Paleoenvironment

Fossil remains of small mammals of the Leporidae family (genus Oryctolagus and Lepus) are abundant in numerous paleontological and archaeological deposits from the Quaternary. Many species are endemic to Western Europe, which makes them reliable markers of change in the ecosystems in which prehistoric human societies evolved. Paradoxically, morphological variability of leporids is still poorly understood and current phylogeny remains a subject of debate. This work focuses on the morphometric diversity of rabbits (Oryctolagus) and hares (Lepus) over nearly two million years of evolution. We applied osteometry and geometric morphometric (2D and 3D) analyzes to bone and dental remains of current populations and 73 fossil samples from perimediterranean regions (Spain, France, Italy, Portugal) during different moments of the Pleistocene. These data provide insights concerning Leporidae adaptations to environmental change as well as more general evolutionary trends. Here we propose a new phylogeny for the genus Oryctolagus and present different dispersion phases for Western Europe. Several population expansion events coupled with the recolonization of refuge areas and local extinctions are highlighted in response to global climate change. These results allow us to discuss the presence of these small game species in the environment and contribute to the debate concerning relations between leporids and human communities. Humans have regularly consumed leporids since at least the Middle Paleolithic. Their significant increase in the diet at the end of the Upper Paleolithic, however, cannot be explained solely by cognitive, cultural or economic changes but rather coincides with biogeographic variations of these species.

The Kordofan region is located at the southern end of the present-day Sahara in Sudan. AMS 14 C dates and archeological findings allowed dating the latest Pleis-tocene-Holocene deposits in Kordofan. Several paleo-proxies (i.e., sedimentology, gastropod sub-fossil shells, pollens, stable isotopes, major element chemistry, and clay mineralogy) were used to reconstruct the climatic evolution for the past 13 ka. The region was subjected to an arid climate prior to 10 ka. Between 10 and 6 ka, the region experienced a wet climate marked by lacustrine/palustrine and fluviatile deposits. After %6 ka, the climate evolved to dry conditions, although the southern part remained more humid. Between 3 and 1 ka, a strong aeolian activity was recorded by a sedimentary hiatus and erosion features. From 1 ka to Present, the region became arid. This evolution can be correlated to the well-known evolution of Eastern Sahara during this time interval.

The Cornelia-Uitzoek fossil site has produced a large collection of bones, Acheulean artifacts and a Homo sp. tooth dated to ~1 million years ago. The faunal assemblage defines the Cornelian Land Mammal Age and is characterized by a number of extinct species of large mammals that reflect an open grassland environment. Bones were accumulated by hyenas, whereas artifacts appear to be chance inclusions, although they suggest human presence in the immediate surroundings. Previous studies established the absolute chronology of the site and a broad stratigraphic sequence. However, the sedimentary units identified in the field were not linked to specific formation processes, thus limiting the understanding of the depositional history of the site and its potential in reconstructing Pleistocene environments. Using a microgeoarchaeological approach based on infrared spectroscopy and micromorphology of sediments, we were able to determine the formation and post-depositional processes of the entire stratigraphic sequence, and to show that the site is characterized by alluvial sediments accumulated under different river flow regimes. Our results provide context to the faunal and lithic assemblages and are in agreement with existing paleoenvironmental data for the site.

