Representatividad de las faunas de mamíferos: implicaciones para los yacimientos pliocenos de La Gloria-4 y La Calera (= Aldehuela), Teruel

Abstract

In this work we propose an approach in relation to the potential loss of species associated to taphonomic processes occurring in fossil sites. We attempt to determine the possible value of bioclimatic analysis as a suitable methodology in assessing the number of species not registered in fossil sites. The analysis has been carried out with the data from six modern mammalian communities from tropical deciduous woodland and savanna environments, in order to compare them to two fossil sites: La Gloria-4 and La Calera (=Aldehuela). On each community and palaeocommunity we have deleted species randomly. Comparison of original and virtually impoverished communities by χ2 analyses allowed us to conclude that the pattern of functionality loss was similar in both kinds of modern environments. Furthermore, by comparing the patterns of the modern localities and the fossil sites, it was possible to infer the possible loss of 10-30 % of species in the taphocoenosis respect of original paleocomunities.