San Josecito Cave and Its Paleoecological Contributions for Quaternary Studies in Mexico
San Josecito Cave (2250 m elevation) is located nearby Aramberri, Nuevo León, northeastern Mexico, with excavations occurring in 1935–1941 and 1990. It is a paleontological cave and the significance of its faunal data rests in the understanding of the Quaternary ecosystems of the Mexican Plateau and...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-10-01
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| Series: | Quaternary |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-550X/4/4/34 |
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| author | Joaquin Arroyo-Cabrales Eileen Johnson J. Alberto Cruz |
| author_facet | Joaquin Arroyo-Cabrales Eileen Johnson J. Alberto Cruz |
| author_sort | Joaquin Arroyo-Cabrales |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | San Josecito Cave (2250 m elevation) is located nearby Aramberri, Nuevo León, northeastern Mexico, with excavations occurring in 1935–1941 and 1990. It is a paleontological cave and the significance of its faunal data rests in the understanding of the Quaternary ecosystems of the Mexican Plateau and the Southern Plains. This significance is underpinned by a consideration of associated stratigraphic and geochronological data. The fauna is composed of mollusks, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. More than 30 extinct vertebrate species have been identified, constituting one of the most important Quaternary localities in the Americas. Radiocarbon dates and faunal correlations indicate the excavated deposits represent an interval of time between 45,000 and 11,000 <sup>14</sup>C years BP. The current synthesis demonstrates that the previous view of the assemblage as a single local fauna is erroneous and that, instead, several successive local faunas are present within a stratigraphic framework. This finding underscores the need for detailed studies of single localities in building paleoenvironmental models. As a corollary, results point to the necessity of including all vertebrate classes represented from a locality in building those models. In addition, the field and analytical methodologies demonstrate the importance of very detailed paleontological excavations, with precise spatial and temporal controls, to assess the taphonomic history of a locality, construct a stratigraphic and geochronological framework, and infer the paleoecological conditions during the time span considered based on the number of local faunas represented. The recognition of San Josecito Cave as an important Late Pleistocene vertebrate paleontological locality is enhanced with the consideration of its faunal data for paleoenvironment reconstruction and possible contribution to Quaternary paleoclimatic modeling. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:13:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7ca1ec041e9c4905a02fb5701fe3a970 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2571-550X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:13:41Z |
| publishDate | 2021-10-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Quaternary |
| spelling | doaj.art-7ca1ec041e9c4905a02fb5701fe3a9702023-11-23T10:20:54ZengMDPI AGQuaternary2571-550X2021-10-01443410.3390/quat4040034San Josecito Cave and Its Paleoecological Contributions for Quaternary Studies in MexicoJoaquin Arroyo-Cabrales0Eileen Johnson1J. Alberto Cruz2Laboratorio de Arqueozoología, Subdirección de Laboratorios y Apoyo Académico, I.N.A.H., Moneda 16, Col. Centro, Ciudad de México 06060, MexicoMuseum of Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-3191, USALaboratorio de Arqueozoología, Subdirección de Laboratorios y Apoyo Académico, I.N.A.H., Moneda 16, Col. Centro, Ciudad de México 06060, MexicoSan Josecito Cave (2250 m elevation) is located nearby Aramberri, Nuevo León, northeastern Mexico, with excavations occurring in 1935–1941 and 1990. It is a paleontological cave and the significance of its faunal data rests in the understanding of the Quaternary ecosystems of the Mexican Plateau and the Southern Plains. This significance is underpinned by a consideration of associated stratigraphic and geochronological data. The fauna is composed of mollusks, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. More than 30 extinct vertebrate species have been identified, constituting one of the most important Quaternary localities in the Americas. Radiocarbon dates and faunal correlations indicate the excavated deposits represent an interval of time between 45,000 and 11,000 <sup>14</sup>C years BP. The current synthesis demonstrates that the previous view of the assemblage as a single local fauna is erroneous and that, instead, several successive local faunas are present within a stratigraphic framework. This finding underscores the need for detailed studies of single localities in building paleoenvironmental models. As a corollary, results point to the necessity of including all vertebrate classes represented from a locality in building those models. In addition, the field and analytical methodologies demonstrate the importance of very detailed paleontological excavations, with precise spatial and temporal controls, to assess the taphonomic history of a locality, construct a stratigraphic and geochronological framework, and infer the paleoecological conditions during the time span considered based on the number of local faunas represented. The recognition of San Josecito Cave as an important Late Pleistocene vertebrate paleontological locality is enhanced with the consideration of its faunal data for paleoenvironment reconstruction and possible contribution to Quaternary paleoclimatic modeling.https://www.mdpi.com/2571-550X/4/4/34late Pleistocenecave stratigraphy and taphonomySierra Madre Orientalnon-analog faunapaleoenvironmental reconstruction |
| spellingShingle | Joaquin Arroyo-Cabrales Eileen Johnson J. Alberto Cruz San Josecito Cave and Its Paleoecological Contributions for Quaternary Studies in Mexico Quaternary late Pleistocene cave stratigraphy and taphonomy Sierra Madre Oriental non-analog fauna paleoenvironmental reconstruction |
| title | San Josecito Cave and Its Paleoecological Contributions for Quaternary Studies in Mexico |
| title_full | San Josecito Cave and Its Paleoecological Contributions for Quaternary Studies in Mexico |
| title_fullStr | San Josecito Cave and Its Paleoecological Contributions for Quaternary Studies in Mexico |
| title_full_unstemmed | San Josecito Cave and Its Paleoecological Contributions for Quaternary Studies in Mexico |
| title_short | San Josecito Cave and Its Paleoecological Contributions for Quaternary Studies in Mexico |
| title_sort | san josecito cave and its paleoecological contributions for quaternary studies in mexico |
| topic | late Pleistocene cave stratigraphy and taphonomy Sierra Madre Oriental non-analog fauna paleoenvironmental reconstruction |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2571-550X/4/4/34 |
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