Abstract The present study analyzes small mammal bone and tooth accumulations recovered in three open-air archaeological sites from the drylands of Northern Mendoza (Argentina), in the northern sector of Central Western Argentina. The sites, dated to the last two millennia (∼0.3–2.1 ky BP), are located on the margins of a now-extinct swamp that formed a wetland environment in connection with other former lacustrine landscapes that were more widespread in the past. The taxonomic structure of the archaeological assemblages differs from modern small mammal assemblages from the area. Holochilus lagigliai, a probably recently extinct species, and Cavia aperea, a recently extirpated species, were recorded. These two species are strongly connected to wetland environments, but rare today, as the environment is more arid and in the context of urban development. A widespread decline in the diversity of modern small mammal assemblages was observed in comparison with archaeological ones, probably related to a scenario of greater environmental heterogeneity during the late Holocene than in the present.

中文翻译：

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阿根廷中西部干旱环境中的古代湿地：基于考古小型哺乳动物遗骸的古生态学视角

摘要 本研究分析了在阿根廷中西部北部地区北门多萨（阿根廷）旱地的三个露天考古遗址中发现的小型哺乳动物骨骼和牙齿堆积物。这些遗址的历史可以追溯到过去两千年（约 0.3-2.1 ky BP），位于现已灭绝的沼泽的边缘，沼泽形成了湿地环境，与过去更广泛的其他前湖景观相连。考古组合的分类结构不同于该地区的现代小型哺乳动物组合。记录了可能最近灭绝的物种 Holochilus lagigliai 和最近灭绝的物种 Cavia apera。这两个物种与湿地环境密切相关，但今天很少见，由于环境更加干旱，并且处于城市发展的背景下。与考古发现的相比，现代小型哺乳动物组合的多样性普遍下降，这可能与全新世晚期比现在更大的环境异质性有关。