Écologie alimentaire et paléoenvironnements des cervidés européens du Pléistocène inférieur : le message des textures de micro-usure dentaire

The early Pleistocene is a period of global cooling and climatic oscillations punctuated by glacial and interglacial cycles. This period of climatic instability leads to an alternation of steppe and forest habitats resulting in faunal renewals and dispersals, including Homo dispersal.In paleoenvironmental reconstructions based on faunal assemblages, deer, which are among the most abundant mammals, are traditionally considered forest dwellers. However, this paradigm is far from reflecting the real complexity of deer ecological diversity.Via the textural analysis of 921 representatives of the 5 extant European deer with known ecology, a solid reference database has been setup. It attests of the significative link existing between dental micro-wear and vegetal resources. The analysis of 547 fossils from 15 European localities underlines the ecological diversity among fossil deer. Eucladoceros ctenoides and Metacervoceros rhenanus are plastic in their diet. The analysis of such deer allows the identification of dietary adaptive answers to environmental modifications resulting from climatic oscillations. Being eurytopic, they constitute essential proxies for paleoenvironmental reconstructions. The results challenge the link existing between the occurrence of deer and the presence of forest habitats, as deer are ecologically more diversified.The textural analysis of deer from European human bearing localities aims at characterizing potential habitats favorable toward Homo dispersion in Eurasia.Le refroidissement global et les oscillations entre cycles glaciaires et interglaciaires du Pléistocène inférieur ont pour conséquence une alternance entre milieux steppiques et forestiers, favorisant par là-même renouvellements et dispersions fauniques dont celui du genre Homo.Dans les interprétations paléoenvironnementales basées sur les assemblages fauniques, les cervidés, parmi les plus abondants mammifères, sont classiquement considérés comme forestiers, mais ce paradigme ne reflète pas la complexité de la diversité écologique réelle des cervidés.L'analyse texturale de 921 spécimens représentant les 5 cervidés actuels à l'écologie référencée a permis d'établir une robuste base de données et d'attester du lien significatif entre micro-usure dentaire et ressources végétales. L'analyse de 547 cervidés fossiles issus de 15 localités européennes souligne leur grande diversité écologique. Eucladoceros ctenoides et Metacervoceros rhenanus présentent une alimentation plastique. Leur analyse permet l'identification de réponses alimentaires adaptatives aux modifications environnementales liées aux oscillations climatiques. Ces deux cervidés, eurytopiques, constituent des indicateurs écologiques incontournables. La composante forestière supportée par la présence des cervidés est ici remise en cause ; les cervidés étant plus diversifiés écologiquement. L'analyse de la texture de la micro-usure dentaire des cervidés présents dans des sites européens, où la présence du genre Homo a été avancée, vise à identifier le type potentiel d'habitat favorable à sa dispersion en Eurasie

Feeding ecology and paleoenvironments of ancient cervids from the early Pleistocene of Europe : the message of the dental microwear textures

