Explaining the Development of Dietary Dominance by a Single Ungulate Taxon at Grotte XVI, Dordogne, France

The Magdalenian of southwestern France has long been renowned for the frequency with which associated faunal assemblages are dominated by reindeer (Rangifer tarandus). The site of Grotte XVI (Dordogne, southwestern France) is no exception: 94% of the Magdalenian ungulate assemblage at this site is provided by reindeer. However, this figure represents the endpoint in a steadily increasing progression of reindeer dominance, and steadily decreasing progression of ungulate assemblage evenness, at this site during the Upper Paleolithic (c. 36,000–12,000 C years ). These changes are not correlated with faunal assemblage size, degree of bone fragmentation, or skeletal element representation, but are correlated with declines in reconstructed summer temperatures for southern France. While it is quite possible that human predators responded behaviourally to this situation through the innovation of more efficient means of prey capture, the faunal patterns that characterize the Grotte XVI Upper Palaeolithic ungulate assemblages can be accounted for by climate change alone. 2001 Academic Press