New Insights into Serbian Cave Bear (Ursus spelaeus) Diet and Ecology Using Bone Collagen δ13C and δ15N Analysis in the Context of European Cave Bear Extinction

Abstract

The extinction of the cave bears (Ursus spelaeus) and the factors leading to their demise have been widely discussed. Environmental change, dietary inflexibility, human predation, and resource competition all potentially contributed to their decline. Determining the ecological and dietary behaviour of cave bears is crucial in contextualising their extinction. Here, bone collagen δ13C and δ15N evidence from the site of Šalitrena Pećina (Serbia), from a cave bear population dating to 40.2–37.9 kyr cal. BP is used to explore their dietary behaviour. Large ranges in δ13C and δ15N values suggest consumption of varied plants across an isotopically diverse landscape. Pan-European comparisons of cave bear δ13C and δ15N values are indicative of local adaptions to the landscape with flexibility in plant types consumed across different ecological zones. A mosaic pattern of extinction, influenced by habitat and environmental pressures associated with cooling conditions likely impacted on extinction of the species. Reflecting on the ecology of cave bears, can help to support conservation efforts for species under threat today. European brown bears (Ursus arctos), mirror past cave bear population distributions. Supporting habitat creation and connectivity between populations may help to minimise the impact of environmental change and anthropogenic activity on European brown bears.