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In the Central Atacama Desert (22°-24°S; henceforth CAD), around 3700 cal yrs BP, human economies begin to transition from relying mostly on hunting and gathering to increasingly incorporating horticulture and pastoralism became more intensive during the Late Intermediate Period (LIP; beginning at ca. 1050 cal yrs BP/900 AD). In this extreme environment, the well-being of past and present farming and herding communities is directly tied to water availability. The lack of proper paleoclimatic/environmental records in terms of their temporal/spatial resolution impeded evaluation whether sedentarization was synchronous, in some degree, with the amelioration of dry conditions recorded during the Late Holocene at millennial timescales. The present paper thus aims (1) to reconstruct the past environmental and climatic dynamics in the CAD (22°S) during the late Holocene at millennial to sub-centennial scales based on the pollen record of fossil rodent middens of Cuesta Chita site and; (2) to discuss their possible relationship to changes in cultivation and water management as seen at the archaeological sites of Topaín, Paniri and Turi, located in the Salado River basin. The CCH rodent midden pollen record reflects wetter (drier) than present phases around 4400, 3650, 3000, 2200–2100, 1600, 855–840, 520–450 and 100 cal yrs BP (980, 450-115 cal yrs BP). By the time that wetter-than-present conditions occurred in the CAD (Formative Period, 3500-1050 cal yrs BP), local communities had already developed small-scale horticultural practices, yet they did not develop extensive or intensive agricultural practices. Indeed, historical processes leading to economic transformations and the rapid adoption of intensive agriculture throughout the CAD after 1000 cal yrs BP occurred and were probably favored by wetter than present conditions, suggesting positive correlations between climatic and cultural change. However, these correlations are complex and non-deterministic. In fact, decreased moisture between 650 and 600 cal yrs BP in the Turi Basin was met by agropastoralists at Topaín with complex local strategies that included changing water management practices and significantly extending farmed lands. Similarly, the Topaín fields were abandoned during a period of much-wetter-than-present conditions. The chronologically fine-grained comparison of the CCH and archaeological records reveals that the relationship between climate and culture is complex, non-deterministic, and historically contingent, with examples of agricultural expansion during a time of water stress, and the abandonment of fields during a time of abundance. • Human-environment dynamics in the Central Atacama Desert during the Late Holocene. • Late Holocene climatic variability at millennial to sub-centennial resolution based on pollen records. • Wet (dry) phases occurred ∼4400, 3650, 3000, 2200-2100, 1600, 855-840, 520-450 and 100 (980, 450-115) cal yrs BP. • Human responses to climatic change are various and there is no simple relationship between water availability and land use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past vegetation, fire, and climate dynamics, as well as human impact, have been reconstructed for the first time in the highlands of the Gilan province in the Alborz mountains (above the Hyrcanian forest) for the last 4,300 cal yrs bp. Multi-proxy analysis, including pollen, spores, non-pollen palynomorphs, charcoal, and geochemical analysis, has been applied to investigate the environmental changes at 2,280 m a.s.l., above the Hyrcanian forest. Dominant steppe vegetation occurred in the study area throughout the recorded period. The formation of the studied mire deposits, as well as vegetation composition, suggest a change to wetter climatic conditions after 4,300 until 1,700 cal yrs bp. Fires were frequent, which may imply long-lasting anthropogenic activities in the area. Less vegetation cover with a marked decrease of the Moisture Index (MI) suggests drier conditions between 1,700 and 1,000 cal yrs bp. A high proportion of Cichorioideae and Amaranthaceae, as well as the reduction of trees, in particular Fagus and Quercus, at lower elevations, indicate human activities such as intense livestock grazing and deforestation. Soil erosion as the result of less vegetation due to dry conditions and/or human activities can be reconstructed from a marked increase of Glomus spores and high values of K and Ti. Since 1,000 cal yrs bp, the increasing MI, as well as the rise of Poaceae and Cyperaceae together with forest recovery, suggest a change to wetter conditions. The occurrence of still frequent Cichorioideae and Plantago lanceolata along with Sordaria reflect continued intense grazing of livestock by humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree-rings representing annual dates from live and deadwood Pinus flexilis at ten sites across the central Great Basin (~38°N) yielded a cumulative record across 4002 years (1983 BC–AD 2019). Individual site chronologies ranged in length from 861–4002 years; all were continuous over their sample depths. Correlations of growth with climate were positive for water relations and mostly negative for summer temperatures. Growth was generally correlated across sites, with the central Nevada stands most distinct. Although growth was low during the Late Holocene Dry Period, variability marked this interval, suggesting that it was not pervasively dry. All sites had low growth during the first half of the Medieval Climate Anomaly, high growth during the mid-interval pluvial, and low growth subsequently. Little synchrony occurred across sites for the early Little Ice Age. After AD 1650, growth was depressed until the early twentieth century. Growth at all sites declined markedly ca. AD 1985, was similar to the lowest growth period of the full records, and indicative of recent severe droughts. A small rebound in growth occurred after ca. AD 2010. A strong signal for Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) occurred in growth response at most sites. The persistence of all stands despite climate variability indicates high resilience of this species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we evaluate the role of human strategies in the Andean Piedmont from northern Patagonia across the Holocene. Specifically, we present the analysis of the Early Holocene-Late Holocene archaeological record of Salamanca cave (Mendoza-Argentina). We identified technological changes that occurred during the Late Holocene and the implications of a human occupation hiatus in the Middle Holocene. We follow a multiproxy approach by the analysis of radiocarbon dates, archaeofaunal remains, ceramic, lithics and XRF obsidian sourcing. We also discuss a detailed stratigraphic sequence by geomorphological descriptions, the construction of a radiocarbon sequence model and summed probability distributions, compared with other archaeological sites in the region. We conclude that after the Middle Holocene archaeological hiatus, human populations grew while guanaco populations dropped. The imbalance between demography and resources boosted the incorporation of new technologies such as ceramics and the bow and arrow, allowing people to exploit lower-ranked resources.

