User:VolePrincess/sandbox


 * Article Review:

The article I found is titled: Anthropocene. Most of the information in the article is relevant to the article. However, since this is a controversial and not yet validated topic, there is a lot of supplementary information incorporated in the article. The article is not quite neutral because it does take the stance that the antropocence is a real epoch. This viewpoint prevails throughout the article.

There are many references that are both reliable and appropriate. Once again, these references are not altogether neutral, as they support the addition of this new epoch in the scientific research. The information is current, and I could not determine any missing data. Additional information was proposed on the talk page, and questions were raised about the beginning of the anthropocene and the sediment data included in the article.

Yes, this article is part of both WikiProject Geology and WikiProject Time. It is also incorporated in the Wiki Education Foundation.

We have not yet discussed this article in class. However, it contained information related to the topic of paleoecology, and also included some topics such as biodiversity and evidence from sediment and fossil records.

**** Wikipedia Article Options:

Equus lambei - Part of a wikiproject; Last worked on May 2017; Have about 6 articles available to use.

Arctotherium - Part of a wikiproject; Last worked on January; Not a lot of edits since written; Have about 5 articles with more informations.

Metalopex  - Part of a wikiproject; has almost nothing on it. Is a stub article. Nothing since 2013; Have only one primary article to base on.

Neocnus - No work since 2015; Have about 2 primary articles to base on.

Tamias aristus  - Nothing since January 2017, very little work; Have only one primary article to base on.

Group members: Tal Kleinhause, Patrick Hourihan

**** Group Outline: We will start by working on the Equus article, and also possibly add information to the Arctotherium article as well.

Kara Aiken

Patrick Hourihan

Tal Kleinhause

Wikipedia Article Outline: Equus lambei

Introduction:


 * Add background information to the first paragraph on the page
 * The scientist who discovered the species
 * Locations of found remains
 * http://protectmustangs.org/?tag=equus-lambei

Classification:


 * Elaborate on the classification of this species
 * Draw connections to modern horse species
 * https://www.livescience.com/9589-surprising-history-america-wild-horses.html

Natural History:


 * Include information about Equus age profiles inferred from bone and dental remains
 * http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.501.2166&rep=rep1&type=pdf
 * Add information about Equus lambei morphology, as well as possible inferred behavior
 * https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article-abstract/67/2/422/861697?redirectedFrom=fulltext
 * http://protectmustangs.org/?tag=equus-lambei

Inferring Management of Modern Species


 * Controversy: Are modern horses an indigenous species in North America, or are they genetically too far removed from ancient species such as Equus lambei?
 * https://awionline.org/content/wild-horses-native-north-american-wildlife

Sources:

http://protectmustangs.org/?tag=equus-lambei

https://academic.oup.com/jmammal/article-abstract/67/2/422/861697?redirectedFrom=fulltext

https://www.livescience.com/9589-surprising-history-america-wild-horses.html

http://www.beringia.com/exhibit/ice-age-animals/yukon-horse

https://www.nature.ca/notebooks/english/yukass.htm

Second Wikipedia Article Outline: Arctotherium

Description/ Natural History:


 * Bolster the information in this section
 * Include measurements of size
 * Add information about diet
 * https://www.jstor.org/stable/23019499?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents
 * https://www.livescience.com/11701-standing-11-feet-world-largest-bear-unearthed.html
 * https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-paleontology/article/south-american-giant-s
 * hortfaced-bear-arctotherium-angustidens-diet-evidence-from-pathology-morphology-stab
 * le-isotopes-and-biomechanics/2616CEF2B348B1453C68EF26CF2858C9
 * Add information about family groups, cave utilization, and hibernation in this species
 * https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03115510902844418?scroll=top&needAccess=true

Classification:


 * Add information about the phylogeny of the species
 * https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4881349/

Impact:


 * Add a section about the impact this megafauna carnivore had on the ecosystem at the time
 * Also add why this bear grew to such an extreme size, and why the species then went extinct partially due to its size
 * https://www.livescience.com/11701-standing-11-feet-world-largest-bear-unearthed.html

Sources:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/23019499?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

https://www.livescience.com/11701-standing-11-feet-world-largest-bear-unearthed.html

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4881349/

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03115510902844418

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-paleontology/article/south-american-giant-s

hortfaced-bear-arctotherium-angustidens-diet-evidence-from-pathology-morphology-stab

le-isotopes-and-biomechanics/2616CEF2B348B1453C68EF26CF2858C9

Similar Wikipedia Article: Mammoth

We plan on formatting both our Equus and Arctotherium articles similarly to the Mammoth wikipedia article. The mammoth article is well researched and contains section titles relevant to our own article information, including a descriptive introduction paragraph, and sections on evolution, description, diet, and extinction.

