Stable isotopes, functional morphology, and human evolution: a model of consilience
Year: 2012
Type: preprint
Abstract: Foraging behaviors are constrained by the energetic demands of resources, as well as the mechanical cost of procuring or consuming such resources. Molar enamel thickness is a morphological trait that differentiates African apes from hominins, being manifested most dramatically in the megadont hominins (Paranthropus spp.) with hyperthick enamel. Among primates, thicker enamel correlates with the consumption of stiff, deformation-resistant foods, probably because thicker enamel can better resist cracking under high compressive loads. Accordingly, plant underground storage organs (USOs) are thought to be central food resources for early hominins, in part due to their accessibility and mechanical characteristics. However the potential effects of this putative foraging behavior on enamel wear has received little attention. Here we present a process-based model to investigate foraging constraints as a function of energetic demands and enamel wear among anthropoid primates. Our framework allows us to explore under what conditions stiff foods such as USOs are chosen as fallback, rather than preferred, resources. Moreover, we quantify the potential fitness benefits of extradentary processing or the direct employment of megadont molars on mechanically stiff USOs. Our model predictions bring consilience, or at least offer a plausible resolution, to the noted disparity between hominin isotopic and microwear dietary evidence.
Source: arXiv (Cornell University)
Language: English
Subfield: Anthropology
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2978981284