ARCTIC Paleoecological Significance of Mummified Remains of Pleistocene Horses from the North Slope of the Brooks Range, Alaska
ABSTRACT. Radiocarbon dates from horse fossils found on the North Slope of Alaska show that horses did live there during the last peak glacial (Duvanny Yar Interval, Marine Isotope Stage 2). Some previous paleoecological studies have assumed the region’s climate was too extreme for large mammals dur...
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| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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1990
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| Online Access: | http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.511.2927 http://pubs.aina.ucalgary.ca/arctic/Arctic43-3-267.pdf |
| Summary: | ABSTRACT. Radiocarbon dates from horse fossils found on the North Slope of Alaska show that horses did live there during the last peak glacial (Duvanny Yar Interval, Marine Isotope Stage 2). Some previous paleoecological studies have assumed the region’s climate was too extreme for large mammals during the Duvanny Yar. Hoof structure suggests the Pleistocene horses survived on winter range characterized by low snowfall and/or snow removal by wind. Hoof growth rate suggests a substantial dietary volume of exposed dead grass during winter; hoof wear pattern indicates the horses were able to remain relatively sedentary, requiring neither long-distance winter migration nor constant digging through snow for food. Bones with mummified soft tissue may have been buried and preserved by wind-drifted eolian silt. Key words: horse, Pleistocene, paleoecology, Alaska, paleontology RÉSUMI?. Un datage au radiocarbone de fossiles de chevaux dkouverts sur la pente nord de l’Alaska montre que des chevaux ont effectivement vecu B cet endroit au cours de la dernitre pkriode glaciaire (intervalle Duvanny Yar, isotope marin etatape no 2). Des etudes palkokcologiques anterieures ont emis I’hypothtse que le climat de la region Ctait trop froid pour les grands mammiftres durant l’intervalle Duvanny Yar. La structure des sabots donne B penser que les chevaux du pleistoctne survivaient B l’hiver en paissant dans des endroits caracterises par de faibles chutes de neige ou bien où la neige etait deblayte par le vent. Le taux de croissance des sabots laisse supposer que durant l’hiver, le regime des chevaux se composait en grande partie d’herbe sbche exposee B l’air. Le regime d’usure des sabots indique que les chevaux etaient capables de rester relativement sedentaires, n’ayant besoin ni d’emigrer B de longues distances pour l’hiver, ni de creuser constamment la neige pour trouver leur nourriture. Les os qui contiennent des tissus momifies ont pu &re enterres et conserves dans du limon eolien apporte |
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