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In order to understand the paleogeographic evolution of Viedma Lake (252 masl) sedimentary sequences with glaciolacustrine and lacustrine strata between 307 masl and 266 masl and bathymetric fluctuations between 27 ka. and 2.4 ka. were identified. The paleoenvironmental interpretation of the stratigraphic profiles was carried out based on the analysis of facies and their associations. The oldest age was recorded at 301 masl (27 ka) and the youngest corresponds to 266 masl (2.4 ka). The record of 27 ka was compared with another dated record of the Tar-San Martin Lakes basin showing that Viedma – Tar-San Martín Lakes were formed at similar ages. Taking into account that the deposits of Bahía Túnel are located at 266 masl and that the level of the lake would be above this height, it is proposed that this lake level would have restricted the movement of hunter-gatherer populations along the coast and to the west. From 2.4 ka on a new space started to be available for these populations broadening the wintering grounds (≤400 masl). The chronology of the archaeological record found in this new space fits the proposed paleogeographic evolution. This paper complements the research on the evolution of lacustrine systems in the Patagonian Mountain range and broadens the discussion of human mobility in the Viedma Lake basin during the Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, wildlife is one of the most important sources of zoonoses, and it is a major concern for public health. Nevertheless, little is known about the role of wildlife as a reservoir and source of infectious diseases in the past. South America presents a wide diversity of wildlife. In the south of the continent, Argentina shelters a large diversity of neotropical carnivores. Although the paleoparasitological studies on carnivores have been increasing in southern Argentina, most of the efforts have been focused in a handful of sites located in western Patagonia. In this paper, two coprolites of felid found in Cueva Galpón, an initial late Holocene mortuary site from northeast Patagonia (Argentina), were studied for paleoparasitological purposes. Samples were processed by rehydration and homogenization, filtered and processed by spontaneous sedimentation. The samples were assigned to Puma concolor (puma) or Panthera onca (jaguar). Microscopic observations revealed that both coprolites were positive for parasite remains. High parasite richness was observed. Six nematodes, one cestode, and one coccidian morphotypes were reported. This is the first time that Gnathostoma sp. and Spirocerca sp. were recovered from holocenic times from Patagonia. This finding implies that some diseases such as taeniasis, spirocercosis, gnathostomosis, ascariasis, and coccidiosis could be present in holocenic wildlife from Patagonia prior to the Spanish colonization and domestic animal introduction. The overall results suggest that felids could have played a role as reservoirs and source of some parasitic species, some of which are zoonotic. Therefore, this animal could have entailed a risk agent for human health in the site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the analysis of a radiocarbon database of the North Coast of Santa Cruz (central Patagonia, Argentina), is presented. Dated archaeological samples were obtained from 56 different types of archaeological sites (open-air -residential sites and burials-, and also rock shelters). The objective of this paper is assessing the continuities and discontinuities in the chronological signal of the area and identifying tendencies along the Holocene. The database currently contains 75 radiocarbon dates falling between ca. 8000 and 300 BP. The radiocarbon data base provides information on the chronological, spatial and contextual variability of the archaeological record of North Coast of Santa Cruz. By means of different analysis of sum of probabilities, we present three different chronological moments of human use of the coast and intermediate zone can be identified. A first moment is represented by early evidence of settlement during Middle Holocene. A second moment corresponds to a hiatus between ca. 5800 and ca. 3900 BP without archaeological evidence. Finally, a third moment is where an increasing of chronological signal occurred, related to greater artifactual variability and an increase in the intensity of human settlement in the Patagonian region. The causes that could have influenced in the discontinuity of the chronological signal of the study area, and the characteristics of the different moments identified are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patagonia features the most extensive glaciers of the Southern Hemisphere, excluding Antarctica, and a vast inventory of glacial landforms, so it is thought to have played a key role in (paleo)glacier studies since the late 19th century. However, no systematic attempts to characterize the specific research trends and the scientific community focused on Patagonian cryosphere have been conducted so far. To fill this gap, we analyzed the metadata associated to 305 articles compiled from the Web of Science database following a bibliometric approach covering the period between 1976 and 2020. Our results point to an irregular but net increase on the number of contributions on Patagonian (paleo)glaciers. Mass balance analyses based on satellite data of present-day glaciers and the reconstruction of past glacier activity by dating glacial landforms formed during the Last Glacial Termination, were the most addressed topics during the analyzed period. Patagonian (paleo)glacier studies are mostly published in generic Earth Sciences publications, followed by Quaternary and glaciological journals. Most of the studies were led by scientists from the United Kingdom, followed by Chile, Argentina and United States. In terms of collaborations, these studies can be divided into two main clusters, one composed by researchers from United States, Chile and Argentina institutions, and another mostly composed by British researchers. So far, the most prolific authors are nearly equally distributed in nationality, yet gender inclusion and international collaborations are still caveats that must be solved. Even though our query on the Web of Science missed highly influential (so-called) grey literature, such as local scientific journals and technical reports, the reviewed scientific literature unambiguously indicates that Patagonia is a privileged location for (paleo)glaciers studies worldwide and that it will continue offering vast opportunities to tackle critical questions related to global cryosphere and past-to-present climate changes. • Patagonia is a privilege site for studying present and past glacier dynamics and the evolution of climate changes at hemispheric and global scale. • Glacier dynamics during the 20th century and and the Last Glacial Termination are the most common topics addressed in past decades in the WOS. • Patagonian (paleo)glacier studies has contributed to the development or improvement of diverse analytical techniques. • United Kingdom, United States, Chile and Argentina produced the largest number of WOS-listed papers on (paleo)glaciers in past decades. • The related scientific community is fairly heterogeneous. Although, inclusion and international collaboration issues still need to improve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]