Understanding the use of natural corridors is critical for characterizing the past use of marginally occupied landscapes at the Andean fringes of western Patagonia by the hunter-gatherer groups who inhabited this region. In this paper, we combine least-cost path models and archaeological surveys and excavations to determine the possible movements along the southern margin of General Carrera Lake. The methodology includes defining uncertainties that allow for modeling a set of equiprobable routes, thereby avoiding problems with errors and biases from predictors, such as slope, land-use cover, and seasonality. The results identify mobility corridor bottlenecks, i.e., geographical areas with a high probability of travel routes with equiprobable routes that converge. In addition, we identify areas where travel routes are likely to diverge into multiple semi-parallel routes. The study of archaeological sites provides stratigraphic data to control for the chronology and characteristics of mobility along this transect. The correlation between archaeological sites and paths, specifically for the control and winter scenarios, shows the quality of these route predictions. These results indicate the repeated use of internodal spaces that were effectively incorporated into mobility during the last three millennia.

The varved sediments of Lake Montcortès (central pre-Pyrenees) have provided a continuous high-resolution record of the last ca. 3000 years. Previous chronological and sedimentological studies of this record have furnished detailed paleoenvironmental reconstructions. However, palynological studies are only available for the last millennium, when the landscape around the lake had already been transformed by humans. Therefore, the earlier vegetation of Montcortès and the history of its anthropogenic transformations remain unknown. This paper presents a palynological analysis of the interval between the Late Bronze Age and the Early Medieval period, aimed at recording preanthropic conditions, anthropization onset and the further landscape transformations. During the Late Bronze Age (ca. 1100 BCE to 770 BCE), the vegetation did not show any evidence of human impact. The decisive anthropogenic transformation of the Montcortès catchment vegetation and landscape started at the beginning of the Iron Age (770 BCE) and continued during Roman and Medieval times in the form of recurrent burning, grazing, cultivation, silviculture and hemp retting. Some intervals of lower human pressure were recorded, but the original vegetation never returned. The anthropization that took place during the Iron Age did not cause notable changes in the sediment yield to the lake, but a significant limnological shift occurred, as manifested in the initiation of varve formation, a process that has been continuous until today. Climatic shifts seem to have played a secondary role in influencing vegetation and landscape changes. These results contrast with previous inferences of low anthropogenic impact until the Medieval Period, at a regional level. Similar studies may be developed on other mountain ranges to verify whether landscape anthropization occurred earlier than previously thought, and to verify the potential occurrence of elevational gradients in the anthropization of mountain landscapes. • Palynological analysis of Lake Montcortès varved sediments (1100 BCE–770 BCE). • Unexpected Iron Age, rather than Medieval, landscape anthropization. • Shifting land use and variable human pressure until the Roman and the Migration periods. • Further intensification of human activities during the early Medieval Period. • A possible general anthropization pattern for the Pyrenees and other mountain ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zooarchaeologists have relied upon various approaches to study the impacts of harvest pressure and environmental change on ungulate populations, such as analysis of prey mortality patterns and morphometrics. Analysis of ancient DNA from ungulate bones and bone fragments from archaeological sites provides an additional means for studying prey population dynamics related to environmental change and human ecology over time. In this paper, we study the population history of the largest game animal in northwest Patagonia, the guanaco (Lama guanicoe). Our study relies on the use of Bayesian Skyline Plots to determine shifts in estimated guanaco population size based on analysis of ancient mitochondrial DNA. Our results indicate that hunting by humans in addition to increases in aridity during the late Holocene led to a decline in the guanaco population in the region, which is in contrast to the harvest and environmental history in other parts of Patagonia (south of our study area). Using a weight of evidence approach that includes proxies of environmental change, human population dynamics, exploitation of guanacos, and estimates of guanaco population size, we argue that the late Holocene shift in guanaco population size was a driving factor in subsistence and settlement change related to resource intensification during the late Holocene in northwest Patagonia. • Demographic reconstruction of guanaco population dynamics during the Holocene. •Estimated population size is based on ancient DNA analysis through Next Generation Sequencing. •There are key changes in guanaco population size during the late Holocene. •Late Holocene guanaco population relates to increased hunting pressure in northwest Patagonia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a long history of hunter-gatherer occupation in the Pampas region starting at the end of the Pleistocene, the known archaeological record is still