Exploring Freshwater Turtle Population Dynamics in the Maya World through Ancient DNA Analysis

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Recent Advances in Zooarchaeological Methods" session, at the 88th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

In the Maya world, zooarchaeological studies have recorded regionally focused declines in animal abundances due to drying conditions and land clearance. However, zooarchaeological data alone cannot document fluctuations in animal population structure or diversity, an insight that can be provided by ancient DNA analysis. In this study, we use archaeogenetics to evaluate temporal and spatial changes in the genetic structure and diversity of the Central American river turtle (Dermatemys mawii) in the Maya area. The turtle specimens come from a suite of archaeological sites in Guatemala and Belize, spanning the Preclassic to colonial periods. We use PCR to obtain multiple short mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) fragments to confirm species identification and examine genetic variation over time and space to estimate potential population changes. To assess turtle populations’ possible resilience or vulnerability to climatic and anthropogenic pressures, we further contextualize the periods of expansion and contraction of turtle populations within Maya history. Overall, this study will provide critical data on the long-term and complex relationships between Indigenous peoples and the landscape they inhabited.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Recent Advances in Zooarchaeological Methods   •
• Society for American Archaeology 88th Annual Meeting, Portland, OR (2023)

Keywords

Spatial Coverage

Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 36080.0