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Anthropogenic Causes, Mechanisms and Effects of Upper Pliocene and Quaternary Extinctinctions of Large Vertebrates
Author(s) -
Schuster Sabine,
Schüe Wilhelm
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
oxford journal of archaeology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.382
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1468-0092
pISSN - 0262-5253
DOI - 10.1111/1468-0092.00108
Subject(s) - extinction (optical mineralogy) , ecology , herbivore , fossil record , ecological niche , paleoecology , paleontology , extinction event , quaternary , period (music) , geology , geography , biology , habitat , biological dispersal , population , demography , sociology , physics , acoustics
Successive waves of extinction of large vertebrates have swept the globe since the Pliocene. In contrast to such episodes in earlier geological epochs, many of the species of large herbivores and carnivores, flightless birds, and giant tortoises which became extinct during this period were not replaced in these niches by other species. Relying on data from the fossil and archaeological records as well as on ethological and palaeo‐ecological arguments, the authors explain why hominids are to be held responsible for this ecological genocide. Possible ecological and climatic consequences of the extinctions are discussed. These considerations cast doubt upon the notion of early hominids as scavengers.