sparse for some periods, such as the Middle Holocene. Here, we present new archaeological data from Las Toscas shallow lake, located in the inland plains of the southern Pampas, where systematic fieldwork revealed an abundant and diverse archaeological record resulting from hunter-gatherer occupation. The aims of this study were to establish the chronology of the occupations; to evaluate the use of faunal and lithic resources; and to contribute to the understanding of hunter-gatherer land use patterns. Archaeological evidence indicates that procurement, domestic, and ritual activities were conducted around the shallow lake during the Middle and Late Holocene, including hunting of terrestrial game; tool manufacture and repair; storing and use of mineral pigments; and likely human burial practices. Evidence also suggests that the use of this locality was not continuous but redundant and that this shallow lake was a persistent place for hunter-gatherers. Faunal data agrees with regional models that propose that Lama guanicoe was the main food resource during the second half of the Middle Holocene, although a taphonomic bias in favor of larger vertebrates cannot be ruled out. The lithic assemblages suggest that artifacts entered the locality mostly as part of individual toolkits and indicate a strong preference for orthoquartzite. Finally, bone remains of extinct fauna were recovered at the locality; however, a functional association between these remains and cultural material could not be demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Woody plant resources are important to human societies today and were also in the past. Here we assess the woody plant resources available to peoples in Northeastern Argentina in the pre-Hispanic period and assess how they were used. The Upper Paraná Delta (Entre Ríos province, Argentina) was occupied by indigenous societies during the last 2000 years, and evidence of those peoples has been found at Los Tres Cerros 1 archaeological site (inhabited at least between 765 to 1505 cal years ad). From the local traditional and ethnographical literature, a broad functionality of the determined taxa is proposed, to use as a basis for palaeoethnobotanical interpretations. Species of the Lauraceae, Passifloraceae, Fabaceae, Salicaceae, Boraginaceae and Apocynaceae families were found dispersed about the site; they possibly grew close to the settlement and had diverse indigenous uses (e.g. for the construction of canoes and other artefacts in daily use). Other species were found concentrated on the archaeological site. They were related to Euphorbaceae, Fabaceae, Cyperaceae, Anacardiaceae, Apocynaceae, Myrtaceae and Primulaceae and were probably used as fuel in domestic activities (e.g. to obtain light, heat and to cook food and fire pottery). Forty-three carbonized wood samples were studied. Charcoals related to Sapium, Nectandra and Aspidosperma genera were identified next to pottery and animal bones. The presence of Schinopsis in the anthracological record shows the extra-local link of the pre-Hispanic populations that occupied the Paraná river basin. Finally, these new advances increase the knowledge about the vegetation nearby the archaeological site at the end of the Late Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mormon Lake, elevation 2166 m with maximum historic surface area of 31.4 km2, lies in a forested endorheic basin covering 103 km2. It is the largest unaltered freshwater body on the 337,000 km2 Colorado Plateau. Prehistorical (before AD 1878) highstands were ca. 9 and 24 m relative to depocenter datum. These levels likely occurred during four multidecadal episodes of cool, wet conditions between ca. 3.55 and 0.20 ka BP. Maximum historical levels (early 1900s) were up to 7.9 m, whereas modern (post-1941) levels were frequently zero or relatively low. Historical climate records indicate reconstructed lake levels correlate directly with annual precipitation and inversely with temperature. Early highstands were associated with above average precipitation and the lowest temperatures of the 116 yr record. The lake receded after 1941; thereafter, frequent drying and low-water levels resulted from recurrent drought and steadily increasing temperatures. Consequently, a wet episode from the 1970s to the 1990s had precipitation like the early 1900s, but highstands were only ca. 3.8 m. The historical lake-level chronology is consistent with changes of hydrologic balance predicted by climate models, that is, reduced effective precipitation (precipitation minus evaporation). These changes, particularly aridification, apparently began in the 1970s or earlier. Global oceanic and atmospheric climate modulate lake levels and regional hydroclimate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palynological analysis and radiocarbon dating of a short sediment core from a high-altitude mire in the Arasbaran area of northwestern Iran reveals long-term vegetation dynamics, climate change and anthropogenic impact. Our findings indicate the prevalence of semi-desert steppe vegetation, with a variety of Asteraceae – mainly Lactuceae – species from 3000 to 1440 cal yr BP. This period is followed by a higher occurrence of Artemisia spp. and Brassicaceae (1440–1330 cal yr BP), a re-expansion of Lactuceae (1330–1030 cal yr BP) and Brassicaceae (1030–330 cal yr BP) and, finally, Caryophyllaceae species (since 330 cal yr BP). The reconstructed millennia-long dry climate in the highlands of northwestern Iran is in good accordance with climate reconstructions from other east Mediterranean sites. Two phases of moister conditions between 2100–1400 and 1000–350 cal yr BP would