A multispecies overkill simulation of the end-Pleistocene megafaunal mass extinction

J. Alroy

doi:10.1126/science.1059342

A multispecies overkill simulation of the end-Pleistocene megafaunal mass extinction

J. Alroy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article

379 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A computer simulation of North American end-Pleistocene human and large herbivore population dynamics correctly predicts the extinction or survival of 32 out of 41 prey species. Slow human population growth rates, random hunting, and low maximum hunting effort are assumed; additional parameters are based on published values. Predictions are dose to observed values for overall extinction rates, human population densities, game consumption rates, and the temporal overlap of humans and extinct species. Results are robust to variation in unconstrained parameters. This fully mechanistic model accounts for megafaunal extinction without invoking climate change and secondary ecological effects.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1893-1896
Number of pages	4
Journal	Science
Volume	292
Issue number	5523
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1059342 https://doi.org/10.1126/science.293.5538.2205
Publication status	Published - 8 Jun 2001
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Corrigendum can be found in Science, 293(5538), p. 2205.
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.293.5538.2205

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abstract = "A computer simulation of North American end-Pleistocene human and large herbivore population dynamics correctly predicts the extinction or survival of 32 out of 41 prey species. Slow human population growth rates, random hunting, and low maximum hunting effort are assumed; additional parameters are based on published values. Predictions are dose to observed values for overall extinction rates, human population densities, game consumption rates, and the temporal overlap of humans and extinct species. Results are robust to variation in unconstrained parameters. This fully mechanistic model accounts for megafaunal extinction without invoking climate change and secondary ecological effects.",

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