The Ecology of Human Origins

1. The Ecology of Human Origins (Human Paleontology, Archeology, Paleoclimatology)

3. Who are we?Great Apes or �Pongids� Includes gorillas, chimps, baboons, gibbons And all pre-hominid and hominid species And YOU!

7. Human Paleontology 6 mya-1 mya Between 6 and 1.5 million years ago, there were many different species of proto-hominid apes in Africa Modern humans evolved from one of these species, but we don�t know for sure which one We call these animals Australopithecines (southern ape-men)

8. Primate family tree

11. Australopithecines Omnivorous apes (ecological adaptation) Some fully bipedal Many species, several million years in existence Famously: Lucy, (A. afarensis) Site: Hadar, Ethiopia

17. Technological Ages of Humanity: The Paleolithic Paleo : old Lithic: stone The �Old Stone Age,� the age when humans used crude stone tools in hunting and gathering During pleistocene epoch (highly glaciated climate) Longest period of human history, longest successful ecological adaptation, covers all inhabited continents (ie, not Antarctica) Homo habilis, H. ergaster, H. erectus, H. florensis H. sapiens neandertalis, H. sapiens sapiens,

19. Homo habilis Olduvai Gorge site, Tanzania Leakey excavations Proximity of tools A possible shelter Omnivore, scavenger Using tools to fend off cats, dogs, other predators Paleolithic (old stone age) culture

24. Homo erectus Rapid dispersion Occupied much of Africa, Europe, Asia (Therefore) highly adaptive to different ecosystems Several different species First use of fire

28. Evidence of fire: �From about 400 000 years ago proper hearths--rings of stones--burnt bones, and other clear evidence of fire become common throughout Europe. New finds are made nearly every year with recent discoveries, soon to be described in more detail, including Beeches Pit in Suffolk, Britain, and Sch� ningen in Germany. �� the 400 000 year old Sch� ningen site is particularly significant because beautifully carved wooden spears and butchered horse remains were also found there. The wooden spears have been a huge shock to researchers, forcing them to accept that late Homo erectus was a skilled hunter and skilled tool maker.�

29. Homo sapiens neandertalis Most recent anatomically distinct relative (pending outcome of Homo floresiensis debate) Advanced stone tools Cold hardy: survived glacial climates Successful and widely dispersed Highly sensationalized �Higher� culture: possibly religion, music

35. Neandertals are the first pre- Homo sapiens species for which we have DNADNA evidence primer: Basic to CSI Basic to modern medicine Tool for game wardens And, basic to modern evolutionary theory

36. Types of human DNA Nuclear, sexually recombining, DNA Inherited equally from both parents, subject to Mendelian genetics Y-chromosome DNA Male line only Inherited only from father to son Mitochondrial DNA Inherited only from the mother

37. Mitochondrial DNA Analysis Mitochondria have their own genome of about 16,500 base pairs that exists outside of the (sexually reproducing) cell nucleus. Each contains 13 protein coding-genes. They are present in large numbers in each cell, so fewer samples are required.� They have a higher and more regular rate of mutation, unaffected by sexual recombination. The process of recombination in nuclear DNA (except the Y chromosome) mixes sections of DNA from the mother and the father creating a garbled genetic history. They are inherited only from the mother, which allows tracing of a direct genetic line.� Applies similarly to Y chromosome DNA

38. Mitochondrial DNA Analysis The FBI Laboratory began conducting studies on the feasibility of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) analysis for human identity testing in the late 1980s. Laboratory research began on a protocol for using mtDNA sequencing in forensic casework in 1992. After the sequencing technique was validated, examinations on evidentiary samples began in June 1996. MtDNA sequencing is often used in cases where biological evidence may be degraded or small in quantity. Cases in which hairs, bones, or teeth are the only evidence retrieved from a crime scene are particularly well-suited to mtDNA analysis. Missing persons cases can benefit from mtDNA testing when skeletonized remains are recovered and compared to samples from the maternal relatives or personal effects of missing individuals. Also, hairs recovered at crime scenes can often be used to include or exclude individuals using mtDNA testing. This review will examine the process of mitochondrial DNA typing, including the interpretation of results, the phenomenon of heteroplasmy, the mtDNA population database, presentation of mtDNA population statistics, quality assurance issues, and testimonial experience.

