Mean body size estimation in large mammals and the computation of biomass in past ecosystems: An application to the Pleistocene sites of Orce and Sierra de Atapuerca (Spain)

Estimates of adult body mass are usually considered as equivalent mean population size in most studies ancient mammals. However, given that any is composed part subadult individuals, this approach overestimates the and biomass. For reason, more realistic estimates should be used. In paper, we: 1) test five different proxies mass; 2) estimate total prey biomass paleoecosystems from Orce Atapuerca sites an for estimating their carrying capacity. Our results past ecosystems support use survival profiles derived Weibull model (SPW), they show values better agreement with those extant populations. They also higher capacities faunal assemblages than Atapuerca. We suggest environmental conditions could have played important role first peopling Europe.