Palaeoecological implications of Neanderthal occupation at Unit Xb of El Salt (Alcoi, eastern Spain) during MIS 3 using small mammals proxy

• Published in: Quaternary International
• Main Authors: Fagoaga, Ana, Ruiz-Sánchez, Francisco J., Laplana, César, Blain, Hugues-Alexandre, Marquina, Rafael, Marín Monfort, M. D., Galván, Bertila
• Other Authors: Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España), Generalitat Valenciana, Secretaría de Educación Superior, Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación (Ecuador)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Elsevier 2018
• Subjects: Late Pleistocene; Palaeoecology; Neanderthals; Small mammals; Middle Palaeolithic; El Salt; Microtus arvalis
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/197626; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2017.10.024; https://doi.org/10.13039/501100004299; https://doi.org/10.13039/501100003329; https://doi.org/10.13039/501100003359

Nearly 250 small mammal remains from Unit Xb of El Salt Middle Palaeolithic site have been studied in order to reconstruct the palaeoecological conditions during a phase of Neanderthal occupation in this locality at 52.3 ± 4.6 ka. A total of 7rodents (Microtus arvalis, M. agrestis, M. (Terricola) duodecimcostatus, Microtus (Iberomys) cabrerae, Arvicola sapidus, Eliomys quercinus and Apodemus sylvaticus), 4 insectivores (Erinaceus cf. europaeus, Crocidura sp., Sorex sp. and Talpidae indet.) and 1 lagomorph (Oryctolagus cf. cuniculus) have been identified. Applying the Mutual Ecogeographic Range and Habitat Weighting methods, Unit Xb may correspond to a relatively cold (−3.3 °C in comparison with present values) and slightly more humid (+113.3 mm in comparison with present values) period. The environment was mainly composed of open woodlands (58%) followed by dry (20%) and humid (14%) meadows. These results suggest that supramediterranean conditions were present in the surroundings of the site at 52.3 ± 4.6 ka instead of mesomediterranean conditions present today. Research at El Salt are funded by the Spanish Government project HAR2015-68321-P (MINECO), and Conselleria d’Educació, Investigació, Cultura i Esports from Generalitat Valenciana. This investigation was carried out thanks to the Prometeo Project of the Secretariat for Higher Education, Science, Technology and Innovation from Ecuador. Peer Reviewed