Diet reconstructions for end-Pleistocene Mammut americanum and Mammuthus based on comparative analysis of mesowear, microwear, and dental calculus in modern Loxodonta africana

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dc.contributor.authorCammidge, Tasha S.
dc.contributor.authorKooyman, Brian
dc.contributor.authorTheodor, Jessica M.
dc.date.accessioned2022-10-20T16:59:24Z
dc.date.available2022-10-20T16:59:24Z
dc.date.issued2020-01
dc.description.abstractWe analyse mesowear, microwear, and dental calculus for end-Pleistocene Mammut and Mammuthus from North America, and modern Loxodonta africana to reconstruct diet. These three methods allow both short- and long-term diets to be distinguished. As microwear analysis shows a negative correlation between the numbers of pits and scratches counted, the proportions of pits/(pits + scratches) were used for analyses rather than gross counts. The three types of analyses confirm that modern Loxodonta africana are grazers or mixed-feeders. Microwear analysis demonstrates that end-Pleistocene Mammut were primarily browsers but may have changed their diets opportunistically or seasonally to graze. Mesowear analysis of end-Pleistocene Mammuthus indicates a grazing diet, but microwear analysis indicates a mixed-feeding diet. Dental calculus analysis demonstrates that all three species were mixed-feeding to varying degrees. Results show that extinct proboscidean diet was more complex than previously thought, and may contradict previous work suggesting that Mammut were browsers and Mammuthus were grazers. Using mesowear and microwear, we found no significant differences in pre- and post-glacial diet for fossil proboscideans. However, using dental calculus, we found that for pre-glacial specimens there was a larger proportion of tiny (i.e. less than 8 μm wide) grass starch granules, whereas for post-glacial specimens there is a larger proportion of large (i.e. greater than 20 μm wide) grass starch granules with lamellae, suggesting with a shift in Mammut and Mammuthus diet during the end-Pleistocene. Specimens commonly had different dietary signals depending on the method utilized, suggesting that a multi-faceted approach is required to fully elucidate proboscidean diet.en_US
dc.description.grantingagencyNatural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)en_US
dc.identifier.citationCammidge, T. S., Kooyman, B., & Theodor, J. M. (2020). Diet reconstructions for end-Pleistocene Mammut americanum and Mammuthus based on comparative analysis of mesowear, microwear, and dental calculus in modern Loxodonta africana. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 538, 109403. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2019.109403en_US
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.palaeo.2019.109403en_US
dc.identifier.grantnumberRGPIN/03827-2017en_US
dc.identifier.issn0031-0182
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/1880/115370
dc.language.isoengen_US
dc.publisherElsevieren_US
dc.publisher.departmentBiological Sciencesen_US
dc.publisher.facultyScienceen_US
dc.publisher.hasversionacceptedVersionen_US
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Calgaryen_US
dc.publisher.policyhttps://www.elsevier.com/journals/palaeogeography-palaeoclimatology-palaeoecology/0031-0182/open-access-optionsen_US
dc.rightsUnless otherwise indicated, this material is protected by copyright and has been made available with authorization from the copyright owner. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.en_US
dc.subjectDietary reconstructionen_US
dc.subjectEnd-Pleistocene Extinctionen_US
dc.subjectProboscideanen_US
dc.titleDiet reconstructions for end-Pleistocene Mammut americanum and Mammuthus based on comparative analysis of mesowear, microwear, and dental calculus in modern Loxodonta africanaen_US
dc.typejournal articleen_US
ucalgary.item.requestcopytrueen_US
ucalgary.scholar.levelGraduate, Facultyen_US
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