Doctoral Dissertation Improvement-Paleoecology of the Upper Laetolil Beds, Laetoli, Tanzania: Its Implications for Hominid Evolution

博士论文改进-坦桑尼亚拉埃托利上层拉埃托利层的古生态学：其对原始人类进化的影响

• 批准号: 0216683
• 负责人: Terry Harrison
• 金额: $ 0.73万
• 依托单位: New York University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2002
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2002-07-01 至 2003-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0216683&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Improvement; Paleoecology; Upper

The analysis of the structure of past ecosystems, or paleoecology, is regarded as an essential component of contemporary studies of human evolution. Through detailed investigations of the association between ecology and evolutionary transformation it is possible to generate hypotheses about the factors that ultimately contributed to major events in the evolutionary history of hominids (humans and their close extinct relatives), including speciation, adaptive shifts, and extinctions. Previously, interpretations of the paleoecology at the important fossil hominid site of Laetoli in Tanzania (dating to 3.5-3.8 million year ago) have suggested that it is either an arid to semi-arid grassland with patches of bush and woodland or a more heavily wooded habitat. The objective of this project is to resolve this contentious issue by more thoroughly documenting the paleoecological setting at Laetoli. This study will utilize a range of data from the fossil faunas from Laetoli, and will apply a variety of methods and techniques to these data, such as indicator species, ecomorphology, ecological structure and community composition analyses. The project will also investigate, for the first time, fine-grained ecological distinctions between individual stratigraphic horizons and different sub-localities. The overall goal will be to present a more detailed, more comprehensive, and more informed assessment of the paleoecology at Laetoli. This will take into account the broad spectrum of faunal evidence available, the geographical and temporal complexity represented at the site, and the limitations imposed by taphonomic factors. The results of this project will provide a better understanding of the types of habitats exploited by early hominids, and lead to a more critical appreciation of their habitat preferences. The project will ultimately provide an important building block in developing broader scale macroevolutionary models that are essential for understanding and interpreting the contexts that shaped human evolution.

对过去生态系统或古生态学结构的分析被认为是当代人类进化研究的重要组成部分。 通过对生态学和进化转型之间关系的详细调查，我们有可能产生关于最终导致原始人（人类及其已灭绝的近亲）进化史上重大事件的因素的假设，包括物种形成、适应性转变和进化。 在此之前，对坦桑尼亚Laetoli重要的原始人类化石遗址（可追溯到350 - 380万年前）的古生态学解释表明，它要么是一个干旱到半干旱的草原，有灌木丛和林地，要么是一个树木繁茂的栖息地。 该项目的目标是通过更彻底地记录莱托利的古生态环境来解决这一有争议的问题。 这项研究将利用来自莱托利化石动物群的一系列数据，并将对这些数据应用各种方法和技术，如指示物种、生态形态学、生态结构和群落组成分析。 该项目还将首次调查个别地层层位和不同次区域之间的精细生态差异。 总体目标是对莱托利的古生态学进行更详细、更全面、更知情的评估。 这将考虑到广泛的动物区系证据，在该网站所代表的地理和时间的复杂性，以及埋藏因素所施加的限制。 这个项目的结果将提供一个更好的了解早期原始人利用的栖息地类型，并导致他们的栖息地偏好更关键的赞赏。 该项目最终将为开发更广泛的宏观进化模型提供重要的构建模块，这些模型对于理解和解释塑造人类进化的背景至关重要。