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Late Holocene Chronoclinal Variation in White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Associated with Human Behavior in the Ohio River Valley

Weakley, Jacob
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1627662816219324

Abstract Details

2021, MA, University of Cincinnati, Arts and Sciences: Anthropology.
This study investigates the influence of climate change and human behavior in the Ohio River Valley, USA, on white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) body mass during the middle to late Holocene. White-tailed deer astragali were selected from four sites with various ages spanning different climates and human activity levels: the Late Archaic Dupont Village (33Ha11) (4834 to 4515 calibrated years before present; Cal BP), Middle Woodland Twin Mounds Village (33Ha24) (1179 to 972 Cal BP), Middle Fort Ancient Stateline Village (33Ha58) (724 to 553 Cal BP), and Late Fort Ancient Wynema Village (33Ha837) (500 to 422 Cal BP). When climate was cold (Middle Woodland and Late Fort Ancient periods), deer body mass should be large; when climate was warm (Late Archaic and Late Fort Ancient periods), body mass should be small. Additionally, deer body mass would be expected to increase as human activity promoting agriculture increased (starting at the Middle Woodland period), as this leads to an increase in the available food supply of white-tailed deer. Astragalus medial depth, length, and distal width were measured and used to estimate overall deer body mass. Male white-tailed deer were largest during the Late Fort Ancient cultural period and smallest during the Middle Woodland cultural period. Female deer did not show significant body mass differences over time, suggesting impacts on male body mass were not as influential on female deer. These trends are inconsistent with those expected if climate were the only factor influencing body mass. Instead, changes in white-tailed deer body mass are most likely the result of a combination of climate and human behavior. In particular, the data suggest human behavior via the initiation of agriculture and earthwork construction (as seen during the Middle Woodland period) had a negative impact on deer body mass due to the rapid human-led environmental change.
Kenneth Tankersley, Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Brooke Crowley, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
57 p.
Archaeology
Ohio River Valley; Holocene; Zooarchaeology; Agriculture; Temporal variation; Chronoclinal variation

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Weakley, J. (2021). Late Holocene Chronoclinal Variation in White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Associated with Human Behavior in the Ohio River Valley [Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1627662816219324

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Weakley, Jacob. Late Holocene Chronoclinal Variation in White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Associated with Human Behavior in the Ohio River Valley. 2021. University of Cincinnati, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1627662816219324.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Weakley, Jacob. "Late Holocene Chronoclinal Variation in White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus Virginianus) Associated with Human Behavior in the Ohio River Valley." Master's thesis, University of Cincinnati, 2021. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ucin1627662816219324

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

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