correspond to altitudinal Quercus–Carpinus forest expansion in the Arasbaran area. The earliest indication of anthropogenic activity in the area dates back to the onset of the record, around 3000 cal yr BP. The occurrence of small maxima of Juglans regia, Corylus avellana and Cornus mas pollen at around 1350 cal yr BP is interpreted to reflect a temporary expansion of fruit cultivation. For the last millennium the occurrence of pollen attributable to Polygonum, Euphorbia, Plantago and Rumex suggests a diversification of steppe vegetation, which may reflect intensified agropastoral activities in the Arasbaran highlands. Based on our pollen record, the regional vegetation in the Kalan area remained largely stable over the last three millennia. However, changes in local hydrology caused substantial changes in wetland vegetation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explore marine reservoir effects (MREs) in seal bones from the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas regions. Ringed and bearded seals have served as dietary staples in human populations along the coasts of Arctic northeast Asia and North America for several millennia. Radiocarbon (14C) dates on seal bones and terrestrial materials (caribou, plants seeds, wood, and wood charcoal) were compared from archaeological sites in the Bering Strait region of northwestern Alaska to assess MREs in these sea mammals over time. We also compared these results to 14C dates on modern seal specimens collected in AD 1932 and 1946 from the Bering Sea region. Our paired archaeological samples were recovered from late Holocene archaeological features, including floors from dwellings and cache pits, that date between 1600 and 130 cal BP. 14C dates on seal bones from the northern Bering and Chukchi Seas show differences [R(t)] of 800 ± 140 years from to their terrestrial counterparts, and deviations of 404 ± 112 years (ΔR) from the marine calibration curve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasingly better-known archaeological record of the Amazon basin, the Orinoco basin and the Guianas both questions the long-standing premise of a pristine tropical rainforest environment and also provides evidence for major biome-scale cultural and technological transitions prior to European colonization. Associated changes in pre-Columbian human population size and density, however, are poorly known and often estimated on the basis of unreliable assumptions and guesswork. Drawing on recent developments in the aggregate analysis of large radiocarbon databases, here we present and examine different proxies for relative population change between 1050 BC and AD 1500 within this broad region. By using a robust model testing approach, our analyses document that the growth of pre-Columbian human population over the 1700 years prior to European colonization adheres to a logistic model of demographic growth. This suggests that, at an aggregate level, these pre-Columbian populations had potentially reached carrying capacity (however high) before the onset of European colonization. Our analyses also demonstrate that this aggregate scenario shows considerable variability when projected geographically, highlighting significant gaps in archaeological knowledge yet also providing important insights into the resilience of past human food procurement strategies. By offering a new understanding of biome-wide pre-Columbian demographic trends based on empirical evidence, our analysis hopes to unfetter novel perspectives on demic expansions, language diversification trajectories and subsistence intensification processes in the Amazonian biome during the late Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In recent decades, numerous studies have focused on the paleoenvironmental reconstruction of coastal areas, with special emphasis on the detection of tsunami layers. These multidisciplinary investigations usually do not study the mineralogy of the environment as well as the underlying or overlying layers.This paper analyzes the whole-rock mineralogy and clay minerals contained in seven short cores obtained in the Doñana National Park (SW Spain) and deposited during the 5.000–1.500 cal. yr BP interval.The main purpose is to deduce the paleoenvironments from which the sedimentary facies present in them were formed and an approximation to the transport mechanisms involved in their formation. Results of X-ray diffraction analysis indicate that the main minerals are phyllosilicates, quartz and calcite, with smectites and illite being the most abundant phyllosilicates. According to the whole-rock mineralogy and additional statistical procedures (correlation, cluster analysis), the main source of quartz is the erosion of Doñana spit, while the Guadalquivir river, its tributaries and the old lagoon have contributed mainly with smectite-rich phyllosilicates. On the contrary, waves, tides and high-energy events introduced illite and bioclasts in an old lagoon from the nearby shallow marine sectors. Consequently, the mineralogical analysis is revealed as an interesting tool for palaeoenvironmental reconstruction in this area, since it varies between different sedimentary environments. In addition, the combined study of whole-rock and clay mineralogy detects the tsunami layers and the provenance of their sediments in the studied cores. Unlabelled Image • The mineralogy is a powerful tool to reconstruct sedimentary sources. • In the Roman Lacus Ligustinus, phyllosilicates and smectites were supplied by the Guadalquivir River. • The mineralogy of the outer lagoonal area was controlled by the Doñana spit. • High-energy events caused the introduction of bioclastic