The Early–Middle Pleistocene palaeoenvironmental change based on the squamate reptile and amphibian proxies at the Gran Dolina site, Atapuerca, Spain

Long-term climate record inferred from early-middle Pleistocene amphibian and squamate reptile assemblages at the Gran Dolina Cave, Atapuerca, Spain

“…This may be a peculiarity of Pleistocene climatic changes in the Iberian Penin sula, whereas in North Europe cold and temperate stages are characterized by strong variations in winter temperatures in combination with relatively constant summer temperatures (Pross and Klotz, 2002), Rainfall (MAP) is abundant throughout the sequence with some dryer short periods in particular in the middle part of level 1D10. The higher variability of rainfall in level TD10 is not concordant with quantitative variation in hydrophilous taxa throughout the sequence as suggested by Blain et al (2008a), but on the other hand it does not agree with the extreme environmental dryness sug gested by Cuenca-Bescos et al (2005) either. Blain et al (2008a) suggested that warm-temperate periods at Gran Dolina have a dryer landscape and colder periods may have been more humid and woody.…”

“…In the case of amphibians, previous study by Pinto L10na and Andrews (1999) have suggested that remains of 1D3/4 and TD5 come from predation by small carnivores; however, of the material studied here, only a few elements show such strong evidence of digestion similar to that made by carnivores (Blain, 2005;Blain et aI., 2008a). As suggested by Blain et al (2008a), the origin of the herpetofauna in Gran Dolina may at least be dual, with some accumulated by predators (bird of prey, small carnivores, etc. as suggested by Pinto L10na and Andrews, 1999) and some (such as Bufo calamita representing more than 60% of total remains) from mortality while frequenting the cave.…”

“…In vertical fissure localities, for example Almenara-Casablanca-3 (Blain et al, 2007) or Cueva Victoria (Blain et al, 2008b), both in Spain, squamates represent more than 90% of the herpetofauna (predominating rocky small lacertids, geckos, etc.). On the other hand, at localities with a typical "cave entrance" such as Gran Dolina, anurans represent 90% of the total herpeto fauna (Blain et al, 2008a), because they may frequent the entrance in search of the mildest or moistest conditions during a portion of the year (wintering or aestivation). Levels 1D5 and 1D6 correspond to exogenous sediments with a contact to the exterior.…”

The Early–Middle Pleistocene environmental and climatic change and the human expansion in Western Europe: A case study with small vertebrates (Gran Dolina, Atapuerca, Spain)☆

“…The wash ing-sieving technique allowed recovery an important collection of small vertebrates , 1999, 2005Blain et al, 2008Blain et al, , 2009Rofes and Cuenca-Bescos, 2009a, b). The species richness and the abundance of small mammals, reptiles and amphibians were reviewed for the entire stratigraphic column of the locality of Gran Dolina, at the Gran Dolina Sondeo South.…”

“…The amphibian and reptile fragments were identified following the general criteria given by B6hme (1977), Bailon (1999), Sanchiz (1985, 1991), Holman (1998) and Gleed-Owen (2000) for Anura, and Bailon (1991), Szyndlar (1984) and Blain (2005) for Squamata. The taxonomy has been improved by the recent works of identification and analysis of amphibians and reptiles (Blain et al, 200S, 2009) For counting the minimum number of individuals, we followed the criteria of Cuenca- Bescos et al (2005) and Blain et al (2008Blain et al ( ,2009). …”