Carrying capacity and meat availability for the Neanderthal groups in the upper valley of the Lozoya River (Madrid, Spain): a key region for the study of their ecosystems in Central Iberia

Abstract

Located in the upper valley of the Lozoya River, Cueva del Camino (Madrid, Spain) is one of the richest Early Pleistocene paleontological sites in the Iberian Peninsula. The results of the work carried out over the last three decades have led to the interpretation of the site as a hyena den with intermittent human presence. The faunal assemblage of layer 05 of Cueva del Camino dates to about 90 ka (MIS 5c) and includes small, medium, and large mammals. The presence of lithic industry and Neanderthal remains provide valuable insights into the strategies of past human groups in their access to animal resources. This study aims to determine the ecological conditions and availability of meat resources in the large mammal paleocommunity of Cueva del Camino by estimating carrying capacity (CC) and meat availability (TAB) in the upper valley of the Lozoya River. The estimates show a predominance of species with extreme body masses (either very small or very large) for CC, while TAB is mostly concentrated in small species. To evaluate and contextualize these estimates, the results were compared with other Pleistocene paleoecosystems of the Iberian Peninsula and with modern ecosystems. The upper valley of the Lozoya River reflects similar conditions to some Pleistocene faunal assemblages in Sierra de Atapuerca, such as Gran Dolina and Galería, and to the Serengeti National Park in the case of modern ecosystems. Based on density estimates and population size, the upper valley of the Lozoya River closely resembles populations of contemporary hunter-gatherer groups, and its conditions may have been sufficient to support a Neanderthal group of approximately 34 individuals.