The Human Species: An Introduction to Biological Anthropology

by Relethford, John H.

• ISBN13: 9780767411714
• ISBN10: 0767411714
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1999-07-16
• Publisher: McGraw Hill College Div

Summary

This general introduction to contemporary physical anthropology presents balanced coverage of the major components of the field: genetics and evolutionary theory, human variation, human evolution, and the biology, behavior, and evolution of primates.

Table of Contents

Preface	v
PART I Evolution and Diversity in Human Populations	1	(160)
The Study of Biological Anthropology	3	(26)
What Is Anthropology?	4	(6)
Biology and Culture	4	(2)
Variation	6	(1)
Evolution	6	(1)
Adaptation	6	(2)
The Subfields of Anthropology	8	(2)
Special Topic: Biological Anthropologists at Work	10	(2)
Science and Evolution	12	(15)
Characteristics of Science	13	(1)
The Development of Evolutionary Theory	14	(8)
Evidence for Evolution	22	(2)
Science and Religion	24	(3)
Summary	27	(1)
Supplemental Readings	27	(2)
Human Genetics	29	(35)
Molecular Genetics	30	(8)
DNA: The Genetic Code	30	(5)
Chromosomes and Genes	35	(3)
Mendelian Genetics	38	(13)
Genotypes and Phenotypes	40	(3)
Predicting Offspring Distributions	43	(2)
Chromosomes and Inheritance	45	(2)
The Genetics of Complex Physical Traits	47	(4)
Mutations	51	(4)
Evolutionary Significance of Mutations	51	(1)
Types of Mutations	52	(2)
Rates of Mutations	54	(1)
Special Topic: PCR and Ancient DNA	55	(1)
Genetics and Behavior	56	(1)
Summary	57	(1)
Supplemental Readings	58	(1)
Cell Biology: A Review	59	(5)
Principles of Microevolution	64	(29)
Population Genetics	64	(5)
Definitions of Population	64	(1)
Genotype and Allele Frequencies	65	(2)
Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium	67	(2)
Evolutionary Forces	69	(21)
Mutation	69	(1)
Natural Selection	70	(8)
Genetic Drift	78	(5)
Gene Flow	83	(3)
Interaction of the Evolutionary Forces	86	(4)
Special Topic: Tay-Sachs Disease: Genetic Drift or Natural Selection?	90	(1)
Nonrandom Mating	90	(1)
Summary	91	(1)
Supplemental Readings	92	(1)
The Study of Human Variation	93	(23)
Measuring Human Variation	93	(6)
Biochemical Variation	94	(4)
Complex Trait Variation	98	(1)
The Racial Approach to Variation	99	(8)
The Biological Concept of Race	100	(1)
Problems with the Concept of Race	100	(7)
The Evolutionary Approach to Variation	107	(6)
The Analysis of Gene Flow and Genetic Drift	108	(2)
The Analysis of Natural Selection	110	(3)
Special Topic: Genetics, Race, and IQ	113	(2)
Summary	115	(1)
Supplemental Readings	115	(1)
Human Microevolution	116	(26)
Case Studies of Gene Flow and Genetic Drift	116	(4)
Social Organization and Genetics of South American Indians of the Rain Forest	117	(1)
The Vikings and Irish Population History	118	(2)
Special Topic: The Biological History of the Ancient Egyptians	120	(1)
Case Studies of Natural Selection	120	(20)
Hemoglobin, Sickle Cell, and Malaria	120	(9)
Blood Groups and Natural Selection	129	(5)
Lactase Deficiency	134	(2)
Skin Color	136	(4)
Summary	140	(1)
Supplemental Readings	141	(1)
Human Adaptation	142	(19)
Types of Adaptation	143	(1)
Physiologic, Genetic, and Cultural Adaptation	143	(1)
Adaptation to Ultraviolet Radiation: An Example	143	(1)
Special Topic: Cold Nights in Tierra Del Fuego	144	(1)
Climate and Human Adaptation	144	(10)
Physiologic Responses to Temperature Stress	145	(1)
Climate and Morphological Variation	146	(6)
Cultural Adaptations	152	(2)
High-Altitude Adaptation	154	(4)
High-Altitude Stresses	154	(1)
Physiologic Responses to Hypoxia	155	(1)
Physical Growth in High-Altitude Populations	156	(2)
Summary	158	(1)
Supplemental Readings	159	(2)
PART II Our Place in Nature	161	(148)
Primates in Nature	163	(35)
Taxonomy	163	(8)
Taxonomic Categories	164	(1)
Definition of Species	165	(1)
Methods of Classification	166	(2)
Approaches to Classification	168	(1)
The Vertebrates	169	(2)
Characteristics of Mammals	171	(7)
Reproduction	171	(3)
Temperature Regulation	174	(1)
Teeth	174	(2)
Skeletal Structure	176	(1)
Behavior	177	(1)
Primate Characteristics	178	(8)
The Skeleton	180	(1)
Vision	181	(1)
The Brain and Behavior	182	(2)
Reproduction and Care of Offspring	184	(2)
Special Topic: What Will Happen to the Primates?	186	(4)
Social Structure	188	(2)
Models of Primate Behavior	190	(6)
Socioecology	191	(1)
Sociobiology	192	(4)
Summary	196	(1)
Supplemental Readings	197	(1)
The Biology and Behavior of the Living Primates	198	(35)
Primate Suborders	198	(5)
Prosimians	198	(4)
Anthropoids	202	(1)
Alternative Classifications	202	(1)
The Monkeys	203	(7)
New World Monkeys	203	(4)
Old World Monkeys	207	(3)
The Hominoids	210	(7)
