Hydrodynamic sorting in a coastal marine skeletal assemblage

Abstract

In this paper I evaluate the effects of wave and tidal erosion on element-specific measures of phenotypic variability. Previous research has found a high correlation between skeletal weight, shape, and density and the transport potential of an element exposed to hydrodynamic forces. However, no previous studies have attempted to address the issue of within-element sorting based on selective removal of only the smallest members of a given element class. I evaluate this hypothesis using a human skeletal sample from Bird Island (8DI52) located in Dixie County, Florida. This sample comprises two components, an eroded sample that was exposed during severe storm and tidal activity, and an uneroded sample excavated from primary context. The measurement-specific means for the subcomponents were compared using Student's t and Wilcoxon tests and variability differences were evaluated based on standard deviations, coefficients of variation, and maximum/minimum indices. The data included maxillary and mandibular tooth dimensions and postcranial metrics. No evidence for selective winnowing based on within-element size was found in this data set.

Experimental abrasion of water submerged bone: The influence of bombardment by different sediment classes on microabrasion rate

“…Archaeological, paleontological and forensic studies concerning aquatic bone taphonomy have a number of commonalities in approach and cross-discipline applications. Archaeological and paleontological disciplines largely employ fieldbased observations of fluvially deposited human and faunal assemblages (see for example Aslan and Behrensmeyer, 1996;Behrensmeyer, 1982;Gifford and Behrensmeyer 1977;Stojanowski, 2002), and laboratory flume experiments to recreate transport and modification processes (for example Boaz and Behrensmeyer 1976;Coard, 1999;Peterson and BigalkeI, 2013;Trapani, 1998). Others have adopted a geochemical approach, using the trace element compositions of fossil bone from marine vertebrate assemblages to determine a degree of mixing and taphonomic averaging (see Trueman et al, 2003).…”

Comparative Taphonomy, Taphofacies, and Bonebeds of the Mio-Pliocene Purisima Formation, Central California: Strong Physical Control on Marine Vertebrate Preservation in Shallow Marine Settings

“…For marine vertebrates, only a few paleontologic studies have compared the trends in preservation along environmental gradients [13] , [14] . A number of actualistic studies have assessed problems of decomposition, disarticulation, sorting, abrasion, scavenging, and bloating in marine vertebrates [15] – [23] . Additionally, several forensic studies focused on decomposition, disarticulation, bloating, hydraulic sorting, bone modification, and marine scavenging, using experiments with pigs or forensic case data, are applicable to marine vertebrate taphonomy [11] , [24] – [28] .…”

The Body in the Ditch: Alternative Funerary Practices on the Northern Frontier of the Roman Empire?

“…37 Christensen et al 2014. 38 For example see Behrensmeyer 1982;Stojanowski 2002;Griffith et al 2016. 39 Evans 2014.…”