Archaeofaunas and the reconstruction of long-term ecosystem dynamics

Animal remains recovered from archaeological sites can provide a crucial record of the past – of ancient human behaviours, of palaeoclimate, and of past ecosystems. This paper discusses the use of archaeologically derived faunas to reconstruct ecological systems over deep-time series, using a 4500 year faunal sequence recovered from Sanak Island, Southwestern Alaska. This spectacular record provides the opportunity to dynamically model complex and long-term variations in North Pacific biodiversity. We preliminarily assess these variations through the calculation of basic diversity and equitability measures and by assessing specific stock health parameters based on individual taxa. We demonstrate that such analyses can: 1) provide a record of the interaction between Aleut and their ecosystem, 2) add a crucial time-depth to ecological modeling in the North Pacific, and 3) contribute to discourse surrounding conservation biology and long term sustainability.