Le refroidissement global et les oscillations entre cycles glaciaires et interglaciaires du Pléistocène inférieur ont pour conséquence une alternance entre milieux steppiques et forestiers, favorisant par là-même renouvellements et dispersions fauniques dont celui du genre Homo.Dans les interprétations paléoenvironnementales basées sur les assemblages fauniques, les cervidés, parmi les plus abondants mammifères, sont classiquement considérés comme forestiers, mais ce paradigme ne reflète pas la complexité de la diversité écologique réelle des cervidés.L'analyse texturale de 921 spécimens représentant les 5 cervidés actuels à l'écologie référencée a permis d'établir une robuste base de données et d'attester du lien significatif entre micro-usure dentaire et ressources végétales. L'analyse de 547 cervidés fossiles issus de 15 localités européennes souligne leur grande diversité écologique. Eucladoceros ctenoides et Metacervoceros rhenanus présentent une alimentation plastique. Leur analyse permet l'identification de réponses alimentaires adaptatives aux modifications environnementales liées aux oscillations climatiques. Ces deux cervidés, eurytopiques, constituent des indicateurs écologiques incontournables. La composante forestière supportée par la présence des cervidés est ici remise en cause ; les cervidés étant plus diversifiés écologiquement. L'analyse de la texture de la micro-usure dentaire des cervidés présents dans des sites européens, où la présence du genre Homo a été avancée, vise à identifier le type potentiel d'habitat favorable à sa dispersion en Eurasie.The early Pleistocene is a period of global cooling and climatic oscillations punctuated by glacial and interglacial cycles. This period of climatic instability leads to an alternation of steppe and forest habitats resulting in faunal renewals and dispersals, including Homo dispersal.In paleoenvironmental reconstructions based on faunal assemblages, deer, which are among the most abundant mammals, are traditionally considered forest dwellers. However, this paradigm is far from reflecting the real complexity of deer ecological diversity.Via the textural analysis of 921 representatives of the 5 extant European deer with known ecology, a solid reference database has been setup. It attests of the significative link existing between dental micro-wear and vegetal resources. The analysis of 547 fossils from 15 European localities underlines the ecological diversity among fossil deer. Eucladoceros ctenoides and Metacervoceros rhenanus are plastic in their diet. The analysis of such deer allows the identification of dietary adaptive answers to environmental modifications resulting from climatic oscillations. Being eurytopic, they constitute essential proxies for paleoenvironmental reconstructions. The results challenge the link existing between the occurrence of deer and the presence of forest habitats, as deer are ecologically more diversified.The textural analysis of deer from European human bearing localities aims at characterizing potential habitats favorable toward Homo dispersion in Eurasia

Dental microwear texture analysis of deer from Combe Grenal (Dordogne, France): a new insight into the paleoenvironmental variations during the Middle Paleolithic

International audienceRed deer (Cervus elaphus) and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) constituted major components of the European Middle Paleolithic faunas, and hence a key resource for hominid populations. In paleoenvironmental reconstructions, red deer and reindeer occurrences are typically considered as a tree-cover indicator and an open landscape marker, respectively. However, insights into the ecology of extant deer uncover a wide variety of feeding behaviors and occupied habitats. Exploring the feeding behavior of extinct eurytopic cervids constitutes a key to better apprehend paleoenvironments and their variations through time. By reflecting what has eaten an animal during the last few days or weeks of its life, dental microwear textures of herbivores constitute a bridge between a population and its environment. Here we analyzed, via Dental Microwear Texture Analysis (DMTA-SSFA), the diet of 202 R. tarandus and 116 C. elaphus preyed by the Neanderthal populations that occupied Combe Grenal. This site is one of the most important Mousterian archaeo-sequences in southwestern France (spanning MIS 6 to 3), characterized by an abundance of faunal remains (>12,000 remains) and ample variation in the lithic industries. Results illustrate the diversity of the food categories the two taxa were able to consume around Combe Grenal. The fact that both deer are eurytopic allows us to consider their feeding behavior as a good indicator of paleoenvironmental variations through time. DMTA-SSFA provide a more complex picture of Combe Grenal local paleoenvironmental variations than previously thought. These variations are discussed and contrasted with changes already documented in the sequence in hunted prey and Neanderthal productions (lithic industries and pigment use). Identifying and understanding ecological adaptations in fossil populations in response to environmental and climatic changes is a relevant approach to better understand the current adaptations of species to the climatic changes they are currently facing

Rusa deer, an invasive species : inter & intra-population ecology, diet and dental microwear

International audienceFrom 12 individuals introduced in 1870 in New Caledonia, hundreds of thousands rusa deer (Cervus timorensis rusa; Groves and Grubb 2011) are now present in this biodiversity hotspot. If rusa deer’s favorite diet seems to be herbaceous monocotyledons whenever available, the important feeding plasticity of this taxa allows it to consume a large range of less preferred vegetal resources, including species with high environmental value, when its favorite diet is not available. Rusa deer impact their habitat by overgrazing, imped vegetal regeneration by eating every sprout, provoke older tree’s death by consuming their bark. It results in a habitat opening and an increased erosion that in turn impacts the water distribution and availability. This invasive species therefore constitutes a main concern for agriculture and ecology. Dental Microwear Texture Analysis, the study of the microscopic wear caused by food during mastication, has proven to be efficient enough in deciphering subtle inter and intra-population variations in diet. This approach, initially developed for paleontological purposes, presents a major potential as a monitoring tool for ungulate management and conservation problematics.10 habitats were identified based on vegetation, climate, degradation by rusa deer, and human impact. 2500 mandibles were sampled on a 1-year cycle to consider seasonal dietary variations. 600 feces samples and 200 rumen samples were collected to explore further the feeding ecology of the very same individuals. The purpose of this talk is to present our dental microwear preliminary results and to initiate interdisciplinary collaborations to better understand the feeding ecology of rusa deer, in order to propose managing strategies that would be adapted to the New Caledonian case

