Abstract: When and why did mammoths go extinct? Did their populations fail catastrophically, or languish over time before finally disappearing? Using high-resolution timeseries of radiocarbon dated mammoth fossils, I combined the temporal distribution of specimen ages with the distribution and sizes of temporal gaps between dated specimens to test for shifts in population trajectories through time consistent with (1) protracted population decline, or (2) abrupt loss. Results indicate that mainland populations failed catastrophically and ecologically instantly, while some island populations had a more protracted period of population contraction, ultimately ending in extinction.
Zoom link: https://osu.zoom.us/j/94270385944?pwd=nFHXubmIbG1kYTVjE953MiEaaDwMWT.1
Passcode: 833982
