Abstract Late Pleistocene records of island settlement can shed light on how modern humans (Homo sapiens) adapted their behaviour to live on ecologically marginal landscapes. When people reached Sahul (Pleistocene New Guinea-Australia), between 65 and 50 ka, the only islands they would have encountered were in the tropical north. This unique geographic situation therefore offers the only possibility of modelling human adaptive behaviour to islands in Australasia during the Late Pleistocene. Cave excavation on the uplifted limestone island of Panaeati in the Massim region of Southeastern New Guinea revealed a cultural sequence commencing from 17,300–16,800 cal. BP, suggesting habitation of higher coastlines occurred as low-lying shorelines destabilised during the initial stages of deglacial sea-level rise. No cave use was evident between 12,400 and 4780 cal. BP when the continental shelf was fully inundated, and Panaeati reduced in size by 90%. It is likely that diminished coastlines and the reduced resources of low-lying islands could no longer support pre-agricultural populations during this time. Cultural groups that were better adapted to living on small islands returned to Panaeati by 4780–4490 cal. BP when sea levels had stabilised, lagoons formed, and coastal ecosystems had diversified. Investigations demonstrate the role of larger islands as refugia during deglacial sea-level rise and the effects on human dispersals and cultural diversity.

中文翻译：

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澳大拉西亚最小的晚更新世有人居住的岛屿揭示了 17,000 年前冰川后海平面上升对人类行为的影响

摘要 更新世晚期岛屿定居记录可以揭示现代人类（智人）如何适应他们的行为以生活在生态边缘景观上。当人们在 65 到 50 ka 之间到达 Sahul（更新世新几内亚 - 澳大利亚）时，他们遇到的唯一岛屿是在热带北部。因此，这种独特的地理环境提供了模拟晚更新世期间人类对澳大拉西亚岛屿的适应性行为的唯一可能性。在新几内亚东南部马西姆地区隆起的石灰岩岛屿 Panaeati 上的洞穴挖掘揭示了从 17,300-16,800 卡路里开始的文化序列。BP，表明在冰消期海平面上升的初始阶段，低洼海岸线不稳定，因此出现了较高海岸线的栖息地。12 之间没有明显的洞穴使用，400 和 4780 卡路里。BP 大陆架被完全淹没时，Panaeati 的面积缩小了 90%。在此期间，海岸线的减少和低洼岛屿资源的减少很可能不再支持农业前的人口。更适应生活在小岛上的文化群体在 4780-4490 cal 之前返回了 Panaeati。BP 当海平面稳定、泻湖形成、沿海生态系统多样化时。调查表明，大岛屿在冰消期海平面上升期间作为避难所的作用以及对人类传播和文化多样性的影响。在此期间，海岸线的减少和低洼岛屿资源的减少很可能不再支持农业前的人口。更适应生活在小岛上的文化群体在 4780-4490 cal 之前返回了 Panaeati。BP 当海平面稳定、泻湖形成、沿海生态系统多样化时。调查表明，大岛屿在冰消期海平面上升期间作为避难所的作用以及对人类传播和文化多样性的影响。在此期间，海岸线的减少和低洼岛屿资源的减少很可能不再支持农业前的人口。更适应生活在小岛上的文化群体在 4780-4490 cal 之前返回了 Panaeati。BP 当海平面稳定、泻湖形成、沿海生态系统多样化时。调查表明，大岛屿在冰消期海平面上升期间作为避难所的作用以及对人类传播和文化多样性的影响。