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| Highlights |
Lynn
Copes
Research Training Program, 2004
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Abstract This study investigated whether the paleoenvironmental evidence (stable isotopes, faunal assemblages and fossilized plant remains) from the Olduvai and Turkana Basins in East Africa comes from the same stratigraphic levels as the hominin and archaeological material. A related issue studied was whether the localities (Koobi Fora, Nachukui and Shungura at Turkana, and Beds I and II at Olduvai) would all show similar patterns of evidence. A set of tests was established to determine how many of the human activity markers had matching paleoenvironmental evidence. The percentage of hominins with environmental matches ranged from 7 to 50%. This left both hypotheses unsupported, as the sites differed greatly in their percentages of hominins with exact matches, and at no site were more than half of the hominins associated exactly with paleoenvironmental indicators.
It was hypothesized that there is a strong and exact relationship between the two data sets, i.e., that the stratigraphic position of paleoenvironmental evidence would closely match that of hominin finds. It was also presumed that each site would have similar precision between the hominin and paleoenvironmental indicators. This research will help anthropologists understand the accuracy of the environmental reconstructions they create for hominin fossils, determine which fossils have accurate paleoenvironmental interpretations associated, and where more work needs to be done.
Data was collected from several sources, including
The paleoenvironmental evidence collected included faunal assemblages, fossilized pollen and wood, and stable carbon and oxygen isotope ratios.
After plotting faunal, pollen, stable isotope and hominin activity data in relation to the stratigraphy of each study site, the percentage of hits was analyzed. See Figure 2. Each hominin fossil or archaeological level (both referred to as hominin markers) was assigned to one of three classes based on the corresponding paleoenvironmental evidence. See Key in Figure 2 for visual depiction.
Chi-square tests
were then preformed on each pair of sites to determine whether any statistically
significant differences in distribution of data among the three degree
classes occurred between localities.
According to these results, a clearer understanding of the relationship between human evolution and paleoenvironmental change can be enhanced in two ways. First, through the collection of dense data sets established by long-term studies, which simply by containing a lot of information, have matches between paleoenvironmental and hominin data, and second, by projects directed toward gathering environmental data from the precise stratigraphies of hominin sites.
Faunal assemblages: fossilized animal bones found at archaeological sites. The animals discovered provide clues to their environment, as marine animals indicate ocean or lake presence, and grazing animals demonstrate a dry savanna landscape. Hominins: humans and their ancestors, in this case species living in Africa between 1 and 4 million years ago. Paleoenvironment: the climate and vegetation of an ancient site. Stable isotope ratios: both carbon (C) and oxygen (O) are non-radioactive elements that occur in at least two different forms (isotopes). The ratio of 13C to 12C and 18O to 16O found in ancient rocks helps determine temperature and climate conditions of paleolandscapes. Stratigraphy: layers of rocks, or sediments, deposited over millions of years, containing fossils and paleoenvironmental evidence.
I would first like to thank my advisor Rick Potts for putting up with my endless questions, for taking me to Kenya, and for teaching me scientific and scholarly habits of mind. Thanks are also due to Jenny Clark who made life this summer great with cookies, lots of advice and computer help. René Bobes fabulous databases made this project possible. Everyone at Kampi Safi, Olorgesailie, was incredibly welcoming and taught me so much. To Mary Sangrey and my fellow Research Training Program interns: its been amazing! Without the mentorship of Drs. Ralph Holloway, Jill Shapiro and Ken Mowbray, I never would have made it this far. Finally, my parents were my earliest teachers and have been my most ardent supporters, and have all my thanks and love. This research was supported by a grant to the NMNH Research Training Program from the National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates program, Award Number DBI 0243512. This summers adventures were further supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation, Human Origins Initiative, Principle Investigator Dr. R. Potts, Award Number BCS 0218511.
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