At the land's end: Marine resources and the importance of fluctuations in the coastline in the prehistoric hunter–gatherer economy of Portugal

Bicho, Nuno; Haws, Jonathan

doi:10.1016/j.quascirev.2008.08.011

Cited by 134 publications

(117 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…Human populations, in contrast, have increased their consumption of marine species since the Upper Palaeolithic (e.g. Aura et al 1998, Stiner 2001Richards et al 2005, Bicho & Haws 2008. In the past, their impact would have been more pronounced in the eastern part of Asturias, where human settlements were more dense and abundant (Turrero et al 2012).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of limpet assemblages driven by environmental changes and harvesting in North Iberia

Muñoz-Colmenero¹,

Turrero²,

Hórreo³

et al. 2012

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Two limpet species, Patella depressa and P. vulgata, are the most accessible molluscs in the upper intertidal shore on the coast of Asturias (Northern Spain) and have been consumed by humans for thousands of years, with evidence of harvesting-driven directional selection for size since the Palaeolithic. These 2 species are also highly sensitive to environmental conditions, P. depressa being in expansion under the current warming conditions. Our coalescent analyses of mitochondrial DNA suggest that both species are currently in a process of slow decline in population growth after experiencing a recent bottleneck, presumably enhanced by human exploitation. Over a wider temporal scale, the evolution of these species in Asturias seems associated with climate change, which seems to have driven their expansion across the studied zone. Current differential compositions of Patella assemblages associated with short-term differences in temperature on North Iberian coasts are consistent with the preferred conditions for each species. Human exploitation may have contributed to the most recent changes in limpet population diversity and morphology (size) at a short temporal scale, whilst climate would have caused long-term changes and would be responsible for most of their present population distribution.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of limpet assemblages driven by environmental changes and harvesting in North Iberia

Muñoz-Colmenero¹,

Turrero²,

Hórreo³

et al. 2012

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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“…The absence of a significant Upper Palaeolithic presence in the target region -potentially attributable to local aridification during the LGMneeds to be further investigated, but the lack of Upper Palaeolithic materials in secondary deposits along the river beds reinforces the argument for an occupational hiatus. The littoral zone of Portugal became relatively more productive during the LGM (Bicho and Haws 2008) and, as sea level dropped and the littoral zone expanded, would have provided humans with more habitat (Bailey and Flemming 2008). Coastal zones, including the estuary of the Sado River, therefore, could have been the main focus of human occupation in southern Alentejo during the Upper Palaeolithic.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Our results, therefore, suggest that the southern half of the Sado River Basin was extremely sparsely populated (and possibly even abandoned) during the Upper Palaeolithic. This could be due to the combined effect of aridification during the LGM and the increased productivity of coastal regions drawing populations from the interior of the Sado Basin (Bicho and Haws 2008). Alternatively, the focus of settlement may have shifted from sedimentary river basins to secondary river valleys and peripheral massifs during the UP, as proposed for the Tagus River Basin (Raposo 2000).…”

Section: Chronology Of Occupation Of the Sado River Basinmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Palaeolithic occupation of southern Alentejo: the Sado River Drainage Survey

Burke¹,

Meignen²,

Bisson³

et al. 2011

Trab. prehist.

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La ocupación paleolítica del Alentejo meridional: investigación en la cuenca del río SadoAriane Burke (*) Liliane Meignen (**) Michael Bisson (***) Nuno Pimentel (****) Virginia Henriques (*****) César Andrade (****) Maria da Conceição Freitas (****) Masa Kageyama (******) William Fletcher (*******) Carla Parslow (********) Dario Guiducci (*) ABSTRACTThe Sado River Drainage Survey project (2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008) was designed to fill a significant gap in our knowledge of the prehistory of Portugal. Southern Alentejo constitutes nearly one third of the total land mass of continental Portugal, but has received comparatively little attention from Palaeolithic archaeologists. Practically nothing was known about the prehistory of the Sado River basin, which includes the southern Alentejo plain, before now. The results of the Sado River Drainage Survey (SRDS) indicate that the Sado River basin was likely occupied at low population densities during the Middle Palaeolithic. There is some evidence for a Lower Palaeolithic presence but little or no evidence of an Upper Palaeolithic occupation. The emerging pattern suggests either an occupational hiatus or a major shift in settlement pattern towards the end of the Middle Palaeolithic. Possible explanations for this pattern, including aridification driven by climate change, are explored here. RESUMEN

