A glimpse into the Ice Age ecosystem of the Carpathians
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
We are excited to announce our new publication! Our research investigates the dietary patterns and palaeoecological relationships of large mammals that inhabited the Romanian Carpathians around 40,000 years ago.
What did the large predators and megafauna of the Ice Age actually eat, and how did they coexist in the challenging environments of Eastern Europe? Published in Acta Palaeontologica Polonica, our study sheds light on the ancient ecosystem of the Southern Carpathians during Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3).
By analysing stable carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) isotopes preserved in fossil bone collagen, we investigated the dietary behaviour and palaeoecological relationships of five species from Muierilor Cave: cave bears, cave lions, wolves, cave hyenas, and red deer.
A remarkably diverse Ice Age fauna
Muierilor Cave is exceptional among the Late Pleistocene cave sites of the Romanian Carpathians. While many well-known caves in the region are dominated by bears, Muierilor Cave has yielded a taxonomically rich fauna, including several large carnivores as well as herbivores.
Our study analysed δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values from the bone collagen of 40 mammal individuals. The results show a clear differentiation in dietary behaviour among the studied species. The isotopic values obtained for red deer and the carnivores are also consistent with those reported for Late Pleistocene populations from Central and Western Europe.
What can isotopes tell us about cave bears?
One of the most intriguing findings concerns the cave bears from Muierilor Cave. Unlike cave bears from many other Romanian and European sites, the Muierilor individuals show low δ¹⁵N values.
The abundance of apex carnivores in the Muierilor ecosystem, including cave hyenas, cave lions, and especially wolves, may have resulted in strong competition for food resources. This competition might have narrowed the ecological niche of cave bears and contributed to a predominantly herbivorous diet.
A complex window into the Late Pleistocene
The combination of a rich large-mammal assemblage and a relatively large sample size makes Muierilor Cave an important site for understanding the palaeoecological relationships among Late Pleistocene mammals.
Our study also highlights the value of stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis in complex fossil assemblages and provides new insights into the feeding plasticity of the cave bear, one of the most iconic mammals of the Quaternary.
The paper is published Open Access, meaning that it is freely available for everyone to read and download.
Read the full paper on the journal’s website:
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