19. Evolutionary Demography of the Great Apes
Year: 2024
Type: book-chapter
Abstract: The living hominids share a suite of life history features that distinguishes them from other primates, including larger body size, extended juvenile growth and development, and a long lifespan. While modern humans exhibit many distinctions from their great ape relatives, these species provide an important reference by which to infer the life history characteristics of our last common ancestor. Demographic analysis of the great apes reveals specifically how life histories changed during recent human evolution and can provide perspective on inter- and intra-specific variation in life history features. In this chapter, we provide the most detailed information available on demographic characteristics of great apes, comparisons with humans, and discussion of the proximate factors that influence life history variation across the clade.
Source: Open Book Publishers
DOI: 10.11647/obp.0251.19
Authors: Melissa Emery Thompson, Kristin Sabbi
Institutions: University of New Mexico, Harvard University
Language: English
Topic: Primate Behavior and Ecology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W4399668688