Estimating hominid life history: the critical interbirth interval

摘要: Unlike any great apes, humans have expanded into a wide variety of habitats during the course evolution, beginning with transition by australopithecines from forest to savanna habitation. Novel environments are likely imposed hominids demographic challenge due such factors as higher predation risk and scarcer food resources. In fact, recent studies found paucity older relative younger adults in hominid fossil remains, indicating considerably high adult mortality australopithecines, early Homo, Neanderthals. It is not clear date why only human ancestors among all hominoid species could survive these harsh environments. this paper, we explore possibility that had shorter interbirth intervals enhance fertility than extant apes. To infer hominids, introduce notion critical interval, or threshold length birth spacing above which population expected go extinction. We develop new method obtain based on observed ratios samples. Our analysis suggests Neanderthals significantly also discuss possible may caused evolutionary divergence life history traits those