Rusa deer, an invasive species : inter & intra-population ecology, diet and dental microwear

International audienceFrom 12 individuals introduced in 1870 in New Caledonia, hundreds of thousands rusa deer (Cervus timorensis rusa; Groves and Grubb 2011) are now present in this biodiversity hotspot. If rusa deer’s favorite diet seems to be herbaceous monocotyledons whenever available, the important feeding plasticity of this taxa allows it to consume a large range of less preferred vegetal resources, including species with high environmental value, when its favorite diet is not available. Rusa deer impact their habitat by overgrazing, imped vegetal regeneration by eating every sprout, provoke older tree’s death by consuming their bark. It results in a habitat opening and an increased erosion that in turn impacts the water distribution and availability. This invasive species therefore constitutes a main concern for agriculture and ecology. Dental Microwear Texture Analysis, the study of the microscopic wear caused by food during mastication, has proven to be efficient enough in deciphering subtle inter and intra-population variations in diet. This approach, initially developed for paleontological purposes, presents a major potential as a monitoring tool for ungulate management and conservation problematics.10 habitats were identified based on vegetation, climate, degradation by rusa deer, and human impact. 2500 mandibles were sampled on a 1-year cycle to consider seasonal dietary variations. 600 feces samples and 200 rumen samples were collected to explore further the feeding ecology of the very same individuals. The purpose of this talk is to present our dental microwear preliminary results and to initiate interdisciplinary collaborations to better understand the feeding ecology of rusa deer, in order to propose managing strategies that would be adapted to the New Caledonian case

Dental microwear texture analysis of deer and large bovids from Combe Grenal (Dordogne, France): what does it tell us about Neandertal subsistence strategies?

International audienceLarge bovids and cervids constituted major components of the European Middle Paleolithic faunas, and hence a key resource for hominid populations. In paleoenvironmental reconstructions, red deer (Cervus elaphus) occurrence is considered as a tree-cover indicator while Bovinae (Bison priscus and Bos primigenius) and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) occurrences are typically associated with open landscapes. However, insights into the ecology of extant ungulate populations attests of the relative ecological plasticity of these species, thus highlighting a reality that is much more complex. Exploring the feeding behavior of extinct ungulates constitutes a key to better apprehend the hunting strategies of past human populations as well as to characterize paleoenvironments and their variations through time. By reflecting what an animal has eaten during the last few days or weeks of its life, dental microwear textures of herbivores constitute a bridge between a population and its environment. Here we analyzed, via Dental Microwear Texture Analysis (DMTA), the diet of 59 Bos/Bison, 202 R. tarandus and 116 C. elaphus preyed by the Neanderthal populations that occupied Combe Grenal. Spanning MIS 6 to 3, this site is one of the most important Mousterian archaeo-sequences in southwestern France, characterized by an abundance of faunal remains (>12,000 remains) and ample variation in Paleolithic material culture.Results reveal that grazers and mixed-feeders are the most represented dietary categories for both large bovids and cervids along the sequence. These results shed light on the available resources and the structure of the vegetation in the habitats where these animals have been hunted, thus providing insights into Neanderthal hunting strategies at Combe Grenal during the period covered by this study. These results are discussed and compared with paleoenvironmental inferences already documented in the sequence for hunted prey and Neanderthal productions (lithic industries and pigment use)

Rusa deer, an invasive species : inter & intra-population ecology, diet and dental microwear

