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We report a study in which we systematically reviewed the recent literature dealing with human-environment interaction in prehistory. We first identified the 165 most highly cited papers published between 2005 and 2015. We then identified the major research themes covered in the sample of papers and assessed whether the themes fall into clusters and/or vary greatly in popularity. Subsequently, we identified potentially important lacunae. Our review identified dozens of themes and four major clusters: 1) improving our reconstructions of past environments; 2) the impact of climate change on past human societies; 3) human adaptation to past environmental conditions; and 4) human impacts on past environments. We also identified several gaps that led us to make a number of suggestions for future work. One is to pay more attention to the epistemology of causality. A second is to take into account nonlinearity when considering causal relationships. A third is to study the impact of chronological uncertainty on analyses. Lastly, our review revealed that there are differences between the aspects of human-environment interaction in prehistory that interest scholars and those that interest policy-makers and the general public. This needs to be addressed for obvious reasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of a multidisciplinary study of the impact of climate change during the Little Ice Age on a medieval village in Asturias, Spain. The research focused on tracing evidence for a catastrophic flood that buried the village beneath a thick layer of debris, including examining the remains of structures and agricultural land sealed beneath the debris, and considering the social and economic implications of the event in the subsequent history of the area. First, a series of test pits was excavated within the area of the modern village to map the full extent of the damage. Following this, analysis of the stratigraphy, architectural remains, datable artefacts and radiocarbon dating contributed further details, while historical evidence revealed the privatisation of the agricultural land following the catastrophe. The findings offer a snapshot of climate change and its social contexts in a specific, under-studied area with possible implications for the study of risk behaviour and disaster response in currently inhabited areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The site of Ifri El Baroud has one of the longest sequences excavated in recent times in NE Morocco, covering a chronology of ca. 23–13 ka cal BP. The sequence includes Early and Late Iberomaurusian levels and offers the possibility of investigating the economic, social and environmental processes that took place during this period. In this paper we present the results of the charcoal analysis carried out at the site with the aim of reconstructing environmental alterations and changes in the use of forest resources between the LGM and the end of the Pleistocene. These results form part of multidisciplinary studies aimed at revealing the role of climatic and environmental changes in the great cultural transitions of the Late Palaeolithic. The results of the charcoal analysis show continuous exploitation of Juniperus/Tetraclinis formations throughout the sequence, so they must have been a fundamental part of the area's landscape. These data indicate that the climatic changes occurred during the study period, and according with other environmental proxies, did not have a very significant impact on the woody vegetation of the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyze the isotopic niche and resource use of the guanaco (Lama guanicoe), pampas deer (Ozotoceros bezoarticus) and marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus) on the temperate plain of the northern Pampa region in the southeast of South America. The measured stable isotope compositions in bone tissue are δ13C, δ15N and δ18O. All the analyzed samples were recovered from different archaeological sites from the late Holocene. According to the results, the guanaco was strictly confined to the Pampa plain environment, developing a broad niche based on C3 plants and a variable contribution of C4 grasses within a grazing trend. The pampas deer preferentially used the Pampa plain, but also the prairies on the borders of the wetland, showing eurioic characteristics and a narrower niche based on C3 plants. In turn, the marsh deer was strictly confined to wetland environments, developing a C3 diet–base, within a narrow isotopic niche and stenoic characteristics. The three mammals showed a wide range of intraspecific variability, which was a key factor in their adaptability to spatial and temporal changes in the vegetation coverage. In fact, the temporal trends of their isotopic values were concurrent with the major climatic variations of the Holocene. Differences in the correlations between the values of both carbon sources in both deer species compared with the guanaco suggest a distinct chemical composition of their diet and/or differences in the allocation of nutrients. The isotopic values of nitrogen and spacing of the carbon sources in guanaco (pseudoruminant) and both deer species (ruminants) show no significant differences between them, thus establishing the values for local large herbivores. Significant correlations between δ13C and δ15N were found in the guanaco and marsh deer. The regional and extra–regional variability in the guanaco's δ13Ccollagen and δ15N probably reflect the clinal variations in the vegetation coverage and the amount of rainfall. The collagen isotope values in the guanaco throughout the entire Holocene show that the humid Pampa would have shifted between being a more recurrent mesic and temperate plain with minor phases of dry–mesic conditions like during the Little Ice Age, and a humid