Papers by Morgan Disspain
Journal of Archaeological Science, 2011
Otoliths are calcium carbonate structures found in the inner ear of teleost fish. While they are ... more Otoliths are calcium carbonate structures found in the inner ear of teleost fish. While they are routinely studied by marine scientists, analyses of otoliths recovered from archaeological sites in Australia and the Pacific have generally been restricted to identification of species and sometimes the fish age. Otoliths can also provide information on the season of catch, and, through trace element
Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 2016
Otoliths are small structures found in the inner ear of teleost fish that act as organs of equili... more Otoliths are small structures found in the inner ear of teleost fish that act as organs of equilibrium and as direction and sound detectors. They possess unique characteristics that set them apart from other skeletal structures, notably a continuous growth structure deposited on a daily basis. While otolith analyses are widely employed in modern fisheries studies, they have slowly been increasing within archaeological and palaeoenvironmental research. This paper overviews the development and future prospects of otolith studies in archaeology. The main methods of analysis are outlined and major advances and research in each area detailed. In spite of some limitations, the benefits and unique information that otolith analyses can provide ensure that otoliths should be an important part of archaeological research. Continuing development of methods and technologies within this area will serve to further increase the importance and use of otoliths, while raising the profile of this unique resource.
Fish otoliths are bony structures found in the inner ear of teleost fish. Their morphological and... more Fish otoliths are bony structures found in the inner ear of teleost fish. Their morphological and chemical properties provide excellent environmental and anthropogenic proxies. Otolith analyses are widely employed in modern fisheries studies, and have been increasing within archaeological and palaeoenvironmental research. This thesis investigates the use of otoliths in archaeological research, and evaluates the reliability of the data obtained from such analyses. The main objectives are to: (1) overview and synthesise the development and future prospects of otolith studies in archaeology; (2) investigate the reliability of archaeological fish otoliths as proxies for environmental change through the use of experimental archaeology; and (3) explore various applications of archaeological otolith analyses by applying experimental, documentary, isotopic, trace element and morphological methods to otoliths, thereby investigating what they can tell us about past environments, fish populati...
Australian Archaeology, 2020
Little is known about cultural change on the inlets of the northern subcoastal plains of the Alli... more Little is known about cultural change on the inlets of the northern subcoastal plains of the Alligator Rivers region during the transition period between sea-level highstand c.8,000 BP and the establishment of freshwater wetlands (c.2,000 BP to present). The research presented here begins to fill this gap by illustrating differences in Indigenous land-use at two sites only a few kilometres apart and both dating to c.1,000 years ago. Located on the lower reaches of the South Alligator River within what is now Kakadu National Park, the earth mound Myaranji 1 and the shell midden Djindibi 1 provide a snapshot of settlement and subsistence strategies practiced on the floodplains in the late Holocene. This paper presents the analyses of the cultural materials recovered from these two open sites, including those of invertebrate and vertebrate faunal remains, shell and stone artefacts, and pigment on artefacts. Interpretation of the data suggests that occupation was relatively short-lived. Differential representation of food resources indicates that each site was occupied in different seasons. Both local manufacture and regional connectivity are suggested by ochre use and stone artefact working. Evidence from other regional sites implies a subsequent focus for settlement to the south and east.
Fisheries Research, 2018
Native fish populations have been strongly impacted by fishing, habitat alteration and the introd... more Native fish populations have been strongly impacted by fishing, habitat alteration and the introduction of invasive species. Understanding the dynamics of native fish populations prior to commercial fishing can be problematic, but provides critical baseline data for fish conservation, rehabilitation and management. We combined fish size, age and growth data, as well as month of catch data, from archaeological fish otoliths (1670-1308 cal BP to 409-1 cal BP), historical anecdotes (AD 1871-2000), and contemporary data sources (AD 1984-2014) to examine changes to mulloway, Argyrosomus japonicus, populations in the waters of eastern South Australia. We found that the data from the three different sources-archaeological, historical and contemporary-corroborate each other in many aspects. The time of catch for all three datasets was seasonal, with increases evident during the summer months. No significant changes in fish length over time were evident over the time span of the three data sources. Given the impact that fishing in the region is regarded to have had, this may imply that while the maximum recorded sizes of the species have remained stable, the abundance of these large specimens may have declined.