International audienceFrom 12 individuals introduced in 1870 in New Caledonia, hundreds of thousands rusa deer (Cervus timorensis rusa; Groves and Grubb 2011) are now present in this biodiversity hotspot. If rusa deer’s favorite diet seems to be herbaceous monocotyledons whenever available, the important feeding plasticity of this taxa allows it to consume a large range of less preferred vegetal resources, including species with high environmental value, when its favorite diet is not available. Rusa deer impact their habitat by overgrazing, imped vegetal regeneration by eating every sprout, provoke older tree’s death by consuming their bark. It results in a habitat opening and an increased erosion that in turn impacts the water distribution and availability. This invasive species therefore constitutes a main concern for agriculture and ecology. Dental Microwear Texture Analysis, the study of the microscopic wear caused by food during mastication, has proven to be efficient enough in deciphering subtle inter and intra-population variations in diet. This approach, initially developed for paleontological purposes, presents a major potential as a monitoring tool for ungulate management and conservation problematics.10 habitats were identified based on vegetation, climate, degradation by rusa deer, and human impact. 2500 mandibles were sampled on a 1-year cycle to consider seasonal dietary variations. 600 feces samples and 200 rumen samples were collected to explore further the feeding ecology of the very same individuals. The purpose of this talk is to present our dental microwear preliminary results and to initiate interdisciplinary collaborations to better understand the feeding ecology of rusa deer, in order to propose managing strategies that would be adapted to the New Caledonian case

A long-term perspective on Neanderthal environment and subsistence: Insights from the dental microwear texture analysis of hunted ungulates at Combe-Grenal (Dordogne, France)

Large bovids and cervids constituted major components of the European Middle Palaeolithic faunas and hence a key resource for Neanderthal populations. In paleoenvironmental reconstructions, red deer (Cervus elaphus) occurrence is classically considered as a tree-cover indicator while Bovinae (Bison priscus and Bos primigenius) and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) occurrences are typically associated with open landscapes. However, insights into the ecology of extant ungulate populations show a more complex reality. Exploring the diet of past ungulates allows to better comprehend the hunting strategies of Palaeolithic populations and to reconstruct the modifications through time of past landscapes. By reflecting what animals have eaten during the last days or weeks of their life, dental microwear textures of herbivores link a population and its environment. Here we analyzed, via Dental Microwear Texture Analysis (DMTA), the diet of 50 Bos/Bison, 202 R. tarandus and 116 C. elaphus preyed upon by the Neanderthals that occupied Combe-Grenal rock-shelter, one of the most important Mousterian archaeo-sequences in southwestern France considering its long stratigraphy, abundance of faunal remains and the variations perceptible in Palaeolithic material culture. Grazers and mixed-feeders are the most represented dietary categories among Combe-Grenal’s guild of herbivores, highlighting the availability, along the sequence, of open landscapes. The absence of clear changes in the use of plant resources by hunted ungulates through time, even though palaeoenvironmental changes were well-documented by previous studies along the sequence, is interpreted as resulting from the hunting of non-randomly selected prey by Neanderthals, preferentially in open environments. Thus, these results provide further insight into the hunting strategies of Neanderthals and modify our perception of potential links between subsistence and material culture. Combe-Grenal hunters “stayed in the open” through millennia, and were not forced to switch to hunting tactics and material technology adapted to close encounters in forested environments

Le cerf rusa, espèce invasive : Micro-usure dentaire, écologies inter et intra-populationnelles, régime alimentaire, génétique des paysages