and warm one at the peaks of the Holocene Thermal Maximum and the Medieval Climatic Anomaly. The guanaco and the pampas deer adapted to all the climatic changes that happened on the humid Pampa until the biological invasions of large European mammals changed the herbivores' guild composition of this vast plain, pushing them into peripheral habitats due to competition. The within–species variability in isotopic signals through time and space make it necessary to carry out adequate sampling before reconstructing the diets of local past populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental archaeological enquiry has a long and vibrant history. Many of the same questions have persisted in archaeological dialogues over the past century. In particular, the effects of environmental change on demographic patterns, health, and societal stability are among the most pervasive questions being addressed by anthropological research. These studies have limitations, however. For example, evaluations of the complex relationships between environmental variables and human responses are only just beginning to emerge in anthropological literature. This goal requires high-resolution paleoclimate datasets and the use of quantitative modelling rooted in evolutionary and complex systems theory. This paper serves as a broad review of advances in environmental archaeological enquiry associated with environmental change and human response. I argue that the future of archaeological questions concerning human-environmental connection requires a re-evaluation of causality and the incorporation of complex systems approaches to address human responses to external pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates changes in subsistence strategies at the upland cave site of Nugljanska (Croatia) at the end of the last ice age, during a time of rapid sea level rise and changing environment. We analysed the faunal assemblage from archaeological levels spanning the Pleistocene-Holocene transition (15,000-8000 years BP) and evaluated changes in relative abundance of species, measured species diversity, and compared the representation of terrestrial mammal and marine resources. We found a significant shift in the most abundant prey species exploited (from red deer, Cervus, to wild boar, Sus). There was some correlation between dietary diversification and periods of increased moisture availability and the spread of deciduous forest in the area. Our results suggest that there was a continuing reliance on terrestrial resources throughout time and that changes in dietary patterns were likely due to local environmental change and potentially, changing seasonal mobility strategies, at the Pleistocene-Holocene transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The site of Anse Trabaud on Martinique in the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles has yielded valuable information about human occupation from deep beneath its surface. The site is located in the southeastern part of the island, an area vulnerable to extreme wave events. The archaeological deposits are dated to 1290–780 cal BP (2σ). The earliest horizon is buried under thick layers of mangrove sediments. The deeply buried deposits have allowed excellent preservation of inorganic and organic remains providing an unexpected opportunity to reconstruct the paleoenvironmental conditions of past human settlement, and to study human-environment interactions and social adaptation to climate challenges in this part of the Caribbean archipelago. The cultural remains provide invaluable information into the exploitation of the surroundings of the site as well as into the subsistence patterns, material culture repertoires, procurement strategies and use and exchange of raw materials and tools. Additionally, the excellent preservation of organic materials offers new insights into food plants grown and harvested on-site, and then processed and consumed. The environmental challenges incited the Anse Trabaud community to adapt their settlement organisation and procurement strategies over time and underscore the importance of their participation in a regional and social network of mobility and exchange. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents information on farming in prehistoric period when climatic conditons were uncertain in Asia and Europe. It informs that farming is, on the one hand, an activity directly affected by climate, especially variability in seasonal and annual weather patterns, and, on the other, deeply constitutive of society, most obviously through the preparation and consumption of the food produced.

Archaeological research has the potential to contribute to our understanding of social vulnerability to environmental change by providing examples of change in the deep and recent past. Here we argue that human activity and historical processes deeply transform tropical environments through time, and that these changes accumulate on the landscape affecting social vulnerability. These changes, however, are not always evident due to rapid vegetation growth obscuring past human impact. Our research investigates the northernmost 25 km of the Manatí Hydrological Basin in Puerto Rico, focusing on evidence of human activity and environmental characteristics including topography, sediments and vegetation cover. The data collected, which articulates archaeological and ethnographic records, covers the span of pre-Columbian occupation of the region, through the colonial periods, and into the twentieth century. Results show that human activity through time has deeply altered the forests. The accumulation of long-term histories of biotic, abiotic and cultural dynamics affects social sensitivity and exposure. Human ingenuity can widen resilience thresholds, making long-term practices particularly important components of adaptive strategies. Deep-time