Article
Extinct New Zealand megafauna were not in decline before human colonization.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America - 1 Apr 2014
Allentoft Morten Erik, Heller Rasmus, Oskam Charlotte L, Lorenzen Eline D, Hale Marie L, Gilbert M Thomas P, Jacomb Christopher, Holdaway Richard N, Bunce Michael
Abstract excerpt
The extinction of New Zealand's moa (Aves: Dinornithiformes) followed the arrival of humans in the late 13th century and was the final event of the prehistoric Late Quaternary megafauna extinctions. Determining the state of the moa populations in the pre-extinction period is fundamental to understanding the causes of the event. We sampled 281 moa individuals and combined radiocarbon dating with ancient DNA...
Read the complete abstract on PubMedTopics
Share this publication in a Topic to start or enrich a Post.