UAF
Department of Anthropology
Student Research Abstract
Holly J. McKinney
Millennial-Scale Interactions among Fish, Humans and Climate in Amalik Bay, Alaska
Abstract:
In this doctoral dissertation, I will examine interactions among fish populations, human activities and environmental change in Amalik Bay over a 6500 year period. This will be accomplished by examining change over time in archaeologically deposited fish remains at the Mink Island Archaeological Site (49-XMK-030). Special focus will be given to Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus), walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma), yellow irish lord (Hemilepid! otus jordani),sole sp. (Pleuronectidae) and Pacific salmon sp. (Oncorhynchus sp.) as they are the species most often recovered from Mink Island. Archaeological, cultural ecological and biological methods will be used to identify and distinguish between natural and anthropogenic impacts on these species, including changes in climate and human technological organization. Modern specimens will be compared to archaeological specimens in order to evaluate changes, if any, in fish body size, age at death, season of procurement and overall abundance of warm-water-adapted and cold-water-adapted fish in the archaeological record. Taphonomic conditions will be analyzed to eva luate whether species-specific bone density differences played a role in structuring the archaeological assemblage. Stable isotope values (δ13C, δ15N) derived from Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus) quadrates from pre-Neoglacial and post-Neoglacial components of the archaeological assemblage will be used to track changes in environmental conditions. Current fisheries data from the Northern Gulf of Alaska will be compared to the Mink Island zooarchaeological data and stable isotope data (δ13C, δ15N) in an effort to model pre-commercial fishing-era conditions.