socioecological perspectives can contribute to current vulnerability assessments by enhancing local and historical records that can feed predictive models and inform decision-making in the present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen isotope geochemistry of Molluscan shell is an essential part of environmental archaeology and over the last decade has contributed significantly to the understanding of the past inhabitants of our planet. From the analysis of collected (and disposed of) shells we can gain information on environmental data from the species assemblages and also from the shell chemistry. In particular, intra-seasonal information can be gained from shells by analysing the isotope composition of the shell from successive growth increments. Here, we describe some of the recent developments in the use of oxygen isotopes in environmental archaeology. In particular, we consider preservation and sampling and describe howδ18O can provide us with information on seasonal climate, season of collection as well as changes in global climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The archaeological evidence compiled for Liguria has enabled the formulation of a comprehensive model of Neolithic social, technological and economic development (∼7800-5700 cal yrs BP). The model indicates that during the Early and Middle Neolithic (∼7800-6300 cal yrs BP; 'Impressed Ware' and 'Square Mouthed' pottery cultures) human activity mainly focussed on low (coastal) and mid-altitude areas. By the Late Neolithic (∼6300-5700 cal yrs BP; 'Chassey' culture) farming practices were taking place over a wider range of altitudes and involved transhumant pastoralism. Complementary environmental archaeological and palaeoecological records from caves, open-air sites, lakes and mires indicate that human activities had a more significant impact on the environment than previously thought. This included clearance, especially Abies, Ulmus, Fraxinus and Tilia, and woodland utilisation and management (e.g. leaf foddering), as well as cereal cultivation and animal husbandry. The influence of Middle Holocene climatic changes, especially from ∼7800 cal yrs BP, on the direction of vegetation changes and socio-economic developments during the Neolithic remain uncertain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) utilisation before and during increased moisture variability and pronounced drought conditions during the late prehistory of southwestern Ohio is examined to assess the fit with the expectations of foraging efficiency models. The focus is on three Fort Ancient sites in the upper portion of the Great Miami River, including SunWatch, a large village located in present-day Dayton, Ohio. SunWatch was occupied during the Late Prehistoric era in the region. The earlier uses (AD 1150-1300) occurred during optimal moisture conditions. The later uses (AD 1300-1450) occurred within the context of increased droughts and extreme moisture variability. To address questions related to changing deer utilisation in response to drought, deer remains are examined temporally for the SunWatch site and two smaller Fort Ancient sites in the region (Wegerzyn and Wildcat). Results from this preliminary and exploratory study indicate that through time, deer body size is stable or decreases, juvenile deer became more abundant in the hunted assemblages, and human butchering strategies became less selective. These support the conclusion that environmental stress on the deer population led to a change in the deer population and influenced the way humans used deer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ratio between scarabaeid beetles of the genera Aphodius and Onthophagus in European dung faunas is influenced by summer climate, such that individuals of Aphodius species predominate in Northern Europe but are largely replaced by Onthophagus species in the Mediterranean region. Detailed study of insect assemblages from Neolithic to Saxon date showed a changing ratio between the genera with time. For the Neolithic and most of the Bronze Age, individuals of Onthophagus contributed around 16% of the sum of Aphodius and Onthophagus, but during the Iron Age the proportion of Onthophagus fell to around 3% and remained low. This decline of Onthophagus was probably the result of a slight cooling of mean summer temperature and agricultural intensification. However, the proportion of Onthophagus peaked at over 60% during the middle Bronze Age around 1450 BC. This is argued as reflecting a brief warm episode with mean July temperatures for Central Southern England at least 2°C warmer than at present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zooarchaeological analysis of a substantial assemblage of animal bones excavated from Dudley Castle, West Midlands, revealed two significant changes in cattle management in the late medieval and post-medieval periods: a statistically significant increase in size in the later 14th century; and a gradual reduction in slaughter age. To explore whether these altered husbandry practices were accompanied by modifications to the diet and environment of these animals, a targeted study of carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values from 135 cattle bones was conducted. This analysis revealed that δ13C and δ15N values were broadly consistent between the mid-13th and mid-18th centuries. Only two statistically significant diachronic variations were identified: a temporary decrease in δ13C values in phase 7 (1397-1533); and lower variation in δ13C values in phase 9 (1647-1750). A number of explanations for these changes are offered. While the zooarchaeologically attested shifts in cattle husbandry were not accompanied by isotopically detectable changes to diet and environment, the analysis of stable isotopes highlighted other changes that were not detected using traditional zooarchaeological analysis. The complimentary benefits of zooarchaeological and isotopic approaches are extolled. