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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
agricultural and biological sciences
Tracking changing environments using stable carbon isotopes in fossil tooth enamel: an example from the South African hominin sites
Journal of Human Evolution, Volume 53, No. 5, Year 2007
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Description
The environmental contexts of the karstic hominin sites in South Africa have been established largely by means of faunal associations; taken together these data suggest a trend from relatively closed and more mesic to open, drier environments from about 3 to 1.5 Ma. Vrba argued for a major shift within this trend ca. 2.4-2.6 Ma, an influential proposal that posited links between bovid (and hominin) radiation in Africa and the intensification of Northern Hemisphere Glaciation. Yet faunal approaches often rely on habitat and feeding preferences of modern taxa that may differ from those of their extinct predecessors. Here we explore ways of extending 13C/12C data from fossil mammals beyond denoting "presence" or "absence" of C4 grasses using the evolution of open environments in South Africa as a case study. To do so we calculated the relative proportions of C3-, mixed-, and C4-feeding herbivores for all the hominin sites for which we have sufficient data based on 13C/12C analyses of fossil tooth enamel. The results confirm a general trend towards more open environments since 3 Ma, but they also emphasize a marked change to open grassy habitats in the latest Pliocene/early Pleistocene. Mean 13C/12C for large felids also mirrored this trend. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Authors & Co-Authors
Lee-Thorp, Julia A.
United Kingdom, Bradford
University of Bradford
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
Sponheimer, Matt
United States, Boulder
University of Colorado Boulder
Luyt, Julie
South Africa, Cape Town
University of Cape Town
Statistics
Citations: 96
Authors: 3
Affiliations: 3
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/j.jhevol.2006.11.020
ISSN:
00472484
Research Areas
Cancer
Environmental
Study Design
Case Study
Study Approach
Qualitative
Study Locations
South Africa