INCUAPA   23990
INVESTIGACIONES ARQUEOLOGICAS Y PALEONTOLOGICAS DEL CUATERNARIO PAMPEANO
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
artículos
Título:
Bone differential survivorship and ontogenetic development in guanaco (Lama guanicoe)
Autor/es:
GONZÁLEZ, M.E.; ÁLVAREZ, M. C.,; MASSIGOGE, A.; GUTIÉRREZ, M.A.; KAUFMANN, C.
Revista:
International Journal of Osteoarchaeology
Editorial:
Wiley-Blaclwell
Referencias:
Año: 2012 p. 523 - 536
ISSN:
1047-482X
Resumen:
This paper presents the results of a taphonomic research program conducted over the past five years. The main objective of the program is to investigate differential survivorship in guanaco (Lama guanicoe) bones, taking into account the ontogenetic development of this species and the densitometric characteristics of its skeletal parts. First, density analysis was carried out on selected bones of modern individuals corresponding to different age classes. Second, two experimental designs were conducted to explore the response of animal bone of different ages to weathering and fluvial transport. The first is a long term experiment that examines the deterioration of skeletal elements from a newborn, a juvenile and an adult modern guanaco exposed to sub-aerial weathering under controlled conditions. The second experiment examines the hydrodynamic sorting of dry and wet skeletal elements from a newborn, a juvenile, and an adult modern guanaco in an artificial flume under controlled current velocities (15 cm/s and 30 cm/s). The main results of the research program indicate that immature bones have higher hydric transport potential and weather at a faster rate. We propose that this differential bone behavior is partially related to structural density, as demonstrated by density analysis. These results show age-related biases inzooarchaeological assemblages affected by taphonomic processes.