Neanderthal extinction as part of the faunal change in Europe during Oxygen Isotope Stage 3

Abstract

Abstract. The extinction of the Neanderthals has not been widely considered in the light of the palaeoecology of other mammals. Therefore, a palaeoecological and historical biogeographical analysis of a database of European mammalian fossils for the period covering 60-20 thousand calendar years (approximately OIS 3 and covering the time when Neanderthals became extinct) has been conducted that shed light on the ecological conditions of this period. Broadly the larger mammals in this database form historical biogeographical categories including extant ubiquitous, extant northern and montane, extant eastern, extinct northern and extinct southern taxa. Neanderthals appear to belong to the extinct southern grouping which highlights the lack of attention they had received from the perspective of extinct Late Pleistocene Megafaunal elements. The temporal distribution of taxa confirms the decline towards the Last Glacial Maximum of the southern extinct group and further reveals a decrease in the occurrence of many smaller carnivores. The latter may indicate a decrease in carrying capacity as temperatures decreased which is supported by the decrease in occurrence of mammoths on non-archaeological sites and other similar phenomena documented elsewhere. The geographical distribution of the larger mammals of OIS 3 confirms a retreat towards the South and West of Neanderthals similar to that of the straight-tusked elephant Elephas antiquus and Merck's rhino Stephanorhinus kirchbergensis, both of which also became extinct towards the Last Glacial Maximum. The change in geographical distribution of the European wild ass Equus hydruntinus through OIS 3 may be closest to that of the Neanderthals implying similar tolerances. The results of the palaeoecological and palaeobiogeographical study of Neanderthals prompt a reconsideration of their supposed adaptations.

Dispersal events of the saiga antelope (Saiga tatarica) in Central Europe in response to the climatic fluctuations in MIS 2 and the early part of MIS 1

“…The presence of saiga in the Late Pleistocene of the Balkans is at present questionable (Spassov, 2009). The only find in the former Yugoslavia from the Vindija Cave (Malez, 1972), cited by Stewart (2007) and Markova et al (2010) in their reviews, was recently rejected after a revision of the bone assemblage (Miracle et al, 2010). Also the presence of S. tatarica near L arissa in Thessaly, Northern Greece (Mil oj ci c et al, 1965) is questioned because it was not found during recent excavations (Athanassiou, 2011).…”

Environment during the Middle to Late Palaeolithic transition in southern France: The archaeological sequence of Tournal Cave (Bize-Minervois, France)

“…Several recent studies raise some interesting arguments and evoke different assumptions about the dynamic changes in Neanderthal and AMH populations in relation to environmental conditions and interactions (e.g. d 'Errico and Sánchez Goñi, 2003;Stewart, 2005Stewart, , 2007Svoboda, 2005;Finlayson and Carríon, 2007;Sepulchre et al, 2007;Roebroeks, 2008;Shea, 2008;Sørensen, 2011). Additionally, investigations of extinction risks on animal populations can provide useful supplementary perspectives, on the megafauna as well as Neanderthal dynamics (Johnson, 2002;Cardillo et al, 2004;Cardillo et al, 2005;Brook et al, 2006;Pę kalski and Ausloos, 2008;Noguéz-Bravo et al, 2010).…”

“…Several controversial and debated scenarios are currently proposed concerning the role played by climate and AMH in Neanderthals extinction processes (e.g. d 'Errico and Sánchez Goñi, 2003;Gamble et al, 2004;Finlayson and Carrión, 2007;Sepulchre et al, 2007;Stewart, 2007;Sørensen, 2011).…”

Identification of skeletal remains of closely related species: the pitfalls and solutions

“…Unfortunately, the truth is that there are few osteological characters without any exceptions, and anomalous specimens have been observed in recent as well as (sub)fossil materials (e.g. Najbar, 2006;Stefaniak, 2007;Stewart, 2007). In other words, guidebooks to the identification of animal remains are usually correct but they seldom evaluate intraspecific variability, and so the researcher may be unfortunate and come across atypical specimens.…”