Biological Sciences, School of
School of Biological Sciences: Faculty Publications
Late Pleistocene Faunal Community Patterns Disrupted by Holocene Human Impacts
ORCID IDs
Brook https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2491-1517
Gearty https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0076-3262
Todorov https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0295-7557
Alroy https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9882-2111
Document Type
Article
Date of this Version
8-2025
Citation
Biology Letters (2025) 21(8): 20250151
doi: 10.1098/rsbl.2025.0151
Abstract
We analysed fossil mammal assemblages from over 350 Late Pleistocene and Holocene sites worldwide to test whether human activities, such as agriculture, domestication and intensified land use, restructured global patterns of mammal co-occurrence. Using presence–absence data, we contrasted a novel iterative ‘chase clustering’ method, which is compositionally driven, against a traditional spatially constrained Ward’s clustering approach. Both methods recovered continental-scale groupings in the Pleistocene, consistent with known biogeographic boundaries. Holocene land use and domestication reconfigured these historical patterns, creating novel assemblages independent of previous biogeographic constraints. Faunal turnover at the local scale varied substantially across regions, being especially pronounced in the Americas, whereas other areas showed relative stability. Even moderate expansion of domesticates altered how communities grouped, highlighting their disproportionate ecological influence. Our findings demonstrate that human-driven niche modification, beyond earlier megafaunal extinctions, profoundly reshaped mammal communities on a global scale. Recognizing these anthropogenic legacies provides essential context for anticipating how current and future human pressures might further transform biodiversity.
Comments
Open access
License: CC BY 4.0