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“…However, the coastline at the time was different to modern-day Europe. Due to the cooler climate, which caused glaciation, sea levels were much lower (40 to 70 m), so coastline sites occupied by Neanderthal man are now submerged and inaccessible (Bicho and Haws, 2008). In any case, these remains of DHA-rich marine animals show that these final groups of Neanderthals, living near a source of water, were able to survive temporarily thanks to their omega-3 fatty acid intake, and DHA in particular (Brenna and Diau, 2007).…”

Section: Disappearance or Adaptationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution of the Human Brain: the key roles of DHA (omega-3 fatty acid) and Δ6-desaturase gene

Majou

2018

OCL

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-The process of hominization involves an increase in brain size. The development of hominids' cognitive capital up to the emergence of Homo sapiens was due to interactive, iterative, and integrative coevolution, allowing positive selection. Although this depends on many factors, in this position paper we show three categories that stand out: gene mutations, food resources, and cognitive and behavioral stimulation. Australopithecus benefited both from the inactivation of the GULO and uricase genes and from bipedalism causing the cognitive capital of the Homo genus to develop advantageously. This evolution depended on two factors. Firstly, a triggering factor: gradual climate change. Homo started to regularly consume meat in addition to plants and insects. Secondly, a stimulating factor: mutations in the FADS2 gene, which encodes D6-desaturase; a key enzyme for the synthesis of DHA and sapienic acid. The polymorphism of this gene appears to have been essential in allowing the Homo genus to adapt to its food, and for its evolution. It provides an undeniable advantage in terms of the productivity of fat synthesis (DHA), and may partly explain positive selection. With the advent of cooking and new mutations producing even more FADS2, the brain reached its maximum size in Homo neanderthalensis, in a food ecosystem that provided favorable quantities of a-Linolenic acid and DHA. However, the Würm glaciation upset this equilibrium, revealing its fragility as regards to the brain and fertility. Homo sapiens, benefiting from new variants of the FADS2 gene, were able to adapt to this harsh environment, whereas Neanderthal man was unable to do so and became extinct.Keywords: brain / omega-3 / FADS / sapiens / neanderthal Résumé -Évolution du cerveau de l'homme : les rôles clés du DHA (acide gras oméga-3) et du gène de la D6-désaturase. Le processus d'hominisation prend en compte notamment l'élargissement du cerveau. Le développement du capital cognitif des hominidés jusqu'à Homo sapiens est le fait d'une coévolution interactive, itérative et intégrative qui a permis une sélection positive. S'il dépend de nombreux facteurs, trois ensembles ressortent : des mutations génétiques, des ressources alimentaires et des stimulations cognitives et comportementales. À partir des australopithèques, qui ont bénéficié de l'inactivation des gènes GULO et uricase, ainsi que de la bipédie, le cerveau du genre Homo a pu avantageusement se développer. Cette évolution dépend de deux facteurs essentiels. Un facteur déclenchant : un changement climatique progressif. Homo est devenu un consommateur régulier de produits carnés en complément des végétaux et d'insectes. Un facteur stimulant : les mutations sur le gène FADS2 de la D6-désaturase, enzyme clé de la synthèse du DHA et de l'acide sapiénique. Le polymorphisme de ce gène apparaît essentiel pour l'adaptation de Homo à son alimentation et pour son évolution. Il confère un indéniable avantage de productivité en synthèse lipidique (DHA) et peut, en partie, expliquer une sélection positi...

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At the land's end: Marine resources and the importance of fluctuations in the coastline in the prehistoric hunter–gatherer economy of Portugal

Cited by 134 publications

References 69 publications

Evolution of limpet assemblages driven by environmental changes and harvesting in North Iberia

Evolution of limpet assemblages driven by environmental changes and harvesting in North Iberia

The Palaeolithic occupation of southern Alentejo: the Sado River Drainage Survey

Evolution of the Human Brain: the key roles of DHA (omega-3 fatty acid) and Δ6-desaturase gene

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