Late Pleistocene Faunal Assemblages from Karst Cave Settings on Northern Vancouver Island, Canada

Publikation: Bidrag til tidsskriftTidsskriftartikelForskningfagfællebedømt

We present the results of our investigations in karst caves on northern Vancouver Island. This work focuses on late Pleistocene faunal remains and potential archaeological deposits. Our analyses of faunal remains from these caves reveal that a variety of animals have inhabited the region since the Last Glacial Maximum. Pleistocene taxa recovered include black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus), black bear (Ursus americanus), mountain goat (Oreamnos americanus), Vancouver Island marmot (Marmota vancouverensis), wolf/dog (Canis spp.), weasel (Mustela), and frog (Anura). We also report on a previously undescribed diminutive red fox (Vulpes vulpes) which no longer inhabits Vancouver Island. We present the results of sedaDNA analysis of cave sediments which demonstrates promise in supporting the morphological identification of animal remains. The results of this study, combined with previous research, help to constrain the timing of the Last Glacial Maximum and when land became viable to support land mammals on northern Vancouver Island.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftPaleoAmerica
Vol/bind9
Udgave nummer3
Sider (fra-til)216-236
Antal sider21
ISSN2055-5563
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2023

Bibliografisk note

Funding Information:
Many people helped with various aspects of this project. The authors of this report are grateful to them all. Eric Peterson and Christina Munck of the Tula Foundation and Hakai Institute are thanked for funding this research. The authors also thank Harry Alfred, Spruce Rufus, Leroy Wadhams, Harry Brown, Geza Vamos, Brian Svanvik, Don Svanvik, and Rachel Dalton from the ‘Namgis First Nation; Mark Hunt, Mark Wallas, Tyrone Wallas, Isaac Williams, Sonny Wallas, James Redford, and Charles Sheard, from the Quatsino First Nation; archaeologists Jim Stafford, Alisha Gauvreau, John White, John Maxwell, Daryl Fedje, Quentin Mackie, Angela Dyck, Chris Hebda, Bryn Letham, Callum Abbott, Duncan McLaren, Kennedy Richard, Michael Richards, and Jude Isabella; botanist Richard Hebda; LiDAR specialists Derek Heathfield and the Hakai Geospatial Technology Team, SedaDNA Analysts Mikkel Pedersen, Eske Willerslev, Evan Morien, Chris Hebda, Alisha Gauvreau, and Matt Lemay; ancient mtDNA analysts Dongya Yang, Hua Zhang and the Ancient DNA facility at Simon Fraser University, and Linda Rutledge and Mac Barrera at the Hakai Ancient DNA lab on Quadra Island; radiocarbon analysts John Southon and The W.M. Keck Carbon Cycle Accelerator Mass Spectrometer Facility; speleologists David Wall and Peter Curtis; karstologists Paul Griffiths and Carol Ramsey; faunal analysts Becky Wigen and Pacific Identifications; and Cathy Rzeplinkski, Jindra Belanger, Ute Muller, Chris Darimont, and April Nowell of the University of Victoria. Eske Willerslev thanks St. John’s College, Cambridge, for providing a stimulating environment of discussion and learning.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Center for the Study of the First Americans.

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