Ecomorphological study of Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) distal phalanx: Insights from 3D geometric morphometrics for paleoenvironmental reconstructions
Reindeer mobility patterns exhibit significant variability in modern ecosystems, especially between open and wooded environments. This variability makes it difficult to reconstruct past reindeer migration patterns, which is key to understand the role of reindeer herds in the sustenance and territori...
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Elsevier
2024-10-01
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| Series: | Quaternary Environments and Humans |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950236524000240 |
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| author | Ana Belén Galán López Nicole Torres-Tamayo María Fernanda Martínez-Polanco |
| author_facet | Ana Belén Galán López Nicole Torres-Tamayo María Fernanda Martínez-Polanco |
| author_sort | Ana Belén Galán López |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Reindeer mobility patterns exhibit significant variability in modern ecosystems, especially between open and wooded environments. This variability makes it difficult to reconstruct past reindeer migration patterns, which is key to understand the role of reindeer herds in the sustenance and territorial organization of Prehistoric hunter-gatherer societies. By examining morphology associated with different habitats and movement patterns, insights into prehistoric reindeer behavior can be obtained. Investigating the relationship between locomotor anatomy and substrate type in present-day animals allows for paleoecological inferences, as previous research indicates that an animal's environment affects bone morphology. In the present study, 3D geometric morphometrics is employed to examine the influence of habitat type and mobility patterns on distal phalanx morphology from extant caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou). Our analysis reveals significant morphological adaptations linked to different habitats (boreal forest, mountain, and tundra) and mobility types (sedentary, migratory, and altitudinal). However, the potential impact of sex remains uncertain due to incomplete data. The significant variations in shape and size of caribou distal phalanges across different habitats and mobility types underscore the complex interactions between morphology, ecology, and evolutionary pressures. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-40f4f9eb17ef4c3890d50acaff68671b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2950-2365 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-10-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Quaternary Environments and Humans |
| spelling | doaj-art-40f4f9eb17ef4c3890d50acaff68671b2025-01-10T04:38:45ZengElsevierQuaternary Environments and Humans2950-23652024-10-0125100026Ecomorphological study of Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) distal phalanx: Insights from 3D geometric morphometrics for paleoenvironmental reconstructionsAna Belén Galán López0Nicole Torres-Tamayo1María Fernanda Martínez-Polanco2TRACES UMR 5608, CNRS-Université de Toulouse-Jean Jaurès, Toulouse, France; Corresponding author.Institute of Evolutionary Medicine (University of Zürich, Switzerland). Institute of Evolutionary Medicine (IEM) University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190 Zurich, Switzerland; Department of Anthropology, University College London (London, United Kingdom) 14 Taviton St, London WC1H 0BW, United KingdomInstitut Català de Paleoecologia Humana i Evolució Social (IPHES-CERCA), Tarragona, Spain; Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Ciencias Naturales, Grupo en Arqueología y Ambiente, Bogotá D.C., ColombiaReindeer mobility patterns exhibit significant variability in modern ecosystems, especially between open and wooded environments. This variability makes it difficult to reconstruct past reindeer migration patterns, which is key to understand the role of reindeer herds in the sustenance and territorial organization of Prehistoric hunter-gatherer societies. By examining morphology associated with different habitats and movement patterns, insights into prehistoric reindeer behavior can be obtained. Investigating the relationship between locomotor anatomy and substrate type in present-day animals allows for paleoecological inferences, as previous research indicates that an animal's environment affects bone morphology. In the present study, 3D geometric morphometrics is employed to examine the influence of habitat type and mobility patterns on distal phalanx morphology from extant caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou). Our analysis reveals significant morphological adaptations linked to different habitats (boreal forest, mountain, and tundra) and mobility types (sedentary, migratory, and altitudinal). However, the potential impact of sex remains uncertain due to incomplete data. The significant variations in shape and size of caribou distal phalanges across different habitats and mobility types underscore the complex interactions between morphology, ecology, and evolutionary pressures.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950236524000240ReindeerMigrationPaleolithicMobilityPaleoecology |
| spellingShingle | Ana Belén Galán López Nicole Torres-Tamayo María Fernanda Martínez-Polanco Ecomorphological study of Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) distal phalanx: Insights from 3D geometric morphometrics for paleoenvironmental reconstructions Quaternary Environments and Humans Reindeer Migration Paleolithic Mobility Paleoecology |
| title | Ecomorphological study of Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) distal phalanx: Insights from 3D geometric morphometrics for paleoenvironmental reconstructions |
| title_full | Ecomorphological study of Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) distal phalanx: Insights from 3D geometric morphometrics for paleoenvironmental reconstructions |
| title_fullStr | Ecomorphological study of Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) distal phalanx: Insights from 3D geometric morphometrics for paleoenvironmental reconstructions |
| title_full_unstemmed | Ecomorphological study of Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) distal phalanx: Insights from 3D geometric morphometrics for paleoenvironmental reconstructions |
| title_short | Ecomorphological study of Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) distal phalanx: Insights from 3D geometric morphometrics for paleoenvironmental reconstructions |
| title_sort | ecomorphological study of caribou rangifer tarandus caribou distal phalanx insights from 3d geometric morphometrics for paleoenvironmental reconstructions |
| topic | Reindeer Migration Paleolithic Mobility Paleoecology |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950236524000240 |
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