**** Wikipedia Article: Equus lambei

Link to Original Article: Equus lambei

Introduction

Equus lambei (common names include Yukon horse, and Yukon wild horse[1]) is an extinct species of the genus Equus. Equus lambei ranged across North America until approximately 10,000 years ago. It probably was much like the extinct Tarpan and the living Przewalski's Horse of today.[ citation needed] A partial carcass of Equus lambei is on display at the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre in Whitehorse, Yukon.[1]

Evolution

Horses originated in North America about 4 million years ago and spread to Eurasia by crossing the Bering Land Bridge two to three million years ago. Following that original emigration, there were additional westward migrations to Asia and return migrations back to North America, as well as several extinctions of Equus species in North America. The Yukon wild horse, Equus lambei, is believed to have arisen in Beringia approximately 200,000 years ago.

Fossil discovery sites have been mainly concentrated in regions of Canada and Alaska. Notable sites include the Baillie Islands, Northwest Territories, Fairbanks and Ikpikpuk River, all of which are located in Alaska. As well as the Ketza River, Scottie Creek and Dawson City, all located in the Yukon.

In evaluating the origins and extinction of this species, the evidence uncovered at the Bluefish Caves site has provided much insight. This site has yielded the earliest record of human presence in the region at about 25,000 years before present. Fossils derived from these caves were radiocarbon dated between about 17,500 and 13,000 years ago. From this quantitative data it is inferred that E. lambei were extirpated from Beringia around 12,000 years ago. Although it is still debated, it is predicted that a combination of rapid climate change and human predation were likely the driving forces in the elimination of this species.

Evidence from E. lambei mtDNA has shown that Equus lambei is close relative of the modern wild horse, including the domestic horse, Equus caballus.[2][3][4] Controversy surrounds this species and the divergence of other similar species. Through examinations of the bones and teeth of Equus lambei, many similarities can be seen with the modern horse Equus caballus. There is also a strong resemblance to E. lambei in the metapodials of E. caballus przewalskii and the phalanges of E. caballus lenensis.

Metrical and morphological study of horse teeth from Bluefish confirms the close similarity between Equus lambei and wild and domestic horses alive today (Burke and Cinq-Mars, 1996). E. lambei is a caballus horse, not an ass. The closest resemblance to lambei is shown by the Recent Mongolian horse, E. caballus przewalskii, now believed to be extinct in the wild. In size and proportions, E. lambei resembles E. caballus przewalskii. Among living horses, perhaps the Yukon horse most closely resembles Przewalski's horse (Equus caballus przewalskii) from Mongolia. This species is now believed to be extinct in the wild. The upper foot bones (metapodials) of Equus lambei are slender compared to Przewalski's horse.The bone of E. lambei also closely resembles proximal phalanges of E. caballus lenensis, an extinct species from the late Pleistocene of Siberia.

Natural History

Along with steppe bison (Bison priscus), woolly mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius) and caribou (Rangifer tarandus), Equus lambei was one of the most common ice-age species known to occupy the steppe-like grasslands of Eastern Beringia.[3][4] This species is known from numerous teeth and bones, and one partial carcass discovered in 1993, that yielded a radiocarbon date of 26,280 ± 210 years BP.[3] The carcass consisted of a large part of the hide, a few tailbones, one lower leg, and some intestine. The hide retained some long blondish mane and tail hairs, coarse whitish upper body hairs, and dark brown hairs on the lower leg.[3] Large numbers of teeth of this species have been found in archaeological sites in the region.