quartz-rich sands. • Illite was introduced from the adjacent shelf to the innermost lagoonal zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Megalithic monuments are a distinctive archaeological feature of Saharan landscape, as indicated by different systematic research projects undertaken so far. Starting from a very low baseline of previous archaeological research, and as part of a comprehensive research programme focussed on northern Sahara, we launched in 2015 a territorial investigation of stone monuments of the pre-protohistory and early history of southern Tunisia. To do this, we selected a sample study area east and south-east of the Chott el Jérid depression (Kebili region) where to conduct field research. In this paper we present the research strategy adopted, planned to address some issues such as the poor state of preservation of the monuments or their uncertain chronology, also known from other parts of the Sahara. Our results, based on the combination of remote sensing analysis, field survey and selected excavations, highlight a dense occupation of this area of northern Sahara, where monumental buildings of possible funerary function tentatively trace back to the late pre-protohistory up to the roman age. The persistent use of the area across a long-time span corroborates its pivotal location in ancient trans-Saharan connection routes.

This paper presents a dataset collected and constructed as part of a PhD research project in Environmental Sciences. Applying a multidisciplinary approach that combines archaeological and geomorphological data, this project aimed to reconstruct the Late Holocene landscape evolution in the Central Po Plain (Italy). The dataset was collected digitising the information retrieved from various sources such as scientific literature, regional databases and terrain surveys. In particular, the geoarchaeological data consist of a record of 761 archaeological sites and a soil map reporting the different sediment types of the area. Natural and anthropogenic landscape features developed by human-environmental interplay are organised in paleochannels, watercourses and channelisation. This dataset represents one of the first open-access data collection available in Italy and can be reused by any researchers working in fluvial landscape studies.

The La Guillerma archaeological locality is located in the northeast sector of Buenos Aires province (Argentina). Two of its sites (LG1 and LG5), dated between ca. 1400- and 600-years BP, have a great amount of faunal remains including deer, rodents, fish and small birds that are subjected to taphonomic agents and processes (e.g., weathering, manganese, roots). Previous studies have shown osteophagic behaviour in different insects (e.g., Coleoptera, Blattodea). In this paper, we evaluate their incidence on La Guillerma faunal assemblage. We performed an analysis on marks that were identified in bone remains of various taxa and applied the criteria for identifying bone alteration by insects (i.e., by measuring each trace and comparing them with the types of insect marks described in the literature). Fifteen specimens (LG1 = 6 and LG5 = 9) exhibited different types of modifications (e.g., pits with striae in base, pits with emanating striae, striations) that are related to the action of insects. Although the proportion of affected bones is low in relation to the total sample, we highlight our study as the first detailed analysis of insect marks on archaeological bones from Argentina. We also emphasize the significance of addressing insect-produced modifications on Argentinean archaeological sites.

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Copyright of Mesopotamian Journal of Marine Science is the property of Republic of Iraq Ministry of Higher Education & Scientific Research (MOHESR) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The history and continuity of lowland woodlands in Central Europe is closely connected with human activities. We studied a small wetland situated directly in a low-elevation oak-dominated woodland to evaluate the history and impact of humans on an oak woodland in south-eastern Slovakia. We used different proxies to obtain evidence of woodland history spanning at least 8,500 years. Pollen, diatom and physical analysis, including micromorphology, were used to study infill sediments and to determine the processes causing the influx of material into the wetland basin from its surroundings. The oak-dominated woodland community occurred throughout the Holocene, but its detailed history is impossible to trace because of reverse chronology caused by mixing of deposits. The stability of the oak woodland was determined by anthropogenic disturbances such as grazing. These disturbances are indicated by pollen taxa, signals of soil erosion in the deposits, and local development of the wetland that acted as drinking and hemp retting basin. The recent decline of human pressure has led to gradual changes in the species composition of the wetland itself (shrub encroachment) and of understory of the surrounding oak woodlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yukon-Alaska Highway corridor in southern Yukon is subject to geohazards ranging from landslides to floods and earthquakes on faults in the St. Elias Mountains and Shakwak Valley. Here we discuss the late Holocene seismic history of the Denali fault, located at the eastern front of the St. Elias Mountains and one of only a few known seismically active terrestrial faults in Canada. Holocene faulting is indicated by scarps and mounds on late Pleistocene drift and by tectonically deformed Pleistocene and Holocene sediments. Previous work