Small mammals from Mondeval de Sora (San Vito di Cadore, Belluno): paleoenvironmental differences between early and late Holocene

• Autores: Claudio Berto, Elisa Luzi, Antonio Guerreschi, Federica Fontana, Francesco Valletta
• Localización: Preistoria alpina, ISSN 0393-0157, Nº. 48, 2016, págs. 69-72
• Idioma: inglés
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• Resumen

  • Small mammal fossil remains from Mondeval de Sora (VF1, sectors I and III) have been analyzed in order to allow a reconstruction of the environment surrounding the site throughout the Holocene. A taxonomic study has led to the identification of 14 species while statistics tools as Simpson index and Habitat Weighting method have been applied to examine the assemblage from a biological and ecological perspective. Sector I has yielded a very low number of remains (total N.I. 24) whereas sector III has proved to be richer (total N.I. 148), allowing to observe landscape changes through the sequence between early and late Holocene. In particular, variations in the associations of small mammals indicate a shift from a mainly grassland environment during the early Holocene (Mesolithic macro-unit) to a less grass-covered one with exposed rocks during the late Holocene (Protohistoric and Historic macro- units). Furthermore, the occurrence of Sciurus vulgaris testifies the presence of wooded areas near the site, suggesting a tree limit probably located at a higher altitude than the current one.