This interdisciplinary book interprets early human evolution in the context of the local ecology and specific habitats. It assesses carefully the possible role of climate change in driving early human evolution. Bringing an ecological and biogeographic perspective to recent fossil finds, the book provides a new synthesis of ideas on hominid evolution. It will be a valuable resource for researchers in physical, biological, or paleoanthropology, evolutionary biology or biogeography.

List of Contributors

vii

Searching for an Interdisciplinary Convergence in Paleoanthropology

3

(10)

Timothy G. Bromage

Friedemann Schrenk

Part I Theory

Introduction

13

(6)

Yves Coppens

Habitat Theory in Relation to the Evolution in African Neogene Biota and Hominids

19

(16)

Elisabeth S. Vrba

Paleontology and Macroevolution: On the Theoretical Conflict between an Expanded Synthesis and Hierarchic Punctuationism

35

(22)

Frederick S. Szalay

The Autocatalytic Nature of Hominid Evolution in African Plio-Pleistocene Environments

57

(11)

Jeffrey K. McKee

In Search of Paleohominid Community Ecology

68

(8)

Michael L. Rosenzweig

Evolution in the African Plio-Pleistocene Mammalian Fauna: Correlation and Causation

76

(15)

Alan Turner

Part II Geology, Ecology, and Biogeography

Introduction

91

(3)

Jonathan Kingdon

Cenozoic Climate Change

94

(21)

George H. Denton

Landforms, Climate, Ecogeographic Mosaics, and the Potential for Hominid Diversity in Pliocene Africa

115

(23)

Eileen M. O'Brien

Charles R. Peters

Ecological Links between African Savanna Environments, Climate Change, and Early Hominid Evolution

138

(12)

Norman Owen-Smith

Evolutionary Processes Implicit in Distribution Patterns of Modern African Mammals

150

(17)

Peter Grubb

Part III Fossil Faunas

Introduction

167

(5)

F. Clark Howell

Biogeography, Dietary Specialization, and the Diversification of African Plio-Pleistocene Monkeys

172

(17)

Brenda R. Benefit

Toward an Evolutionary History of African Hipparionine Horses

189

(27)

Raymond L. Bernor

Miranda Armour-Chelu

Suid Paleoecology and Habitat Preferences at African Pliocene and Pleistocene Hominid Localities

216

(10)

Laura C. Bishop

Of Mice and Men: Evolution in East and South Africa during Plio-Pleistocene Times

226

(27)

Christiane Denys

Relationships between Eastern and Southern African Mammal Faunas

253

(18)

Peter Grubb

Oliver Sandrock

Ottmar Kullmer

Thomas M. Kaiser

Friedemann Schrenk

Part IV Hominid Evolution

Introduction

271

(5)

Meave Leakey

Basin Evolution, Sedimentary Dynamics, and Hominid Habitats in East Africa: An Ecosystem Approach

276

(6)

Craig S. Feibel

African Miocene Environments and the Transition to Early Hominines

282

(19)

Peter Andrews

Louise Humphrey

Plio-Pleistocene Floral Context and Habitat Preferences of Sympatric Hominid Species in East Africa

301

(15)

Nancy E. Sikes

Grades among the African Early Hominids

316

(12)

Mark Collard

Bernard Wood

Evolutionary Geography of Pliocene African Hominids

328

(21)

Robert Foley

Early Hominid Dental Development and Climate Change Fernando Ramirez Rozzi

349

(15)

Christopher Walker

Timothy G. Bromage

Habitat Specificity and Early Hominid Craniodental Ecomorphology

364

(5)

Timothy G. Bromage

Appendix: A Locality-based Listing of African Plio-Pleistocene Mammals

369

(31)

Alan Turner

Laura C. Bishop

Christiane Denys

Jeffrey K. McKee

Glossary

400

(15)

References Cited

415

(59)

Taxon Index

474

(7)

Subject Index

481

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