on trenches excavated against the fault scarp near the Duke River reveals paleoseismic sediment disturbance dated to ~300-1,200, 1,200-1,900, and 3,000 years ago. Re-excavation of the trenches indicates a fourth event dated to 6,000 years ago. The trenches are interpreted to show a negative flower structure produced by extension of sediments by dextral strike-slip fault movement. Nearby Crescent Lake is ponded against the fault scarp. Sediment cores reveal four abrupt sediment and diatom changes reflecting seismic shaking at ~1,200-1,900, 1,900-5,900, 5,900- 6,200, and 6,500-6,800 years ago. At the Duke River, the fault offsets sediments, including two White River tephra layers (~1,900 and 1,200 years old). Late Pleistocene outwash gravel and overlying Holocene aeolian sediments show in cross section a positive flower structure indicative of post-glacial contraction of the sediments by dextral strike-slip movement. Based on the number of events reflecting ~M6, we estimate the average recurrence of large earthquakes on the Yukon part of the Denali fault to be about 1,300 years in the past 6,500-6,800 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aims at presenting and discussing the variability of ichthyoarchaeological remains recovered from the Familia Primón (FP) site, located at a border sector of the alluvial plain of the Paraná River (Santa Fe, Argentina). To this end, the assemblage was analyzed through its anatomical-taxonomic identification and quantification, and the different taphonomic agents that might have influenced their origin and preservation were evaluated. Also, habitability characteristics for fish and ethnographic data were used to expand the knowledge about certain human behaviors and to generate hypotheses that can be subsequently tested and discussed through the analysis of the ichthyoarchaeological record. In order to establish a micro-regional pattern of exploitation, a comparison with other fish assemblages recovered in archaeological sites situated at the middle stretch and the Paraná River Delta was made. The results suggest that fish constituted a central resource for the subsistence of the human groups that inhabited the region during the final period of the Late Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human activities have profoundly transformed mountain woodland landscapes, particularly in the Pyrenees where they have intensified and diversified since the Bronze Age. Quantification of the role played by past practices with regard to woodland cover is critical for accurate assessment of how ongoing global environmental change may affect its dynamics in the future. A local study was made of charcoal remains from an ancient charcoal-making woodland (ca. 30 ha), the forêt de Bernadouze, located on a north-facing slope in the Vicdessos valley in the French central Pyrenees. This valley is well known as having had a long history of human influence related to pastoralism, iron ore mining and smelting. A total of 1,695 charcoal pieces from soils in three sampling pits were extracted, identified, quantified and dated in order to identify tree canopy openings and patterns of change in the woodland driven by past human uses. The results provide new and original insights regarding 1, the past higher biodiversity and the ancient character of the forêt de Bernadouze, 2, the dynamics and history of the main trees and 3, successive phases of human activity. We show that the current woodland has resulted from several millennia of human activities such as pasturing and use of the wood for making charcoal. From the Bronze Age, humans have progressively transformed a natural fir-dominated woodland into a managed beech-dominated one, and caused the elimination of Taxus baccata L. (yew). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Atlantic coast of North America north of Cape Hatteras has been proposed as a "hotspot" of late 20th century sea‐level rise. Here we test, using salt‐marsh proxy sea‐level records, if this coast experienced enhanced sea‐level rise over earlier multidecadal‐centennial periods. While we find in agreement with previous studies that 20th century rates of sea‐level change were higher compared to rates during preceding centuries, rates of 18th century sea‐level rise were only slightly lower, suggesting that the "hotspot" is a reoccurring feature for at least three centuries. Proxy sea‐level records from North America (Iceland) are negatively (positively) correlated with centennial changes in the North Atlantic Oscillation. They are consistent with sea‐level "fingerprints" of Arctic ice melt, and we therefore hypothesize that sea‐level fluctuations are related to changes in Arctic land‐ice mass. Predictions of future sea‐level rise should take into account these long‐term fluctuating rates of natural sea‐level change. Plain Language Summary: Measurements of sea‐level change have shown that during the 20th century sea‐level rise along the Atlantic coast of North America between Cape Hatteras and Nova Scotia has been faster than the global average. We investigated whether this anomaly also occurred earlier by reconstructing historical sea‐level changes from salt‐marsh sediments and microscopic salt‐marsh fossils (foraminifera). We found evidence in three locations (Nova Scotia, Maine, and Connecticut) for rapid sea‐level rise in the 18th century, which was almost as rapid as the 20th century sea‐level rise. Using additional sea‐level reconstructions from across the North Atlantic, we propose an explanation for the periods of enhanced sea‐level rise. We hypothesize that they occur during distinct phases of the North Atlantic Oscillation and during