Acta Zoologica Cracoviensia, 39(1) 1996

Issue:

VOL 39(1) 1996

Keywords:

Mammalia, late Holocene, taphonomy, paleoecology, zooarcheology, ordination, correspondence analysis, Iowa

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Paleoecologic and taphonomic patterns derived from correspondence analysis of zooarcheological and paleontological faunal samples, a case study from the North American prairie/forest ecotone

• Holmes A. SEMKEN Jr.
• Russell W. GRAHAM

Abstract:

Mammalian faunal lists from 34 late Holocene archeological and paleontological sites from Iowa have been analyzed by correspondence analysis to evaluate taphonomic and paleoenvironmental signals in fossil vertebrate accumulations. The Iowa database was selected for this evaluation because of a relatively dense record of suitable late Holocene localities, a location which transects the modern ecotone between the eastern deciduous forest and the prairies of the Great Plains, and relatively diverse fossil faunas (66 taxa) collectively represented in these sites. Correspondence analysis sug­gested that the major factors influencing faunal similarities were (1) size of screen mesh used in sample collection, (2) cultural vs. non-cultural associations, (3) taxonomic confidence of the identifier (generic vs. specific designation), (4) research interests of individual taxonomists, and (5) taxonomic philosophy of each analyst. Paleoenvironmental signals can be derived within site complexes but in this region they are almost completely masked by the taphonomic attributes of the individual sites.