PRIN2022-JWFEKE – The evolution of mammals in changing ecosystems of the Middle Pleistocene of Italy

The project PRIN2022-JWFEKE – The evolution of mammals in changing ecosystems of the Middle Pleistocene of Italy - will assess the impact of climate changes occurred during Middle to early Late Pleistocene on the terrestrial ecosystems in the Mediterranean basin. It is based on the reassessment of the Pleistocene mammal palaeocommunities and geochemical analyses performed on fossil remains, from several archaeo- and palaeontological sites, located in central and southern Italy, some of that destroyed or buried below anthropogenic deposits and others still existing and preserved. The analysis of the composition of the mammal faunal assemblages will add information for the comprehension of climatic changes that characterized the late Quaternary of Europe, because large mammals display a variety of adaptations to survive and thrive in different biomes, which are reflected in their anatomy, thus representing a source of important information about the ecological settings of past environments. Geochemical analysis, in particular the determination of carbon and oxygen isotope composition of herbivorous mammal teeth enamel, will provide further elements for understanding past environments and climates, mammal ecology and habitat uses. In some of studied sites, the presence of Homo heidelbergensis and Homo neanderthalensis is well documented by human fossils and lithic and bone artifacts; the integration of the new data from field survey, palaeontological and geochemical analyses, and the comparison with available data from other European and Italian sites, will allow to clarify the effects of climatic events occurred during the Middle to early Late Pleistocene on the terrestrial ecosystems, including the interaction between the mammal palaeocommunities and Homo. Finally, the project will plan a conservation strategy of fossiliferous sites and their evaluation as geosites, and will realize a digital tool (an interactive map in GIS environment) for dissemination purposes.

The project involves two research units: Sapienza University of Rome (Project Coordinator: Prof. Raffaele Sardella) and the CNR-IGAG – Institute of Environmental Geology and Geoengineering (Unit Head: Dr. Francesca Giustini), in collaboration with several Italian and international museums and research institutes. Sapienza University participates with the Department of Earth Sciences (Dr. Alessio Iannucci) and the Department of Environmental Biology (Prof. Fabrizio Rufo). CNR-IGAG participates in the project with several researchers: Dr. Mauro Brilli, Dr. Margherita Giuffrè, and Dr. Maria Sole Benigni.

The 24-month project is funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research (MUR), projects PRIN 2022 scorrimento. The total budget of the project is €225,923.00, and the funded contribution is €168,032.00.