periods of enhanced ice melt in the Arctic. The fluctuations are a reoccurring feature and should be considered in planning for future sea‐level rise and coastal hazards. Key Points: An episode of rapid sea‐level rise occurred in the 18th century along the Atlantic coast of North America (Nova Scotia to Cape Hatteras)The 18th century and previously identified 20th century hotspots occur in similar geographic regionsWe hypothesize that these centennial sea‐level changes are related to variations in Arctic land‐ice mass [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of historic changes in vegetation, relief, and soil is key in understanding how the uplands in central Europe have changed during the last millennium, being an essential requirement for measures on forest conversion and nature conservation in that area. Evidence of forest‐clearing horizons from the medieval period could be systematically documented at four low‐ to mid‐altitudinal sites (360–640 meters above mean sea level) in the Harz (Harz Mountains), Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains), and Českomoravská vrchovina (Bohemian‐Moravian Highlands). Subfossil trees with traces of human cutmarks and burning were recovered from buried wet‐organic soils (paleosols) within a context of mining and settlement archaeology, applying a multiproxy‐approach by using data from archaeology, paleobotany, geochronology, dendrochronology, and pedology. Tree stumps and trunks, as well as small‐scale wood remains represent an in situ record of local conifer stands (spruce, fir, and pine). Some deciduous tree taxa also occur. Dating of the tree remains yielded ages from the 10th/11th to the 13th/14th centuries A.D. After deforestation, the tree remains were buried by technogenic and alluvial–colluvial deposits. The reconstructed conifer‐dominated woodlands on wet soils mirror the local vegetation structure immediately before the medieval deforestation. As such wet sites are common in the uplands, conifers were significantly present in the natural vegetation even at mid and lower altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The objective of this work is to evaluate temporal variation of dento‐alveolar lesions in hunter‐gatherer groups who inhabited the middle course of the Negro River during the late Holocene (ca. 3000‐750 years BP) in order to discuss cultural practices and changes in the paleodiet. Caries, dental calculus, periodontal disease, periapical lesions, antemortem tooth loss, tooth wear, dislocation, and osteoarthrosic lesions in the temporomandibular joint were analysed. The sample is represented by 567 teeth and 547 alveoli, corresponding to 32 adult and subadult individuals, who were divided into two periods for comparative purposes: pre‐1000 and post‐1000 BP. The results indicate a low prevalence of oral lesions without differences between sex and age. In the pre‐1000 BP period, there is a larger frequency of antemortem tooth loss, parafunctional wear of the anterior teeth, dental dislocations, and osteoarthrosis in the mandibular condyles compared with the post‐1000 period. This tendency indicates that the individuals would have been exposed to greater stress in chewing. However, the variations were not significant, so there is no clear evidence of changes in the diet and particularly in carbohydrate and plant intake through the late Holocene. Severe tooth wear is the main factor that caused some pathologies (e.g., antemortem tooth loss), and limited the development of others (e.g., caries). The results obtained here agree with other microregions from northeastern Patagonia and differ from Humid Pampas, eastern Pampa‐Patagonian transition, and lower course of the Negro River due to differences in carbohydrate consumption in the last ca. 1000 years BP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

El entierro Shag se ubica en la costa norte de la provincia de Santa Cruz, Patagonia argentina. Se trata de una estructura con morfología anular o de anillo, de aproximadamente 10 m de diámetro, conformada por rocas. La estructura fue alterada por pingüinos de Magallanes, quienes realizaron un pozo de nidificación y, como consecuencia, expusieron en superficie una serie de restos óseos humanos. Para la Patagonia no existen antecedentes de estructuras mortuorias similares a Shag. Se presenta una datación radiocarbónica, el plano de la estructura, determinaciones bioantropológicas, estudios de isótopos estables δ13C y δ15N, y análisis tafonómicos de los restos óseos. Se interpreta que el sitio corresponde a una estructura mortuoria de cazadores-recolectores datada en el Holoceno tardío. Los estudios isotópicos permiten inferir que el individuo analizado basó su dieta en recursos de ambientes marinos y terrestres. ENGLISH: The Shag burial is located in the Santa Cruz province along the northern coast of the Argentinian Patagonia. The Shag burial site is contained by a structure with annular or ring morphology made out of rocks and approximately 10 m in diameter. The structure was altered by Magellanic penguins that built a nesting well, exposing a series of human bone remains on the surface. There is no record of similar mortuary structures within Patagonia. This paper presents a number of data including absolute radiocarbon dates, the plan of the structure, bioanthropological determinations, stable isotope studies of δ13C and δ15N, and taphonomic analyses of the bone remains. The site is interpreted to as a hunter-gatherers mortuary structure dated to the Late Holocene. The isotopic studies on the individual allow us to infer a varied diet, in which both marine and terrestrial food products were consumed.

