Ancient steroids: human faecal signals and environmental data from a Holocene sediment record of the Yagour Plateau, High Atlas, Morocco

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dc.contributor.authorCornelissen, HLen_AU
dc.contributor.authorLupein, Ren_AU
dc.contributor.authorFletcher, WJen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHughes, PDen_AU
dc.contributor.authorBell, BAen_AU
dc.contributor.authorRhoujjati, Aen_AU
dc.contributor.authorEwague, Aen_AU
dc.contributor.authorFink, Den_AU
dc.date.accessioned2024-02-27T06:00:40Zen_AU
dc.date.available2024-02-27T06:00:40Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2022-05-27en_AU
dc.date.statistics2023-02-03en_AU
dc.description.abstractThe analysis of steroids (stanols and stanols compounds) preserved within Holocene sediment records represents a novel approach to establish past periods of human and herbivore occupation in the Atlas mountains of Morocco. These organic compounds are faecally produced by omnivorous and ruminant mammals; the concentrations and ratios of the compounds are used in this study as proxies for past dynamics of human presence. In this study, stanol analysis is employed in tandem with multiproxy sedimentological, palaeoecological and geochronological data of a lake-margin sediment core to evaluate Holocene human presence around the high-elevation wetland system of the Yagour Plateau, in the High Atlas mountains (31.31°N, 7.60°W, 2460 m.a.s.l.). The site is a vital resource for modern pastoral communities, providing fodder for livestock during seasonal dry periods. Cultural institutions known as Agdals regulate access to this wetland and have been established since early-historic times at least. The Yagour Plateau is well-known for its remarkable abundance of undated petroglyphs, which may relate to the territorial delineation of these Agdals. However, direct dating of archaeological remains is rare and the timing of human presence on the High Atlas rangelands is not well known. Information gained on the dynamics of human presence of remote, high-elevation sites in the High Atlas may be helpful in improving the understanding of the relationships between Holocene climatic, anthropogenic and ecological signals. Here, we present new data from 25 stanol samples spanning the last 13 kyr, complemented by two multiproxy records that include pollen, charcoal and non-pollen palynomorphs. The temporal context of these proxy records is underpinned by high-resolution age-depth radiocarbon chronology. We observe elevated stanol ratios from 6.2 cal ka BP to modern times, likely indicating intermittent human presence on the plateau since the Mid-Holocene. High coprostanol concentrations between 4.9 to 4.0 cal ka BP are similar to modern levels and indicate peak human presence. Faecal biomarkers match well with pollen-based anthropogenic indicators, particularly Plantago pollen abundance. This study supports a significant human presence on the Yagour Plateau from the Mid-Holocene onwards, contributing to the study of long-term human presence and climate dynamics in a sensitive mountain region at the boundary of the Atlantic and Saharan climate systems. © Author(s) 2023. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.en_AU
dc.identifier.articlenumberEGU22-103327en_AU
dc.identifier.citationCornelissen, H., Lupein, R., Fletcher, W., Hughes, P., Bell, B., Rhoujjati, A., Ewague, A., & Fink, D. (2022). Ancient steroids: human faecal signals and environmental data from a Holocene sediment record of the Yagour Plateau, High Atlas, Morocco. Presentation to the EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-103327. Retrieved from: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-13327en_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceenddate2022-05-27en_AU
dc.identifier.conferencenameEGU General Assembly 2022en_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceplaceVienna, Austriaen_AU
dc.identifier.conferencestartdate2022-05-23en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-13327en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/handle/10238/15454en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherEuropean General Assemblyen_AU
dc.subjectSteroidsen_AU
dc.subjectHumansen_AU
dc.subjectEnvironmenten_AU
dc.subjectMoroccoen_AU
dc.subjectQuaternary perioden_AU
dc.subjectOrganic compondsen_AU
dc.subjectSedimentsen_AU
dc.subjectRuminantsen_AU
dc.subjectMammalsen_AU
dc.titleAncient steroids: human faecal signals and environmental data from a Holocene sediment record of the Yagour Plateau, High Atlas, Moroccoen_AU
dc.typeConference Presentationen_AU
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