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this investigation at the lower Nottawasaga River in southern Ontario, Canada, was to reconstruct the impact of base level on fluvial stability and human occupation during the Holocene in a topographically confined section, where the river cuts through the Edenvale Moraine. Three cores were extracted from an oxbow lake (Doran Lake) and a ground-penetrating radar survey was executed in its vicinity to study wider subsurface alluvial architecture. Radiocarbon dating suggests that the Nottawasaga River became entrenched in the Edenvale Moraine early in the Holocene, with base-level lowering in the Lake Huron basin, and that Doran Lake formed towards the middle Holocene as a meander cutoff when water levels in the Lake Huron basin increased, leading to a period of fluvial instability, enhanced flow and floodplain aggradation. Fluctuating lake levels would have affected human settlement as well as the preservation and visibility of archaeological remains predominantly through vertical accretion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The episodic periods of climate change between the end of the Pleistocene and the Early Holocene had significant effects on vegetation in the Levant. The three Late Epipalaeolithic phases at Tell Abu Hureyra (c. 13·1 kya cal. BP to 12·0 kya cal. BP) span the onset of the Younger Dryas when there was a reversion to cold and dry conditions from the preceding warmer/wetter Bølling-Allerød interstadial. The deterioration of the climate is argued to have caused a recession of Mediterranean woodland from the immediate environs of the site and thus the habitats of many of the edible large-seeded annual plants became less accessible. Changes in the taxonomic composition of the archaeobotanical samples from the three Late Epipalaeolithic phases were interpreted by the original analyst as reflecting diet change in response to a reduction in resource availability, with the inception of cultivation of wild cereals and large-seeded legumes to maintain yields of these high-ranked species. In this reassessment of the data we propose an alternative model and demonstrate that the changes in plant exploitation strategies at Abu Hureyra, which coincide with the onset of the Younger Dryas, can be more parsimoniously interpreted as representing a broadening of the plant diet to compensate for a loss in availability of higher-ranked species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neolithic lake shore settlements offer excellent preservation conditions for organic finds (e.g. wood, botanical remains, animal bones, etc.) which mostly occur in uncarbonised form. These organic remains provide exact dendrochronological dating and detailed information about nutrition of the people and their environment. We use this excellent database to investigate the impact of short-term climatic fluctuation on the economy of human communities. Comparison between archaeozoological results and climatic proxies reveal correlations between the two. During short periods of climatic deterioration high levels of hunting are observed, leading us to conclude that during these phases of wild resources like game were more intensively exploited. This exploitation may possibly be a response to problems in the production of cereals. Methodological problems with archaeobotanical data, however, make an easy causal attribution difficult. Contingent on regional differences in climatic conditions, the influence of short-term climatic fluctuations varies greatly across the Alpine foreland. Where there are frequent phases of climatic deteriorations over an extended time period, indications of overexploitation of wild resources are observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two previously proposed models relating the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition to environmental change in north-west Europe are critically re-examined in the light of accumulating palaeoenvironmental data, and a realistic appraisal of spatial and temporal resolution. The first deals with declining marine productivity in the western Baltic, and the other with a proposed shift to drier, more continental conditions across north-west Europe. Both models are found to be unsatisfactory, although the case for southern Scandinavia seems to hold greater potential, at least for this region. Problems arise in the spatial scale over which climate change models are intended to apply, and over poor chronological resolution. Understanding the extent and nature of climate change at the relevant period, c. 6000/5800 cal. BP, is far from straightforward, as is the chain of causality between this and the adoption of mixed farming as a way of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An examination of the late Holocene environmental and cultural sequences of the southern Brazilian highlands indicates that the colonisation of this region by the Taquara/Itararé people is associated with the expansion of Araucaria forest resulting from the onset of wetter climatic conditions in the region, which started between around 1410 and 900 cal. yr BP. The more intense and permanent human occupation of this region is associated with the advance of Araucaria forest, which provided Taquara/Itararé groups with a newly abundant and reliable resource: Araucaria seeds. In addition, we review the evidence for landscape transformation associated with the beginning of food-production in the region. Charcoal records show that local populations may have practiced slash-and-burn agriculture at lower elevations since the beginning of the late Holocene around 4320 cal. yr BP, and continued this practice during the second part of the late Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]