Biology subjects

Marom, N.

Publications and source records attributed to Marom, N..

3 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2023

A note on predator prey dynamics in radiocarbon datasets

AO_SCPLOWBSTRACTC_SCPLOWPredator-prey interactions have been a central theme in population ecology for the past century, but real-world data sets only exist for recent, relatively short (<100 years) time spans. This limits our ability to study centennial/millennial-scale predator-prey dynamics. We propose that regional radiocarbon databases can be used to reconstruct a signal of predator-prey population dynamics in deep time, overcoming this limitation. We support our argument with examples from Pleistocene Beringia and the Holocene Judean Desert.

ecology↗

bioRxiv2022

Shape analysis of Iron Age sheep astragali suggests west-to-east morphotype diffusion in the southern Levant

The movement of livestock across the Mediterranean is well-documented in the Neolithic era, but its significance during subsequent periods has received less attention. This study explores potential evidence for maritime connections between sheep populations in the Iron Age eastern Mediterranean by analyzing astragal bones from four coastal and inland sites in Israel and Cyprus. Employing an established geometric morphometric protocol, we investigated the hypothesis that intra-site morphological variability is higher in coastal sites, reflecting greater genetic diversity in the livestock populations. While our findings support this hypothesis, the conclusions are constrained by contextual and sample size limitations.

paleontology↗

bioRxiv2022

Faunal remains from the Upper Paleolithic site of Nahal Rahaf 2 in the southern Judean Desert, Israel

AO_SCPLOWBSTRACTC_SCPLOWNahal Rahaf 2 (NR2) is an Early Upper Paleolithic (ca. 35 kya) rock shelter in the southern Judean Desert in Israel. Two excavation seasons in 2019 and 2020 revealed a stratigraphical sequence composed of intact archaeological surfaces attributed to the Arkov-Divshon cultural entity of the arid southern Levant. We present the faunal assemblages from the site, which are rare among the desert sites due to preservation problems. Our results suggest that the residents of the site exploited prime adult caprines (Capra cf. Capra ibex), but were also engaged in hunting of gazelles (Gazella cf. Gazella gazella), whose carcasses were selectively transported to the site and processed for within-bone nutrients. Long-range hunting trips are suggested by the body-part selection in relatively small bovids, and by the presence of species representing wetter habitat patches 20-30 km north of the site. The bi-focal emphasis on generalized gazelle and age-specific caprine hunting, is unique among Late Pleistocene sites from the Levant. The proportion of caprines increases through the stratigraphic sequence, suggesting more specialized economy through time and in inverse relations to site use intensity.

paleontology↗