[MCC Anthro Discussion Web] [ASB 238] [discussion]

ASB 238
archaeology of north america

Coming to America
Megafauna Extinction

Paul Martin from the University of Arizona believes that humans were responsible for the extinction of the megafauna at the end of the Ice Age nearly 10,000 years ago. Want to comment?

ASB 238 Discussion: [top] [bottom] [write]

writer: Rick Effland (MCC)
date: Friday, February 16, 1996
subject: Old World Extinctions

It is important to recognize that the issue of extinction is not something that occurred only in the Americas. Megafauna died in the Old World as well. This weakens the idea that man killed off these animals. Man was not a new element to the environment as was the case with the New World.

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writer: Russ Zinck (MCC)
date: Friday, February 16, 1996
subject: megafaunal extinction

Dr. Effland,

While I agree that there were mass extinctions of megafauna on other contintents, is it fair to compare them to the extinctions that occured in the America's? Mass extinctions in Austrailia occured 20,000 to 40,000 years before present. Certainly not in the same time frame we are talking about for extinctions in the America's. While Africa, Asia, and Europe did suffer from extinctions towards the end of the pleistocene, these extinctions were far less severe (fewer spieces died out).

I am going to have to go with Paul Martin on this one. If the changing environment caused the extinctions, why did some spiecies (i.e. the horse) survive in other locations. Conditions changed all over the world, not just in North and South America!

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writer: Aaron Markley (MCC)
date: Thursday, February 29, 1996
subject: Megafauna Extinction

I can't agree completly with Dr.Effland or Russ. I feel that the extinction of the American Megafauna was due to alittle of both man and environment. I think man alone could not have killed so many species in such a large geographic area without other factors coming into play.

ASB 238 Discussion: [top] [bottom] [write]

writer: Aaron Markley (MCC)
date: Thursday, February 29, 1996
subject: Megafauna Extinction

I can't agree completly with Dr.Effland or Russ. I feel that the extinction of the American Megafauna was due to alittle of both man and environment. I think man alone could not have killed so many species in such a large geographic area without other factors coming into play.

ASB 238 Discussion: [top] [bottom] [write]

writer: Aaron Markley (MCC)
date: Thursday, February 29, 1996
subject: Megafauna Extinction

I can't agree completly with Dr.Effland or Russ. I feel that the extinction of the American Megafauna was due to alittle of both man and the environment. I think that man alone could not have killed off so many species of Megafauna in such a large geographic area without other factors coming into play.


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