American Journal of Biological Anthropology最新文献

{"title":"Standardizing Advanced Training in Forensic Anthropology: Defining a Clear Path to Achieve Forensic Specialization in Biological Anthropology","authors":"Christine M. Pink,&nbsp;Jered B. Cornelison,&nbsp;Jessica K. Juarez","doi":"10.1002/ajpa.70055","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70055","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The skillset of a biological anthropologist is applicable to medico legal death investigation. Among the specialists that examine the human body in a forensic context, biological anthropologists are uniquely skilled to derive information from the scarcest of physical materials. Given the high level of skill and experience required, the forensic specialization within biological anthropology necessitates an extended course of education and training especially pertaining to the interpretation of skeletal trauma, scientific identification, and recovery methods. In addition to providing guidance for trainees and educators, published standards legitimize the specialization and facilitate the evaluation of forensic anthropology expertise by peer professionals (e.g., forensic pathologists, law enforcement, and judges). A young discipline, forensic anthropology was only acknowledged as a specialization by the American Academy of Forensic Sciences in 1972. Over the past 50 years, forensic anthropologists have worked to professionalize the discipline, including standardization of education and training requirements. Achieving consensus on these standards has, and will continue to be, a dynamic process as improved technology and research improve practice. This manuscript presents the current state of the discipline and the varied ways forensic anthropology practitioners have been educated and trained. We argue that there is a consensus on minimum education and training requirements for a forensic anthropologist, especially with respect to analytical skills. However, the discourse around professionalism and personal growth is less robust. In a position that requires intensive inter-disciplinary communication and collaboration, a lack of attention to training in professionalism writ large is a serious gap; therefore, we propose immersive postdoctoral fellowships and other similar training in the Medical Examiner/Coroner setting to gain expertise in this specialization. Supervision of a senior forensic anthropologist is necessary not only to hone analytical skills and gain experience through exposure to a variety of cases but also to teach professionalism. Over time, we expect that this model will promote the value of forensic anthropological expertise and, by extension, their integration in the offices of the Medical Examiner in the future. Thus, the Forensic Anthropology Postdoctoral Fellowship is introduced here as a model for advanced training in forensic anthropology.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":29759,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Biological Anthropology","volume":"186 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143856973","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Spatio-Temporal Survey of How Social Dynamics Shape the Genetics of Human Populations. Review of: Inequality: A Genetic History. By Carles Lalueza-Fox, Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press, 2022. pp. 261. $22.95 (hardcover). ISBN: 978-0-26-236917-6","authors":"Cristian Capelli","doi":"10.1002/ajpa.70054","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70054","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":29759,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Biological Anthropology","volume":"186 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143857150","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding the Origin of Superficial Bone Changes in Qafzeh 9 Skull (Middle Paleolithic, Southwestern Asia): Contribution of Three-Dimensional Imaging","authors":"Dany Coutinho-Nogueira,&nbsp;Hélène Coqueugniot,&nbsp;Anne-marie Tillier","doi":"10.1002/ajpa.70051","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70051","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Deciphering the origins of bone alterations is crucial in paleoanthropology for understanding biological variation and distinguishing between taphonomy, normal anatomy, growth-related changes, and pathological conditions.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Materials and Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Qafzeh 9, an early anatomically modern human from Lower Galilee, exhibits three alterations on its frontal bone: a circular lacuna, two parallel grooves, and a flattening near the superior temporal line. Micro-CT images and 3D reconstructions complement macroscopic observations to determine the etiologies of these features.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Our analysis reveals that one of them, the flattening near the superior temporal line, is associated with changes in the diploë.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Discussion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Data from four recent modern human samples show that this feature is present in all non-adult individuals and suggests that the flattening and thinning of the diploë may be related to growth patterns and dental changes. Our results bring new insights for the development of methodologies for age estimation based on frontal bone. This study also enhances our understanding of intra-site variability at Qafzeh and provides a better understanding of the biological diversity and growth patterns among early anatomically modern humans.