Wroe, Stephen; Field, Judith; Archer, Michael; Grayson, Donald; Price, Gilbert; Louys, Julien; Faith, J Tyler; Webb, Gregory E; Davidson, Iain; Mooney, Scott D

Author(s)

Wroe, Stephen

Field, Judith

Archer, Michael

Grayson, Donald

Price, Gilbert

Louys, Julien

Faith, J Tyler

Webb, Gregory E

Davidson, Iain

Mooney, Scott D

Publication Date

2013

Abstract

Around 88 large vertebrate taxa disappeared from Sahul sometime during the Pleistocene, with the majority of losses (54 taxa) clearly taking place within the last 400,000 years. The largest was the 2.8-ton browsing 'Diprotodon optatum', whereas the 100- to 130-kg marsupial lion, 'Thylacoleo carnifex', the world's most specialized mammalian carnivore, and 'Varanus priscus', the largest lizard known, were formidable predators. Explanations for these extinctions have centered on climatic change or human activities. Here, we review the evidence and arguments for both. Human involvement in the disappearance of some species remains possible but unproven. Mounting evidence points to the loss of most species before the peopling of Sahul (circa 50-45 ka) and a significant role for climate change in the disappearance of the continent's megafauna.

Citation

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(22), p. 8777-8781

ISSN

1091-6490

0027-8424

Link

https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/14188

Publisher

National Academy of Sciences

Title

Climate change frames debate over the extinction of megafauna in Sahul (Pleistocene Australia-New Guinea)

Type of document

Journal Article

Entity Type

Publication

Author(s)	Wroe, Stephen Field, Judith Archer, Michael Grayson, Donald Price, Gilbert Louys, Julien Faith, J Tyler Webb, Gregory E Davidson, Iain Mooney, Scott D
Publication Date	2013
Abstract	Around 88 large vertebrate taxa disappeared from Sahul sometime during the Pleistocene, with the majority of losses (54 taxa) clearly taking place within the last 400,000 years. The largest was the 2.8-ton browsing 'Diprotodon optatum', whereas the 100- to 130-kg marsupial lion, 'Thylacoleo carnifex', the world's most specialized mammalian carnivore, and 'Varanus priscus', the largest lizard known, were formidable predators. Explanations for these extinctions have centered on climatic change or human activities. Here, we review the evidence and arguments for both. Human involvement in the disappearance of some species remains possible but unproven. Mounting evidence points to the loss of most species before the peopling of Sahul (circa 50-45 ka) and a significant role for climate change in the disappearance of the continent's megafauna.
Citation	Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110(22), p. 8777-8781
ISSN	1091-6490 0027-8424
Link	https://hdl.handle.net/1959.11/14188
Publisher	National Academy of Sciences
Title	Climate change frames debate over the extinction of megafauna in Sahul (Pleistocene Australia-New Guinea)
Type of document	Journal Article
Entity Type	Publication

Climate change frames debate over the extinction of megafauna in Sahul (Pleistocene Australia-New Guinea)

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