Neotaphonomic study of two Tyto alba assemblages from Botswana: Palaeoecological implications

By producing pellets rich in micromammal remains, owls are important contributors to small vertebrate accumulations archaeological sites. Neotaphonomic studies necessary evaluate predation and fossilization biases before using pellet-derived assemblages assess palaeoenvironmental reconstructions community changes plio-quaternary deposits. In this study, barn owl (Tyto alba) were collected from two localities of Botswana with markedly different environments: the northern Kalahari (arid) Okavango Delta (humid). The taxonomic taphonomic analyses samples compared data literature on other T. alba pellet Sub-Saharan Africa. This study provides additional for wildlife inventory at a local scale further information about diet hunting habits Tyto area, as well its impact rodent species. It confirms that reliably good indicators environmental conditions. An application palaeoecological methods was also made order accuracy performance based produced by an context. Here, we discuss some methodological issues facing southern