The aim of the study was to identify changes in agricultural practices and periods of agricultural expansion and regression during the last 1,300 years in the South-Swedish Uplands. Sediments from the small lake of Skärpingsgölen (1.2 ha) were used to quantify land-cover at a local scale (c. 1 km radius) in 50-year intervals based on pollen analysis and the LOVE model (Local Vegetation Estimates). The results showed a dramatic change in land-cover, starting c. ad 1150, from a grazed, deciduous woodland, dominated by Corylus, Betula and Quercus, to a semi-open landscape dominated by Picea and open agricultural land. A hamlet, situated next to the lake, was probably established during the 12th century, abandoned during the late medieval crisis (late 14th century) and re-colonized during the 16th century. High values of Cannabis-type pollen (up to 10% of the pollen sum) suggest that hemp retting was carried out in the lake from the 13th to the 17th centuries, while elevated levels of microscopic charcoal indicate that slash-and-burn cultivation was practiced during the early 14th and the 16th–18th centuries. The LRA-based estimates of vegetation show that the modern landscape, dominated by managed coniferous woodlands, is very different from the landscape only 50–100 years ago. This type of study is useful for comparisons with historical and archaeological records, and provides sufficient temporal and spatial resolution to identify short-lived abandonments and shifts in agricultural practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, the East European forest-steppe is an agricultural landscape with very few remains of its former natural vegetation. The history of the transformation from natural vegetation to a human-made landscape in the area of Sudzha (Kursk region, Russia) is studied here. We compare the off-site pollen record Sudzha with three on-site pollen records obtained from the archaeological site Kurilovka-2. The sediment core Sudzha covering the last 2,500 years was taken from an oxbow lake in an area with archaeological sites of the early Slavonic period (3rd–8th centuries ce). The Sudzha pollen record indicates dominance of broadleaf forests and meadow steppes in the area from 2,500 to 200 cal year bp with two major settlement phases one between ~ 2,000 and 1,600 cal year bp (~ 50 bce to 350 ce) and the other between 1,100 and 600 cal year bp (850 and 1350 ce) followed by a total deforestation and transformation to an agricultural landscape over the last 200–300 years. Similar changes in the last 300–400 years are indicated by the three on-site pollen records. It is noteworthy, however, that the record Sudzha does not provide an intensive signal of human impact during the 5th–8th centuries ce. This points to a quite restricted spatial influence of the Early Slavonic settlements on the vegetation, leading to a relatively low contribution of palynological anthropogenic indicators to the regional pollen rain signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a continuous, sediment core-based record of paleohydroclimate spanning ~5800 cal yr BP to recent from Lower Pahranagat Lake (LPAH), a shallow, alkaline lake in southern Nevada. We apply stable isotopes (δ18O and δ13C) from fine-fraction authigenic carbonate, which are sensitive recorders of hydroclimatic variability in this highly evaporative region. Additional geochemical proxies (total organic carbon, C/N, and total inorganic carbon) provide supporting information on paleoecological change in and around the lake. Our data suggest progressively wetter conditions starting at the later part of the middle Holocene and extending into the late Holocene (~5500–3350 cal yr BP) followed by a millennial-scale dry period from ~3150 to 1700 cal yr BP. This latter interval encompasses the 'Late Holocene dry period' (LHDP) reported by other investigators, and our data help refine the area affected in this episode. Our data also show evidence for a series of century-scale fluctuations in regional hydroclimate, including wet and dry intervals between 2350 and 1600 cal yr BP, and drier conditions over the past few centuries. Paleohydroclimate trends in the LPAH record show correspondence with those from the central Great Basin to the north, suggesting that both areas were subject to similar climatic forcings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroclimatic variations over the eastern Central Asia are highly sensitive to changes in hemispheric-scale atmospheric circulation systems. To fully understand the long-term variability and relationship between hydroclimate and atmospheric circulation system, we present a high-resolution lascustrine record of late Holocene hydroclimate from Lake Sayram, Central Tianshan Mountains, China, based on the total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and carbonate contents, carbon/nitrogen ratios, and grain size. Our results reveal four periods of substantially increased precipitation at the interval of 4000–3780, 3590–3210, 2800–2160, and 890–280 cal yr BP, and one period of slightly increased precipitation from 1700–1370 cal yr BP. These wetter periods broadly coincide with those identified in other records from the mid-latitude Westerlies-dominated eastern Central Asia, including the northern Tibetan Plateau. As such, a similar hydroclimatic pattern existed over this entire region during the late Holocene. Based on a close similarity of our record with reconstruction of North Atlantic Oscillation indices and solar irradiance, we propose that decreased solar irradiance and southern migration of the entire circum-North Atlantic circulation system, particularly the main pathway of the mid-latitude Westerlies, significantly influenced hydroclimate in eastern Central Asia during the late Holocene. Finally, the inferred precipitation at Lake Sayram has increased markedly over the past 100 years, although this potential future changes in hydroclimate in Central Asia need for further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]