Grandmothering and the evolution ofHomo erectus

O’Connell, James F.; Hawkes, Kristen; Jones, Nicholas

doi:10.1006/jhev.1998.0285

Cited by 388 publications

(273 citation statements)

References 152 publications

(144 reference statements)

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“…Similarly, early weaning may have been important for the continued pattern of brain growth in childhood. In fact, providing such care could increase the fitness of grandparents, leading to selection for longer lifespans, and an extension of life history phases generally [48]. Furthermore, humans wean children early relative to their dental development, but provision them with suitable foods throughout their childhood.…”

Section: The Energy Trade-off Hypothesismentioning

confidence: 99%

The evolutionary roles of nutrition selection and dietary quality in the human brain size and encephalization

Burini

Leonard

2018

Nutrire

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Background: Humans and other primates have evolved particular morphological and biological traits (e.g., larger brains, slower growth, longer-lived offspring) that distinguish them from most other mammals. The evolution of many distinctive human characteristics, such as our large brain sizes, reduced gut sizes, and high activity budgets, suggest major energetic and dietary shifts. Main body: Over the course of the last three million years, hominin brain sizes tripled. It is often taken for granted that the benefit of a larger brain is an increase in "intelligence" that makes us stand out among other mammals, including our nearest relatives, the primates. In the case of humans, brain expansion was associated with changes in diet, foraging, and energy metabolism. The first marked expansion occurred with the appearance of the genus Homo. Improved diet quality, allomaternal subsidies, cognitive buffering [by earlier weaning and longer juvenile periods], reduced costs for locomotion and by cooperative behavior, and reduced allocation to production, all operated simultaneously, thus enabling the extraordinary brain enlargement in our lineage. Conclusion: It appears that major expansion of brain size in the human lineage is the product of synergistically interacting dietary/nutritional and social forces. Although dietary change was not being the sole force responsible for the evolution of large brain size, the exploitation of high-quality foods likely fueled the energetic costs of larger brains and necessitated more complex behaviors that would have selected for greater brain size.

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Section: The Energy Trade-off Hypothesismentioning

confidence: 99%

The evolutionary roles of nutrition selection and dietary quality in the human brain size and encephalization

Burini

Leonard

2018

Nutrire

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“…For example, the long limbs and slender build of early African H. erectus may be an adaptation for maintaining high activity levels in warmer climates, increasing the ratio of skin surface area to body mass to promote convective heat loss and reduce heat stress, following Allen's rule (Ruff and Walker, 1993;Walker, 1993). Alternatively, the derived body proportions of early Pleistocene Homo may be a pleiotropic effect of increased body size (Lovejoy, 1999), which may have increased in response to socio-ecological pressures (O'Connell et al, 1999;Wrangham et al, 1999), or to reduce mortality during childbirth associated with increased brain size (Lovejoy, 1999). Unfortunately, because warm climate, carnivory, and large body size occur together in East African sites from which early Homo is known, parsing the relative effects of these selection pressures has not been possible in the African fossil record.…”

