• Login
    View Item 
    •   Carroll Scholars Home
    • Carroll College Student Undergraduate Research Festival
    • Carroll College Student Undergraduate Research Festival 2018-2019
    • View Item
    •   Carroll Scholars Home
    • Carroll College Student Undergraduate Research Festival
    • Carroll College Student Undergraduate Research Festival 2018-2019
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Impacts of Paleoclimatic Drought on Prehistoric Foraging Decisions in the Big Belt Mountains

    Thumbnail
    Author
    Ryerson, Layne
    Date of Issue
    2018-04-20
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    URI
    https://scholars.carroll.edu/handle/20.500.12647/7142
    Title
    Impacts of Paleoclimatic Drought on Prehistoric Foraging Decisions in the Big Belt Mountains
    Description
    Abstract Only
    Abstract
    Over 2,000 years ago, the indigenous people of the Big Belt Mountains appear to have been influenced by a substantial drought which dramatically altered their diet. Faunal records obtained through Carroll College’s archeological excavations indicate a shift in foraging decisions during this drought period; most notably a decreased consumption of Rocky Mountain Elk. The rationale for this change in fauna is investigated through the Diet Breadth Model (D.B.M), a logic based equation that examines past foraging activity through cost-benefit analysis. It is speculated that elk were absent during the water-stressed period, and that their admission from the faunal record meant that the only available game was smaller, R-selected species. In order to assess the validity of these assumptions, my research inspected the influences of drought on modern elk herds, specifically those with similar environmental conditions to the Big Belts. This process focused on the elk populations dynamics exhibited by Grand Tetons National Park, W.Y, and Wind Caves National Park, S.D. These regions were examined based upon their drought-induced fluctuations in herd size, cow/calf ratio, and carrying capacity. Analysis of these variables exposed a direct link between increased aridity and decreased elk availability. Moreover, these findings bolstered our hypothesis by indicating that indigenous peoples of the Big Belt did most likely adhere to the DBM during times of drought induced resource scarcity
    Collections
    • Carroll College Student Undergraduate Research Festival 2018-2019

    Browse

    All of Carroll ScholarsCommunities & CollectionsBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsThis CollectionBy Issue DateAuthorsTitlesSubjects

    My Account

    LoginRegister

    DSpace software copyright © 2002-2023  DuraSpace
    DSpace Express is a service operated by 
    Atmire NV