Continental-style avian extinctions on an oceanic island

Meijer, Hanneke J. M.; Tocheri, Matthew W.; Due, Rokus Awe; Sutikna, Thomas; Saptomo, E. Wahyu; James, Helen F.

doi:10.1016/j.palaeo.2015.03.041

Cited by 14 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 36 publications

(53 reference statements)

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“…Oceanic islands are laboratories that have proven deleterious prehistoric human impacts on avifauna (Steadman 1995(Steadman , 2006a compared to continental landmasses, which typically have fewer recorded avian extinctions (Hull et al 2015;Meijer 2014;Meijer et al 2015). Many reasons have been proposed for the greater susceptibility of birds to extinction on more isolated tropical islands during human colonisation, including island size, degree of isolation from sources of faunal immigration, bird characteristics and, most importantly, complex human behavioural developments (Duncan et al 2013;Hull et al 2015;Karels et al 2008;Meijer et al 2015;Steadman 2006a;Steadman and Martin 2003).…”

Section: Terra Australis 52mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Here, closely spaced islands could result in rapid repopulation from continental sources, making extirpations much less likely. This is reflected in the Pleistocene fossil and archaeological record of Island Southeast Asia where few extinctions have been recorded terra australis 52 (Meijer et al 2015). On the other hand, some bird species, the most vulnerable to human impacts, may have become extinct much earlier, long before Neolithic cultures developed in Island Southeast Asia.…”

Section: Lapita Impact On Avifauna Diversity In Oceaniamentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lapita colonisation and avian extinctions in Oceania

Hawkins

Worthy

2019

Debating Lapita: Distribution, Chronology, Society and Subsistence

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Birds perform important functions for the maintenance of island ecosystems, and historically have been highly valued as food and for providing materials for the manufacture of items that display power and status. When Lapita migrants first arrived in Oceania they encountered a much more diverse avifauna than exists today. Naïve endemic fauna, having evolved in isolation, were vulnerable to invasive human socioeconomic systems and introduced invasive mammals. Rapid reduction in avian biodiversity in Remote Oceania and likely impacts on ecosystem functionality occurred. While the evidence for bird extinctions and extirpations in Polynesia is well established, it is not the case for Lapita-bird interactions in the Melanesian and western Polynesian region. Here we review the evidence for Lapita bird exploitation and extinctions in the SouthWest Pacific region of Oceania. We use the incomplete Lapita, immediately Post-Lapita and pre-Neolithic archaeological record in Oceania to critically evaluate the evidence for the causes of avian extinctions, considering bird characteristics, human activities and biased sampling issues. Our data indicate that bird hunting in Oceania originated in the Pleistocene and was extensive throughout the Lapita distribution, resulting in widespread extinctions and extirpations of land and sea birds. This pattern probably represents a conservative estimate, the full extent of prehuman avifauna diversity and early human impacts are likely obscured by limited sampling of archaeological and palaeontological sites.

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Section: Terra Australis 52mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Lapita Impact On Avifauna Diversity In Oceaniamentioning

confidence: 99%

Lapita colonisation and avian extinctions in Oceania

Hawkins

Worthy

2019

Debating Lapita: Distribution, Chronology, Society and Subsistence

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“…Sediments between ∼190 and 50 ka old reveal an impoverished insular fauna that includes small-bodied hominins ( Homo floresiensis Brown et al, 2004 ), pygmy proboscideans ( Stegodon florensis insularis Van den Bergh et al, 2008 ), komodo dragons ( Varanus komodoensis Ouwens, 1912 ), and multiple species of rats, bats and birds, including giant marabou storks ( Leptoptilos robustus Meijer & Due, 2010 ) and vultures ( Trigonoceps sp. Lesson, 1842 ) ( Morwood et al, 2004 ; Morwood et al, 2005 ; Van den Bergh et al, 2009 ; Hocknull et al, 2009 ; Meijer et al, 2010 ; Meijer et al, 2013 ; Meijer et al, 2015 ; Locatelli, 2011 ; Veatch, 2015 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Bird remains make up ∼1% of the total number of faunal vertebrate elements at Liang Bua but they are the most species-rich faunal group, with 28 non-passerine species identified thus far ( Meijer et al, 2013 ; Meijer et al, 2015 ; Sutikna, 2016 ). Meijer et al (2013) described a diverse Late Pleistocene non-passerine avifauna that includes swiftlets ( Aerodramus cf.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Late Pleistocene songbirds of Liang Bua (Flores, Indonesia); the first fossil passerine fauna described from Wallacea