Journal of Archaeological Science, 2016
M. (2016) Do fish remains provide reliable palaeoenvironmental records? An examination of the eff... more M. (2016) Do fish remains provide reliable palaeoenvironmental records? An examination of the effects of cooking on the morphology and chemistry of fish otoliths, vertebrae and scales. Journal of Archaeological Science, 74 pp. 45-59.
The Journal of Island and Coastal Archaeology, 2016
The bountiful marine resources of the northern Chilean coast offset the extreme aridity of the At... more The bountiful marine resources of the northern Chilean coast offset the extreme aridity of the Atacama Desert in pre-Columbian times, underwriting permanent human occupation, and providing the basis for a long tradition of marine subsistence. We analysed fish otoliths (n=549) recovered from the sites of Camarones Punta Norte (occupied ca 7000-5000 years ago) and Caleta Vitor (occupied ca 9500-300 years ago) to investigate species distribution and changes over time. We also estimated the size of the fish based on relationships between otolith weight and fish total length (TL) obtained from modern samples of the predominant species, Sciaena deliciosa. The estimated size range of S. deliciosa from Caleta Vitor included fish that were significantly larger than those from Camarones Punta Norte, with the maximum TL (970 mm) almost double the modern maximum length documented. The fluctuating abundance of fish species and other marine taxa from Camarones Punta Norte indicates intense but sporadic use of the site over the span of occupation. In contrast, human occupation of the Caleta Vitor estuary is more continuous. Comparisons of the fish assemblages with a nearby contemporaneous site, Quebrada de los Burros in southern Peru, suggest that fishing technologies were similar along this section of the Pacific coast.
Australian Archaeology, 2010
Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, 2017
Exploiting the chemical and growth properties of otoliths, this study demonstrates how environmen... more Exploiting the chemical and growth properties of otoliths, this study demonstrates how environmental archives with high temporal resolution can be developed. Elemental profiles (Ba:Ca and Sr:Ca) of fish otoliths (ear bones) from the estuarine species Acanthopagrus butcheri (black bream) were related to growth increments on a seasonal time scale. A series of mixed effects models were used to investigate biological, temporal, and environmental factors influencing seasonal otolith elemental profiles. Resultant seasonally resolved chemical chronologies were correlated with environmental data (i.e., salinity) to develop an element–salinity regression function, which when fit to an independently derived chemical chronology showed strong agreement between reconstructed and recorded salinities. Support for the element–salinity regression function through independent verification provided confidence in environmental reconstructions derived from an archaeological otolith. This suggests otolit...
Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries, 2016
Anthropogenic impacts have shifted aquatic ecosystems far from prehistoric baseline states; yet, ... more Anthropogenic impacts have shifted aquatic ecosystems far from prehistoric baseline states; yet, understanding these impacts is impeded by a lack of available long-term data that realistically reflects the organisms and their habitats prior to human disturbance. Fish are excellent, and largely underused, proxies for elucidating the degree, direction and scale of shifts in aquatic ecosystems. This paper highlights potential sources of qualitative and quantitative data derived from contemporary, archived and ancient fish samples, and then, using key examples, discusses the types of long-term temporal information that can be obtained. This paper identifies future research needs with a focus on the Southern Hemisphere, as baseline shifts are poorly described relative to the Northern Hemisphere. Temporal data sourced from fish can improve our understanding of how aquatic ecosystems have changed, particularly when multiple sources of data are used, enhancing our ability to interpret the current state of aquatic ecosystems and establish effective measures to safeguard against further adverse shifts. The range of biological, ecological and environmental data obtained from fish can be integrated to better define ecosystem baseline states on which to establish policy goals for future conservation and exploitation practices.
