Universität zu Köln

Rodriguez, Jesus ORCID: 0000-0002-2834-0694, Willmes, Christian, Sommer, Christian ORCID: 0000-0001-9062-0876 and Mateos, Ana ORCID: 0000-0002-0676-9836 (2022). Sustainable human population density in Western Europe between 560.000 and 360.000 years ago. Sci Rep, 12 (1). BERLIN: NATURE PORTFOLIO. ISSN 2045-2322

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Abstract

The time period between 560 and 360 ka (MIS14 to MIS11) was critical for the evolution of the Neanderthal lineage and the appearance of Levallois technology in Europe. The shifts in the distribution of the human populations, driven by cyclical climate changes, are generally accepted to have played major roles in both processes. We used a dataset of palaeoclimate maps and a species distribution model to reconstruct the changes in the area of Western Europe with suitable environmental conditions for humans during 11 time intervals of the MIS14 to MIS 11 period. Eventually, the maximum sustainable human population within the suitable area during each time interval was estimated by extrapolating the relationship observed between recent hunter-gatherer population density and net primary productivity and applying it to the past. Contrary to common assumptions, our results showed the three Mediterranean Peninsulas were not the only region suitable for humans during the glacial periods. The estimated total sustainable population of Western Europe from MIS14 to MIS11 oscillated between 13,000 and 25,000 individuals. These results offer a new theoretical scenario to develop models and hypotheses to explain cultural and biological evolution during the Middle Pleistocene in Western Europe.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Rodriguez, Jesus UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-2834-0694 UNSPECIFIED Willmes, Christian UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Sommer, Christian UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0001-9062-0876 UNSPECIFIED Mateos, Ana UNSPECIFIED orcid.org/0000-0002-0676-9836 UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-672385
DOI:	10.1038/s41598-022-10642-w
Journal or Publication Title:	Sci Rep
Volume:	12
Number:	1
Date:	2022
Publisher:	NATURE PORTFOLIO
Place of Publication:	BERLIN
ISSN:	2045-2322
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language SPECIES DISTRIBUTIONS; MIDDLE PLEISTOCENE; HUNTER-GATHERERS; SIZE; MODELS; MAXENT; TERRESTRIAL; COMPLEXITY; DEMOGRAPHY; EVOLUTION Multiple languages Multidisciplinary Sciences Multiple languages
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/67238