The representativeness of the dental calculus dietary record: insights from Taï chimpanzee faecal phytoliths

Dental calculus, often used to reconstruct ancient human diets, may not fully represent the diversity of plant phytoliths consumed. A study comparing faecal phytolith assemblages from two Taï chimpanzees (Côte d'Ivoire) with their known diets revealed significant seasonal variation in phytolith abundance and morphotypes. While eudicot plates, tracheids, and monocot spheroids dominated, grit and diatoms surged during dry periods. Observational dietary records helped link faecal findings to potential dental calculus accumulation patterns, identifying underrepresented phytolith types that could refine future dietary reconstructions.

Power, R. C., Wittig, R. M., Stone, J. R., Kupczik, K., & Schulz-Kornas, E. (2021). The representativeness of the dental calculus dietary record: insights from Taï chimpanzee faecal phytoliths. Archaeological and Anthropological Sciences, 13(6). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12520-021-01342-z