Different environmental variables predict body and brain size evolution in Homo
Funder: Antarctica New Zealand - ANTA1801 Abstract: Increasing body and brain size constitutes a key macro-evolutionary pattern in the hominin lineage, yet the mechanisms behind these changes remain debated. Hypothesized drivers include environmental, demographic, social, dietary, and technological...
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ftunivcam:oai:www.repository.cam.ac.uk:1810/325450 2023-07-30T03:58:27+02:00 Different environmental variables predict body and brain size evolution in Homo Will, Manuel Krapp, Mario Stock, Jay T. Manica, Andrea 2021-07-28T08:55:14Z application/pdf text/xml application/zip https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.72907 https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/325450 en eng Nature Publishing Group UK Nature Communications doi:10.17863/CAM.72907 https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/325450 Article /631/158/857 /631/181/19/2471 /631/181/414 Article 2021 ftunivcam https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.72907 2023-07-10T22:00:23Z Funder: Antarctica New Zealand - ANTA1801 Abstract: Increasing body and brain size constitutes a key macro-evolutionary pattern in the hominin lineage, yet the mechanisms behind these changes remain debated. Hypothesized drivers include environmental, demographic, social, dietary, and technological factors. Here we test the influence of environmental factors on the evolution of body and brain size in the genus Homo over the last one million years using a large fossil dataset combined with global paleoclimatic reconstructions and formalized hypotheses tested in a quantitative statistical framework. We identify temperature as a major predictor of body size variation within Homo, in accordance with Bergmann’s rule. In contrast, net primary productivity of environments and long-term variability in precipitation correlate with brain size but explain low amounts of the observed variation. These associations are likely due to an indirect environmental influence on cognitive abilities and extinction probabilities. Most environmental factors that we test do not correspond with body and brain size evolution, pointing towards complex scenarios which underlie the evolution of key biological characteristics in later Homo. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctica Antarctica New Zealand Apollo - University of Cambridge Repository New Zealand |
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Apollo - University of Cambridge Repository |
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English |
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Article /631/158/857 /631/181/19/2471 /631/181/414 |
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Article /631/158/857 /631/181/19/2471 /631/181/414 Will, Manuel Krapp, Mario Stock, Jay T. Manica, Andrea Different environmental variables predict body and brain size evolution in Homo |
topic_facet |
Article /631/158/857 /631/181/19/2471 /631/181/414 |
description |
Funder: Antarctica New Zealand - ANTA1801 Abstract: Increasing body and brain size constitutes a key macro-evolutionary pattern in the hominin lineage, yet the mechanisms behind these changes remain debated. Hypothesized drivers include environmental, demographic, social, dietary, and technological factors. Here we test the influence of environmental factors on the evolution of body and brain size in the genus Homo over the last one million years using a large fossil dataset combined with global paleoclimatic reconstructions and formalized hypotheses tested in a quantitative statistical framework. We identify temperature as a major predictor of body size variation within Homo, in accordance with Bergmann’s rule. In contrast, net primary productivity of environments and long-term variability in precipitation correlate with brain size but explain low amounts of the observed variation. These associations are likely due to an indirect environmental influence on cognitive abilities and extinction probabilities. Most environmental factors that we test do not correspond with body and brain size evolution, pointing towards complex scenarios which underlie the evolution of key biological characteristics in later Homo. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Will, Manuel Krapp, Mario Stock, Jay T. Manica, Andrea |
author_facet |
Will, Manuel Krapp, Mario Stock, Jay T. Manica, Andrea |
author_sort |
Will, Manuel |
title |
Different environmental variables predict body and brain size evolution in Homo |
title_short |
Different environmental variables predict body and brain size evolution in Homo |
title_full |
Different environmental variables predict body and brain size evolution in Homo |
title_fullStr |
Different environmental variables predict body and brain size evolution in Homo |
title_full_unstemmed |
Different environmental variables predict body and brain size evolution in Homo |
title_sort |
different environmental variables predict body and brain size evolution in homo |
publisher |
Nature Publishing Group UK |
publishDate |
2021 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.72907 https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/325450 |
geographic |
New Zealand |
geographic_facet |
New Zealand |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctica Antarctica New Zealand |
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Antarc* Antarctica Antarctica New Zealand |
op_relation |
doi:10.17863/CAM.72907 https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/325450 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.72907 |
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1772821243211284480 |