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":29759,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Biological Anthropology","volume":"186 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143852923","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Subsistence and Behavioral Variation in the Neolithic Meuse Basin (BE): Insights From Dental Collections","authors":"Ijk van Hattum,&nbsp;Joel D. Irish,&nbsp;Isabelle De Groote","doi":"10.1002/ajpa.70038","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70038","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study aims to investigate the Neolithic subsistence and population diversity in the 4th and 3rd millennia <span>bce</span> within Belgium's Meuse basin. The main objectives are to shed light on lifeways and cultural differences among groups known from collective cave burials. It focuses on dietary habits and behavioral practices through dental anthropology.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Materials and Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Commingled dental collections from four cave sites (Ben Ahin, La Faucille, Maurenne, and Bois Madame) were analyzed. A total of 1916 permanent teeth were examined for various oral conditions, including caries, calculus, dental wear patterns, trauma, and chipping.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Oral health conditions and dental wear patterns were in line with those associated with terrestrial diets and farming-related subsistence. Inter-site comparisons revealed significant variability in dental indicators of diet, health, and behavior between groups. Variations were found in caries and calculus prevalence. Also, significant differences in chipping and extra-masticatory wear are evident.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Discussion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The findings support hypotheses of agricultural subsistence and provide evidence for group differentiation. Distinct habits for food processing or material cultures were evident among populations.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This study highlights inter-site variations within four Neolithic cave burials in the Belgian Meuse basin.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":29759,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Biological Anthropology","volume":"186 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143840857","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Diversity of Lifeways in Early Antillean Societies: A Multi-Isotope Approach","authors":"Yadira Chinique de Armas,&nbsp;William Mark Buhay,&nbsp;Ulises Miguel González Herrera,&nbsp;Silvia Teresita Hernández Godoy,&nbsp;Jorge Fernando Garcell Domínguez,&nbsp;Luis Manuel Viera Sanfiel,&nbsp;José Armando Caraballo Yera,&nbsp;Mirjana Roksandic,&nbsp;Jason Laffoon","doi":"10.1002/ajpa.70039","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70039","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>In this paper, we sought to examine whether people with different lifeways, as evidenced by their mobility patterns and dietary practices, inhabited the Antilles in early precolonial time. We also aimed to explore spatiotemporal trends.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Materials and Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>New and previously published enamel strontium, oxygen, and carbon isotope data were combined with bone apatite carbon and bone collagen carbon and nitrogen isotope data to assess the mobility and diet of 146 individuals from eight early precolonial sites from Cuba.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>At least three patterns of mobility, associated with different dietary signals, were identified. In contrast with the low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and <i>δ</i>¹³C_en variability found in Canímar Abajo (CA) between <span>bce</span> 1320 and 807, more variability in dietary practices and higher mobility was apparent in later groups. Between <span>bce</span> 116 and 241 <span>ce</span>, individuals from Playa del Mango showed high mobility within the Cauto region, likely associated with food procurement between inland and coastal areas. From at least 174 <span>ce</span>, a moderate pattern of mobility and a diversity of dietary traditions could be observed among groups from western sites. At least three general dietary patterns were observed, ranging from a 100% C₃ diet to 70:30 C₃/C₄ and, in the case of CA, a higher dependence on marine/C₄ resources.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Conclusions</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The differences observed in both mobility and diet between and within populations support the notion that groups with different lifeways inhabited the Antilles in precolonial times. This diverse mosaic of cultural traits defies attempts to group them into broad categories for regional studies of biological and cultural traits.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":29759,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Biological Anthropology","volume":"186 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajpa.70039","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143840776","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Landscape-Scale Effects of Season and Predation Risk on the Terrestrial Behavior of Chacma Baboons (Papio ursinus)","authors":"Philippa Hammond,&nbsp;Kaitlyn Gaynor,&nbsp;Tara Easter,&nbsp;Dora Biro,&nbsp;Susana Carvalho","doi":"10.1002/ajpa.70052","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70052","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>“Terrestrial” primates are not common nor well defined across the order. In those species that do use the ground, terrestriality is rarely documented outside daylight hours. Predation risk is thought to have shaped conserved behaviors like primates' selection of arboreal sleep sites, but it is less clear—particularly at the landscape scale—how predation risk interacts with other ecological and seasonal variables to drive terrestriality. This camera trapping study investigates patterns in terrestrial behavior both spatially and temporally across neighboring populations of chacma baboons.