Extinct species formed more significant associations than modern ones, and formed more aggregated pairs than do modern species. Further, negative species associations were about three times stronger than positive ones, suggesting that competitive interactions or environmental filtering are a strong force in community structure.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unraveling the consequences of the terminal Pleistocene megafauna extinction on mammal community assembly

et al. 2015

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“…Northern Utah is devoid of C 4 grasses, but C 4 forbs such as Atriplex —also consumed by horses—are present and begin greening in mid-spring, providing a seasonal source of higher δ 13 C values during this time. Although plants expressing the CAM photosynthetic pathway (Lee 2010) can have values overlapping those of C 4 plants, causing interpretive challenges in some settings (e.g., Smith et al 2014), CAM plants in the study area consist largely of desert succulents unlikely to be consumed by grazers such as horses. Variation in forage δ 13 C is passed up the food web, with isotopic enrichment between diet and tooth enamel carbonates averaging +14.1‰ (±0.5) in a wide range of ungulate mammals (Cerling and Harris 1999:352) and +13.8‰ (±1.9) in horses specifically (Cerling and Harris 1999:349; see also Passey et al 2005).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interdisciplinary Analysis of the Lehi Horse: Implications for Early Historic Horse Cultures of the North American West

Taylor

Hart

Jones³

et al. 2021

Am. Antiq.

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Although recognized as one of the most significant cultural transformations in North America, the reintroduction of the horse to the continent after AD 1492 has been rarely addressed by archaeological science. A key contributing factor behind this limited study is the apparent absence of equine skeletal remains from early historic archaeological contexts. Here, we present a multidisciplinary analysis of a horse skeleton recovered in Lehi, Utah, originally attributed to the Pleistocene. Reanalysis of stratigraphic context and radiocarbon dating indicates a historic age for this horse (cal AD 1681–1939), linking it with Ute or other Indigenous groups, whereas osteological features demonstrate its use for mounted horseback riding—perhaps with a nonframe saddle. DNA analysis indicates that the animal was a female domestic horse, which was likely cared for as part of a breeding herd despite outliving its usefulness in transport. Finally, sequentially sampled stable carbon, oxygen, and strontium isotope values from tooth enamel (δ13C, δ18O, and 87Sr/86Sr) suggest that the horse was raised locally. These results show the utility of archaeological science as applied to horse remains in understanding Indigenous horse pastoralism, whereas consideration of the broader archaeological record suggests a pattern of misidentification of horse bones from early historic contexts.

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“…Understanding of these past environmental changes in Central Texas in the Holocene is derived from climate studies that rely on various proxy data. These proxy data range from changes in the frequency of shrews to the presence/absence of bison (e.g., Collins 2004;Dillehay 1974;Toomey 1993), shifts in pollen frequencies (Bousman 1998), and changes in isotopic parameters in soils and snails (Cooke 2005;Munoz et al 2011aMunoz et al , 2011bNordt et al 2002;Smith et al 2014). These data sets tend to respond to shifts in precipitation and temperature in radically different ways at variable time scales, making comparisons between data sets difficult.…”

Section: Paleoenvironmentmentioning

confidence: 99%

Archaeological Investigations within San Pedro Springs Park (41BX19), San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