Archaeobotany is the discipline that merges botany with archaeology. It is based on the study of plant fossils found in archaeological contexts with the aim to reconstruct plant use and diets of ancient populations, as well as the environment and the climate of the past, focusing on how people have adapted to them and reacted to their changes. Plant fossils include seeds and fruits (carpology), wood and charcoals (xylology and anthracology) and pollen (palynology). In the present study, archaeobotany is applied on the Phoenician site of Motya, a small island set in Westerm Sicily, in the middle of the Mediterranean. Although the Phoenician-Punic period (late 8th century B.C. – 397 B.C.) represents the main occupational phase of the archaeological settlement, the island is known to have been occupied by indigenous populations since the 17th century BC and continued to be inhabited also after the Siege of Motya (397/6 B.C.), despite not recovering its former importance (Nigro and Spagnoli, 2017). Despite of knowledge regarding their use of plants and their impact on the environment being limited, a key-role in the spread of wine and olive oil production is attributed to Phoenicians (Estreicher, 2013). This is reflected by the findings at Motya, were Vitis vinifera (grape) seeds and Olea europaea (olive) wood are among the main findings. The carpological assemblage of the disposal pit 1112, found on the western slopes of the Acropolis and roughly ascribed to the 7th century B.C., reveals a lot about the diet of Phoenicians at Motya. This was comprised of a wide variety of cereals (including Hordeum vulgare, Triticum monococcum, T. dicoccum and T. aestivum/durum), pulses (Cicer arietinum, Lathyrus sp., Pisum sativum, Vicia faba and V. ervilia) and fruits. Among these is also Punica granatum (pomegranate), found in the form of exocarp fragments, which was allegedly brought by Phoenicians to Motya and to Northern Africa around the 8th century BC. Representations of this fruit are also found in the form of ceramic vessels (Nigro and Spagnoli, 2018). In terms of wood species, other than Olea europaea, also Quercus type suber (evergreen oaks) and Pistacia lentiscus (mastik) are widely represented. The presence of evergreen oaks is also confirmed by pollen evidence. Other anthracological remains include small Mediterranean shrubs such as Rhamnus sp. Further analyses will include pollen studies and morphometric analyses on the retrieved grape pips. The preliminary results already show the potential of combining carpology, anthracology and palynology to get an overall image of the paleoenvironment and paleodiets. This has been highlighted by other studies (Sabato et al., 2015), but still represents a novelty in the field.
References
Estreicher, S. K. . Wine. The Encyclopedia of Ancient History (2013), 1-6.
Nigro L., Spagnoli F., Pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) from Motya and its deepest oriental roots, Vicino Oriente XXII (2018), 49-90
Nigro L., Spagnoli F., Landing on Motya. The earliest Phoenician settlement of the 8th century BC and the creation of a West Phoenician cultural identity in the excavations of Sapienza University of Rome - 2012-2016, Quaderni di Archeologia Fenicio Punica (2017).
Sabato D., Masi A., Pepe C., Ucchesu M., Peña-Chocarro L., Usai A., Giachi G., Capretti C., Bacchetta G., Archaeobotanical analysis of a Bronze Age well from Sardinia: A wealth of knowledge, Plant Biosystems - An International Journal Dealing with all Aspects of Plant Biology, 149:1 (2015), 205-215.

This work provides a detailed taxonomic study of ostracod species from the Dalazi and Tongfosi formations of the Yanji Basin (Jilin Province, NE China). Fourteen species including one new species belonging to nine genera have been recovered: Scabriculocypris tonfosiensis, Scabriculocypris yanbianensis, Cypridea concinaformis, Mongolocypris yanjiensis, Mongolianella kyranbeki sp. nov., Lycopterocypris infantilis, Lycopterocypris sp., Yumenella toorojensis, Candona spp., Cyprois sp., Vlakomia ustinovskii and Vlakomia jilinensis. With the recovery of well-preserved specimens, the sieve pore, ontogeny and sexual dimorphism of Vlakomia jilinensis and Vlakomia ustinovskii are recognized for the first time. The ostracod biostratigraphic correlations suggest that the age of the Tongfosi Formation is Albian and may extend upwards into the Upper Cretaceous, and the Dalazi Formation is not older than the Albian, probably of early Late Cretaceous age. The ostracod faunas of the Tongfosi and Dalazi formations show affinities to faunas of Eastern Mongolia and South Korea, providing evidence of potential faunal exchanges between Northeastern China, Eastern Mongolia and South Korea during the Albian to early Late Cretaceous time. On the basis of their ostracod faunas, the Tongfosi and Dalazi formations represent a shallow-littoral lacustrine depositional environment that potentially included small ephemeral water bodies.

The Master’s Degree in Advanced Studies in Archaeology of the University of Barcelona offers advanced training in Archaeological Sciences. You will be able to gain access to the forefront of archaeological studies, receiving training in disciplines, methods and techniques such as geoarchaeology, petrography, geography, computer science, archaeobotany, zooarchaeology, chemistry, conservation, spatial and temporal data recording and Geographic Information Systems.

