The last mammoths Paleoenvironment of the Holocene mammoth on Wrangle Island

Reading 3:
Saarnisto, M. & Karhu, J. 2004. The last mammoths Paleoenvironment of the Holocene mammoth on row Island. Quaternary Perspectives 14 (1): 126-129

It is largely understood that lanate mammoths died go forth with the other large mammals at the termination of the late glacial period 14,000 to 11,500 BP. Sergey Vartanyan discovered mammoth tusks on demonstrate Island in northeast Siberia, showing mostly Holocene ages. The teeth sizes, however, were 20-25% less than normal wooly mammoth sizes, indicating the mammoths were probably dwarfed - only standing about 2 meters tall. Isolation and poor environmental conditions probably attributed to the dwarf size. Though, 76 dates were identified on Wrangle Island, suggesting a strong creation of mammoths surviving here.
During periods of glaciations, Wrangle Island was dampen of the Bering Land Bridge, connecting the island to the southern mainland Chukokta. about 13,000 BP the Bering Straight submerged as sea levels rose due to isostatic rebound, isolating the island. The environment at this era was also moving from the mammoths favored habitat (full glacial steppe or steppe-tundra) to herb-dominated grasses. Around 10,800 to 8700 old age BP, peat deposits began accumulating.



Paleoclimate of the island is studied using O-18 isotopes from the mammoth bones and teeth. The O-18 isotopes indicated no noteworthy differences between the climate of today and that of the early Holocene. Therefore, climate 6000 to 4000 BP was comparatively stable at the time of the mammoth extinction.
Therefore, the authors suggest that the Wrangle Island mammoths must have been close to extinction at the time of isolation. As well, major parts of the island would have been barren in vegetation. It is possible that over time overgrazing could have contributed in part to the extinction. The authors go on to hypothesize that polar bears could have migrated up during ice-free summer seasons and preyed upon the mammoths as they do presently to...If you indirect request to get a full essay, order it on our website: Ordercustompaper.com



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