Multiproxy analysis on Indian wild ass (Equus hemionus khur) dung from Little Rann of Western India and its implications for the palaeoecology and archaeology of arid regions

The dung of the Indian wild ass was analyzed using biotic and abiotic proxies to determine its dietary habits in relation to the plant diversity and ecology in the arid region of western India. The presence of both micro and macrobotanical remains of Poaceae, Chenopodiaceae, and Fabaceae indicates they are the primary food plants of the wild ass. The continuous recovery of arboreal pollen taxa chiefly, Prosopis, Acacia, and Ephedra is indicative of dry thorny forest under semi-arid to arid conditions which display the existing vegetation and climate in the region. The recovery of marshy pollen taxa like Cyperaceae and Onagraceae along with Arcella indicates utilization of water-logged environments in the habitat. Spores of coprophilous fungi, Sporormiella, Sordaria, and Podospora are also present in the dung samples. The low value of stellate trichomes in winter dung samples reflects the seasonal migration of wild ass. Average δ13C values ranging between −15.8‰ and–26.3‰ are indicative of a mixed diet of both C3 and C4 plants. The generated multiproxy data from dung samples can provide a reliable counterpart to modern data for the interpretation of the palaeoecology in relation to the palaeoherbivory and palaeodietary analysis in the region. This study also provides a basis to distinguish between wild and domesticated herbivores by analyzing coprolites and cultural sediments in archaeological sites.