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Waring TM, Wood ZT, Szathmáry E. Characteristic processes of human evolution caused the Anthropocene and may obstruct its global solutions. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2024; 379:20220259. [PMID: 37952628 PMCID: PMC10645123 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
We propose that the global environmental crises of the Anthropocene are the outcome of a ratcheting process in long-term human evolution which has favoured groups of increased size and greater environmental exploitation. To explore this hypothesis, we review the changes in the human ecological niche. Evidence indicates the growth of the human niche has been facilitated by group-level cultural traits for environmental control. Following this logic, sustaining the biosphere under intense human use will probably require global cultural traits, including legal and technical systems. We investigate the conditions for the evolution of global cultural traits. We estimate that our species does not exhibit adequate population structure to evolve these traits. Our analysis suggests that characteristic patterns of human group-level cultural evolution created the Anthropocene and will work against global collective solutions to the environmental challenges it poses. We illustrate the implications of this theory with alternative evolutionary paths for humanity. We conclude that our species must alter longstanding patterns of cultural evolution to avoid environmental disaster and escalating between-group competition. We propose an applied research and policy programme with the goal of avoiding these outcomes. This article is part of the theme issue 'Evolution and sustainability: gathering the strands for an Anthropocene synthesis'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy M. Waring
- Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
| | - Zachary T. Wood
- Department of Biology, Colby College, 4000 Mayflower Hill Drive, Waterville, ME 04901, USA
| | - Eörs Szathmáry
- Institute of Evolution, Centre for Ecological Research, Budapest, Hungary
- Center for the Conceptual Foundations of Science, Parmenides Foundation, Pöcking, Germany
- Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical Biology, Eötvös University, Budapest, Hungary
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Rodríguez J, Hölzchen E, Caso-Alonso AI, Berndt JO, Hertler C, Timm IJ, Mateos A. Computer simulation of scavenging by hominins and giant hyenas in the late Early Pleistocene. Sci Rep 2023; 13:14283. [PMID: 37770511 PMCID: PMC10539305 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39776-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Consumption of animal-sourced food is an important factor in broadening the diet of early hominins, promoting brain and body growth, and increasing behavioural complexity. However, whether early hominins obtained animal food by scavenging or hunting large mammals remains debated. Sabre-toothed felids have been proposed to facilitate the expansion of early Homo out of Africa into Europe 1.4-0.8 Ma by creating a niche for scavengers in Eurasia as the carcasses abandoned by these felids still contained abundant edible resources. In contrast, it has been argued that the niche for a large scavenger was already occupied in Eurasia by the giant hyena, preventing hominins from utilising this resource. This study shows that sabre-toothed felids generated carcasses rich in edible resources and that hominins were capable of competing with giant hyenas for this resource. The simulation experiments showed that maintaining an optimum group size is essential for the success of the hominin scavenging strategy. Early hominins could outcompete giant hyenas only if they could successfully dispute carcasses with them. Thus, in the presence of a strong competitor, passive scavenging is essentially the same as confrontational scavenging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jesús Rodríguez
- National Research Center On Human Evolution (CENIEH), Paseo Sierra de Atapuerca 3, 09002, Burgos, Spain
| | - Ericson Hölzchen
- Chair for Business Informatics 1, Trier University, Behringstraße 21, 54296, Trier, Germany
- German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). Smart Data and Knowledge Services - Cognitive Social Simulation, Trier University, Behringstraße 21, 54296, Trier, Germany
| | - Ana Isabel Caso-Alonso
- Facultad de Ciencias. Edificio de Biología, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid. C/ Darwin, 2. Campus de Cantoblanco, 28049, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jan Ole Berndt
- German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). Smart Data and Knowledge Services - Cognitive Social Simulation, Trier University, Behringstraße 21, 54296, Trier, Germany
| | - Christine Hertler
- The Role of Culture in Early Expansion of Humans (ROCEEH), Senckenberg Research Institute, Senckenberganlage 25, 60325, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany
- The Role of Culture in Early Expansion of Humans (ROCEEH), Heidelberg Academy of Sciences, Karlstraße 4, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Ingo J Timm
- Chair for Business Informatics 1, Trier University, Behringstraße 21, 54296, Trier, Germany
- German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI). Smart Data and Knowledge Services - Cognitive Social Simulation, Trier University, Behringstraße 21, 54296, Trier, Germany
| | - Ana Mateos
- National Research Center On Human Evolution (CENIEH), Paseo Sierra de Atapuerca 3, 09002, Burgos, Spain.
