Essential Biology D.3 Human Evolution
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1.
Due Date:
Quiz Date:
Outline the trends illustrated by the fossils of Ardipithecus ramidus, Australopithecus including
A. afarensis and A. africanus, and Homo including H. habilis, H. erectus, H. neanderthalensis and
H. sapiens. Knowledge of approximate dates and distribution of the named species is expected.
Details of subspecies or particular groups (Cro-Magnon, Peking, and so on) are not required.
Include the following:
* increasing brain size in relation to body size - what is the trend shown in the graph below,
note the general slope of the data, where does the slope change, what does the scatter in the
data show?
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Essential Biology D.3 Human Evolution
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
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increasing adaptation to bipedalism, note the trends and how it would relate to the
positioning of the spine relative to the skull (position of the foramen magnum), the shape of
the spine (in profile), the angle between the knee and the pelvis, height of the individual
(the graph below may be useful, but also look through the reading and slides)
* migration - hominids originated in Africa and spread to other continents – events listed below,
add approximate dates
o Ardipithecus fossils found in Ethiopia
o Australopithecus and Homo habilis fossils found in Southern and Eastern Africa
o Homo erectus fossils found in Eastern Africa and in Asia
o Homo neanderthalensis fossils found in Europe
o Homo sapiens fossils found in all continents except Antarctica
* decreasing relative size of: face, jaw, change teeth (canines, molars, incisors); increasing relative
size of brain case, forehead height, angle of face in profile (site for and angles of connection for
chewing muscles)
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Essential Biology D.3 Human Evolution
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2. What is a primate? Why are humans considered primates? What is the evolutionary
significance of the grouping? (p 480 Clegg)
3. Using the diagram below on 14C and information about 40K from your reading (Clegg, p 479), list
(a) the differences in the useful ages that may be determined using each isotope, (b) the type of
sample appropriate for use in each case and (c) the logic behind the methodology in each case.
14
C vs. 40 K:
common misconceptions:
14
C does not decay into 12C, but into _______ what does 40K decay into?
using 40K one does not measure actual living remains, but the ________________
14
C is actually better than 40K for samples younger than 100K years because______
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Essential Biology D.3 Human Evolution
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(c) Complete the DBQ on the top of page 300 (1st ed) p 318 (2nd ed) in Biology, Course Companion (in
class)
4. Actively read the following description of the changes in terminology in this field. Create a
visual flow chart/concept map to represent the relationship between the terms, hominin,
hominid, hominoids, apes, gorillas, orangutans, chimps, bonobos, gibbons.
NEW TAXONOMY FOR APES AND HUMANS
With growing molecular knowledge and other studies, evolutionary relationships of the hominoids has
become clearer in recent years. The studies that…involve recognizing the especially close genetic and
evolutionary relationships that exist between the three African apes (gorilla, chimpanzee and bonobo)
and humans. The taxonomic consequence of these studies has been to revise some taxonomic
groupings.
The Superfamily Hominoidea (hominoids) is still the collective name for all of the apes and humans with
three taxonomic families included: gibbons and siamangs (the "lesser"apes) are the Hylobatidae, the
orangutan (genus Pongo) is exclusively in the Pongidae, and the African apes (gorillas, chimpanzees and
bonobos) plus humans are placed in the Hominidae (hominids). In turn, the Hominidae typically has
three subfamilies: Gorillinae (gorillas) , Paninae (the 2 species of Pan) and the Homininae (hominins:
humans, living and extinct).
The confusing aspect of this taxonomic revision, of course, involves the revised use of the term
"hominid." In the past, the term "hominid" was used to refer only to humans and all their extinct bipedal
predecessors and cousins distinct from any apes. Now "hominid" is to be used to refer to humans and all
of the African apes together. The term "hominin" is now the common term to refer to those forms
previously referred to as hominids.
Confusing, isn't it? Well, cheer up! It could be worse…There are (also) several geneticists who argue that
even this taxonomic revision does not sufficiently reflect how similar humans, chimpanzees and
bonobos really are. These scientists assert that it is justifiable on genetic grounds to place all three of
these species (Homo sapiens, Pan troglodytes and Pan paniscus) in the same genus, Homo!
Martin K. Nickels, Ph.D., Professor Emeritus of Anthropology and ENSI Co-Director
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Essential Biology D.3 Human Evolution
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4 (con). Using the information above, create a concept map for ape/human taxonomy.
5. Create an annotated flowchart, along a time axis, outlining the major points in the correlation
between diet and brain size during hominid evolution (Clegg p 491)
6. Suggest an explanation for the pinch points in the diagram below.
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Essential Biology D.3 Human Evolution
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7. Questions (and answers) re: (modern) Homo sapiens influence on/by world history…
a.
List the following crops in order of earliest -> latest development:
wheat, horses, tea, chocolate, cattle, coffee, bananas, potatoes, sheep, corn, squash, figs
b.
Order the historical appearance of the following cities:
Athens, Rome, Caral (Peru), Xi’an (China), Catalhoyuk (Turkey), Jericho (West Bank)
Check http://humanorigins.si.edu/human-characteristics/change for answers!
c. How about this – which diseases have most severely impacted human population? A: none
more than 15%, which may or may not sound like a lot. Remember that each of these were
geographically isolated to some extent. Rates in any particular region could have been much
higher or lower. (no response needed – just read and digest the information)
Historical year(s)
Disease
Death rate
Percent
161-2 BCE
Small pox
20M/150M
13%
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Essential Biology D.3 Human Evolution
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542-3 CE
Bubonic plague
25M/190M
13%
1347-52
Bubonic plague
25M/360M
6.9%
1918-9
Influenza
40M/1.8B
2%
Cumulative/ongoing
Malaria
(1M/yr)/7B
0.01-0.02%/yr
Cumulative/ongoing
AIDS
(1.5M/yr)/7B
0.02%/yr
(300M/1200yr)/7B
0.3% total
Cumulative/eradicated Small pox
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