Sea Turtle Remains as Markers of Climatic and Ecological Change: Insights from the Aklis Site, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
Author(s): Nikki Wu
Year: 2025
Summary
This is an abstract from the "Bridging Science and Service: How Archaeologists Address Climate Change" session, at the 90th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.
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Applied zooarchaeology, using multiple facets of scientific research, can address modern problems related to climate change. As six out of seven sea turtle species are currently listed as endangered or vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, one way to address climate change is to expand our knowledge of life history patterns and paleoecology by utilizing the archaeological record. Using my current research, I will present the following case study linking archaeology and climate change conservation:
Sea turtles are a keystone species and serve as a critical link between humans and their environments in the Caribbean Islands. This research focuses on the historical ecology of sea turtles and their relationship to environmental and climate change on St. Croix Island. The Aklis site spans the Late Saladoid-Ostionoid transition, a period when the archaeological record suggests a major social re-organization. This paper explores the relationship between humans, sea turtles, and climate change using traditional zooarchaeological methods and stable isotope analysis. δ<sup>15</sup>N and δ<sup>13</sup>C stable isotope ratios of sea turtle bones from the Aklis site, provide insight into dietary patterns from modern and pre-Columbian contexts and provide foundational insights that may guide more sustainable conservation of these keystone species.
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Cite this Record
Sea Turtle Remains as Markers of Climatic and Ecological Change: Insights from the Aklis Site, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. Nikki Wu. Presented at The 90th Annual Meeting of the Society for American Archaeology. 2025 ( tDAR id: 509688)
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Abstract Id(s): 52685