Section: U N C O R R E C T E D P R O O Fmentioning

confidence: 99%

Locomotor anatomy and biomechanics of the Dmanisi hominins

Pontzer

Rolian

Rightmire

et al. 2010

Journal of Human Evolution

148

118

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The Dmanisi hominins inhabited a northern temperate habitat in the southern Caucasus, approximately 1.8 million years ago. This is the oldest population of hominins known outside of Africa. Understanding the set of anatomical and behavioral traits that equipped this population to exploit their seasonal habitat successfully may shed light on the selection pressures shaping early members of the genus Homo and the ecological strategies that permitted the expansion of their range outside of the African subtropics. The abundant stone tools at the site, as well as taphonomic evidence for butchery, suggest that the Dmanisi hominins were active hunters or scavengers. In this study, we examine the locomotor mechanics of the Dmanisi hind limb to test the hypothesis that the inclusion of meat in the diet is associated with an increase in walking and running economy and endurance. Using comparative data from modern humans, chimpanzees, and gorillas, as well as other fossil hominins, we show that the Dmanisi hind limb was functionally similar to modern humans, with a longitudinal plantar arch, increased limb length, and human-like ankle morphology. Other aspects of the foot, specifically metatarsal morphology and tibial torsion, are less derived and similar to earlier hominins. These results are consistent with hypotheses linking hunting and scavenging to improved walking and running performance in early Homo. Primitive retentions in the Dmanisi foot suggest that locomotor evolution continued through the early Pleistocene. Dear Author, Any queries or remarks that have arisen during the processing of your manuscript are listed below and highlighted by flags in the proof. Please check your proof carefully and mark all corrections at the appropriate place in the proof (e.g., by using on-screen annotation in the PDF file) or compile them in a separate list.For correction or revision of any artwork, please consult http://www.elsevier.com/artworkinstructions.Articles in Special Issues: Please ensure that the words 'this issue' are added (in the list and text) to any references to other articles in this Special Issue.Uncited references: References that occur in the reference list but not in the text e please position each reference in the text or delete it from the list.Missing references: References listed below were noted in the text but are missing from the reference list e please make the list complete or remove the references from the text. Location in articleQuery / remark Please insert your reply or correction at the corresponding line in the proof Q1Kindly check the affiliations. Q2Please check the hierarchy of section headings. Q3The following references have been changed to match the reference list: " Hermann et al., 1998" to "Hermann and Egund, 1998""Geissman (1986" to "Geissmann (1986)""Harcourt-Smith and Aeillo, 2004" to "Harcourt-Smith and Aiello, 2004". Please verify. Q4Please check the placement of footnotes citations 1e4 have been made at the end of the sentence "Parsing the independent effects." Please c...

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“…In recent years, general arguments have inclined towards earlier human fire use in the light of new general models about diet in the PlioPleistocene, particularly the human digestive requirements for cooking in preparation of roots and tubers (Wrangham et al, 1999;O'Connell et al, 1999), and the need for high-grade foods as required by the expensive tissue hypothesis (Aiello and Wheeler, 1995;Wrangham and Conklin-Brittain, 2003). Supporting evidence for early fire comes mainly from Africa, at Swartkrans (>1 Ma), Chesowanja (ca.…”

Section: Evidence Of Fire Usementioning

confidence: 99%

Humans in the Hoxnian: habitat, context and fire use at Beeches Pit, West Stow, Suffolk, UK

Preece

Gowlett

Parfitt

et al. 2006

J Quaternary Science

109

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A Lower Palaeolithic industry at Beeches Pit, West Stow, Suffolk, occurs within an interglacial sequence that immediately overlies glacial deposits, referable to the Anglian Lowestoft Formation. There is strong biostratigraphical evidence from both vertebrates and molluscs that the interglacial represented is the Hoxnian (MIS 11). This conclusion is supported by uranium series dates from carbonate nodules (>400 kyr), TL dates from burnt flint (414 AE 30 kyr) and a range of amino acid racemisation data. The archaeology consists of flint artefacts of Acheulian character, including many refitting examples. Charred material is abundant in three stratigraphical units and many bones and flints have been burnt, indicating repeated occurrence of fire. Several discrete areas of burnt sediment appear to be hearths. This interpretation is supported by: (1) the intensity of burning (600-8008C) implied by the charred and calcined bones; (2) the intersection of two of the burnt areas, implying separate burning events at slightly different, overlapping locations; (3) the discovery of two burnt flakes that refit onto an adjacent group that are unburnt, indicating that the burning was highly localised; and (4) the spatial distribution of artefacts respects the features interpreted as hearths, suggesting fireside knapping. Fossils associated with the archaeology indicate occupation within closed deciduous forest in a fully temperate climate. Attractions to this unusual environment would have included the fresh water provided by springs, a rich supply of potential food and a prolific source of good quality flint for tool manufacture. The archaeological evidence therefore suggests that the site repeatedly served as an area of focused activities (perhaps a 'home-base') during much of the interglacial. The upper levels of the sequence provide clear faunal evidence of climatic deterioration during which human occupation and fire use persisted. Biostratigraphical correlations with other Lower Palaeolithic sites lend support to the suggestion that Acheulian and Clactonian industries occurred in Britain during the same substage of the Hoxnian, although not necessarily at precisely the same time.

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Grandmothering and the evolution ofHomo erectus

Cited by 388 publications

References 152 publications

The evolutionary roles of nutrition selection and dietary quality in the human brain size and encephalization

The evolutionary roles of nutrition selection and dietary quality in the human brain size and encephalization

Locomotor anatomy and biomechanics of the Dmanisi hominins

Humans in the Hoxnian: habitat, context and fire use at Beeches Pit, West Stow, Suffolk, UK

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