Department of Palaeozoology, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland.
Department of Bioinformatics and Genomics, University of Wrocław, Wrocław, Poland.
Sci Rep. 2024 Apr 29;14(1):9775. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-60222-3.
This comprehensive study examines fossil remains from Niedźwiedzia Cave in the Eastern Sudetes, offering detailed insights into the palaeobiology and adversities encountered by the Pleistocene cave bear Ursus spelaeus ingressus. Emphasising habitual cave use for hibernation and a primarily herbivorous diet, the findings attribute mortality to resource scarcity during hibernation and habitat fragmentation amid climate shifts. Taphonomic analysis indicates that the cave was extensively used by successive generations of bears, virtually unexposed to the impact of predators. The study also reveals that alkaline conditions developed in the cave during the post-depositional taphonomic processes. Mortality patterns, notably among juveniles, imply dwindling resources, indicative of environmental instability. Skeletal examination reveals a high incidence of forelimb fractures, indicating risks during activities like digging or confrontations. Palaeopathological evidence unveils vulnerabilities to tuberculosis, abscesses, rickets, and injuries, elucidating mobility challenges. The cave's silts exhibit a high zinc concentration, potentially derived from successive bear generations consuming zinc-rich plants. This study illuminates the lives of late cave bears, elucidating unique environmental hurdles faced near their species' end.
这项全面研究考察了来自东苏台德的 Niedźwiedzia 洞穴中的化石遗迹，深入了解了更新世洞穴熊 Ursus spelaeus ingressus 的古生物学和所遭遇的逆境。研究强调了洞穴是其冬眠的习惯性栖息地，且其饮食主要为草食性。研究结果将其死亡归因于冬眠期间资源短缺以及气候变化导致的栖息地碎片化。埋藏学分析表明，洞穴被连续几代的熊广泛使用，几乎没有受到捕食者的影响。研究还揭示了在埋藏后的埋藏学过程中，洞穴中形成了碱性条件。死亡率模式，尤其是在幼熊中，表明资源减少，表明环境不稳定。骨骼检查显示前肢骨折的发生率很高，这表明在挖掘或对抗等活动中存在风险。古病理学证据揭示了结核病、脓肿、佝偻病和受伤的脆弱性，阐明了活动能力的挑战。洞穴中的淤泥显示出高锌浓度，可能来自于连续几代熊食用富含锌的植物。这项研究揭示了晚期洞穴熊的生活，阐明了在接近物种灭绝时所面临的独特环境障碍。