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Carmel Y, Shavit A, Lamm E, Szathmáry E. Human socio-cultural evolution in light of evolutionary transitions: introduction to the theme issue. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20210397. [PMID: 36688397 PMCID: PMC9869440 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Human societies are no doubt complex. They are characterized by division of labour, multiple hierarchies, intricate communication networks and transport systems. These phenomena and others have led scholars to propose that human society may be, or may become, a new hierarchical level that may dominate the individual humans within it, similar to the relations between an organism and its cells, or an ant colony and its members. Recent discussions of the possibility of this major evolutionary transition in individuality (ETI) raise interesting and controversial questions that are explored in the present issue from four different complementary perspectives. (i) The general theory of ETIs. (ii) The unique aspects of cultural evolution. (iii) The evolutionary history and pre-history of humans. (iv) Specific routes of a possible human ETI. Each perspective uses different tools provided by different disciplines: biology, anthropology, cultural evolution, systems theory, psychology, economy, linguistics and philosophy of science. Altogether, this issue provides a broad and rich application of the notion of ETI to human past, present and perhaps also future evolution. It presents important case studies, new theoretical results and novel questions for future research. This article is part of the theme issue 'Human socio-cultural evolution in light of evolutionary transitions'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yohay Carmel
- Department of Environmental Engineering, Technion, Haifa, 32000, Israel
| | - Ayelet Shavit
- Department of Interdisciplinary Studies, Tel Hai College, 12208, Israel
- Department of Humanities and Arts, Technion, 3200003, Israel
| | - Ehud Lamm
- The Cohn Institute for History and Philosophy of Science, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, 69978, Israel
| | - Eörs Szathmáry
- Institute of Evolution, Centre for Ecological Research, 1121 Budapest, Hungary
- Parmenides Foundation, 82343 Pöcking, Germany
- Department of Plant Systematics, Ecology and Theoretical Biology, Eötvös University, Budapest 1117, Hungary
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Keasar T, Pourtallier O, Wajnberg E. Can sociality facilitate learning of complex tasks? Lessons from bees and flowers. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20210402. [PMID: 36688396 PMCID: PMC9869446 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2021.0402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of animal societies is a major evolutionary transition, but its implications for learning-dependent innovations are insufficiently understood. Bees, with lifestyles ranging from solitary to eusocial, are ideal models for exploring social evolution. Here, we ask how and why bees may acquire a new 'technology', foraging on morphologically complex flowers, and whether eusociality facilitates this technological shift. We consider 'complex' flowers that produce high food rewards but are difficult to access, versus 'simple' flowers offering easily accessible yet lower rewards. Complex flowers are less profitable than simple flowers to naive bees but become more rewarding after a learning period. We model how social bees optimally choose between simple and complex flowers over time, to maximize their colony's food balance. The model predicts no effect of colony size on the bees' flower choices. More foraging on complex flowers is predicted as colony longevity, its proportion of foragers, individual longevity and learning ability increase. Of these traits, only long-lived colonies and abundant foragers characterize eusocial bees. Thus, we predict that eusociality supports, but is not mandatory for, learning to exploit complex flowers. A re-analysis of a large published dataset of bee-flower interactions supports these conclusions. We discuss parallels between the evolution of insect sociality and other major transitions that provide scaffolds for learning innovations. This article is part of the theme issue 'Human socio-cultural evolution in light of evolutionary transitions'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamar Keasar
- Biology and Environment, University of Haifa, Oranim, Tivon 36006, Israel
| | | | - Eric Wajnberg
- INRIA, Projet Hephaistos, 06902 Sophia Antipolis, France
- Inrae, 400 Route des Chappes, BP 167 06903 Sophia Antipolis Cedex, France
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