Based on those fossil records, Equus lambei is believed to have been a small, slender, caballoid horse (about four ft tall), with a broad skull and a relatively long protocones. Specifically, the records indicates that this species had a multi-seasonal presence at the same territory and a social structure similar to other wild horses. Family herds included four to ten females with their young and an adult alpha stallion. The other males were gathered in less socially stable bachelor herds, and consist from groups of two to four adults (Waring, 1983; MacFadden, 1992).

Together, those group were non-selective grazers that forged mostly in a savannah-like regions with different territories (Berger, 1986). These horses were feeding mostly on grasses, sedges, poppies, mustards and other flowers such as buttercups and roses. Their prefered environment is believed to have been a woodland with spares clumps of trees. Overall, this species is considered to have been resistant to varying climatic conditions, although most individuals seemed to have died in the winter season. It is also likely that the Equus lambei was susceptible to wolf predation.

Inferring Management of Modern Species

Modern horses were reintroduced into North America beginning with the Spanish conquest, and escaped horses subsequently spread throughout the American Great Plains. The two key elements for defining an animal as a native species are: (1) where it originated, and (2) whether it coevolved with its current North American habitat. E. caballus can lay claim to both originating in North America, as well as evolving with the western North American landscape. Furthermore, evidence from E. lambei mtDNA now proves that modern horses are not so far removed from their ancient ancestors. So a good argument can be made that E. caballus, too, should enjoy protection as a form of native wildlife in North America. However, this topic is still highly debated by wild horse management agencies. This debate has significant implications to wildlife management in North America, including protection and conservation for modern species.

Link to Original Article: Equus lambei Introduction: Equus lambei (common names include Yukon horse, and Yukon wild horse[1][7]) is an extinct species of the genus Equus. Equus lambei ranged across North America until approximately 10,000 years ago. Based on recent examinations of the mtDNA of Equus lambei remains, scientists have concluded that E. lambei was probably was much like the extinct Tarpan, also known as the Eurasian wild horse, and the living Przewalski's Horse.[6][8] A partial carcass of Equus lambei is on display at the Yukon Beringia Interpretive Centre in Whitehorse, Yukon[1].
 * Final Wikipedia Article: Equus lambei

Evolution: Horses originated in North America about 4 million years ago and spread to Eurasia by crossing the Bering Land Bridge two to three million years ago[5]. Following that original emigration, there were additional westward migrations to Asia and return migrations back to North America, as well as several extinctions of Equus species in North America[5][8]. The Yukon wild horse, Equus lambei, is believed to have arisen in Beringia approximately 200,000 years ago[6][7]. Fossils of E. lambei have been primarily found in Canada and Alaska[6][8], including the Baillie Islands, Northwest Territories, Fairbanks and Ikpikpuk River in Alaska, and the Ketza River, Scottie Creek and Dawson City in the Yukon[6]. In evaluating the origins and extinction of E. lambei, E. lambei remains uncovered at the Bluefish Caves site have provided much insight[6]. The Bluefish Caves have yielded the earliest record of human presence in the Yukon at about 25,000 years before present[6]. Equus lambei fossils derived from these caves were radiocarbon dated between about 17,500 and 13,000 years ago[6][8]. From this quantitative data it is inferred that E. lambei were extirpated from Beringia around 12,000 years ago[8]. Although the cause of E. lambei's extinction is debated, it has been hypothesized that that a combination of rapid climate change and human hunting contributed to the elimination of this species[6][7][8].

Evidence from E. lambei mtDNA has shown that Equus lambei is close relative of the modern wild horse, including the domestic horse, Equus caballus[2][3][4][7]. Controversy still surrounds E. lambei and the divergence of other similar extinct horse species. Through examinations of the bones and teeth of Equus lambei, many similarities can be seen with the modern horse Equus caballus. There is also a strong resemblance to E. lambei in the metapodials of E. caballus przewalskii and the phalanges of E. caballus lenensis [7].

