ASB 222 exam 2 Questions and
Answers 2026
What are some Methods of Identifying Environmental Effects - answer1.) Sea Cores
2.) Ice Cores
Sea Cores - answer Sediments at the bottom of the sea that accumulates very slowly.
-Most of that sediments are made up of small dead microorganisms
-utilized by looking at the stratigraphy’s by studying the layers
How does global climate affect sea cores? - answer1.)Temperature will affect which
species thrives: some in hot water, cold water
2.)The water temperature will affect the direction in which their shells form
3.) Most important: the global temperature will affect the chemistry of the shell.
How does global temperatue affect - answerThe proportions of light to heavy oxygen in
water will fluctuate with global climate
-This can help us reconstruct global climate
-We use fluctuations in light/heavy oxygen in foraminiferan shell to track climate
change. We track the ratio of light to heavy water.
Ice Cores - answerEach individual layer can help determine what season, climate was
like back then.
-a sample of layers of snow and ice that have collected over a period of a series of
years that offers a continuous record of events and conditions.
What are some macrobotanical remains? - answer-seeds and fruits
-PLant Residues
-wood (charcoal)
-Fossil pack rats nests (The rats are grabbing stuff in order to help create their nests
The fossilized nest can be preserved for thousands for years and help discover what
had occurred in local area)
What are examples of micobotanical remains? - answerPollen (palynology)
What is palynology? - answer-Most powerful tool for reconstructing a local environment
in archaeological science.
-Pollen grains are microorganisms that are being shedded from plants and spread to
the atmosphere.
-Preserves extremely well and can survive for thousands of years.
What can be used as human remains in bioarcharology? - answer-bones
, -flesh and tissues (rarely preserved)
- the shape of the bodies after they have disappeared.
- cremations
How can archaeologists determine the sex of human remains in bioarchaeology? -
answer- size; body dimorphism
- specific bones such as the pelvic bone
How can it be difficult to determine the sex/age of children? - answerthe body
morphology doesn't apply to children because their body and bone structures have not
developed fully yet.
How can archaeologist determine the age of an individual? - answer- teeth (teeth
eruption patterns, growth rings)
- bone fusion (with age, the bones begin to fuse together)
- plates on the skull (the skull increases in thickness as we age).
What is paleopathology? - answera way to look at ancient people/animals' quality of life
What examples can be found in the bones or bodies of human remains that can give
insight in the person's quality of life? - answer-bacteria, parasites and viruses
-trauma in bones (fractures)
-Diseases in bones (diseases leave lesions in the bones)
When a body has disease in the bones, what are some growth arrest features? -
answer-when the body is sick, growth stops in the bones. When the body recovers
again, the bones make indentment in the bones that can be discovered through x-rays.
What are Harris Lines? - answerHarris Lines are lines in bones that indicate arrested
growth when a human experiences illness or disease.
-overtime the harris lines slowlt fade away as age goes on.
What is enamel hypoplasia? - answerwhen the body experiences illness, lines occur on
the teeth that can be see through telescopic examination.
-in contrast to Harris Lines, the lines stay permanently.
When do archaeologist date the early hominins? - answer6-7 MYA
How was the environment of early hominins? - answerwoodland/savannas in Africa
-dry
what makes a human? - answer-bipedal, locomotion
-larger brain
-longer juvenile period
-complex foraging techniques
-depend on elaborate material culture
Answers 2026
What are some Methods of Identifying Environmental Effects - answer1.) Sea Cores
2.) Ice Cores
Sea Cores - answer Sediments at the bottom of the sea that accumulates very slowly.
-Most of that sediments are made up of small dead microorganisms
-utilized by looking at the stratigraphy’s by studying the layers
How does global climate affect sea cores? - answer1.)Temperature will affect which
species thrives: some in hot water, cold water
2.)The water temperature will affect the direction in which their shells form
3.) Most important: the global temperature will affect the chemistry of the shell.
How does global temperatue affect - answerThe proportions of light to heavy oxygen in
water will fluctuate with global climate
-This can help us reconstruct global climate
-We use fluctuations in light/heavy oxygen in foraminiferan shell to track climate
change. We track the ratio of light to heavy water.
Ice Cores - answerEach individual layer can help determine what season, climate was
like back then.
-a sample of layers of snow and ice that have collected over a period of a series of
years that offers a continuous record of events and conditions.
What are some macrobotanical remains? - answer-seeds and fruits
-PLant Residues
-wood (charcoal)
-Fossil pack rats nests (The rats are grabbing stuff in order to help create their nests
The fossilized nest can be preserved for thousands for years and help discover what
had occurred in local area)
What are examples of micobotanical remains? - answerPollen (palynology)
What is palynology? - answer-Most powerful tool for reconstructing a local environment
in archaeological science.
-Pollen grains are microorganisms that are being shedded from plants and spread to
the atmosphere.
-Preserves extremely well and can survive for thousands of years.
What can be used as human remains in bioarcharology? - answer-bones
, -flesh and tissues (rarely preserved)
- the shape of the bodies after they have disappeared.
- cremations
How can archaeologists determine the sex of human remains in bioarchaeology? -
answer- size; body dimorphism
- specific bones such as the pelvic bone
How can it be difficult to determine the sex/age of children? - answerthe body
morphology doesn't apply to children because their body and bone structures have not
developed fully yet.
How can archaeologist determine the age of an individual? - answer- teeth (teeth
eruption patterns, growth rings)
- bone fusion (with age, the bones begin to fuse together)
- plates on the skull (the skull increases in thickness as we age).
What is paleopathology? - answera way to look at ancient people/animals' quality of life
What examples can be found in the bones or bodies of human remains that can give
insight in the person's quality of life? - answer-bacteria, parasites and viruses
-trauma in bones (fractures)
-Diseases in bones (diseases leave lesions in the bones)
When a body has disease in the bones, what are some growth arrest features? -
answer-when the body is sick, growth stops in the bones. When the body recovers
again, the bones make indentment in the bones that can be discovered through x-rays.
What are Harris Lines? - answerHarris Lines are lines in bones that indicate arrested
growth when a human experiences illness or disease.
-overtime the harris lines slowlt fade away as age goes on.
What is enamel hypoplasia? - answerwhen the body experiences illness, lines occur on
the teeth that can be see through telescopic examination.
-in contrast to Harris Lines, the lines stay permanently.
When do archaeologist date the early hominins? - answer6-7 MYA
How was the environment of early hominins? - answerwoodland/savannas in Africa
-dry
what makes a human? - answer-bipedal, locomotion
-larger brain
-longer juvenile period
-complex foraging techniques
-depend on elaborate material culture