Increasing collaborations between archaeologists, marine ecologists and other scientists are deve... more Increasing collaborations between archaeologists, marine ecologists and other scientists are developing new methods for recognising and measuring the impacts that Indigenous people had on coastal environments. One particularly promising avenue of research for achieving this is through the study of otoliths (fish ear bones). Otoliths can be identified to species level, record the age and growth of a fish from the date of hatch to the time of death, and, through trace element analysis, allow the reconstruction of palaeoenvironmental conditions including water temperature and salinity. Otoliths recovered from the archaeological record can provide valuable archives of ecological patterns, climate change and by inference, associated human responses. However, most analyses of archaeological otoliths in Australia to date have focussed on identifying only the species and sometimes the age of the fish, with more detailed geochemical studies not pursued. This thesis presents results from a pilot study of archaeological otoliths from middens along the Coorong (n=23), and Lower Murray River (n=14), dating from the mid-to-late Holocene. Results demonstrate that the majority of the fish (identified as Argyrosomus japonicus and Acanthopagrus butcheri in the Coorong, and Maccullochella peelii peelii and Macquaria ambigua in the Lower Murray) were caught in freshwater environments during the warm season, and had grown to an age and size indicative of sexual maturity. These observations accord with Ngarrindjeri oral tradition concerning sustainable management strategies. However, despite the implementation of such strategies, human predation had an impact on the population dynamics of the dominant species. It is tentatively suggested that A. japonicus experienced a decrease in fish size and an increase in fish age over time, and Maccullochella peelii peelii experienced a decrease in both fish age and size through time, with the larger of the two species struggling to recover from population decline. This study provides data supporting the argument that people have significantly altered the waterways of the Coorong and Lower Murray. Trace element data of otoliths associated with dates from c.6500 BP to c.200 BP revealed fluctuating levels of salinity in the river and the estuary significantly lower than the hypersaline conditions experienced in some areas today. The data also provide information about subsistence strategies of the Indigenous population, and their adaptations to the changing climate and resource availability. Ultimately, this project provides a foundation for further development of geochemical analyses of otoliths within archaeological investigations.
Archaeology in Oceania, 2012
We analysed otoliths from excavations along the Lower Murray River (n=24), dating from the mid-to... more We analysed otoliths from excavations along the Lower Murray River (n=24), dating from the mid-to late-Holocene period. We identified the species, and estimated the size and age of fish. The potential habitat that fish used throughout their life was estimated from chemical information in the otoliths. The majority of the fish (identified as Maccullochella peelii n=22 and Macquaria ambigua n=2) were caught in freshwater environments during the warm season, and had grown to an age and size indicative of sexual maturity. These observations accord with Ngarrindjeri oral tradition concerning sustainable management strategies. Data indicate that M. peelii grew to a significantly larger size than present fish; historical data suggests this size reduction may be the result of European fishing practices, introduced species and habitat degradation. The study demonstrates the unique nature of otoliths and their potential for investigating Indigenous subsistence strategies.
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates (n=20) determined on fish otoliths from mul... more Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates (n=20) determined on fish otoliths from mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) and black bream (Acanthopagrus butcheri) are reported from five sites at Long Point, Coorong, South Australia. The dates range from 2938–2529 to 326–1 cal. BP, extending the known period of occupation of Long Point. Previous dating at the sites indicated intensive occupation of the area from 2455–2134 cal. BP. Results provide a detailed local chronology for the region, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of Aboriginal use of Ngarrindjeri lands and waters. This study validates the use of fish otoliths for radiocarbon dating and reveals how dating different materials can result in different midden chronologies.
Australian Archaeology, 2020
Little is known about cultural change on the inlets of the northern subcoastal plains of the Alli... more Little is known about cultural change on the inlets of the northern subcoastal plains of the Alligator Rivers region during the transition period between sea-level highstand c.8,000 BP and the establishment of freshwater wetlands (c.2,000 BP to present). The research presented
here begins to fill this gap by illustrating differences in Indigenous land-use at two sites only a few kilometres apart and both dating to c.1,000 years ago. Located on the lower reaches of the South Alligator River within what is now Kakadu National Park, the earth mound Myaranji 1 and the shell midden Djindibi 1 provide a snapshot of settlement and subsistence strategies practiced on the floodplains in the late Holocene. This paper presents the analyses of the cultural materials recovered from these two open sites, including those of invertebrate and vertebrate faunal remains, shell and stone artefacts, and pigment on artefacts. Interpretation of the data suggests that occupation was relatively short-lived. Differential representation of food resources indicates that each site was occupied in different seasons. Both local manufacture and regional connectivity are suggested by ochre use and stone artefact working. Evidence from other regional sites implies a subsequent focus for settlement to the south and east.
