Ancient elephant tooth reveals 700,000-year-old ecosystem
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Researchers in northern Israel studied a tooth from Palaeoloxodon antiquus, the straight-tusked elephant, to reconstruct the environment that existed 700,000 years ago.
Hannah Farrell of Haifa University led a team that analysed the tooth, along with other fossils excavated from the Gesher Benot Ya’aqov site in the Jordan Rift Valley. They combined CT scans, 3D reconstruction, and chemical analysis to learn about the elephant’s life and surroundings. The team discovered evidence of a landscape with woodlands, grasslands, marshes, and rivers.
Carbon isotope analysis of the tooth showed the elephant lived in an area with consistent access to water, and pollen samples confirmed the presence of reeds, sedges, and other aquatic plants. This research suggests the Hula Valley region served as a stable ecological refuge within the Levantine Corridor, a land bridge between Africa and Eurasia. The reliable water and food resources likely attracted both animals and early humans, who also left behind stone tools at the site.
Professor Gonen Sharon of Tel-Hai University explained that studying past environments helps scientists understand how humans and animals adapted to change.