Metrical and morphological studies of horse teeth from the Bluefish Caves confirm the close similarity between Equus lambei with wild and domestic horses alive today[6]. E. lambei is a caballus horse, not an ass[7]. The closest resemblance to E. lambei is shown by the Mongolian horse, E. caballus przewalskii, now believed to be extinct in the wild. In size and proportions, E. lambei resembles E. caballus przewalskii. Among living horses, perhaps the Yukon horse most closely resembles the Przewalski's horse (Equus caballus przewalskii) from Mongolia [7]. The upper foot bones (metapodials) of Equus lambei are slender compared to Przewalski's horse[7]. The bones of E. lambei also closely resemble the proximal phalanges of E. caballus lenensis, an extinct species from the late Pleistocene of Siberia [8].

Natural History: Along with steppe bison (Bison priscus), woolly mammoths (Mammuthus primigenius) and caribou (Rangifer tarandus), Equus lambei was one of the most common ice-age species known to occupy the steppe-like grasslands of Eastern Beringia[3][4]. E. lambei can be identified by numerous teeth and bones, and one partial carcass discovered in 1993. This E. lambei carcass yielded a radiocarbon date of 26,280 ± 210 years BP[3][6]. The carcass consisted of a large part of the hide, a few tailbones, one lower leg, and some intestine. The hide retained some long blondish mane and tail hairs, coarse whitish upper body hairs, and dark brown hairs on the lower leg[3][6][7]. Large numbers of E. lambei teeth have been found in archaeological sites in the Yukon[7][8]. Based on the fossil records discovered in the Yukon, Equus lambei is believed to have been a small, slender, caballoid horse (about four ft tall), with a broad skull and a relatively long protocones [6][8]. Specifically, the records indicates that E. lambei had a multi-seasonal presence in the same region as other horse species, and a social structure similar to other wild horses. Family herds included four to ten females with their young and an adult alpha stallion[6][7]. Other males were gathered in less socially stable bachelor herds, and consist from groups of two to four adults[8][9]. These two herds did not often share territories[5]. Both family and bachelor herds were non-selective grazers that forged mostly in a savannah-like regions[5]. These horses fed mostly on grasses, sedges, poppies, mustards, and other flowers such as buttercups and roses. Equus lambei’s prefered environment is believed to have been a woodland with sparse clumps of trees. Overall, E. lambei is considered to have been resistant to varying climatic conditions, although most individuals of this species seemed to have died in the winter season. It is also likely that the Equus lambei was susceptible to wolf predation [6][9].

Inferring Management of Modern Species: Modern horses were reintroduced into North America beginning with the Spanish conquest, and escaped horses subsequently spread throughout the American Great Plains. The two key elements for defining an animal as a native species are: (1) where it originated, and (2) whether it coevolved with its current North American habitat. E. caballus can lay claim to both originating in North America, as well as evolving with the western North American landscape[5][9]. Furthermore, evidence from E. lambei mtDNA now proves that modern horses are not so far removed from their ancient ancestors. Many scientists believe that a good argument can be made that E. caballus, too, should receive protection as a form of native wildlife in North America. However, this topic is still highly debated by wild horse management agencies. This debate has significant implications to wildlife management in North America, including protection and conservation for modern species.�

Reference List: Berger, J. 1986. Wild horses of the Great Basin. Chicago, Illinois: University of Chicago Press. Burke, A., and J. Cinq-Mars. Paleoethological Reconstruction and Taphonomy of Equus Lambei from the Bluefish Caves, Yukon Territory, Canada. Arctic, vol. 51, no. 2, University of Calgary, Jan. 1998, pp. 105–15. Forsten, Ann. “Equus Lambei Hay, the Yukon Wild Horse, Not Ass.” Journal of Mammalogy, vol. 67, no. 2, 1986, pp. 422–23. MacFadden, B.J. 1992. Fossil horses: Systematics, paleobiology and evolution of the family Equidae. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. Waring, G.H. 1983. Horse behavior: The behavioral traits and adaptations of domestic and wild horses, including ponies. Park Ridge, New Jersey: Noyes Publications.

Images: https://www.nps.gov/bela/learn/historyculture/the-bering-land-bridge-theory.htm http://www.tc.gov.yk.ca/pdf/FossilsAndPlacerMines_BMP.pdf http://www.beringia.com/exhibit/ice-age-animals/yukon-horse