Twelve flotation samples collected from a previously excavated unit on San Nicolas Island in 1995, but unreported until now, were extremely productive yielding an abundance of charred seeds, geophyte remains, wood charcoal, and faunal remains. These are quite similar to other reported datasets from the Channel Islands and mainland southern California.

PALEOENVIRONMENTAL MEANING OF THE PRESERVED FAUNA IN THE
TREMEMBÉ FORMATION, TAUBATÉ BASIN, SÃO PAULO, BRAZIL

This work comprised the study of the Tremembé formation of Taubaté Basin, São Paulo state. Basin analysis studies were based on faunal data, which allows a better understanding of the paleoenvironments usually interpreted only by geological data or isolated taxonomic groups. The faunal representatives of the Tremembé Formation were inventoried and the diversity reached 43 species of insects, 13 of mammals, 10 of fishes, 8 of crustaceous and birds, 3 of reptiles, 2 of amphibious, 2 of mollusk and 1 of arachnids, annelids and spongy. Paleoanvironmental interpretation based on geological aspects and fossil plants basin was made over literature. These studies confirmed the existence of a great non oligomitic paleolake rich in aquatic plants and algae suggesting a high primary productivity. The lake water was alkaline, with a pH around 7-9. Most of the birds’ and mammals’ species, as well as paludal vegetation, lived around the lake. There was also a complex and  dense forest mainly composed of angiosperms, where selective animals fed. In the  highest region (dry and cold areas), diverse gymnosperms were identified by their pollens. The weather of the valley was moist with low seasonality, excepted by one great period of aridity registered over the bentonitic clay. All the data are consistent with Deseadan age (late Oligocene-early Miocene).

A Formação Tremembé da bacia de Taubaté foi estudada dentro da
metodologia de análise de bacia, com enfoque paleobiológico o que permitiu uma melhor compreensão dos paleoambientes, em geral interpretados através de dados geológicos ou grupos taxonômicos isolados. Foram inventariados os dados biológicos dos representantes da fauna da Formação Tremembé. A diversidade encontrada foi de 43 espécies de insetos, 13 de mamíferos, 10 de peixes, 8 de crustáceos e de aves, 3 de répteis, 2 de anfíbios, 2 de moluscos, 1 de aracnídeos, anelídeos e poríferos. Realizou-se um levantamento dos trabalhos sobre a flora e a geologia da bacia para interpretação dos paleoambientes. Foi confirmada a existência de um paleolago de grande porte, que não deveria ser oligomítico, pois possuía diversas macrófitas aquáticas e algas, caracterizando uma alta produção. A água apresentava um pH alcalino entre 7 e 9. O lago possuía uma vegetação paludal em seu entorno onde deveriam viver a maioria das espécies de aves e mamíferos. Havia também uma floresta complexa e densa, constituída principalmente de angiospermas, onde animais com alimentação mais seletiva obtinham alimentos. Na região mais alta (seca e fria), prosperavam as diversas gimnospermas identificadas pela palinologia. O clima do vale era úmido, com baixa sazonalidade, à exceção de um forte período de seca registrado no topo da argila bentonítica. Todos os dados encontrados demonstram coerência com a idade Deseadense, final do Oligoceno, início do Mioceno.

Reports on Cretaceous charcoals are relatively common on a global scale and have been increasing in recent years. Fossil
charcoal from the Early Cretaceous mostly belongs to conifers (and other gymnosperms) and ferns whereas angiosperms become
more common only during the Late Cretaceous. However, so far, reports of Cretaceous macroscopic charcoal are rare (three) for
South America. Here, charcoal is identified from the Crato, Ipubi and Romualdo formations of the Early Cretaceous Santana
Group within the Araripe Basin, Brazil. The presence of charcoal provides for the first time compelling evidence for the repeated
occurrence of Early Cretaceous palaeo-wildfires in this region. The charred wood remains were identified as belonging to
gymnosperms, which were important components of the palaeoflora during the Cretaceous in Northeast Brazil. The results
presented here provide additional evidence for the occurrence of palaeo-wildfires in Northern Gondwana during the Early
Cretaceous, increasing our understanding for the relevance of such events and their influence on palaeoenvironmental dynamics.