Evidence for non-random distribution of pollen in human coprolites

Younger Dryas and early Holocene subsistence in the northern Great Basin: multiproxy analysis of coprolites from the Paisley Caves, Oregon, USA

“…Taylor et al (2019) examined pollen, plant macrofossils, bone, and hair from eleven YD/EH Paisley Caves coprolites, including subsamples of three coprolites analyzed for this study (coprolites 55, 56, and 57). Notably, there are significant differences in plant macrofossil recovery and pollen frequency/concentration in subsamples from the same coprolite, adding support to research documenting variability in dietary records from samples taken at different locations of the same coprolite (Beck et al 2019;Martin and Sharrock 1964). Taylor et al (2019) conclude that diets leaned toward animal resources, primarily lagomorphs but also bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) and rodent (in EH contexts), with limited evidence for consumption of plant foods and no evidence for season of occupation.…”

“…The other half has been retained in the sample archive. Collecting a subsample representing the entire length of the coprolite is preferred because macro-and microfossils can be unequally distributed along the length of a coprolite as a by-product of consuming different meals (Beck et al 2019;Martin and Sharrock 1964). The exception to this methodology occurred with samples 57, 195, and 215, which consisted of already-fragmented coprolite material; for these three samples, a discrete fragment was collected for our analysis to preserve as much intact material as possible for future research.…”

Coprolite research: archaeological and paleoenvironmental potentials

“…However, there are variable approaches to sampling coprolites, and there have been few studies to measure the effect of sampling on resulting data. Beck et al (2019) make an important methodological contribution by testing variations in pollen content from samples collected at different locations on coprolites from the Hinds Cave in the Lower Pecos region of Texas. This study found differences in pollen preservation, the number of taxa represented, pollen concentration, and pollen frequency in 1 cc samples collected at different locations on the same coprolite.…”

“…The criteria for establishing intentional consumption of plant material from coprolites are followed in several papers in a special issue (Battillo 2019, Blong et al 2020McDonough 2019). However, as Beck et al (2019) discuss, the few studies directly testing the assumptions underpinning these criteria suggest a complex relationship between pollen consumption and quantity present in human fecal samples.…”

“…Bryant asks the question "how much sample needs to be examined?" The study by Beck et al (2019) goes a long way towards answering this question by demonstrating that the most representative pollen data sets are derived from samples collected along the entire length of a coprolite and that point samples as small as 1 cc will likely produce biased results. Beck and colleagues hypothesize that there will be similar data biases in other microfossil data sets (e.g., phytoliths, starch); however, this remains untested.…”