The re-wilding of North America is basically a conservation strategy (Donlan 2005), aimed at restoring the Pleistocene era (Donlan 2005, Rubenstein et al. 2006). This could be achieved by reintroducing African and Asian megafauna, these species are phylogenetically known to be direct descendents of the extinct Pleistocene species or animals of similar taxa (Donlan 2005, Rubenstein et al. 2006). Re-populating North America is essential for both ecological and evolutionary potential (Donlan 2005)
of human-caused global warming was unleashed leading to an onslaught of theories regarding its potential effect on our future. But what impact did humans have thousands of years ago when they were first colonizing North America? The question of what caused the extinction of megafauna during the Late Pleistocene period is one that archaeologists have struggled to answer for decades, but why should it matter? Discovering with certainty the cause of megafaunal extinction would simultaneously prove
and wolves which are capable of re-organising the whole ecosystems through the predictor behavioral effects (Donlan et.al. 2005). As revolutionary scientific ideas began to develop, it brought about the idea bringing back the megafauna such as lions and elephants to North America have created a very heated debate. In contrast the concept, termed ‘Pleistocene Rewilding’ is considered as a succession of carefully managed ecosystem manipulations that would counter the pest-and-weed biotas which are promoted
Early Humans and their Environment Humans have been present on this Earth for nearly 3.5 million years when “Homo erectus” first evolved with an upright posture enabling the use of hands (Ponting). “Homo erectus” evolved into “Homo sapiens” one hundred thousand years ago and both lineages lived in small, mobile groups. For nearly two million years, their way of life was based around hunting and gathering food until ten to twelve thousand years ago when agriculture evolved. Early humans depended
The Pleistocene epoch was a time period of almost 2 million years of repeating glaciation around the globe. This epoch was known for its megafauna that roamed the Earth during the last great ice age. Although this was a time of mass extinction for species that could not adapt to the climate changes, many mammals and vertebrates that can be identified today were found during this time (Zimmermann, 2013). The Pleistocene epoch is an important foundation for understanding life that exists today, including
size. Of course, the M. americanum isn’t the only ancestral sloth, but it is one of the only Megatharium species that is described in detail (Pujos & Salas, 2004). Both the ancient and modern sloths are native to South America, though there is a species that is native to North America—Eremotherium
Throughout the 20th century, the Coastal Migration Theory, the “Kelp Highway,” suggested that some of the First Americans colonized the New World by navigating along the North Pacific coastlines from Asia into North and South America. This theory was considered highly unlikely by most archaeologists who at the time did not have access to advanced technology that reliably dated faunal remains. Moreover, archaeologists lacked recent discoveries that supported the Coastal Migration Theory. The evidence
began separating and breaking up. Sabertooth Cats did not go extinct due to lack of prey. However, around 12,000 years ago (end of the late Pleistocene) sabertooth cats, american lions, wooly mammoths and other gigantic creatures considered the “megafauna” went extinct. A die-off called the Quaternary extinction. A popular theory for the extinction is that the changing in climate during the end of the last ice age, human activity, or a combination of both killed off most large
that suggests that pre-modern humans may have come to the Americas prior to 16,000 BCE, but these conclusions are largely speculative, or based on data that cannot be corroborated. It is unknown if the migration played out as a single event, or if it happened in a succession of waves. Regardless, there are a few prominent theories on how genetically modern humans were able to make the last great migration from the Old World into the Americas. In any case, despite our murky understanding of how humans
habitats of plants, birds, and sea life, meaning they no longer have a safe place to have their young. With no new offspring, the species cease to exist. The continents most affected by the Holocene extinction are North and South America because that is where a majority of the megafauna lived thousand of years ago; of these was the Woolly mammoth. In the 1800’s, the ecosystem (over hunted and deforested) was not resilient enough to protect themselves from the industrial e... ... middle of paper
traditionally used in North American archaeology. Discuss some of the differences between Paleo-Indian sites in the West and the East. What is the significance of these differences in regards to our understanding of the nature and diversity of Paleo-Indian lifeway and of how these lifeway facilitated the expansion of Paleo-Indian across the continent. In what ways does this evidence either reaffirm or contest traditional understandings of the Paleo-Indian period in North America? Paleo- Indian can
The Stone Age is the period of time when early humans first began to make and use tools fabricated from stone. Other materials such as wood, bone, and antler were also used for the making of tools, but stone, especially flint stone, was primarily used for cutting. The Stone Age began for many early humans about 2.7 million years ago when the first stone tools were used. This time period was not the beginnings of humans or near humans, but the period of time marked when the use of tools first began
eventually replaced by Homo Sapiens Sapiens, modern humans. Survival was hard and basic survival techniques limited in an ever changing and unpredictable climate. The general practice was to hunt and find whatever it was you could eat. Hunting megafauna animals was the most practiced means by groups that were able to survive. To hunt these large animals, they had to develop ways to take them down, such as spears and javelins. Archeologists have found 380,000 year old wooden javelins in the Nordic
and contribute water to other systems during dry periods. In addition to these benefits, wetlands have high biological productivity. 31 percent of the plant species of the United States are found in wetlands. About half of the bird species in North America depend on wetlands for either feeding or nesting. Because of their high productivity, wetlands are able support commercial shellfish and fishing industries as well as ecotourism activities (such as fishing, bird watching, hunting and photography)
and shelter to many organisms and animals, including humans. (San Francisco Estuarine Wetlands) Along the bays lie major cities such as San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose. San Francisco is located on the boundary between two tectonic plates, the North American and Pacific plates. These two plates form a transform fault called the San Andreas Fault and is responsible for producing large earthquakes that shook California (Elder). Mountains on the California Coastal Ranges, Santa Cruz Mountains and
establish culture of North America, the Clovis peoples. Going into extensive detail pertaining to early geology and ecology, West gives us a glimpse into what life on the early plains must have looked to early peoples. With vastly differing flora and fauna to what we know today, the early plains at the end of the first ice age, were a different place and lent itself to a diverse way of life. The Clovis peoples were accomplished hunters, focusing on the abundance of Pleistocene megafauna such as earlier
geology has more to teach humans about our history than we think. He debates that around 15,000 to 8,000 BC, during the last ice age, an unprecedented world-wide cataclysm was overlooked that led to the extinction of countless species, including the megafauna (Hancock