Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant: Large Mammal Extinction and Human Colonization

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Under the guidance of Dr. Donald K. Grayson, Ms. Kayla Wopschall will analyze the remains of the extinct pygmy hippopotamus (Phanourios minutus) from the archaeological site Akrotiri Aetokremnos. Aetokremnos is located in the southernmost portion of the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus. Dating to ca. 10,500 years ago, it is the oldest known archaeological site on the island and provides evidence of some of the earliest seafaring by people in the Mediterranean. Furthermore, this site also contains the most recent known specimens of the Cypriot pygmy hippo. The connection between the earliest human colonization of the island and the disappearance of this large mammal has led many to believe that human hunting was the cause of the pygmy hippo's ultimate demise. Ms. Wopschall will focus on the bones, teeth and ancient DNA of this species to determine if humans did make an impact by hunting and/or introducing other animals that may have become competitors for resources. She will also document any prehistoric climatic change that may have occurred during this time and the potential impact such a change may have had on the disappearance of the pygmy hippo. Archaeologists and paleontologists often find that initial human colonization of island environments leads to the disappearance of vertebrates. Human hunting of naïve fauna coupled with indirect anthropogenic affects (e.g. large scale burning and/or the introduction of invasive species) has had devastating consequences for island species. However, as more work has been done, scientists have discovered multiple cases where humans have coexisted for long periods of time with island vertebrates before those vertebrates became extinct, if extinction occurred at all, as well as situations in which island vertebrates have gone extinct in the absence of human occupation. As a result, the assumption that human colonization of islands leads to the extinction of island fauna needs to be rigorously tested for each individual species. In addition, most prior studies have focused on the Holocene (the last 10,000 years), deal with birds, not mammals, and/or have poor chronological control. There are very few cases where it has been shown that large mammals may have become extinct in such settings. The pygmy hippopotamus of Cyprus presents a unique opportunity to study a large mammal from the Pleistocene at a location with excellent chronological control. This study will provide valuable insight to the dynamics of large mammals on islands and their response to such different stressors as human hunting, the introduction of new species, and/or significant climate change.In addition to addressing these research issues, the project will provide educational material and outreach activities on the island of Cyprus as a whole, the British Royal Air Force base where Aetokremnos is located, and in the United States. Public education and outreach activities will be focused on children and young adults and will be center on the public understanding of archaeology and, more broadly, science. The results of this project will be disseminated in peer-reviewed publications and the raw data made available to the public through an archival database at the University of Washington. The findings will be incorporated in future courses taught by Ms. Wopschall at the university level.