Hominoid Characteristics	211	(2)
Classification of the Hominoids	213	(4)
The Living Apes	217	(9)
Gibbons	218	(2)
Orangutans	220	(2)
Gorillas	222	(3)
Chimpanzees	225	(1)
Special Topic: Social Structure and Testes Size in Primates	226	(6)
Bonobos	229	(3)
Summary	232	(1)
Supplemental Readings	232	(1)
The Human Species	233	(26)
Characteristics of Living Humans	234	(14)
Distribution and Environment	234	(1)
Brain Size and Structure	234	(3)
Bipedalism	237	(3)
Canine Teeth	240	(1)
Sex and Reproduction	241	(1)
Human Growth	242	(5)
Social Structure	247	(1)
How Are Humans Unique?	248	(1)
Tool Use and Manufacture	248	(1)
Special Topic: Can Apes Make Stone Tools?	249	(9)
Language Capabilities	253	(1)
What Is Language?	254	(4)
Summary	258	(1)
Supplemental Readings	258	(1)
Macroevolution and the Fossil Record	259	(28)
Patterns of Macroevolution	260	(7)
Speciation	262	(2)
Adaptive Radiation	264	(1)
The Tempo and Mode of Macroevolution	264	(2)
Extinctions and Mass Extinctions	266	(1)
Species Selection	267	(1)
Misconceptions About Evolution	267	(1)
The Nature of Selection	267	(1)
Special Topic: Science Fiction and Orthogenesis	268	(3)
Structure, Function, and Evolution	270	(1)
The Study of the Fossil Record	271	(8)
Relative Dating Methods	272	(1)
Chronometric Dating Methods	273	(4)
Reconstructing the Past	277	(2)
Evolution Before the Primates	279	(6)
Perspectives on Geologic Time	279	(3)
The Origin of Life	282	(1)
The Paleozoic Era	282	(2)
The Mesozoic Era	284	(1)
Summary	285	(1)
Supplemental Readings	286	(1)
Primate Origins and Evolution	287	(22)
Early Primate Evolution	287	(8)
Overview of Early Primate Evolution	288	(1)
Primate Origins	288	(5)
Anthropoid Origins	293	(2)
Evolution of the Miocene Apes	295	(1)
Special Topic: The Giant Ape	296	(11)
The Diversity of Miocene Apes	297	(1)
The Fossil Evidence	297	(5)
Genetic Evidence	302	(3)
Conclusions	305	(2)
Summary	307	(1)
Supplemental Readings	308	(1)
PART III Human Evolution	309	(133)
Human Origins	311	(28)
Overview of Human Evolution	311	(3)
The First Hominids	314	(14)
Primitive Hominids	316	(7)
Later Australopithecines	323	(5)
Evolutionary Trends	328	(1)
Special Topic: The Piltdown Hoax	329	(9)
Evolutionary Relationships	330	(4)
The Origin of Bipedalism	334	(4)
Summary	338	(1)
Supplemental Readings	338	(1)
The Evolution of the Genus Homo	339	(31)
The Origins of the Genus Homo	339	(5)
Early Homo	340	(4)
Evolutionary Relationships	344	(1)
Homo erectus	344	(12)
Distribution in Time and Space	344	(3)
General Physical Characteristics	347	(4)
Cultural Behavior	351	(5)
Archaic Humans	356	(3)
Anagenesis or Cladogenesis?	357	(2)
Special Topic: Neandertals: Names and Images	359	(10)
Distribution in Time and Space	359	(2)
Early Archaics	361	(3)
The Neandertals	364	(5)
Summary	369	(1)
Supplemental Readings	369	(1)
The Origin of Modern Humans	370	(28)
Anatomically Modern Homo sapiens	370	(10)
Distribution in Time and Space	371	(1)
Physical Characteristics	371	(1)
Cultural Behavior	372	(8)
The Origin of Anatomically Modern Humans	380	(7)
Early Models	381	(1)
Current Models and Debates	382	(2)
The Fossil Evidence	384	(3)
Special Topic: The Iceman	387	(7)
The Genetic Evidence	387	(4)
Consensus?	391	(1)
Why Did Modern Humans Evolve?	391	(3)
Recent Biological and Cultural Evolution in Homo sapiens	394	(2)
Summary	396	(1)
Supplemental Readings	397	(1)
The Evolution of Human Health and Disease	398	(29)
The Study of Epidemiology	399	(7)
Types of Diseases	399	(1)
Rates of Diseases	400	(1)
Causes of Diseases	401	(2)
Studying the Evolution of Human Disease	403	(3)
The Evolution of Human Disease	406	(14)
Disease in Hunting-Gathering Societies	406	(3)
Agriculture and Disease	409	(1)
Urbanization and Disease	410	(2)
Culture Contact	412	(1)
The Epidemiologic Transition	413	(3)
Secular Changes in Human Growth	416	(2)
Some Contemporary Issues	418	(2)
Special Topic: The Coming Plague?	420	(5)
Summary	425	(1)
Supplemental Readings	426	(1)
The Demographic Evolution of Human Populations	427	(15)
The Study of Demography	427	(8)
Demographic Measures	427	(4)
Population Growth	431	(2)
The Age-Sex Structure of Populations	433	(2)
Demography and the Modern World	435	(1)
The Demographic Transition	435	(1)
Special Topic: The Baby Boom	436	(5)
World Population Growth	438	(1)
Implications of Changing Age Structure	439	(2)
Summary	441	(1)
Supplemental Readings	441	(1)
Epilogue: The Future of Our Species	442	(2)
Appendix 1 Mathematical Population Genetics	444	(9)
Appendix 2 Classification of Living Primates	453	(4)
Appendix 3 Conversion Factors	457	(1)
Appendix 4 Comparative Primate Skeletal Anatomy	458	(3)
Glossary	461	(10)
References	471	(12)
Index	483