Integrated taphonomy of an avian death assemblage in marine sediments from the late Pliocene of Florida

Biology, ecology and bloom dynamics of the toxic marine dinoflagellate Pyrodinium bahamense

“…However, from 2002 to 2004 there were at least 28 cases of saxitoxic puffer fish poisoning due to toxins of P. bahamense origin (Walsh et al, 2011). It has been suggested from paleoecological studies that as far back as the lower Eocene to the Holocene blooms of P. bahamense in Florida coastal ecosystems have coincided with animal mortalities (Emslie et al, 1996). Ammons et al (2001) reported on the presence of PSTs in mussels from Trinidad but the source of the toxins was not identified.…”

“…bahamense may have fluctuated over time although this is quite difficult to prove. Emslie et al (1996) suggested for example that massive deaths of sea birds about 54 million years ago in coastal waters off Sarasota, Florida coincided with accumulation of P. bahamense cysts. Walsh et al (2011) also argued for the importance of environmental factors, specifically removal of top-down predators and a change from eutrophic to oligotrophic conditions, as critical in increasing the dominance and toxicity of P. bahamense in Florida waters.…”

Late Pleistocene marine birds from southern Peru: distinguishing human capture from El Niño-induced windfall

“…Although researchers have investigated the taphonomy of non-anthropogenic ancient and recent catastrophic die-offs of birds from localized biotic and abiotic phenomena such as red-tide blooms [21,18,19] or freezing lake conditions [46], previous studies of marine bird use have not considered the role of short-term periodic climate change (less than 2 years) on human availability or access to marine birds.…”

Distinguishing offshore bird hunting from beach scavenging in archaeological contexts: The value of modern beach surveys

“…Numerous researchers, including biologists, paleontologists, and archaeologists, have noted that wing and pectoral elements may be more common on beached carcasses than other body parts, such as the head and legs (e.g. Bovy 2002;deFrance 2005;Eda et al 2015;Emslie et al 1996;Ericson 1987;Schäfer 1972;Schalk 2003;see Lyman 1994 and Serjeantson 2009 for detailed summaries of these studies). In one commonly cited report of observations on a mallard duck disintegration, Schäfer (1972:48) describes the disarticulation of birds that die at sea: "As the disintegrating body is repeatedly lifted and dropped by water, the hind limbs finally separate from the trunk, the pelvis from the lumbar vertebrae, and are transported away.…”