Retreat and extinction of the Late Pleistocene cave bear (Ursus spelaeus sensu lato)
The cave bear (Ursus spelaeus sensu lato) is a typical representative of Pleistocene megafauna which became extinct at the end of the Last Glacial. Detailed knowledge of cave bear extinction could explain this spectacular ecological transformation. The paper provides a report on the youngest remains...
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ftusouthflorida:oai:digitalcommons.usf.edu:kip_articles-5525 2023-09-05T13:19:55+02:00 Retreat and extinction of the Late Pleistocene cave bear (Ursus spelaeus sensu lato) Baca, Mateusz Popović, Danijela 2016-09-20T07:00:00Z application/pdf https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/kip_articles/4526 https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/context/kip_articles/article/5525/viewcontent/K26_05683_s00114_016_1414_8.pdf unknown Digital Commons @ University of South Florida https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/kip_articles/4526 https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/context/kip_articles/article/5525/viewcontent/K26_05683_s00114_016_1414_8.pdf KIP Articles Ancient DNA Cave Bear Extinction Last Glacial Maximum Megafauna Refugium text 2016 ftusouthflorida 2023-08-20T16:27:40Z The cave bear (Ursus spelaeus sensu lato) is a typical representative of Pleistocene megafauna which became extinct at the end of the Last Glacial. Detailed knowledge of cave bear extinction could explain this spectacular ecological transformation. The paper provides a report on the youngest remains of the cave bear dated to 20,930 ± 140 14C years before present (BP). Ancient DNA analyses proved its affiliation to the Ursus ingressus haplotype. Using this record and 205 other dates, we determined, following eight approaches, the extinction time of this mammal at 26,100–24,300 cal. years BP. The time is only slightly earlier, i.e. 27,000–26,100 cal. years BP, when young dates without associated collagen data are excluded. The demise of cave bear falls within the coldest phase of the last glacial period, Greenland Stadial 3. This finding and the significant decrease in the cave bear records with cooling indicate that the drastic climatic changes were responsible for its extinction. Climate deterioration lowered vegetation productivity, on which the cave bear strongly depended as a strict herbivore. The distribution of the last cave bear records in Europe suggests that this animal was vanishing by fragmentation into subpopulations occupying small habitats. One of them was the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland in Poland, where we discovered the latest record of the cave bear and also two other, younger than 25,000 14C years BP. The relatively long survival of this bear in karst regions may result from suitable microclimate and continuous access to water provided by deep aquifers, indicating a refugial role of such regions in the Pleistocene for many species. Text Greenland University of South Florida St. Petersburg: Digital USFSP Greenland |
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University of South Florida St. Petersburg: Digital USFSP |
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ftusouthflorida |
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Ancient DNA Cave Bear Extinction Last Glacial Maximum Megafauna Refugium |
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Ancient DNA Cave Bear Extinction Last Glacial Maximum Megafauna Refugium Baca, Mateusz Popović, Danijela Retreat and extinction of the Late Pleistocene cave bear (Ursus spelaeus sensu lato) |
topic_facet |
Ancient DNA Cave Bear Extinction Last Glacial Maximum Megafauna Refugium |
description |
The cave bear (Ursus spelaeus sensu lato) is a typical representative of Pleistocene megafauna which became extinct at the end of the Last Glacial. Detailed knowledge of cave bear extinction could explain this spectacular ecological transformation. The paper provides a report on the youngest remains of the cave bear dated to 20,930 ± 140 14C years before present (BP). Ancient DNA analyses proved its affiliation to the Ursus ingressus haplotype. Using this record and 205 other dates, we determined, following eight approaches, the extinction time of this mammal at 26,100–24,300 cal. years BP. The time is only slightly earlier, i.e. 27,000–26,100 cal. years BP, when young dates without associated collagen data are excluded. The demise of cave bear falls within the coldest phase of the last glacial period, Greenland Stadial 3. This finding and the significant decrease in the cave bear records with cooling indicate that the drastic climatic changes were responsible for its extinction. Climate deterioration lowered vegetation productivity, on which the cave bear strongly depended as a strict herbivore. The distribution of the last cave bear records in Europe suggests that this animal was vanishing by fragmentation into subpopulations occupying small habitats. One of them was the Kraków-Częstochowa Upland in Poland, where we discovered the latest record of the cave bear and also two other, younger than 25,000 14C years BP. The relatively long survival of this bear in karst regions may result from suitable microclimate and continuous access to water provided by deep aquifers, indicating a refugial role of such regions in the Pleistocene for many species. |
format |
Text |
author |
Baca, Mateusz Popović, Danijela |
author_facet |
Baca, Mateusz Popović, Danijela |
author_sort |
Baca, Mateusz |
title |
Retreat and extinction of the Late Pleistocene cave bear (Ursus spelaeus sensu lato) |
title_short |
Retreat and extinction of the Late Pleistocene cave bear (Ursus spelaeus sensu lato) |
title_full |
Retreat and extinction of the Late Pleistocene cave bear (Ursus spelaeus sensu lato) |
title_fullStr |
Retreat and extinction of the Late Pleistocene cave bear (Ursus spelaeus sensu lato) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Retreat and extinction of the Late Pleistocene cave bear (Ursus spelaeus sensu lato) |
title_sort |
retreat and extinction of the late pleistocene cave bear (ursus spelaeus sensu lato) |
publisher |
Digital Commons @ University of South Florida |
publishDate |
2016 |
url |
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/kip_articles/4526 https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/context/kip_articles/article/5525/viewcontent/K26_05683_s00114_016_1414_8.pdf |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
Greenland |
genre_facet |
Greenland |
op_source |
KIP Articles |
op_relation |
https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/kip_articles/4526 https://digitalcommons.usf.edu/context/kip_articles/article/5525/viewcontent/K26_05683_s00114_016_1414_8.pdf |
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1776200701158883328 |