Doctoral Dissertation: Exploring Bison-Based Human Subsistence on the Northern Great Plains: Dental Enamel Hypoplasia, Bison Paleoecology, and the Archaeological Record

博士论文：探索北部大平原上以野牛为基础的人类生存：牙釉质发育不全、野牛古生态学和考古记录

• 批准号: 0606863
• 负责人: David Meltzer
• 金额: $ 1.2万
• 依托单位: Southern Methodist University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2006
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2006-05-01 至 2007-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0606863&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Exploring; Bison; Based

Under the direction of Dr. David Meltzer, Ryan Byerly will investigate dental enamel hypoplasia (DEH) formation in Northern Great Plains bison from archaeological sites dating between 11,500 and 100 year ago. DEH is a deformity in tooth enamel that may reflect the seasonal condition of prehistoric bison. Understanding this would have been critical to hunters to maximize fat return. Fat is necessary in human to better digest muscle protein. Without sufficient fat rabbit starvation (eating too much lean meat) can occur. Archaeological evidence indicates that in the last 5,000 years Plains hunter-gatherers avoided rabbit starvation by hunting bison during their fattest months and intensively breaking bones for marrow to store for winter. However, it is apparent that the earliest Paleoindian bison hunters did not do this, but rather hunted episodically throughout the year and rarely broke bones for marrow. Did Paleoindians have different nutritional requirements than their descendents, or supplement their diets with nutrients other than marrow fat? Were early bison simply in better condition throughout the year than their descendants? Resolving these questions is difficult because archaeologists rely on knowledge of modern bison ecology to understand bison paleoecology. This reliance is problematic because bison have evolved significantly over the past 11,000 years in response to changing Great Plains environments. Thus, a reliable indicator of prehistoric bison health is needed to develop a stronger paleoecological record and thus also better account for the hunting and butchery behaviors of Plains hunter-gatherers. This research will evaluate DEH as such an indicator. Although it is unknown what specifically causes DEH formation in bison, it is hypothesized that seasonal diet, birthing and weaning stress, and disease are probable causes. To better understand the causes of DEH, and further appraise it as an indicator of seasonal health, this research will analyze DEH timing and explore the contribution of seasonal dietary stress to its formation through intra-tooth carbon and oxygen isotopic analysis. Since bison enamel forms at a predictable rate, measuring the location of observed DEH on tooth surfaces can provide a timeline of stress. Comparing these timelines in bison populations over the past 11,000 may help illuminate differences in birthing and weaning schedules or disease episodes. Likewise, carbon and oxygen isotope analysis of tooth enamel increments provides a rough timeline of the condition of forage and water consumed. The contribution of changing seasonal diets to DEH formation will therefore also be assessed. If successful, these data will provide critical information about prehistoric bison health and ecology that is beneficial not only to archaeologists, but also to modern bison managers and Great Plains conservation efforts. This research will serve to enhance conservation education by stressing the importance of archaeological and paleoecological work to understanding the history of bison on the Great Plains, their role as a keystone species, and ensuring their future survival.

在大卫梅尔策博士的指导下，瑞安拜尔利将调查北方大平原野牛牙齿釉质发育不全（DEH）的形成，这些野牛来自11,500年至100年前的考古遗址。DEH是牙釉质的一种畸形，可能反映了史前野牛的季节性状况。了解这一点对于猎人最大限度地获得丰厚回报至关重要。 脂肪是人体必需的，以更好地消化肌肉蛋白质。没有足够的脂肪兔子饥饿（吃太多瘦肉）可能发生。考古证据表明，在过去的5,000年里，平原上的狩猎采集者在最肥的月份里猎杀野牛，并密集地折断骨头，提取骨髓储存过冬，从而避免了兔子挨饿。然而，很明显，最早的古印度野牛猎人并没有这样做，而是全年断断续续地狩猎，很少为了骨髓而打断骨头。古印第安人的营养需求是否与他们的后代不同，或者他们的饮食中是否含有骨髓脂肪以外的营养物质？早期的野牛只是在一年中比它们的后代更好吗？解决这些问题是困难的，因为考古学家依靠现代野牛生态学的知识来了解野牛的古生态学。这种依赖是有问题的，因为野牛在过去的11,000年里为了应对不断变化的大平原环境而发生了显著的进化。因此，需要一个可靠的指标，史前野牛的健康发展一个更强大的古生态记录，从而也更好地解释狩猎和屠宰行为的平原狩猎采集者。本研究将评估DEH作为这样一个指标。 虽然目前还不清楚是什么具体原因导致野牛的DEH形成，据推测，季节性饮食，分娩和断奶的压力，和疾病是可能的原因。为了更好地了解DEH的原因，并进一步将其作为季节性健康的指标，本研究将分析DEH的时间，并通过牙齿内的碳和氧同位素分析探讨季节性饮食压力对其形成的贡献。 由于野牛牙釉质以可预测的速率形成，测量牙齿表面上观察到的DEH的位置可以提供应力的时间轴。比较过去11,000年野牛种群的这些时间表可能有助于阐明分娩和断奶时间表或疾病发作的差异。同样，碳和氧同位素分析牙釉质增量提供了一个粗略的时间轴的饲料和水消耗的条件。因此，还将评估季节性饮食变化对DEH形成的贡献。 如果成功，这些数据将提供有关史前野牛健康和生态的关键信息，不仅有利于考古学家，而且有利于现代野牛管理者和大平原保护工作。这项研究将有助于加强保护教育，强调考古和古生态工作的重要性，以了解大平原上的野牛的历史，他们作为一个关键物种的作用，并确保他们未来的生存。