Multi-isotopic tracking (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S) of ancient trophic webs around the time of Neandertal replacement by anatomically modern humans in North-Western Europe

The study investigated ecological aspects of the mammoth steppe ecosystem in NW Europe with a special focus on the role of late Neandertals and early modern humans through the analysis of stable isotopes in bone collagen (delta 13C, delta 15N and delta 34S). Around the time of Neandertal extinction and the arrival of modern humans a diverse community of large herbivorous and carnivorous mammal lived under cold, fluctuating environmental conditions in NW Europe. The study reconstructed the ecological robustness of this ancient ecosystem and its response to oscillating climatic conditions as well as in regard of the ecological participation of Neandertals and early modern humans. The trophic web, the niche partitioning, the ecological flexibility of single species, as well as the general buffer capacity of this biocenosis are objects of investigation. The Belgium site Troisième caverne of Goyet provided a broad set of directly dated late Neandertal and very early modern human skeletal remains associated with a considerably assemblage of Pleistocene faunal remains. The occurrence of late Neandertals and early modern human skeletal remains at the same place are unique circumstance and allowed a direct comparison of several ecological aspects during a time span with a special relevance for the human evolution. The site Ziegeleigrube Coenen is contemporaneous with the occurrence of late Neandertals and reflects the ecosystem during or shortly after a cold spell. Even during such phases the structure of the mammoth steppe ecosystem was intact and provided consequently an adequate basis for late Neandertal subsidence. In an ecological context the Neandertals were part of there are no indications for any stress on the structure of the ecosystem. Through the analysis ofdelta delta 13C and delta 15N isotopic ratios in bone collagen of faunal and hominid remains the trophic web was evaluated. Processing of the isotopic data 2 through several statistical approaches allowed a detailed reconstruction of ecological niche partitioning of late Neandertals and early modern humans. Both hominid species occupied the same distinct ecological niche in terms of diet with a clear preference for mammoth and reindeer. The investigation of the delta 34S composition in Pleistocene bone collagen is a relatively novel approach and provided insights into spatial hominid procurement. The Goyet Neandertals do not reflect the local fauna delta 34S congruously their main prey had an origin different from the neighborhood of the Belgium sites (Scladina, Spy and Goyet). In contrast the delta 34S signal of the Spy Neandertals and the Goyet ancient modern humans corresponds to the values obtained on the local fauna. Potentially different mobility strategies among Pleistocene hominids while exploring the same prey species is the drafted scenario. The site Lommersum reflects the ecosystem at an initial phase of occupation by modern humans in the area, when Neandertals became already extinct. At this time the regional mammoth population was declining, since the horses entered their niche in distinct region of Western Europe. This study hypothesized that increasing hunting pressure on mammoth by modern humans was the main reason for this, since so far no significant environmental changes on terrestrial ecosystems could be observed in NW Europe. This study indicates that no distinct ecological change happened through the time of the last Neandertals, even during colder phases of the OIS 3. Potential ecological reasons could not be served as arguments for Neandertal extinction in NW Europe. With the capture of the area by representants of the Aurignacian the mammoth steppe ecosystem started to show evidences for stress, in this case at least partly independently of environmental fluctuations

Seasonality at middle and upper palaeolithic sites based on the presence and wear of deciduous premolars from nursing mammoth calves

Middle and Upper Palaeolithic sites, where mam- moths dominate the faunal assemblages, are mainly found in Central and Eastern Europe. At these sites concentrations of skulls, tusks and long bones, interpreted as deliberate constructions, of- ten occur. Rare instances of weapon tip fragments embedded in mammoth bones provide direct ar- chaeological evidence of human hunting. Indirect evidence, such as the accumulation of mammoth bones from multiple individuals with specific ontogenetic ages, occurs more frequently. Based on the eruption sequence and wear of deciduous premolars from mammoth calves, we examined whether a season of death could be deduced from the characteristics of the dentition. Our results suggest that the mammoth hunt was not restricted to the cold half of the year.The symposium and the volume "Human-elephant interactions: from past to present" were funded by the Volkswagen Foundation

Palaeogenomics of Upper Palaeolithic to Neolithic European hunter-gatherers

: Modern humans have populated Europe for more than 45,000 years1,2. Our knowledge of the genetic relatedness and structure of ancient hunter-gatherers is however limited, owing to the scarceness and poor molecular preservation of human remains from that period3. Here we analyse 356 ancient hunter-gatherer genomes, including new genomic data for 116 individuals from 14 countries in western and central Eurasia, spanning between 35,000 and 5,000 years ago. We identify a genetic ancestry profile in individuals associated with Upper Palaeolithic Gravettian assemblages from western Europe that is distinct from contemporaneous groups related to this archaeological culture in central and southern Europe4, but resembles that of preceding individuals associated with the Aurignacian culture. This ancestry profile survived during the Last Glacial Maximum (25,000 to 19,000 years ago) in human populations from southwestern Europe associated with the Solutrean culture, and with the following Magdalenian culture that re-expanded northeastward after the Last Glacial Maximum. Conversely, we reveal a genetic turnover in southern Europe suggesting a local replacement of human groups around the time of the Last Glacial Maximum, accompanied by a north-to-south dispersal of populations associated with the Epigravettian culture. From at least 14,000 years ago, an ancestry related to this culture spread from the south across the rest of Europe, largely replacing the Magdalenian-associated gene pool. After a period of limited admixture that spanned the beginning of the Mesolithic, we find genetic interactions between western and eastern European hunter-gatherers, who were also characterized by marked differences in phenotypically relevant variants

Palaeogenomics of Upper Palaeolithic to Neolithic European hunter-gatherers

Publisher Copyright: © 2023, The Author(s).Modern humans have populated Europe for more than 45,000 years1,2. Our knowledge of the genetic relatedness and structure of ancient hunter-gatherers is however limited, owing to the scarceness and poor molecular preservation of human remains from that period3. Here we analyse 356 ancient hunter-gatherer genomes, including new genomic data for 116 individuals from 14 countries in western and central Eurasia, spanning between 35,000 and 5,000 years ago. We identify a genetic ancestry profile in individuals associated with Upper Palaeolithic Gravettian assemblages from western Europe that is distinct from contemporaneous groups related to this archaeological culture in central and southern Europe4, but resembles that of preceding individuals associated with the Aurignacian culture. This ancestry profile survived during the Last Glacial Maximum (25,000 to 19,000 years ago) in human populations from southwestern Europe associated with the Solutrean culture, and with the following Magdalenian culture that re-expanded northeastward after the Last Glacial Maximum. Conversely, we reveal a genetic turnover in southern Europe suggesting a local replacement of human groups around the time of the Last Glacial Maximum, accompanied by a north-to-south dispersal of populations associated with the Epigravettian culture. From at least 14,000 years ago, an ancestry related to this culture spread from the south across the rest of Europe, largely replacing the Magdalenian-associated gene pool. After a period of limited admixture that spanned the beginning of the Mesolithic, we find genetic interactions between western and eastern European hunter-gatherers, who were also characterized by marked differences in phenotypically relevant variants.Peer reviewe