Hoofed mammals of the middle and late southeast holocene of Western Siberia

The paper analyzes the composition and the structure of ungulates fauna in the south-east of Western Siberia in the Middle and Late Holocene. The investigative area includes the region between 72-92 ° E. and 58-50 °N. The research was based on original and published data concerning 17 911 bones of wild ungulates from 124 archaeological settlements. The material dats back to radiocarbon and archaeological methods from the Subboreal (4600 y.a.) to the end of Subatlantic (250 y.a.). In all, there were identified 12 species of wild ungulates. Two species are predominate (roe - Capreolus pygargus; elk - Alces alces). Large ungulate fauna in Western Siberia developed through the extinction and decline of animal’s habitats. Minimal changes occurred in the forest zone. The southern edge of reindeer distribution (Rangifer tarandus) in the late Holocene moved to the north. Significant changes occurred in the forest-steppe zone. In the historical period 4 of 9 species (Equus hemionus, Saiga tatarica, Gazella gutturosa, Cervus elaphus) reduced their habitats, and 2 (Bos primigenius, Equus ferus) were extinct. In the steppe zone, 6 of 8 ungulates species (Equus hemionus, Sus scrofa, Alces alces, Capreolus pygargus, Ovis ammon, Gazella subgutturosa) reduced their area. According to literature sources, in the second half of the Holocene there were no significant changes of the landscape in the region. The structure of the fauna has a distinct zonation, which coincides with the landscape zones. In historic time the major human impact on ungulate fauna was direct elimination. But it had no significant effect on the ungulates fauna, except for probable disappearance of aurochs. In historical time, due to intensive agricultural activities, the forested area was reduced and the number of a new group of ungulates - domestic ones - greatly increased, and there appeared a new type of vegetation - distribution of cultivated plants. At the same time species which prefer open space reduced their habitats. That does not coincide with the character of landscape changes. Thus, with a high probability we can assume that the main factor in the processes of changing in species composition and habitat in the study area was human influence: direct elimination, replacement of wild animals by domestic ones and removal of wildlife habitats because of agricultural activities. The character of ungulate fauna reflects landscape zones. The forest zone is inhabited by elks whereas the forest-steppe zone - by roes and elks. In the steppe zone the number of other ungulates increases. The connection between relative abundance of species and environmental dynamics is not obvious.

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