Looking Back Through Biocultural and Cultural Evolution Flashcards
is the process by which living organism change over time
Evolution
it’s the gradual accumulation of changes in the heritable characteristics of a population of organisms over successive generations
Evolution
this can lead to the formation of new species or the extinction of old ones
Evolution
evolution happens slowly over many generations
Gradual Change
the changes must be passed down from parent to offspring
Heritable Traits
Evolution occurs in populations, not individuals
Population-based
factors like natural selection, genetic drift, and mutation play a role in evolution
Driven by Various Factors
Principles of Evolution
- Variation
- Hereditability
- Differential Reproductive Success
- Natural Selection
every species is made up of a variety of individuals
Variation
some are adept to their environment compared to others
Variation
traits are passed down from parents to offspring through genetic inheritance
Hereditability
for evolution to occur, traits must be heritable so that they can be selected for or against
Hereditability
it refers to the variation in the number of offspring produced by different individuals within a population
Differential Reproductive Success
organisms that have traits most suitable to their environment will survive and transfer these variations to their offspring in subsequent generations
Differential Reproductive Success
it is the mechanism by which organisms with traits that better enable them to survive and reproduce in particular environment are more likely to pass on those traits to their offspring
Natural Selection
was a renowned English naturalist and geologist whose work on the theory of evolution by natural selection revolutionized our understanding of the natural world
Charles Darwin
his observations of the unique wildlife on the Galapagos Islands were crucial to his development of the theory of evolution
Galapagos Islands
published his groundbreaking work, “On the Origin of Species using Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life,” in 1859
Origin of Species
What did Charles Darwin Publish and In what Year?
“On the Origin of Species using Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life,” in 1859
proposed that species evolve over time through a process of natural selection, where individuals with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce
Theory of Evolution
his theory faced significant opposition, particularly from religious groups
Controversy
Darwin’s work remains a cornerstone of modern biology and has had a profound impact on our understanding of the natural world
Legacy
TYPES OF EVOLUTION
- Biological Evolution
- Cultural Evolution
- Biocultural Evolution
- Sociocultural Evolution
is the process by which species adapt over time in response to their changing environment
Biological Evolution
descent with modification from preexisting species: cumulative inherited change in a population of organisms through time leading to the appearance of new forms
Biological Evolution
is the process by which cultures change over time. Unlike biological evolution, which is driven by genetic changes, cultural evolution is driven by social learning, innovation, and diffusion
Cultural Evolution
changes in socially transmitted beliefs, knowledge, customs, skills, attitudes, languages, and so on
Cultural Evolution
is the process by which biological and cultural aspects interact to shape human nature throughout human evolutionary history
Biocultural Evolution
the development of one or more cultures from simpler to more complex forms
Sociocultural Evolution
it is an umbrella term for theories of cultural evolution and social evolution
Sociocultural Evolution
describes how cultures and societies have changed over time
Sociocultural Evolution
are the bipedal apes, which include us, homo sapiens, other member of our genus, and species of ardipithecus, australopithecus, and paranthropus
Hominids
human like creatures
Hominids
Nickname - Lucy’s Species
Australopithecus Afarensis
Discovery Date - 1974
Australopithecus Afarensis
Where Lived - Eastern Africa (Ethiopia, Kenya, Tanzania)
Australopithecus Afarensis
When Lived - between about 3.85 and 2.95 million years ago
Australopithecus Afarensis
Height - Males: average 4ft 11 in (151cm); Females: Average 3ft 5 in (105cm)
Australopithecus Afarensis
Weight - Males: average 92lbs (42kg); Females: average 64lbs (29kg)
Australopithecus Afarensis
similar to chimpanzees, AU. children grow rapidly after birth and reach adulthood earlier than modern humans. This meant AU. Afarensis had a shorter period of growing up than modern humans have today, leaving them less time for parental guidance and socialization during childhood
Australopithecus Afarensis
Nickname - Handy Man
Homo Habilis
Discovery Date - 1960
Homo Habilis
Where Lived - Eastern and Southern Africa
Homo Habilis
When Lived - 2.4 million to 1.4 million years ago
Homo Habilis
Height - average 3 ft 4 in - 4 ft 5 in (100 - 135 cm)
Homo Habilis
Weight - average 70 lbs (32 kg)
Homo Habilis
this species, on of the earliest members of the genus homo, has a slightly larger braincase and smaller face and teeth than in australopithecus or older hominin species. But it still retains some ape-like features, including long arms and a moderately-prognathic face
Homo Habilis
its name, which means ‘handyman’, was given in 1964 because this species was thought to represent the first make of stone tools, currently, the oldest stone tools are dated slightly older than the oldest evidence of the genus homo
Homo Habilis
Discover Date - 1891
Homo Erectus
Where Lived - Northern, Eastern, and Southern Africa; Western Asia (Dmanisi, Republic of Georgia); East Asia (China and Indonesia)
Homo Erectus
Where Lived - between about 1.89 million and 110,000 years ago
Homo Erectus
Height - ranges from 4 ft 9 in - 6 ft 1 in
Homo Erectus
Weight - ranges from 88 - 150 lbs (40 - 68 kg)
Homo Erectus
early african homo erectus fossils (sometimes called homo ergaster) are the oldest known early humans to have possessed modern human-like body proportions with relatively elongated legs and shorter arms compared to the size of the torso
Homo Erectus
there is fossil evidence that this species cared for old and weak individuals. The appearance of homo erectus in the fossil records is often associated with the earliest handaxes, the first major innovation in stone tool technology
Homo Erectus
Nickname - Neanderthal
Homo Neanderthalensis
Discovery Date - 1829
Homo Neanderthalensis
Where Lived - Europe & Southwestern to Central Asia
Homo Neanderthalensis
When Lived - about 400,000 - 40,000 years ago
Homo Neanderthalensis
Height - Males: average 5 ft 5 in; Females: average 5 ft
Homo Neanderthalensis
Weight - Males: avg 143 lbs; Females: avg 119 lbs
Homo Neanderthalensis
neanderthals (the ‘th’ pronounces as ‘t’) are our closest extinct human relative. They made and used diverse set of sophisticated tools, controlled fire, lived in shelters, made and wore clothing, were skilled hunters of large animals and also ate plant foods, and occasionally made symbolic or ornamental objects. There is evidence that neanderthals deliberately buried their dead and occasionally even marked their graves with offerings, such as flowers. No other primates, and no earlier human species, had ever practiced this sophisticated and symbolic behavior
Homo Neanderthalensis
Where Lived - evolved in Africa, now worldwide
Homo Sapiens
When Lived - about 300,000 years ago to the present
Homo Sapiens
the species that you and all other living human beings on this planet belong to is homo sapiens evolved in africa. Like other early humans that were living at this time, they gathered and hunted food, and evolved behaviors that helped them respond to the challenges of survival in unstable environments
Homo Sapiens
have a long history, dating back to around 300,000 years ago. We have evolved from earlier hominid species, such as australopithecus and homo erectus, over time we have spread to all parts of the globe and adapted to a wide range of environments
Homo Sapiens