Native fish populations have been strongly impacted by fishing, habitat alteration and the introd... more Native fish populations have been strongly impacted by fishing, habitat alteration and the introduction of invasive species. Understanding the dynamics of native fish populations prior to commercial fishing can be problematic, but provides critical baseline data for fish conservation, rehabilitation and management. We combined fish size, age and growth data, as well as month of catch data, from archaeological fish otoliths (1670–1308 cal BP to 409–1 cal BP), historical anecdotes (CE 1871–1999), and contemporary data sources (CE 1984–2014) to examine changes to mulloway, Argyrosomus japonicus, populations in the waters of eastern South Australia. We found that the data from the three different sources – archaeological, historical and contemporary – corroborate each other in many aspects. The time of catch for all three datasets was seasonal, with increases evident during the summer months. No significant changes in fish length over time were evident over the time span of the three data sources. Given the impact that fishing in the region is regarded to have had, this may imply that while the maximum recorded sizes of the species have remained stable, the abundance of these large specimens may have declined.
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates (n=20) determined on fish otoliths from mul... more Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates (n=20) determined on fish otoliths from mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) and black bream (Acanthopagrus butcheri) are reported from five sites at Long Point, Coorong, South Australia. The dates range from 2938–2529 to 326–1 cal. BP, extending the known period of occupation of Long Point. Previous dating at the sites indicated intensive occupation of the area from 2455–2134 cal. BP. Results provide a detailed local chronology for the region, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of Aboriginal use of
Ngarrindjeri lands and waters. This study validates the use of fish otoliths for radiocarbon dating and reveals how dating different materials can result in different
midden chronologies.
Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates (n=20) determined on fish otoliths from mul... more Accelerator Mass Spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates (n=20) determined on fish otoliths from mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) and black bream (Acanthopagrus butcheri) are reported from five sites at Long Point, Coorong, South Australia. The dates range from 2938–2529 to 326–1 cal. BP, extending the known period of occupation of Long Point. Previous dating at the sites indicated intensive occupation of the area from 2455–2134 cal. BP. Results provide a detailed local chronology for the region, contributing to a more comprehensive understanding of Aboriginal use of Ngarrindjeri lands and waters. This study validates the use of fish otoliths for radiocarbon dating and reveals how dating different materials can result in different midden chronologies.
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Papers by Morgan Disspain
here begins to fill this gap by illustrating differences in Indigenous land-use at two sites only a few kilometres apart and both dating to c.1,000 years ago. Located on the lower reaches of the South Alligator River within what is now Kakadu National Park, the earth mound Myaranji 1 and the shell midden Djindibi 1 provide a snapshot of settlement and subsistence strategies practiced on the floodplains in the late Holocene. This paper presents the analyses of the cultural materials recovered from these two open sites, including those of invertebrate and vertebrate faunal remains, shell and stone artefacts, and pigment on artefacts. Interpretation of the data suggests that occupation was relatively short-lived. Differential representation of food resources indicates that each site was occupied in different seasons. Both local manufacture and regional connectivity are suggested by ochre use and stone artefact working. Evidence from other regional sites implies a subsequent focus for settlement to the south and east.
Ngarrindjeri lands and waters. This study validates the use of fish otoliths for radiocarbon dating and reveals how dating different materials can result in different
midden chronologies.
here begins to fill this gap by illustrating differences in Indigenous land-use at two sites only a few kilometres apart and both dating to c.1,000 years ago. Located on the lower reaches of the South Alligator River within what is now Kakadu National Park, the earth mound Myaranji 1 and the shell midden Djindibi 1 provide a snapshot of settlement and subsistence strategies practiced on the floodplains in the late Holocene. This paper presents the analyses of the cultural materials recovered from these two open sites, including those of invertebrate and vertebrate faunal remains, shell and stone artefacts, and pigment on artefacts. Interpretation of the data suggests that occupation was relatively short-lived. Differential representation of food resources indicates that each site was occupied in different seasons. Both local manufacture and regional connectivity are suggested by ochre use and stone artefact working. Evidence from other regional sites implies a subsequent focus for settlement to the south and east.
Ngarrindjeri lands and waters. This study validates the use of fish otoliths for radiocarbon dating and reveals how dating different materials can result in different
midden chronologies.