A bird assemblage across the MIS 9/8 boundary: The Middle Pleistocene of Galeria (Atapuerca)

Quaternary faunal remains are key for the understanding of the effect of climatic changes on both animal and human populations. Here we show for the first time in Atapuerca the analysis of an avian assemblage through the MIS9/8 boundary, a moment of climatic deterioration that coincides with the spread of Neanderthals and the adoption of Levallois technology. A total of 603 bird remains belonging to 17 taxa have been identified in the Middle Pleistocene units GIII and GIV (Galeria site, Atapuerca, Spain). The assemblage is dominated by the extinct raven Corvus corax antecorax, followed by other cave-dwelling taxa. The palaeoenvironmental reconstruction points to the presence of open landscapes and water bodies in the lower units. Both the number of remains and the taxa diversity decreases dramatically towards the upper unit. This general decreasing concurs with the beginning of the MIS8 stage, and it is observed in other faunal groups in Atapuerca, pointing to a MIS8 glacial stage in the Iberian Peninsula stronger than previously described. (C) 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

This study presents, for the first time in Atapuerca, the analysis of avian assemblage across the MIS9/8 boundary, coinciding with climatic deterioration, the spread of Neanderthals, and the adoption of Levallois technology. The Middle Pleistocene bird remains identified in GIII and GIV units at the Galeria site in Atapuerca, Spain, include 603 specimens belonging to 17 taxa. The assemblage is dominated by the extinct raven Corvus corax antecorax, accompanied by other cave-dwelling species. The gradual decrease in both the number of remains and taxa diversity towards the upper units corresponds to the beginning of the MIS8 glacial stage, indicating a stronger glacial period in the Iberian Peninsula than previously described.