The "Flinstone Hypothesis": Researchers Examine the Use of Paleozoological Data for Conservation Science

A team led by Evan Peacock (Mississippi State University, Dept. Anthropology & Middle Eastern Cultures) and comprising UNT alumnus Charles Randklev (now Texas A&M), Steve Wolverton (UNT Geography), and other scientists has identified a fundamental issue regarding paleozoological contributions to conservation biology. According to their 'Flinstone Hypothesis', biologists and ecologists often dismiss archaeological data on past animal distributions because of the belief that such data passed through the 'cultural filter' of human use. Thus, such data are geographically biased and do not necessarily represent past animal distributions that might otherwise be useful for targeting baseline ecological conditions for conservation purposes. One scientist has even suggested that mussel shells were similar to currency, and would have traveled long distances from their points of origin (despite the fact that shells are often found in middens [trash deposits] in the thousands). This impression has been difficult to refute, because critics typically voice their opinions in non-peer-reviewed contexts, such as at scholarly conferences or in technical reports. To address this concern, the interdisciplinary team of scientists published a paper in Ecological Applications (forthcoming 2012) on freshwater mussel remains from archaeological sites in Mississippi. They applied statistical and isotopic chemistry approaches to assess the validity of using zooarchaeological remains to representatively sample past stream conditions. Analyses show that these data may be stronger than modern datasets on mussel distributions. The publication represents an important step forward in integrating conservation paleozoology (the use of animal remains from the past to weigh in on modern conservation issues) into mainstream conservation biology.