Mammalian turnover as an indicator of climatic and anthropogenic landscape modification: A new Meghalayan record (Late Holocene) in northern Iberia

The Punta Lucero III cave is a natural trap where abundant vertebrate remains were accumulated during the Meghalayan (Late Holocene). To better understand the paleoenvironmental conditions in which this record was accumulated, the micromammal assemblage, comprising a minimum number of 1396 individuals belonging to 19 taxa, was studied using the Mutual Ecogeographic Range and the Habitat Weighting Method. Throughout similar to 2600 years, the micromammal community's quick turnover reflected a shift from patchy forests and humid meadows to open, shrubbier grasslands. The Late Holocene Thermal Maximum's humid and mild climatic con-ditions underwent a cooling and aridification phase, coeval with the Iron Age Cold Epoch. These concluded in a slight temperature rising, coeval with the Roman Warm Period. Macromammals experienced a shift from wild populations to domestic herds. Therefore, this work discusses a broader context for this mammalian turnover from a human cultural perspective.

Automated summary

The Punta Lucero III cave is a natural trap where a large number of vertebrate remains from the Meghalayan (Late Holocene) period were found. The micromammal assemblage from this cave, consisting of 19 taxa and 1396 individuals, provides insights into the paleoenvironmental conditions. Over a span of approximately 2600 years, the micromammal community underwent a rapid turnover, indicating a shift from patchy forests and humid meadows to open, shrubbier grasslands. These changes in the micromammal community were influenced by climatic variations during the Late Holocene Thermal Maximum, the Iron Age Cold Epoch, and the Roman Warm Period. In addition, this study highlights the impact of human culture on the mammalian turnover.