Palaeoenvironmental variations in the Archaeostratigraphical Unit G (AU G) of the Caune de l’Arago (Tautavel, France): contribution of rodent palaeocommunities

• Published in: Quaternaire
• Main Authors: Lebreton, Loïc, Desclaux, Emmanuel, Hanquet, Constance, Cuenca‑besco, Gloria, Moigne, Anne‑marie, Perrenoud, Christian, Grégoire, Sophie
• Other Authors: Histoire naturelle de l'Homme préhistorique (HNHP), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Université de Perpignan Via Domitia (UPVD)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire Départemental de Préhistoire du Lazaret (LDPL), Département des Alpes-Maritimes, Archéologie des Sociétés Méditerranéennes (ASM), Université Paul-Valéry - Montpellier 3 (UPVM)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Ministère de la Culture (MC), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2017
• Subjects: rodents; Middle Pleistocene; Arago cave; palaeoenvironments; rongeurs; MIS 12; paléoécologie; Caune de l'Arago; [SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory; Arago; Dicrostonyx torquatus; Rangifer tarandus
• Online Access: https://shs.hal.science/halshs-02298772; https://doi.org/10.4000/quaternaire.8269

International audience The Archaeostratigraphic Unit G (UA G), located at the base of the stratigraphic ensemble CIII of the Caune de l’Arago infilling, dated to 438± 31 ka and correlated to the isotopic stage 12, delivered numerous human remains attributed to Homo erectus tautavelensis, as well as abundant fauna and lithics. At the top of the UA G it is possible to observe a good representation of the species living in open and cold environments (Praeovibos priscus and Rangifer tarandus in particular) whereas the species living in closed and temperate environment (particularly Cervus elaphus and Dama sp.) predominate at its base. These structures of faunal communities, said “non-analogous”, are also observed for the associations of micromammals, providing a diversified palaeocommunity and represented by taxa with very distinct ecological affinities. This heterogeneity of the mammalian communities was very likely favored by the topography of the surroundings of the Caune de l'Arago, which makes it possible to go from coastal areas to the Pyrenean Mountains within less than 50 km. Such topography has indeed induced the presence of contiguous “refuge areas”, a Southern refuge during the ice age housing thermophilous species and an Alpine refuge housing continental and boreal species during the more temperate episodes (Southern cryptic refuge).Overall at the base of the Unit, the micromammalian communities of UA G are characterized by a good representation of the species linked to temperate and closed environments (Iberomys mediterraneus, Apodemus sylvaticus, Eliomys quercinus). Then at the top, they make way for species linked to cold and open environments (Spermophilus sp., Microtus gregalis, Dicrostonyx torquatus). A tendency to a cooler climate from the base to the top of the Unit is also recorded by the variations of the associations of large mammals. These observations allow us to give a new interpretation of UA G which corresponds to a transition between a temperate period and a cold period. L’Unité ...