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Materials and Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We use camera trap data from two terrestrial grids, one established within and one outside the boundaries of Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique. We model how baboon terrestrial activity varies with woody cover, proximity to water, season, anthropogenic variables, as well as predation risk. We also model how terrestrial activity varies across the diel cycle and use overlap analyses to explore differences in the baboon populations' activity patterns.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>We find no significant predictors of geospatial variation in the terrestrial activity of baboons across each grid but do find evidence of higher terrestrial activity in the late dry season. We also find significantly different diel patterns of baboon activity detected across each grid.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Discussion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Baboons likely use the ground more in the dry season for accessing water and resources when arboreal foods are less abundant. Diel variation between the two populations suggests that baboons might utilize the ground more during “riskier” crepuscular and nocturnal hours where leopards are not present.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":29759,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Biological Anthropology","volume":"186 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajpa.70052","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143831260","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Early Life Stress and Long-Term Survival in the Hamann-Todd Collection","authors":"Allyson M. Simon,&nbsp;Mark Hubbe","doi":"10.1002/ajpa.70041","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70041","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The impact of physiological stress during growth and development on mortality has been a topic of intense interest in bioarchaeology and other disciplines. In this study, we analyze the association between survival and two markers of physiological stress, linear enamel hypoplasia (LEH) and adult stature, in a sample of 296 individuals from the Hamann-Todd Osteological Collection (HTOC).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Materials and Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The HTOC is among the most well-known osteological collections in the discipline, representing low socioeconomic status individuals from early 20th century Cleveland, Ohio. Ages-at-death and demographic identifiers (sex and socially ascribed race) were known for all individuals in the sample. The association between the skeletal and dental markers of early life stress and survival was evaluated through Kaplan–Meier survival analysis, using log rank tests to analyze the significance of differences in survival among demographic groups.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Significant differences in survival were observed between demographic groups, regardless of LEH status or stature. However, there were no significant differences in survivorship by LEH presence in this sample, despite the expectation that periods of physiological stress during key stages of development contribute to long-term health consequences such as suppressed immune function. For females, shorter statures were associated with a higher probability of survival, while there were no significant differences in survival for males based on stature.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Discussion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>It is likely that differences in survival observed in this sample of the HTOC are the consequence of other factors, most likely related to adult environmental quality, as opposed to early life stress.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":29759,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Biological Anthropology","volume":"186 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajpa.70041","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143831438","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Childhood Lead Exposure in North Atlantic Fisheries: Concentration and Isotopic Analyses of Tooth Enamel From 18th to 19th Century Fishing Communities","authors":"Tricia Jessica Anne Munkittrick,&nbsp;Amy Scott,&nbsp;Tamara L. Varney,&nbsp;Vaughan Grimes","doi":"10.1002/ajpa.70048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70048","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>This bioarcheological study explored the extent and sources of childhood lead (Pb) exposure in contexts where environmental sources were not anthropogenically enriched.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Materials and Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Sampled Pb concentrations and isotope ratios in the tooth enamel (2nd molars) of 46 individuals from five early fishing settlements in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia and 19 individuals from a mid-18th century Royal Naval cemetery in Newfoundland.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Pb concentrations were as much as 20 times higher than natural exposures (mean = 6.9, maximum = 28.7). Pb exposure in these fishing communities was higher than in previous studies, with expected natural exposure but not as high as industrial period sites in England or cemeteries associated with local mining activities in North America. Most Pb isotope ratios were consistent with English/Welsh and Western European Pb ore (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 18.30–18.46, ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁶Pb = 2.082–2.095), likely from imported Pb-containing cultural materials such as ceramics. However, Pb outliers (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 18.86–18.91, ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁶Pb = 2.055–2.058) are consistent with values seen at other 19th-century cemetery sites in North America and New Zealand.