Mauldin¹,

Smith²,

Wigley³

et al. 2015

ITA

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The University of Texas at San Antonio Center for Archaeological Research (UTSA-CAR) contracted with Adams Environmental, Inc. to provide archaeological services to Capital Improvement Management (CIMS) of the City of San Antonio (COSA) related to the archaeological investigation of selected areas of San Pedro Springs Park in San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas. The CAR conducted archaeological testing at this National Register Site, 41BX19, from early December 2013 to mid-January of 2014. The goals of archaeological investigations were to identify and investigate any proto-historic and historic archaeological deposits associated with Colonial Period occupants of the area, including evidence of the first acequia and associated dam, and the location of the first presidio and villa. In addition, CAR was tasked with the investigation of any prehistoric cultural deposits encountered. This project was performed by staff archaeologists from the CAR. It was conducted under Texas Antiquities Permit No. 6727, with Dr. Steve Tomka serving as Principal Investigator (PI), and Kristi Nichols and Stephen Smith serving as Project Archaeologists. Dr. Tomka departed from UTSA shortly after the completion of fieldwork. At that time, Dr. Raymond Mauldin of CAR assumed PI responsibilities for the project. One hundred and eleven shovel tests, eleven 1-x-1 m test units, two 50-x-50 cm units, two backhoe trenches, and several auger holes were excavated during this effort. Minimal artifactual evidence of colonial occupants was noted during the archaeological investigations. Several Native American bone tempered sherds that could reflect either Late Prehistoric Leon Plain or Goliad ware were recovered. However, no Spanish Majolicas or lead glazed wares were uncovered, and no gunflints were identified in the lithic assemblage. Due to various utility lines and other obstructions, backhoe trenches to search for the acequia and associated dam could not be excavated. It is likely that areas proposed for investigation of the acequia and associated dam have been disturbed by aforementioned utility lines as well as earlier construction within the park. No evidence of the specific location of the first presidio or villa was located. Shovel testing and test units revealed the presence of historic and prehistoric use of the park, though mixing of historic and prehistoric material, as well as other disturbances (e.g., rodents), was common in the deposits. However, there was an increase in prehistoric material with depth as revealed in shovel testing results. Shovel testing located Feature 1, a burned rock feature that possibly was associated with a sheet midden, as well as several areas with high densities of prehistoric materials. Test excavations, based on these shovel tests, suggest that Feature 1 is a discrete feature that lies below a widespread, low-density distribution of burned rock. Shovel testing also identified a high-density cluster of lithic, bone, and burned rock. The excavation of a 1-x-1 m test unit (TU 4) in this area produced over 4,000 pieces of debitage, with over 50% of this total coming from three levels. Burned rock, a variety of tools, faunal material, and charcoal were present throughout these levels. Temporal placement of deposits relied on artifact typologies (e.g., ceramic types, lithic projectile points, lithic tool types) as well as two charcoal and four bone collagen radiocarbon dates. Artifact typologies suggest occupation as early as the Early Archaic as reflected by a possible Guadalupe tool. A series of Late Archaic Points (Castroville, Frio, Marcos, and Montell) and Late Prehistoric point forms (Edwards, Perdiz, and Scallorn) are present from several areas. In addition, a possible Middle Archaic La Jita point was recovered. The bone tempered Native American wares could date as early as AD 1250, though they could also reflect proto-historic or colonial age materials. Other ceramics primarily suggest a mid-nineteenth- to midtwentieth- century occupation. Using the midpoints of the 1-sigma distribution, calibrated radiocarbon dates show use of San Pedro Park from as early as 100 AD (CAR 345; 1905 +/- 22 Radiocarbon Years Before Present [RCYBP]) to as recently as the early twentieth century. The more recent end of that range is a function of two late dates from two different areas of the park. The first of these is on a bison bone (CAR 344) that returned a date of 158 +/- 23 RCYBP. The second is on a bone consistent with a bison-sized animal (CAR 346) that produced a date of 155 +/- 23 RCYBP. The corrected, calibrated dates for these two samples range from AD 1670 to the early 1940s using the 1-sigma spread. The wide range of these dates is related to the flat calibration curve late in time. However, the most probable date range (ca. 36% probability) for these two dates is between AD 1729 and 1779, with a roughly 48% probability that they date prior to AD 1779. Limited testing suggests that, with a few specific exceptions, the upper 30-40 cm of San Pedro Park is extensively disturbed. However, though some disturbances are present, at least three areas have materials in what appears to be good context. These include material dating to the Late Archaic, Late Prehistoric, and possibly the Proto-historic or Colonial Period. Based on historic maps, previous work, and the current investigation, CAR proposes a series of management areas for San Pedro Park. If work in these management areas follows these suggestions for various limits on subsurface impacts, CAR recommends that renovation activities within the park be allowed to proceed. The Texas Historical Commission (THC), in a letter dated February 4, 2015, agreed with these recommendations. Finally, CAR provides several recommendations for public education facilities within the park. In accordance with the THC Permit specifications and the Scope of Work for this project, all field notes, analytical notes, photographs, and other project related documents, along with a copy of the final report, will be curated at the CAR. After quantification and completion of analysis, and in consultation with THC and the COSA Office of Historic Preservation, artifacts possessing little scientific value were discarded pursuant to Chapter 26.27(g)(2) of the Antiquities Code of Texas. Artifact classes discarded specific to this project included samples of burned rock and snail shell, all unidentifiable metal, soil samples, and recent (post-1950) material.

show abstract

Exploring the use of stable carbon isotope ratios in short-lived leporids for local paleoecological reconstruction

Cited by 5 publications

References 41 publications

Unraveling the consequences of the terminal Pleistocene megafauna extinction on mammal community assembly

Unraveling the consequences of the terminal Pleistocene megafauna extinction on mammal community assembly

Interdisciplinary Analysis of the Lehi Horse: Implications for Early Historic Horse Cultures of the North American West

Archaeological Investigations within San Pedro Springs Park (41BX19), San Antonio, Bexar County, Texas

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