Contexte : Le cerf rusa, espèce invasive introduite en Nouvelle Calédonie en 1870, constitue actuellement un objet de préoccupation majeur, autant d’un point de vue agricultural qu’environnemental, du fait de son impact dramatique sur les paysages. Malgré des dégradations observées dès 1880 (Barrau, 1957), le manque de connaissances sur son écologie et son rôle symbolique pour les calédoniens ne favorisent pas sa gestion. Afin de mettre en place des stratégies de gestion les plus efficaces possibles dans le but de limiter l’effet dévastateur des cerfs rusa sur la biodiversité, la culture et l’élevage en Nouvelle-Calédonie, une connaissance approfondie du comportement alimentaire de l’espèce est nécessaire.Objectifs de l’étude : L’étude menée par E. Berlioz entre avril 2018 et juillet 2019 a eu pour objectifs d’en connaitre davantage sur l’écologie alimentaire de cette espèce et de proposer un outil de suivi de l’impact du cerf rusa sur les habitats calédoniens. Il s’agissait d’identifier avec précision les types de plantes consommées en fonction de la saison, du sexe et de la densité de population de ces animaux via une caractérisation de l’abrasion dentaire à l’échelle micrométrique sur un cycle annuel et dans les principaux écosystèmes naturels (forêts sclérophylles, mésophylles, humides) et anthropisés. Il s’agissait également d’évaluer le potentiel des analyses de texture de micro-usure dentaire comme outil de suivi de la gestion des populations de cervidés.Objectif initial : suivi de 5 populations sur 1 année, prélèvement sur 3 périodes de 2 mois correspondant aux trois saisons Néo-Calédoniennes, à raison de 30 mâles et 30 femelles par site et par saison, soit 1200 spécimens au total. Prélèvement en parallèle de fèces et contenus stomachaux pour quelques spécimens par site et par saison.Collection réellement constituée : 2500 mandibules provenant de 13 sites largement répartis sur la Grande Terre ont été échantillonnés sans interruptions entre avril 2018 et mai 2019. 200 échantillons de panses et 600 prélèvements de fèces ont en outre été prélevés sur les mêmes individus. Enfin, plus de 2000 biopsies de tissu musculaire ont été effectuées sur des cerfs abattus sur l’ensemble de la Grande Terre. Il s’agit là d’une collection unique au monde et d’une valeur scientifique inestimable.Nouveaux objectifs : La mise en place de plusieurs collaborations internationales autour de cette collection va nous permettre d’aller beaucoup plus loin dans notre compréhension de l’écologie du cerf rusa calédonien :- Génétique des paysages : Comprendre l’histoire du peuplement de la Nouvelle-Calédonie par les cerfs, les relations entre populations et le lien avec la ressource eau (Alain Frantz, Museum d’Histoire Naturelle du Luxembourg)- L’identification taxinomique des espèces végétales consommées par les cerfs grâce au séquençage ADN des fèces et des échantillons de panses permettra une connaissance encore plus approfondie du comportement alimentaire de l’espèce dans une grande diversité d’habitats (Entreprise Spygen, Chambéry)

A long-term perspective on Neanderthal environment and subsistence: insights from the dental micro-texture analysis of hunted ungulates at Combe-Grenal (Dordogne, France)

Article In pressInternational audienceLarge bovids and cervids constituted major components of the European Middle Palaeolithic faunas and hence a key resource for Neanderthal populations. In paleoenvironmental reconstructions, red deer (Cervus elaphus) occurrence is classically considered as a tree-cover indicator while Bovinae (Bison priscus and Bos primigenius) and reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) occurrences are typically associated with open landscapes. However, insights into the ecology of extant ungulate populations show a more complex reality. Exploring the diet of past ungulates allows to better comprehend the hunting strategies of Palaeolithic populations and to reconstruct the modifications through time of past landscapes. By reflecting what animals have eaten during the last days or weeks of their life, dental microwear textures of herbivores link a population and its environment. Here we analyzed, via Dental Microwear Texture Analysis (DMTA), the diet of 50 Bos/Bison, 202 R. tarandus and 116 C. elaphus preyed upon by the Neanderthals that occupied Combe-Grenal rock-shelter, one of the most important Mousterian archaeo-sequences in southwestern France considering its long stratigraphy, abundance of faunal remains and the variations perceptible in Palaeolithic material culture. Grazers and mixed-feeders are the most represented dietary categories among Combe-Grenal’s guild of herbivores, highlighting the availability, along the sequence, of open landscapes. The absence of clear changes in the use of plant resources by hunted ungulates through time, even though palaeoenvironmental changes were well-documented by previous studies along the sequence, is interpreted as resulting from the hunting of non-randomly selected prey by Neanderthals, preferentially in open environments. Thus, these results provide further insight into the hunting strategies of Neanderthals and modify our perception of potential links between subsistence and material culture. Combe-Grenal hunters “stayed in the open” through millennia, and were not forced to switch to hunting tactics and material technology adapted to close encounters in forested environments