Early hominid habitat preferences in East Africa: Stable isotopic evidence from paleosols

In order to generate information on the site-specific context of hominid foraging behavior, and understand early hominid land-use patterns and habitat preference, the synchronic variation of hominid activity preserved in archaeological sites is examined in a diversity of floral microhabitats across two Early Pleistocene landscapes. In collaboration with landscape archaeology projects at Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania) and Olorgesailie (Kenya), the stable carbon isotopic composition of paleosol (buried soil) organic matter and pedogenic carbonate is used in this thesis to estimate the original proportion of tropical grasses (C$\sb4$ plants) to woody vegetation (C$\sb3$ plants) across the ancient land surfaces. Interpretation of physiognomic types of tropical plant communities is based on a modern East African stable carbon isotopic soil and plant analog data set developed as part of this research. Floral microhabitat reconstructions are supported and supplemented by the stable oxygen isotopic composition of pedogenic carbonates, plus paleoenvironmental evidence obtained by more traditional means.

Name thesis:degree_name

Ph.D.

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Anthropology

Grantor

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Year dc:date

2011

Author dc:creator

• Sikes, Nancy E.

Contributors dc:contributor

• Garber, Paul A.

• Anthropology, Archaeology
• Paleoecology
• Geochemistry

Statement dc:rights

• Copyright 1995 Sikes, Nancy E.

Language dc:language

eng

Identifier

AAI9543723
(UMI)AAI9543723

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:www.ideals.illinois.edu:2142/21995