A5073839473- Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies
- Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology
- Paleopathology and ancient diseases
- Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Silicon Effects in Agriculture
- Geological and Geophysical Studies
- Diet and metabolism studies
- Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Magnesium Oxide Properties and Applications
- X-ray Spectroscopy and Fluorescence Analysis
- Comparative Animal Anatomy Studies
- Indigenous Studies and Ecology
National Museum of Natural History
2023-2024
Smithsonian Institution
2023-2024
University of Oregon
2019-2024
University of British Columbia
2021-2024
Oxford Archaeology
2017-2019
University of Oxford
2017-2019
City University of New York
2013-2016
The Graduate Center, CUNY
2012-2016
New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology
2012-2015
University of Utah
2015
Significance Stable carbon isotopes give diet information for both modern and fossil mammals can be used to classify diets as C 4 grazers, 3 –C mixed, or browsers. We show that of some major African herbivore lineages have significantly changed over the past million years by comparing fossils from Turkana Basin in Kenya with East Central Africa. Some assemblages no analogues Africa, suggesting different ecological functions compared their counterparts. The development tropical grassland...
The oldest Oldowan tool sites, from around 2.6 million years ago, have previously been confined to Ethiopia’s Afar Triangle. We describe sites at Nyayanga, Kenya, dated 3.032 2.581 ago and expand this distribution by over 1300 kilometers. Furthermore, we found two hippopotamid butchery associated with mosaic vegetation a C 4 grazer–dominated fauna. Tool flaking proficiency was comparable that of younger assemblages, but pounding activities were more common. use-wear bone damage indicate...
Aridification is often considered a major driver of long-term ecological change and hominin evolution in eastern Africa during the Plio-Pleistocene; however, this hypothesis remains inadequately tested owing to difficulties reconstructing terrestrial paleoclimate. We present revised aridity index for quantifying water deficit (WD) environments using tooth enamel δ18O values, use approach address paleoaridity over past 4.4 million years Africa. find no trend WD, consistent with other climate...
We use stable isotope ratios in feces of wild mountain gorillas ( Gorilla beringei ) to test the hypothesis that diet shifts within a single year, as measured by dry mass intake, can be recovered. Isotopic separation staple foods indicates intraannual changes isotopic composition reflect diet. Fruits are isotopically distinct compared with other foods, and peaks fecal δ 13 C values interpreted periods increased fruit feeding. Bayesian mixing model results demonstrate that, although timing...
The Homa Peninsula, in southwestern Kenya, continues to yield insights into Oldowan hominin landscape behaviors. Late Pliocene locality of Nyayanga (∼3-2.6 Ma) preserves some the oldest tools. At Early Pleistocene Kanjera South (∼2 toolmakers procured a diversity raw materials from over 10 km away and strategically reduced them grassland-dominated ecosystem. Here, we report findings Sare-Abururu, younger (∼1.7 approximately 12 southeast 18 east Nyayanga. Sare-Abururu has yielded 1754...
Stable isotope analysis of primate tissues in tropical forest contexts is an increasingly popular means obtaining information about niche distinctions among sympatric species, including preferences feeding height, canopy density, plant parts, and trophism. However, issues equifinality mean that as well the parts species consumed, may produce similar or confounding effects. With a few exceptions, researchers have so far relied largely on general principles and/or limited data from study area...
Stable isotope analysis is a promising tool for investigating primate ecology although nuanced ecological applications remain challenging, in part due to the complex nature of isotopic variability plant-animal systems. The aim this study investigate sources carbon and nitrogen variation at base food webs that reflect aspects ecology. majority primates inhabit tropical forest ecosystems, which are dominated by C3 vegetation. We used stable ratios plants from Kibale National Park, Uganda,...
Abstract Megaherbivores (>1000 kg) are critical for ecosystem health and function, but face population collapse extinction globally. The future of these megaherbivore-impoverished ecosystems is difficult to predict, though many studies have demonstrated increasing representation C 3 woody plants. These rely on direct observational data, however, tools assessing decadal-scale changes in African ecology without observation lacking. We use isotopic records historical common hippopotamus (...