Early Holocene Extinctions on Crete

The Search for the Cause

Abstract

Archaeological and paleontological studies in the Mediterranean Islands have produced a growing body of data indicating a co-occurrence of endemic island taxa and initial human inhabitants. Many of these Pleistocene species persisted beyond the close of the Pleistocene, only to become extinct during the Holocene. On Crete paleontologists have studied the endemic taxa in terms of the means and timings of their arrival, their morphology and their taxonomy, but have generally avoided discussing the causes of their demise, while archaeologists have yet to undertake research projects which specifically attempt to illuminate the period of initial Neolithic colonization. This paper attempts to bridge the gap; its goal is to determine when the endemic taxa of the island became extinct. By exploring three competing models (climatic change, overkill, and habitat destruction/resource competition), the authors conclude that the available data for Crete point to faunal extinction being the indirect result of human activities of land clearance and the introduction of domestic animals.