Reconstructing past migratory behaviour of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus): Insights from geometric morphometric analysis of proximal phalanx morphology from extant caribou populations

• Published in: PLOS ONE
• Main Authors: Galán López, Ana Belén, Pelletier, Maxime, Discamps, Emmanuel
• Other Authors: Travaux et recherches archéologiques sur les cultures, les espaces et les sociétés (TRACES), École des hautes études en sciences sociales (EHESS)-Université Toulouse - Jean Jaurès (UT2J), Université de Toulouse (UT)-Université de Toulouse (UT)-Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication (MCC)-Institut national de recherches archéologiques préventives (Inrap)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), University of Oulu, ANR-18-CE03-0007,DeerPal,Groupes humains et cervidés au Paléolithique: intégrer la variabilité de l'écologie et de l'éthologie des proies dans l'étude des interactions homme-environnement dans le passé(2018)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2023
• Subjects: [SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory; [SDV.BA.ZV]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Animal biology/Vertebrate Zoology; caribou; Rangifer tarandus
• Online Access: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-04183926; https://shs.hal.science/halshs-04183926/document; https://shs.hal.science/halshs-04183926/file/Gal%C3%A1n%20L%C3%B3pez%20et%20al%202023.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0285487

International audience Reindeer mobility patterns vary widely in modern ecosystems, notably between more open or more wooded environments. This renders the reconstruction of past reindeer mobility patterns challenging, while being at the same time key if archaeologists want to better understand the role that reindeer herds played in the subsistence and territorial organisation of Prehistoric hunter-gatherer societies. Studying the morphology associated with different habitats and mobility patterns can be a useful method for understanding past reindeer behaviour. To access paleoecological information, the relationship between locomotor anatomy and substrate type can be explored in modern animals and transposed to the past, as previous studies have proven that an animal´s environment affects bone morphology. In this study, 3D Geometric Morphometrics are used to explore the impact of extant reindeer habitat type and mobility pattern on phalanx morphology. Results obtained reflects on the potential archaeological application of such an approach for paleoecological reconstructions. Size and shape of phalanx vary significantly, yet complex to interpret in light of interplaying factors such as subspecies, sexual dimorphism and the influence of migration costs, snow cover and substrate type. If direct application to the archaeological record remains preliminary, this first study permits to highlight promising avenues for future research.