Potential applications of biomolecular archaeology to the ecohistory of sea turtles and groupers in Levant coastal antiquity

Humans have been exploiting marine resources along the Levantine coast for millennia. Advances in biomolecular archaeology present novel opportunities to understand the exploitation of these taxa in antiquity. We discuss the potential insights generated by applying collagen peptide fingerprinting, ancient DNA analysis, and stable isotope analysis to groupers (Serranidae) and sea turtles (Chelonia mydas and Caretta caretta) in the Levant. When combined with traditional zooarchaeological techniques, biomolecular archaeology offers utility to further investigate human impacts on marine ecosystems

Honderd jaar archeozoölogie in Groningen

One hundred years of zooarchaeology in Groningen. In 1920, Albert Egges van Giffen founded the Biologisch-Archaeologisch Instituut. Even back in 1920, zooarchaeology was a main component of the institute’s research focus and van Giffen started a zooarchaeological reference collection. The zooarchaeology collection gradually expanded, and zooarchaeological research continued to be undertaken under the direction of, first, Prof. Dr. Anneke Clason, then Dr. Wietske Prummel, and now Dr. Canan Çakırlar. In recent years, the field of zooarchaeology has seen a rise in the application of biomolecular approaches. This has happened at the GIA as well. In this paper, we highlight some of the zooarchaeological work and exciting new projects currently being undertaken at the GIA, as well as the implications zooarchaeological research can have for our understanding of the past and our perspective on the environment

Excavations at Tell Fadous-Kfarabida:Preliminary report on the 2106 season of excavations

This report presents the main results of the final season of excavations in 2016at Tell Fadous-Kfarabida, located on the north Lebanese coast 2 km south of Batroun.Excavations focused on four areas. In Area II we worked only in Squares 310/295and parts of 305/295, where the excavations in 2015 did not reach a satisfactory end. We continued to excavate in and under the northern rooms of Building 4 (Phase III, Early Bronze Age III) and reached the earlier Phases II (Early Bronze Age II) and Phase I (Chalcolithic) in very limited areas. In Areas III and IV, we continued the work begun in 2014 and 2015. Area III is located on the southern slope of the tell. In 2016, work mainly focused on exposing domesticarchitecture from Phase III (Early Bronze Age III). Area IV is situated at the eastern edge of the site, where we continued the investigation of the Early Bronze Age fortification system with a monumental gate (Phase III, Early Bronze Age III). Area V, situated in the northcentral part of the tell, was newly opened in 2016. Here remains of substantial buildings, attributable to Phase III (Early Bronze Age III) were uncovered. In addition to the general overviews of the main features exposed in the different areas during the 2016 season, this report contains specialist reports on ceramic material and small finds from various phases as well as progress reports of ongoing archaeozoological and isotopic investigations

Threatened North African seagrass meadows have supported green turtle populations for millennia

"Protect and restore ecosystems and biodiversity" is the second official aim of the current UN Ocean Decade (2021 to 2030) calling for the identification and protection of critical marine habitats. However, data to inform policy are often lacking altogether or confined to recent times, preventing the establishment of long-term baselines. The unique insights gained from combining bioarchaeology (palaeoproteomics, stable isotope analysis) with contemporary data (from satellite tracking) identified habitats which sea turtles have been using in the Eastern Mediterranean over five millennia. Specifically, our analysis of archaeological green turtle (Chelonia mydas) bones revealed that they likely foraged on the same North African seagrass meadows as their modern-day counterparts. Here, millennia-long foraging habitat fidelity has been directly demonstrated, highlighting the significance (and long-term dividends) of protecting these critical coastal habitats that are especially vulnerable to global warming. We highlight the potential for historical ecology to inform policy in safeguarding critical marine habitats

Calipash and calipee: population dynamics and foraging ecology of archaeological sea turtles

This thesis examines ancient sea turtles from the Levant and more recent archaeological sea turtle bones from the Netherlands. The research investigates foraging ecology, DNA preservation, provenance, and trade. Only two sea turtle species, green turtles and loggerhead turtles, breed and nest in the Mediterranean. Understanding the historical ecology of ancient Mediterranean sea turtle populations hunted in the Bronze and Iron ages was the main goal of the thesis. The Netherlands also participated in large-scale exploitation during colonial times, but sea turtle bones are rare in the archaeological record. By studying archaeological sea turtle bones, the research sheds light on the biological characteristics of archaeological sea turtle populations. The thesis statistically assigns ancient Mediterranean green turtles to modern foraging grounds using palaeoproteomics and stable isotope analysis. Sea turtle trade by the Netherlands is also explored. The possibilities of ancient DNA analysis of archaeological sea turtle remains is investigated, with a focus on DNA preservation. This research integrates marine biology and zooarchaeology to better understand ancient and historical sea turtle exploitation and ecology. The results contribute to nature preservation discussions and emphasise learning from the past for present conservation efforts

Metabolomics and traditional indicators unveil stress of a seagrass (Cymodocea nodosa) meadow at intermediate distance from a fish farm

Seasonal variation of structural, physiological and growth indicators and the metabolome of the seagrass Cymodocea nodosa, as well as biogeochemical conditions of underlying sediment were studied in two meadows growing at increasing distance downstream from a fish farm in the Aegean Sea in order to assess seagrass performance under stress. Horizontal rhizome production decreased significantly with proximity to the fish farm (0.67 and 1.57 g DW m−2 d−1 close and far from the fish-farm, respectively). This coincided with observed effects on ecophyiological indicators, such as rhizome nitrogen, leaf carbon and leaf δ13C, which were elevated with proximity to the fish-farm. Seasonality was shown by some indicators being elevated in either in the warm (C of all tissues and leaf δ34S) or the cold period (N of all tissues). Growth promoting metabolites (sucrose, fructose, myo-inositol, heptacosane, tetracosane, stigmasterol, catechin and alpha-tocopherol) were lower close to the zone, whereas metabolites involved with stress-response (alanine, serine, proline, putrescine, ornithine, 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid and cinnamic acid) were higher. We found that growth-promoting metabolites were positively correlated with horizontal rhizome production, whereas the metabolites related to stress were negatively correlated. Metabolomic fingerprinting of seagrass provides opportunities for early detection of environmental degradation in marine ecological studies