Dietary niche separation of three Late Pleistocene bear species from Vancouver Island, on the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America

Competition between taxa related to climate changes has been proposed as a possible factor in Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions, and here we present isotope evidence of the diets of three co-existing bear species [black bear (Ursus americanus), brown bear (Ursus arctos), and the now extinct short-f...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Quaternary Science
Main Authors: Kubiak, Cara, Grimes, Vaughan, Van Biesen, Geert, Keddie, Grant, Buckley, Mike, Macdonald, Reba, Richards, M. P.
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: 2022
Subjects:
ResearchInstitutes_Networks_Beacons/manchester_institute_of_biotechnology
Manchester Institute of Biotechnology
ResearchInstitutes_Networks_Beacons/MERI
Manchester Environmental Research Institute
Ursus arctos
Online Access:https://research.manchester.ac.uk/en/publications/7fe3e924-d5c6-4311-a994-90aa1795d595
https://doi.org/10.1002/jqs.3451
https://pure.manchester.ac.uk/ws/files/224806724/KubiakEtAl2022.pdf
Description
Summary:Competition between taxa related to climate changes has been proposed as a possible factor in Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions, and here we present isotope evidence of the diets of three co-existing bear species [black bear (Ursus americanus), brown bear (Ursus arctos), and the now extinct short-faced bear (Arctodus simus)] from a locale in western North America dating to the Late (Terminal) Pleistocene (~14.5–11.7 ka). The three bear species were found at several sites on Vancouver Island, on the western coast of Canada. To examine the chronological overlap and niche partitioning between these species of bear, we used direct radiocarbon dating, stable isotope analysis and ZooMS proteomic identification methods. Here we present new radiocarbon evidence from Terminal Pleistocene U. americanus, U. arctos and A. simus from several sites on the island, along with both bulk collagen and compound-specific isotope data for these species. Radiocarbon dates confirm the chronological overlap of Arctodus and both Ursus species in the montane regions of the island at the end of the Pleistocene. Stable isotope data reveal niche differentiation between these species, with U. americanus occupying a distinctly lower trophic position than the other two taxa.

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