Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2440/100032
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Type: Journal article
Title: Human predation contributed to the extinction of the Australian megafaunal bird Genyornis newtoni ∼47 ka
Author: Miller, G.
Magee, J.
Smith, M.
Spooner, N.
Baynes, A.
Lehman, S.
Fogel, M.
Johnston, H.
Williams, D.
Clark, P.
Florian, C.
Holst, R.
DeVogel, S.
Citation: Nature Communications, 2016; 7(1):10496-1-10496-7
Publisher: Nature Publishing
Issue Date: 2016
ISSN: 2041-1723
2041-1723
Statement of
Responsibility: 
Gifford Miller, John Magee, Mike Smith, Nigel Spooner, Alexander Baynes, Scott Lehman, Marilyn Fogel, Harvey Johnston, Doug Williams, Peter Clark, z, Christopher Florian, Richard Holst, Stephen DeVogel
Abstract: Although the temporal overlap between human dispersal across Australia and the disappearance of its largest animals is well established, the lack of unambiguous evidence for human-megafauna interactions has led some to question a human role in megafaunal extinction. Here we show that diagnostic burn patterns on eggshell fragments of the megafaunal bird Genyornis newtoni, found at >200 sites across Australia, were created by humans discarding eggshell in and around transient fires, presumably made to cook the eggs. Dating by three methods restricts their occurrence to between 53.9 and 43.4 ka, and likely before 47 ka. Dromaius (emu) eggshell occur frequently in deposits from >100 ka to present; burnt Dromaius eggshell first appear in deposits the same age as those with burnt Genyornis eggshell, and then continually to modern time. Harvesting of their eggs by humans would have decreased Genyornis reproductive success, contributing to the bird's extinction by ∼47 ka.
Keywords: Egg Shell
Animals
Birds
Humans
Fires
Australia
Extinction, Biological
Cooking
Rights: This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms10496
Grant ID: http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/F00103660
http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/A00102515
Published version: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/ncomms10496
Appears in Collections:Aurora harvest 3
IPAS publications

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