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MAMMOTHS AND MASTODONS IN NORTH AMERICA: NEW DATA ON THE CHRONOLOGY AND PALEOECOLOGY OF EXTINCTION IN THE MIDCONTINENT

Conference Paper · October 2015

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East Tennessee State University The University of Arizona
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 Mammoths and Mastodons in North America:
https://dl.drop
boxusercontent
New Data on the Chronology and Paleoecology of Extinction in the Midcontinent
.com/u/159126
51/Plains2015
%20Probo%20e
Chris Widga , Stacey
1 Lengyel , Jeff
1 Saunders , Greg
1 Hodgins , Doug Walker , Al Wanamaker
2 3 4
xtinction%20po 1Research and Collections Center, Illinois State Museum; 2AMS Laboratory, University of Arizona; 3Dept. of Geology, University of Kansas; 4Dept. of Geological and Atmospheric Sciences, Iowa State University
ster.pdf

Abstract. The North American Midcontinent has one of the highest densities of terminal Pleistocene
proboscideans on the continent. Although regionally dominated by the American Mastodont (Mammut
americanum), three species of mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius, M. columbi and M. jeffersonii) are also
Results Discussion
sympatric. A recent census of Proboscidea in regional museum collections produced a dataset of >1600
Homotherium serum, Canis dirus,
specimens, vouchering 631 different localities. Although single-animal localities are by far the most common, 95% probability Tyson Spring Cave, MN, Crawford Co., IA,
29,000 BP 24,000 BP
multi-animal and multi-taxic assemblages are also present. During the Last-Glacial-Maximum (LGM),
extinction boundary
Mammuthus is the dominant proboscidean across the landscape. Mammut is rare or absent from the region
during this time. During the subsequent post-LGM period, Mammut becomes the dominant taxon in Submitted 129 samples No collagen or ∞ = 33 (25%) 39 published dates
Terminal Date
Aurora Mastodont #1
10,890+/-60 14C BP
forested and parkland habitats east of the Mississippi River and throughout the Ozark uplift. At this time, 13,000-12,730 cal BP Extirpated Extirpated
Mammuthus are more common in grassland habitats in the western part of the study area, although they Mastodon Extinction Pre-LGM Pre-LGM
Window (95% probability)

maintain small local populations in forested and parkland areas until regional extirpation at 13,470 cal BP 12,940-12,630 cal BP

(~11,630 14C BP). Mastodons are lost from the region by 12,850 cal BP (~10,980 14C BP). Most multi-
animal death assemblages occur within 500 years of the terminal extinction date. Against this regional
background, demonstrated human or carnivore impacts on proboscideans are extremely rare, despite the 60 Mastodons 34 Mammoths
Taxon Extinction Window Precision
Mammut americanum 13,000-12,630 cal BP 370 years
ubiquity of natural death assemblages. Mammuthus spp. 13,460-12,160 cal BP 1,300 years
Extirpated Extinction
Dating Methods Aurora Mastodon Site Pre-LGM 12,800 cal BP
Kane Co., IL
39 Collections 12,900 cal BP Velizar Simeonovski, 2014

InSM >95; ISM=77 • Direct dated faunal remains require

9 States + 1 Province stringent quality control protocols. For Where are the Large Predators?
terminal dates, it is recommended that • Large canids and felids are extirpated from the Midwest prior to Smilodon fatalis Arctodus simus,
multiple analyses of multiple fractions the last Glacial Maximum
Figured: Cranium,
(cast) Rancho la Brea
Figured: Humerus,
Carroll Cave, MO
are run on single specimens, to
understand potential contamination • Carnivore modification to proboscidean remains is extremely
issues. These criteria are relaxed for rare. When present, it indicates small to medium-sized
Collections map non-terminal dates . carnivores.
Non-Terminal Dates Terminal Dates • Human-proboscidean associations remain extremely rare. Extremely Rare

Repositories surveyed for proboscidean remains. Mammoth behavior through serial isotope analysis: pilot study
Direct

Strongly Multiple
Associated Samples
• Serial sampling of Mammuthus tooth enamel from Jones Spring,
“Dung-fungus” MO suggests 1) reliance on seasonally variable water sources, 2) a
Innominate showing gnawing from medium-sized
C4 dominated diet, and 3) movement was non-seasonal. carnivore, Racine Mammoth, Kenosha Co., WI

Distribution of Multiple Fractions (ABA+UF+Hyp);

identify and address contamination issues
proboscidean
localities by
chronozone.
Mastodon (red),
Mammoth (blue) Sample Quality
Criteria
Spruce
Jones Spring, MO
• 95% probability boundaries for the 7 years in Ozark
Oak Core, no seasonal
extinction of mammoths, mastodons, Black Ash
migration
and combined proboscideans were
calculated in the Bayesian calibration
and modeling program, Oxcal v4.2.
Tooth Position (mm) 87Sr/86Sr
Multi-Animal Death Assemblages isoscape based on surface vegetation (grass); N=205
Extinction
Envelope (95%
Do more dates = more mastodons?
probability)
Extinction • The frequency of dated mastodons peaks during the B-A.
Envelope (95%
probability)
Although this line of evidence could be due to regional
0-600 years
before Summary Boom/Bust Cycles?
extinction
patterns in sampling and/or preservation, there are other 14C infinite or
Schimelphenig 2 • Mammoths and Mastodons are extirpated from the Midcontinent
Time Time aspects of the record that indicates a high population of unable to date Aurora 3
Bothwell 13+
at the beginning of the Younger Dryas
Bamford 7+1
mastodons on the landscape at this time.
Mahaska 3 Benedict 9
Short-tailed Extinction Long-tailed Extinction
Multi-animal, but • Mammoth populations decrease post-LGM until final extirpation
probably time- Predator Pressure Recruitment
Allerød distribution of
Proxxon, 50/E drill
• Custom-built micromill for in
Proboscidea (14.0-12.8 ka)
averaged Boney Sp. 31 Big Bone Lick >10
• Mastodon populations increase through the Bølling-Allerød
situ sampling large Carrying Capacity
Steel Plate mounted specimens. Mastodon=red • Need for increased resolution of intra-species paleoecological
on ball joint
Mammoth=blue
Z-axis control • Capable of sampling 100 um trends
Newmark 3-

• There is a higher probability of localities containing multiple

axis stage

Y-axis control increments of enamel. Large geographic range, Population

X-axis control
• Analyzed for δ13C, δ18O, and diverse ecological niches
individuals in the last 600 years of the B-A. Dated individuals from • Need for better extinction chronologies Time
87Sr/86Sr.
these assemblages indicate rough contemporaneity. These multi-
~5 years
of growth
animal sites suggest higher levels of integration into the regional Acknowledgements and Funding
sedimentary record.
• We gratefully acknowledge the assistance of curators and collections managers who allowed access to
Schematic of a
• The Allerød distribution of mastodons is a wide east-west band, collections in their care. Kayla Kolis (KU) and Paul Countryman (ISM) assisted in developing the
Sample “Set”.
Approximately 10
samples/yr of growth.
including a large range of habitats. This pattern is not consistent micromill. Andrew Boehm (SMU) contributed to the Sr isoscape. This work was funded by NSF grant
Sampling plan for Mammuthus enamel ridge-plate. with a shrinking population. #1050638 to the Illinois State Museum Society.

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