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Discussion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Since Pb mining was nonexistent in Newfoundland and there were limited environmental sources, exposures must have been from imported cultural materials. Previous studies have likely underestimated the contribution of Pb in cultural materials to historical contamination levels in archeological samples. Our study contributes to understanding the physical versus cultural environments' role in Pb exposure and the utility of Pb isotope ratios for identifying distinct cultural groups during the 18th and 19th centuries.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":29759,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Biological Anthropology","volume":"186 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143831258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Age at Menarche and Its Potential Role in Early Detection of Hyperandrogenic Polycystic Ovary Syndrome","authors":"C. Manthey,&nbsp;C. D. Lynn,&nbsp;C. Ocobock,&nbsp;T. J. Cepon-Robins,&nbsp;A. Warrener","doi":"10.1002/ajpa.70046","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70046","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Objectives</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a multifaceted heritable endocrine disorder that affects 4%–20% of females worldwide. Characterized by symptoms such as polycystic ovaries, anovulation, and hyperandrogenism, PCOS remains challenging to diagnose, particularly in its early stages. Research suggests that women with PCOS may experience earlier onset of menarche, but the mechanisms behind this association are not well understood. This study explores whether early menarche could serve as an effective diagnostic marker for PCOS.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Materials and Methods</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>A survey was conducted with 95 adult women (ages 19–62), divided into two groups: women diagnosed with PCOS (49%, <i>n</i> = 47) and women without PCOS (51%, <i>n</i> = 48). Participants with PCOS self-identified and were required to meet the Rotterdam Criteria for diagnosis. Notably, all self-identified participants with PCOS exhibited the hyperandrogenic phenotype. Independent samples <i>t</i>-tests and linear regression were used for data analysis.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Results</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Women with PCOS reached menarche an average of 1.8 years earlier than those without the condition (mean age 11.4 ± 1.6 years vs. 13.2 ± 1.2 years).</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 \u0000 <section>\u0000 \u0000 <h3> Discussion</h3>\u0000 \u0000 <p>These findings suggest that early menarche may be a promising, underexplored indicator of PCOS, offering a potential new avenue for earlier diagnosis of the condition. This could be particularly valuable, as PCOS is often not diagnosed until more classic symptoms, such as anovulation or hirsutism, emerge. Further research is needed to confirm these results and investigate the underlying mechanisms.</p>\u0000 </section>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":29759,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Biological Anthropology","volume":"186 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143831268","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reconciling Species Concepts: An Ecological Perspective","authors":"Norman Owen-Smith","doi":"10.1002/ajpa.70047","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.70047","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Species concepts remain contentious, both in paleoanthropology and in modern taxonomy. The lineage-based concept emphasizing evolutionary independence is most fundamental, but in practice is generally represented by proxy evidence of morphological or genetic divergence. This has resulted in a troubling proliferation of species names in the hominin fossil record. Pseudo-extinctions where lineages persisted under a new species name need to be distinguished from cases where lineages ended terminally—the implications for ecological adaptability are diametrically opposed. Furthermore, the ecological criterion for species coexistence is widely overlooked. The competitive exclusion principle holds that species sharing closely similar niches cannot continue to coexist in the same place at the same time. Notably, the largely vegetarian <i>Paranthropus</i> lineage remained distinct from the diverging, more versatile <i>Homo</i> lineage until fading from the fossil record during the later Pleistocene. Claims that additional hominin species existed are ecologically suspect unless supported by evidence of adequate niche separation. Modern examples where there has been equivocation in lineage recognition are illustrated for bovids, giraffids, baboons, and elephants. Furthermore, the mechanisms that resulted in the displacement of Neanderthals by modern humans are reappraised from an ecological perspective. Representations of evolutionary divergence as a bushy tree need to be superseded by the emerging paradigm of reticulate lineages diverging and coalescing through time and space.</p>","PeriodicalId":29759,"journal":{"name":"American Journal of Biological Anthropology","volume":"186 4","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":1.7,"publicationDate":"2025-04-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/ajpa.70047","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143818537","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}