Today: the real Hobbits

Exams returned F 2/19

Homework #2is due M 2/22

How might limited resources affect the evolution of a species?

Human Evolution Fig 34.40

Human Population GrowthFig 53.22

as of 2/14 at 6pm:6,802,790,917

Carrying Capacity

exponential growth

stationary phase

Fig 53.12

What limitsCarrying Capacity?…

Fig 53.12

Space

…Availability of resources.

Availability of resources and removal of waste limits carrying capacity Fig 55.4

Webpages and Articles about Homo floresiensis

(the video) http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/sciencenow/3209/01.html

(longer video) http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8604680088784253620(part 1 of 7)

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/features/world/asia/georgia/flores-hominids-text

http://www.nature.com/nature/focus/flores/index.html

For updated info (2009):http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v459/n7243/full/459041a.html

See textbook pg. 765...

The little people of Flores

H. floresiensis: A new species?

Asian island of Flores

Liang Bua where remains were found

Typical objects found. Tools and bones.

Artists rendering of H. floresiensis

floresiensis and sapien skull

Comparison of size:Pygmy, European, and H. floresiensis

Pygmy elephant

What about the tools?Was floresiensis “smart”?

H. sapien and H. floresiensis brain

Relative brain to body size

The shape and size of the brain ofH. floresiensis indicates that it was organized differently than the brain of H. sapiens.

So…Several individual skeletons were found of a small population ranging in age from ~90,000 – 18,000 years ago. They have relatively small brains, but might have been able to do sophisticated things.

Homo floresiensis:Are they a distinct species, and if so, how are we related?

Trait diversity may vary in different populations

57” 65” 73”

Human Evolution Fig 34.40

H. floresiensis: A new species?

Yes: the number of similar individuals, the dates of existence (~90,000–18,000 years old), and the different morphology.

There is much controversy over H. floresiensis

Alternate hypotheses and rebuttals:

Skeletons represent humans with brain damage.Skeletons represent humans with severe iodine deficiency: http://dsc.discovery.com/news/2008/03/05/hobbit-human.html

Rebuttal to iodine deficiency: http://johnhawks.net/weblog/fossils/flores/cretin-flores-faq-2008.html

Wrist bones are very different from humans:

http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/317/5845/1743

There is much controversy over H. floresiensis

Next: What is ecology...

Exams returnedF 2/19

Homework #2is due M 2/22