View article

In this article, we use a multiproxy approach based on stable isotope analyses (δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C), mesowear, and microwear dental analysis to reconstruct the climate, diet, and habitat of Plio-Pleistocene herbivores at the site of Ahl al Oughlam in western Morocco. This study has been conducted on teeth from several taxa (Sivatherium maurusium, Hipparion pomeli, Metridiochoerus phacochoeroides, Gazella sp., Alcelaphini and Anancus osiris), enabling a robust ecological reconstruction. Our isotopic results suggest a predominance of C₃ plant consumption for all analyzed species, while dental wear indicates a varied diet, with evidence for both browsing and grazing behavior being present. The combination of proxies indicates a landscape dominated by open C₃ grasslands in an arid climate, as supported by the Mean Annual Precipitation (MAP) results. These findings contribute to the ongoing debate on the …