Discuss Paleoanthropological methods.

Paleoanthropological methods
Process of fossilization—environmental influences.
For types of fossils, focus on human/animal remains. You do not need to know any other types of fossils.
Limitations of the fossil record
Relative dating
Law of superposition
Stratigraphy and Biostratigraphy
Absolute (Chronometric) dating
Radiocarbon dating
Radiopotassium dating
Reconstruction of ancient environments
Bone chemistry stable isotopes
Chap. 9 and online lecture: Early Hominin Evolution
Bipedalism—specific skeletal adaptations
Environmental influences and theories on why bipedalism evolved
Hominins: defining skeletal and dental characteristics
Ardipithecus ramidus: anatomy and inferences about locomotion, and environment
Australopithecus afarensis anatomical characteristics (skull, teeth, locomotion, diet)
Robust australopithecines– skeletal characteristics including the species A. aethiopicus, A. boisei, and A. robustus (note–these are classified in Chap. 9 as the genus Paranthropus)
Other australopithecines (A. africanus, A. sediba, and A. garhi). Garhi as the earliest potential toolmaker.
Earliest stone tools–Lomekwian–3.3 mya
Chap. 10 and online lecture: Genus Homo
Plio-Pleistocene environments
Homo habilis
anatomy
debates over classification, including splitting into H. rudolfensis
Oldowan tool tradition and consequences of increased tool use
H. erectus anatomy (brain size, teeth, body size)
H. erectus geographic distribution–Indonesia, China, Georgia
H.erectus cultural behavior (tool use, use of fire, diet, social organization)
H. erectus growth pattern (from Nariokotome skeleton)
evidence of hunting and improved nutrition
Acheulean tool tradition
Migration out of Africa into Europe and Asia
Chap. 11 and online lecture: Archaic and Modern Humans
Archaic Homo sapiens anatomy and geographical distribution
Neandertal anatomy including cold-adapted features
Neandertal geographic distribution
Neandertal cultural behavior–including burials and evidence of symbolism
Mousterian tool tradition (Levallois technique)
FOXP2 gene and Neandertal evidence of language
genetic evidence of hybridization of Neandertals/modern humans
Denisovans
Homo floresiensis
Homo naledi
Chap. 12, portions of Chap. 16, and online lectures: Modern Homo sapiens
Early modern Homo sapiens (anatomically modern humans)—skeletal characteristics
Early modern Homo sapiens (anatomically modern humans)—behavioral characteristics
Earliest modern human fossils (geographic locations and dates)
Jebel Irhoud, Morocco (now considered earliest H. sapiens fossils)
Omo and Herto (East Africa)–previously considered earliest H. sapiens fossils
Modern human fossils in the Middle East, Asia, and Europe
Assimilation model as the best fit for modern human origins
Modern human cultural innovations (art, decoration, music, etc)
Upper Paleolithic tools (blade technology and more varied tools)
Settlement of Australia
Migration to the Americas (Bering Strait and possible early coastal migration)
hunter-gatherer (forager) health and demography
factors in transition to agriculture (climate change, population pressure, )
transition to agriculture—demographic changes (fertility, population size, etc)
agriculture’s effect on human health (nutrition, workload, disease)
human dental changes with agricultural transition (dental disease, malocclusion)
Epidemiological transition (industrialization)
Population pyramid (contrast developed vs. developing nations)
Chaps 13, 14, online lectures: Human Variation and Adaptation
Anthropological study of human variation
History of human classification and the race concept
Blumenbach and skull classification
Morton and biological determinism
Franz Boas and environmental influence in cranial form
clines vs. discrete racial categories
“Out of Africa” and how it relates to human biological diversity
how human biological diversity compares to other species
reasons for human homogeneity
neutral evolution vs natural selection in human variation
Race: social significance
Homeostasis and stressors
Cultural/behavioral adjustments to stress
Acclimatory adjustments (acclimatization)
Developmental plasticity/adjustments
heat and cold stress and responses
high elevation stress and responses
genetic adaptations
Bergmann’s and Allen’s rules for body form
Lactase persistence
Melanin and melanogenesis
evolution of skin color variation (folate and Vitamin D)

 

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