41. Out of Africa: MtDna Cann RL, Stoneking M, Wilson AC. Mitochondrial DNAs from 147 people, drawn from five geographic populations have been analysed by restriction mapping. All these mitochondrial DNAs stem from one woman who is postulated to have lived about 200,000 years ago, probably in Africa. All the populations examined except the African population have multiple origins, implying that each area was colonised repeatedly. Abstract, Nature. 1992 Apr 2;356(6368):389-90.

44. Homo sapiens sapiens Spends the paleolithic in Africa during ice ages Comes out of Africa to the Middle East and beyond repeatedly after about 100kya Competitively excludes Homo sapiens neandertalis (?) Spends the mesolithic in most of old world and colonizes the new world about 13.5 kya Neolithic revolution about 10kya or so in Middle East Copper, bronze, iron ages in the old world New world remains in neolithic or mesolithic except for isolated use of copper and other soft metals (the Aztec gold)

45. Technological Ages of Humanity: The Mesolithic Meso : middle Lithic: stone The Middle Stone Age, the age when humans used more advanced stone tools in hunting and gathering More dense populations, more intense utilization of resources, different ecosystems, resources, eg: shellfish Term mesolithic only applies to Asian, Middle East, but similar niches were occupied by some paleo-americans Sites: Hayonim Cave site, Israel

46. Damariscotta Shell Midden, Maine, 1886(A sedentary hunting/gathering site)

47. The Mesolithic Toolkit Small flint blades (microliths) and carefully produced flint axes, adzes, and picks were widespread Ground stone axes were used in parts of northern and western Europe Projectile points became smaller People made permanent settlements for the first time Source: Jason F. McBrayer.

49. From Scott J. Brown: Neanderthals and Modern Humans A Regional Guide �For tens of thousands of years, the Neanderthals roamed as hunters and gatherers over the plains, forests, and mountains of northern and western Eurasia. Then during the middle of the last Ice Age, over a period of about 10 millennia, from roughly 40,000 to 30,000 years ago, a new type of human began to proliferate in the Neanderthals' domain.� Who?

50. Technical Ages of Humanity:The Neolithic Neo : new Lithic: stone The New Stone Age, the age when humans used advanced stone tools Also a new adaptation: agriculture And a New World: America: Climate change movie

51. Homo sapiens sapiens Us, that�s who Not much different from neandertalis, but anatomic variation is measurable Competes with and ecologically excludes neandertalis? Share 98% of DNA with chimpanzees Appears 100KYA or so Advanced stone tools, culture, language mtDNA analysis suggests modern humans are very closely related, from �out of Africa.� There�s no discernable racial differences in existing �races� of human DNA, only superficial characteristics: so is there such a thing as race?

59. �Oetzi� In glacial ice for 5,300 years Well-preserved, including DNA An adze or ice-axe: copper working Bow, arrows: a hunter Grass cloak Einkorn wheat: had contact with agricultural community or used both lifestyles

63. Oetzi�s last day (from the BBC) �According to the present DNA analysis, the last journey of the warrior/hunter was made through a coniferous woodland at an intermediate altitude, where he possibly had a first meal, composed of cereals, other plant food, and ibex meat, and ended with his death in a rocky basin at over 3,200 metres above sea level, not before his having had a further meal based on red deer meat and, possibly, cereals. �Dr Rollo added: "We were very impressed by the quality of the meals he had. The diet of people living at this time included rabbit, rats, squirrel - all sorts of things. But the iceman, in his last two meals, had red deer and ibex meat. It was a real medieval banquet!"

64. Oetzi�s last day (from the BBC) �Scientists have already established that Oetzi was about 159 centimetres (five feet, 2.5 inches) tall, 46 years old, arthritic, and infested with whipworm at the time of death. �High levels of copper and arsenic in his hair indicate he had been involved in copper smelting.�

65. Oetzi�s last day (from the BBC) �The wound in the hand suggests Oetzi may have been engaged in hand-to-hand combat very shortly before he died. �The injury to the back of the shoulder has led some researchers to the view that Oetzi was shot as he fled the confrontation. �

67. Conclusions? The most reasonable, conservative scientific conclusions? Not many� We almost certainly came out of Africa We aren�t too far from our closest relatives, genetically speaking There�s probably no such thing as �race� since we are so indistinct from each other genetically and so close to chimps

68. Other human ecological points of view, with difficult political ramifications We are animals We are not peaceful animals We are omnivorous We have, and need, communities We have religion, which is important socially We die out and become extinct like other animals