Collaborative Research: Hominid Response To Environmental Change

合作研究：原始人类对环境变化的反应

• 批准号: 1420453
• 负责人: Michael Benedetti
• 金额: $ 7.73万
• 依托单位: University of North Carolina at Wilmington
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-07-15 至 2017-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1420453&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Hominid; Response; Environmental

Researchers wish to understand what are the basic cognitive and social adaptations which define "humanness" and which have been responsible for the success of our species. One way to address this question is through comparison with our nearest counterparts and these are "Neanderthals." Modern humans and Neanderthals met in Europe about 45,000 years ago and the result was the disappearance of Neanderthal culture and their distinct physical form. Neanderthals survived longest in Iberia and the goal of this research is to examine possible interaction between these two groups. If successful the research will shed light on those biological and cultural factors which gave modern humans their competitive edge.With support from the National Science Foundation, Dr. Jonathan Haws (University of Louisville) and Dr. Michael Benedetti (University of North Carolina Wilmington) will lead a three-year study of Neanderthal extinction and replacement by anatomically modern humans in central Portugal. The project brings together an international team to recover high-resolution archaeological, geological and paleoecological records from the excavation of Lapa do Picareiro, a cave in central Portugal. The research is designed to test three possible scenarios: 1) southern Iberia was abandoned by both Neanderthals and modern humans; 2) Neanderthals existed in southern Iberia; and 3) modern humans were present, spreading into the region soon after they arrived in northern Iberia. The ultimate goal is to test replacement models based on human responses to climate and environmental change.Lapa do Picareiro is a unique site, with about 10m of sediments spanning 50,000 years. The sequence includes almost 2m of deposits dated between 30-42 ka cal BP, making it an ideal locale to track changes in paleoenvironments and human ecodynamics across the Middle-Upper Paleolithic transition. The proposed methodology uses radiocarbon dating to establish age control for the sedimentary sequence and the archaeological materials, stone tool analyses for both relative dating and means for understanding the human decision-making of Middle and Upper Paleolithic humans, animal bone assemblages to reconstruct paleoenvironments and understand Neanderthal and modern human diets. Sediment analyses are key to understanding the site formation processes and environmental context of human occupation. Taken together, the work will establish a complete paleoenvironmental and geoarchaeological chronology for the Middle-Upper Paleolithic transition at Lapa do Picareiro, providing critical context that is missing from many other sites in the region. The project contributes to theories about a major development in human evolution. It offers a unique opportunity to resolve long-standing debates about the last Neanderthals and earliest modern humans in Southern Iberia. Broadly, this work will contribute to a greater understanding of the timing and nature of the transition by analyzing the role that environmental change, technology and diet choice played in human evolution. Data from the proposed excavation could potentially uncover new archaeological evidence that would transform understanding of this period.The project also offers scientific engagement and cultural enrichment for student participants who will join an interdisciplinary research team in an international setting. The PIs have demonstrated success in mentoring student research during previous NSF projects. Many of the students involved in this project over the past 5 years have been first-generation college students from under-represented and rural demographic groups. Recruiting these students has the dual benefits of diversifying the field crew and enriching the educational experience for students who may not otherwise have opportunities for international travel or study. This project will generate partnerships among American, Portuguese and Czech universities, creating new collaborative learning and research opportunities for students and scientists alike.

研究人员希望了解什么是定义“人性”的基本认知和社会适应，以及对我们物种的成功负责。解决这个问题的一种方法是通过与我们最近的同行进行比较，这些人是“尼安德特人”。“现代人和尼安德特人大约在45,000年前在欧洲相遇，结果是尼安德特人文化和他们独特的身体形态消失了。尼安德特人在伊比利亚生存时间最长，这项研究的目的是研究这两个群体之间可能的相互作用。如果这项研究成功，将揭示那些赋予现代人竞争优势的生物和文化因素。在美国国家科学基金会的支持下，乔纳森·霍斯博士（路易斯维尔大学）和迈克尔·贝内代蒂博士（北卡罗来纳州威尔明顿大学）将领导一项为期三年的研究，研究葡萄牙中部尼安德特人的灭绝和解剖学上的现代人的取代。该项目汇集了一个国际团队，从葡萄牙中部的Lapa do Picareiro洞穴的挖掘中恢复高分辨率的考古，地质和古生态记录。这项研究旨在测试三种可能的情况：1）南伊比利亚被尼安德特人和现代人遗弃; 2）尼安德特人存在于南伊比利亚; 3）现代人存在，在他们到达北方伊比利亚后不久就扩散到该地区。最终的目标是测试基于人类对气候和环境变化的反应的替换模型。拉帕-杜皮卡雷罗是一个独特的遗址，有大约10米长的沉积物，跨越5万年。该序列包括近200万沉积物，年代在30-42 ka cal BP之间，使其成为追踪旧石器时代中晚期过渡时期古环境和人类生态动力学变化的理想场所。拟议的方法使用放射性碳测年，以建立沉积序列和考古材料的年龄控制，石器工具分析的相对定年和手段，了解人类决策的中，上旧石器时代的人，动物骨骼组合，重建古环境，了解尼安德特人和现代人类的饮食。沉积物分析是了解人类居住的场地形成过程和环境背景的关键。总之，这项工作将建立一个完整的古环境和地质考古年表的中上层旧石器时代的过渡在拉帕做皮卡雷罗，提供关键的背景下，是从该地区的许多其他网站失踪。该项目有助于对人类进化的一个重大发展的理论。它提供了一个独特的机会，以解决长期存在的争论，最后的尼安德特人和最早的现代人在南伊比利亚。从广义上讲，这项工作将有助于通过分析环境变化、技术和饮食选择在人类进化中所起的作用，更好地理解这一转变的时间和性质。从拟议的挖掘数据可能会发现新的考古证据，将改变这一时期的理解。该项目还提供了科学参与和文化丰富的学生参与者谁将加入一个跨学科的研究团队在国际环境。PI在以前的NSF项目中成功地指导了学生的研究。在过去5年中，参与该项目的许多学生都是来自代表性不足和农村人口群体的第一代大学生。招募这些学生具有双重好处，即使实地工作人员多样化，并丰富那些可能没有国际旅行或学习机会的学生的教育经验。该项目将在美国、葡萄牙和捷克的大学之间建立伙伴关系，为学生和科学家创造新的合作学习和研究机会。