PALEOTRACE
The dietary shift of Late Pleistocene bears from the Romanian Carpathians as a response to climate variability
RATIONALE
The present research aims to develop a comparative approach concerning the dietary shift of the cave bears (Ursus spelaeus Rosenmüller and Heinroth, 1794) and fossil brown bears (Ursus arctos Linnaeus, 1758) from Romanian Carpathians caves, in the context of palaeoenvironmental changes during Late Pleistocene.
New findings on the survival of brown bears through the Last Glacial Maximum could give answers regarding the coping strategies to climate change and how these adaptations helped them to outcompete the cave bears.
OBJECTIVES
To assess the paleodiet of the studied populations using stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N) and patterns of dental microwear analysis
PALEODIET
To assess and develop the chronology of relevant fossil remains using AMS 14C and U/Th analysis from key-sites across Romania
CHRONOLOGY
To investigate the potential of using oxygen stable isotopes (δ18O) from fossil remains to trace paleoenvironmental changes
PALEOCLIMATE
To integrate data from our results and from previous studies into GIS environment and to provide an accessible digital platform
GIS
RESEARCH TEAM
Dr IONUT MIREA
Project Leader
Dr OANA MOLDOVAN
Project Mentor
ADDRESS
"Emil Racovita" Institute of Speleology
31 Frumoasa St.
Bucharest, RO 010986