Los antepasados del oso de las Cavernas

[Abstract] The lineage of the cave bear Ursus deningeri--> U. Spelaeus is well known, but to draw a limit in this evolution is not easy. The real difficulty is met when this cave bear lineage has to be linked to its ancestors... Dating physical methods, paleoclimatic and paleo environmental data, works on teeth and bones morphology, progress in paleogenetics are means our disposal to give essential information to phylogeny. A large collaboration is needed. Practical information are given about a possible discussion grou

A Unique Population of Cave Bears (Carnivora: Ursidae) from the Middle Pleistocene of Kents Cavern, England, Based on Dental Morphometrics

The ‘breccia’ stratum from Kents (we follow local tradition in using the form ‘Kents’, without an apostrophe) Cavern, England, has been well known for its rich yield of cave-bear material since excavations began in the mid-19th century. Recent work has established that the bears are of latest MIS 12 or earliest MIS 11 age. A life table based on a collection of 67 molariform teeth is consistent with the use of the cave as a hibernaculum. Univariate and morphological assessment of the teeth shows an unusual range of primitive and more derived characters. Multivariate morphometric analysis of cave-bear teeth from the site demonstrates that these animals, while currently assignable to Ursus deningeri sensu lato, are nevertheless morphologically distinct and not simply late deningeri on a hypothetical chronospecific continuum

Genetic turnovers and northern survival during the last glacial maximum in European brown bears.

The current phylogeographic pattern of European brown bears (Ursus arctos) has commonly been explained by postglacial recolonization out of geographically distinct refugia in southern Europe, a pattern well in accordance with the expansion/contraction model. Studies of ancient DNA from brown bear remains have questioned this pattern, but have failed to explain the glacial distribution of mitochondrial brown bear clades and their subsequent expansion across the European continent. We here present 136 new mitochondrial sequences generated from 346 remains from Europe, ranging in age between the Late Pleistocene and historical times. The genetic data show a high Late Pleistocene diversity across the continent and challenge the strict confinement of bears to traditional southern refugia during the last glacial maximum (LGM). The mitochondrial data further suggest a genetic turnover just before this time, as well as a steep demographic decline starting in the mid-Holocene. Levels of stable nitrogen isotopes from the remains confirm a previously proposed shift toward increasing herbivory around the LGM in Europe. Overall, these results suggest that in addition to climate, anthropogenic impact and inter-specific competition may have had more important effects on the brown bear's ecology, demography, and genetic structure than previously thought

The big cats of the fossil site Château Breccia northern section (Saône-et-Loire, Burgundy, France): stratigraphy, palaeoenvironment; ethology and biochronological dating

National audienc

L’ours fossile du scialet de la Décroissance (Correçon-en-Vercors) et biloan du programme Oursalp

Table ronde “L’Homme dans les Alpes : de la pierre au métal” – Villard-de-Lans (Isère

La grotte Tempiette (Entremont-le-Vieux – Savoie) : un piège naturel à bouquetins et chamois

Table ronde “L’Homme dans les Alpes : de la pierre au métal” – Villard-de-Lans (Isère

La grotte de Prélétang (Presles, Isère) : un campement de chasse moustérien

Poster pour la Table ronde “L’Homme dans les Alpes : de la pierre au métal” – Villard-de-Lans (Isère

Origins of European biodiversity: palaeo-geographic signification of peat inception during the Holocene in the granitic eastern Massif Central (France)

International audienceMires are rare, unique environments that greatly contribute to biodiversity and occupy key functions in the hydrological cycle, but today many of these ecosystems are menaced, making conservation measures necessary. The efficiency of these measures is partly related to our knowledge of their origins and their development, a question rarely addressed. In this paper we examine the development of mires during the 10.000 last years (Holocene) in the eastern Massif Central, France, focusing on the contributions of climate change and human activities. Radiocarbon dates of the basal layers of 63 sites show that many mires formed around 7500 BP. During the Holocene, many mires were formed in the Atlantic period, characterised by warmer and wetter climatic conditions. At shorter time scales of 103–102 years, several other factors are related to peat inception, including topography, geomorphology and superficial geology, vegetation successions and human-induced changes. There is evidence that the building of small dams in headwater streams during the Iron age induced local water logging which then lead to the initiation and growth of mires. The influence of Bronze age communities is further demonstrated by new pollen analysis results. Forest clearing and grazing also favoured soil water logging, enabling peat inception. We consider human societies to be responsible for the formation of some mires. Human activities can be considered to having taken part in the development of the European biodiversity at least during the last 5 millennium