Natural Selection and Morphological Variability: The Case of Europe From Neolithic to Modern Times [and Comments and Reply]

Abstract

His research interests are methods of investigation of prehistoric populations (especially from cremated human bones), mechanisms of inter-and intragroup differentiation, and the paleobiology of pre-and early Slavonic groups. Among his publications are "Problems of the Morphological Differentiation and the Determination of Interdependence of Traits in the Structure of Vertebrae in Man" (Glasnik Antropoloskog Drustva Jugoslavije 10:13-20); "Polish Methods and Results of Investigations of Cremated Bones from Prehistoric Cemeteries" (Glasnik Antropoloskog Drustva Jugoslavije 12:23-34); and "Natural Selection and Microevolutionary Changes in Non-Metrical Traits in Medieval Populations from Poland" (Studies in Physical Anthropology [Wroclaw], in press). JAN STRZALKO is Docent in Anthropology in the Department of Anthropology of A. Mickiewicz University. Born in 1943, he received his doctorate in natural sciences, anthropology, in 1968 and his habilitation in 1974 from that university. His research interests are the morphogenesis and evolution of the human skeleton, formal and populational problems in somatotypology, and the methodological aspects of biocultural evolution. His publications include "Role of the Temporal Muscle in the Morphogenesis of the Skeleton of the Face" (Przeglhd Antropologiczny 36:3-24); with A. Malinowski, "The Muscles of Mastication and Cranial Proportions in Primates" (Folia Morphologica [Warszawa] 31:207-13); and "Variability of Human Internal Organ Size and Their Connection with Body-Build Type" (Przeglad Antropologiczny 40:217-49). The three authors have worked together since 1974 in a research program on the biological history of human populations, the details of which are spelled out in "Anthropology and Biological Changes of Human Populations," by Strzalko, Piontek, and Henneberg (Przeglad Antropologiczny 41:159-72).. Other joint products of the program include "Theoretico-Methodological Presuppositions and Possibilities of Investigating the Biology of Prehistoric Populations in Central Europe," by Henneberg and others (Przeglad Archeologiczny 23:187-231), Wstep do ekologii populacyjnej czlowieka (Introduction to Human Populational Biology), by Strzalko, Henneberg, and Piontek (Poznant, 1976), and "Durability of Living Systems: Origin and Role of Culture" (Poznaniskie Studia z Filozofli Nauki, in press). The present paper, submitted in final form 10 v 77, was sent for comment to 50 scholars. The responses are printed below and nre fnollwe1l bv a renlv hv the aiithnrcs 'This work is part of Section IA of the Biological History of Human Populations Research Programme.

Heritability of human cranial dimensions: comparing the evolvability of different cranial regions

“…Secular trends have been reported in American (Jantz & Meadows Jantz, 2000) and European (Rösing & Schwidetzky 1979; 1984) populations, including Hallstatt (Sjøvold 1990, 1995; Carson, 2006a). These studies showed that the secular trends detected in Hallstatt follow the general trend of gracilization of European modern populations (Henneberg et al. 1978; Rösing & Schwidetzky, 1979, 1984).…”

“…Secular trends have been reported in American (Jantz & Meadows Jantz, 2000) and European (Rösing & Schwidetzky 1979; populations, including Hallstatt (Sjøvold 1990(Sjøvold , 1995Carson, 2006a). These studies showed that the secular trends detected in Hallstatt follow the general trend of gracilization of European modern populations (Henneberg et al 1978;Rösing & Schwidetzky, 1979. In Hallstatt, at least from the transition between the 18th and the 19th centuries, there was a reduction of maximum cranial breadth, accompanied by an increase of neurocranial height (Sjøvold 1990(Sjøvold , 1995Carson, 2006a).…”

Opportunity for natural selection among the Indian populations

“…This was ascribed to a greater lag in adopting the conditions that reduce fertility as compared to those for reducing mortality Hed, 1984). Here, it is relevant to note that there is evidence sug esting that mortality as a selective facgraphic transition but a long time before, especially when mortality during reproductive life span is added to the prereproductive mortality (Henneberg, 1976;Henneberg et al, 1978). The women included in the Indian samples broadly belong to the generation with a reproductive span between 1950 and 1975, when the adoption of modern family planning measures was not opular.…”

Microevolution in prehistoric andean populations: I. Chronologic craniometric variation

“…Human paleobiological studies are abundant world-wide (Schwidetzky, 1967(Schwidetzky, ,1972Howells, 1973;Jantz, 1973, Kidd, 1973Henneberg et al, 1978;El-Nejjar, 1978). In the Andean area, to our knowledge, Soto et al (1975), Dricot (1976), and Cocilovo (1981) have tackled ethnologic problems using skeletal remains.…”