Assessing Paleoenvironmental Change of a Boca Raton Inlet Through Midden Artifact Analysis

In this archeological study of a shell midden, we evaluate possible environmental and cultural changes that occurred through time by performing a quantitative analysis of shell artifacts of Giant False Donax (Iphigenia brasiliana) and Common Atlantic Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) collected from the shell midden. Middens are archeological trash sites used by researchers to identify artifacts used by past populations to understand their behaviors. The artifacts collected in shallow portion of the midden are younger (therein representing more recent time periods) and the artifacts collected at the deeper portion are older artifacts (therein representing older time periods). The main goals of this study are 1) Characterize the Giant False Donax in the South Florida Midden as previous studies were only performed in Brazil. 2) Evaluate shell size and morphology change in Common Atlantic Oyster and Giant False Donax with depth through time, and 3) Analyze shell assemblage data and the abundance of parasitic sponges on the Common Atlantic Oyster as indicators of environmental change with depth and through time. Combining these three points together will provide a cohesive story of how the environment changed through time and potentially impacted Oyster and Donax shell morphology. Note: While I requested an oral presentation, if I am not selected for that I would like to present a poster under the category of sustainability