Understanding foraging radius and mobility in a high desert

Abstract

We examine botanical and lithic assemblages from two rock-shelters in a high elevation desert in NW Argentina in order to understand the relationship between the size of foraging radii, territorial ranges and habitat quality during the Early and Middle Holocene (ca. 8300-6200BP). We find an increase in foraging radii associated with declining habitat quality and propose a shift from complete radius leapfrog to a point-to-point mobility pattern. The use of nonlocal plants and obsidian suggest large territorial ranges, as well as wide interaction networks between the Puna and neighboring lowlands to the east.