Meijer

Due

Sutikna

et al. 2017

PeerJ

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BackgroundPasserines (Aves: Passeriformes) dominate modern terrestrial bird communities yet their fossil record is limited. Liang Bua is a large cave on the Indonesian island of Flores that preserves Late Pleistocene–Holocene deposits (∼190 ka to present day). Birds are the most diverse faunal group at Liang Bua and are present throughout the stratigraphic sequence.MethodsWe examined avian remains from the Late Pleistocene deposits of Sector XII, a 2 × 2 m area excavated to about 8.5 m depth. Although postcranial passerine remains are typically challenging to identify, we found several humeral characters particularly useful in discriminating between groups, and identified 89 skeletal elements of passerines.ResultsAt least eight species from eight families are represented, including the Large-billed Crow (Corvus cf. macrorhynchos), the Australasian Bushlark (Mirafra javanica), a friarbird (Philemon sp.), and the Pechora Pipit (Anthus cf. gustavi).DiscussionThese remains constitute the first sample of fossil passerines described in Wallacea. Two of the taxa no longer occur on Flores today; a large sturnid (cf. Acridotheres) and a grassbird (Megalurus sp.). Palaeoecologically, the songbird assemblage suggests open grassland and tall forests, which is consistent with conditions inferred from the non-passerine fauna at the site. Corvus cf. macrorhynchos, found in the Homo floresiensis-bearing layers, was likely part of a scavenging guild that fed on carcasses of Stegodon florensis insularis alongside vultures (Trigonoceps sp.), giant storks (Leptoptilos robustus), komodo dragons (Varanus komodoensis), and probably H. floresiensis as well.

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“…The smaller sized R. exulans and R. hainaldi, as well as the giant rats from the site, are the subjects of separate papers (Locatelli 2010;Locatelli et al 2012). The bats (Ouwendijk et al 2014) and insectivores (Van den Hoek Ostende et al 2006) have been described in separate publications, and papers have also appeared on the rich avifauna of the cave (Meijer and Due 2010;Meijer et al 2013Meijer et al , 2015.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Middle-sized murids from Liang Bua (Flores, Indonesia): insular endemics, human introductions and palaeoenvironment

Locatelli

Due

Jatmiko

et al. 2015

Palaeobio Palaeoenv

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The Liang Bua Cave (Flores, Indonesia) has yielded numerous fossils of murids from the Late Pleistocene and Holocene, including giant rats. In this study, we describe the middle-sized forms, that is, murids of about the same size as Rattus rattus. Two endemic species were found at Liang Bua, Komodomys rintjanus and Paulamys naso, which were present since the oldest phases of the occupation of the cave. Both have survived until the present day and currently occupy contrasting habitats. Two commensal species, presumably R. rattus and R. argentiventer, reached the island only in the youngest phases. Based on the ecological preferences of recent Komodomys and Paulamys, it appears that the arrival of Neolithic Man and commensal rats coincides with a period of relative drought.

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Continental-style avian extinctions on an oceanic island

Cited by 14 publications

References 36 publications

Lapita colonisation and avian extinctions in Oceania

Lapita colonisation and avian extinctions in Oceania

Late Pleistocene songbirds of Liang Bua (Flores, Indonesia); the first fossil passerine fauna described from Wallacea

Middle-sized murids from Liang Bua (Flores, Indonesia): insular endemics, human introductions and palaeoenvironment

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