Dissertation Research: Antelopes and Grasslands: Reconstructing African Hominid Environments

长期以来，人们一直认为我们的原始人祖先 非洲大草原的重要适应， 离开了森林，然而这种热带草原栖息地的存在 在原始人的进化过程中从未被明确确立。 本论文的研究项目将推断植被 早期原始人类栖息地的结构， 同时代食草动物的适应。 初级阶段 分析将涉及确定 头部和轴向形态的变化，一方面， 非洲羚羊的特殊觅食行为 其他. 这些信息将有助于确定 各种化石牛科动物的饮食偏好，反过来， 对有关的起源和传播的假说的评价 稀树草原 这项研究为年轻的研究生提供了出色的培训， 专业.

It has long been postulated that our hominid ancestors underwent critical adaptations to the savanna grasslands of Africa after leaving the forests, yet the presence of this savanna habitat type throughout hominid evolution has never been clearly established. This dissertation research project will infer the vegetational structure of early hominid habitats by determining the feeding adaptations of contemporaneous herbivores. The initial stage of analysis will involve the determination of correspondences between cranial and axial morphological variation on the one hand and specific feeding behaviors among living African antelopes on the other. This information will then allow for the determination of various fossil bovid dietary preferences, and in turn, the evaluation of hypotheses concerning the origin and spread of savanna grasslands. The study provides for excellent graduate training for a young professional.