News Excerpt:
Recent research from Aarhus University’s ECONOVO Center concluded that human hunting played a significant role in Megafauna extinctions.
- Scientists have long debated whether humans or climate change were responsible for the extinction of many large animal species over the past 50,000 years.
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- Over the last ~50,000 years (the late Quaternary), terrestrial vertebrate faunas have experienced severe losses of large species (megafauna), with most extinctions occurring in the Late Pleistocene and Early to Middle Holocene.
- By examining factors such as extinction timing, dietary preferences, climate requirements, genetic population estimates, and hunting evidence, the researchers identified human activity as a primary factor.
Megafauna extinctions
- Evidence shows early modern humans were effective hunters of large animals, leading to the extinction of mammoths and giant sloths worldwide.
- These extinctions occurred at different rates and times but consistently followed the arrival of modern humans or significant cultural advancements.
- The extinctions happened across all continents except Antarctica and in various ecosystems, from tropical forests to arctic environments.
Ecological consequences
- The loss of megafauna has had significant ecological consequences, altering vegetation structures, seed dispersal, and nutrient cycling.
- Large animals play central roles in ecosystems, and their disappearance has led to profound changes in ecosystem structures and functions.
- The research incorporated various studies to present a comprehensive view of the extinctions, drawing on fields such as climate history, vegetation history, fauna evolution, and archaeological data on human expansion and lifestyle.
- This interdisciplinary approach provided a broader understanding of the factors contributing to the loss of megafauna.
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About Megafauna
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