Taphonomic information from the modern vertebrate death assemblage of Doñana National Park, Spain

Modern death assemblages in Doñana National Park, Spain, reveal significant insights into the early stages of fossilization and the ecology of vertebrate species. The study found that lake-margin and river-margin habitats offer the highest potential for fossil preservation due to high concentrations of well-preserved bones undergoing burial. Active depositional environments, such as marshlands and beaches, show more bone breakage and scavenging marks, primarily from wild boar and red foxes. Large land mammals, especially wild and feral ungulates, dominate the bone assemblage, with good overall preservation attributed to low predator pressure on large vertebrates. The spatial distribution of species in death assemblages reflects their preferred habitats during life, with meadows being a notable winter habitat for male deer, as indicated by shed antlers. This research underscores the value of taphonomic studies in understanding both modern and past ecosystems.

Domingo, M. S., Martín-Perea, D. M., Badgley, C., Cantero, E., López-Guerrero, P., Oliver, A., & Negro, J. J. (2020). Taphonomic information from the modern vertebrate death assemblage of Doñana National Park, Spain. Plos One, 15(11), e0242082. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0242082