Archaeobiology and Palaeoecology team

At the crossroads of palaeoecology, archaeobiology, and evolutionary biology, the Archaeobiology
and Palaeoecology team (ArcheoPal) investigates the history of biodiversity and socio-ecosystems across multiple temporal scales, primarily from the Quaternary to the late Holocene. Rooted in the Mediterranean basin, our research examines interactions between human societies and their environments through the combined study of landscapes, biological resources, and practices of living resource exploitation.
The team employs complementary approaches drawn from archaeobiology (carpology, anthracology, archaeozoology, palynology), palaeobotany, and functional ecology to reconstruct the trajectories of agrosystems, forests, and anthropogenic environments. Particular attention is paid to the biological and cultural histories of domesticated plant and animal species (vine, olive, argan tree, cereals, fruit trees, pig, sheep, goats), by analysing their evolutionary dynamics, processes of selection, diffusion, and adaptation, as well as their roles in shaping past landscapes and socio-economic systems.