FAUNMAP- An Electronic Database Documenting Late Quaternary Distributions of Mammal Species

Understanding these processes will also facilitate paleoenvironmental reconstructions. For the past four years, data have been captured from paleontological and archaeological sites that contain mammalian remains. There are currently encoded data from 2919 sites.

FAUNMAP focuses on sites in the contiguous 48 states during the last 40,000 years, i.e., 40 ka, or essentially the limits of radiocarbon dating. Data were derived from the scientific literature, including selected theses and contract reports. Information on site names and numbers, location, relative and absolute chronologies, including cultural associations, depositional systems, taphonomic attributes, and mammal species from each site was recorded.

The structure of the database allows for differentiation of the smallest component of a site, e.g., microstratigraphy, cultural component, etc., as defined by the original author. This information is then linked with an electronic bibliography documenting data sources. Faunmap is available online from: museum.state.il.us/research/faunmap/aboutfaunmap.html Faunmap is also available as part of the CHRONOS system: portal.chronos.org/gridsphere/gridsphere