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Assessment Questions 8.6
1. How did the end of the Pleistocene impact the subsistence focus of human groups in South America?
The end of the Pleistocene led to changes in climate and subsistence focus in South America. Some groups became highly specialized in exploiting individual species, while others broadened their subsistence quest.
2. Give an example of a subsistence shift in South America after the Pleistocene, particularly involving large game animals.
With the extinction of Pleistocene species like mastodon, horse, glyptodont, and megatherium, some groups shifted their focus to the remaining large game animals—camelids. An example is the subsistence focus on vicuña hunting at Pachamachay Cave in the Peruvian Andes.
3. What are South American camels, and how are they related to llamas and alpacas?
South American camels include the wild guanaco and vicuña, with llamas and alpacas being the domesticated versions. They are large ruminant animals.