I came across the material below, and thought that some here might find
it of interest. In case some here are upset by posting abstracts, I
promise to not post any more abstracts, for a while. Note the reference to
insects at the end...
Regards,
Tom Billings
[log in to unmask]
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Leonard, W R; Robertson, M L.
Evolutionary perspectives on human nutrition: The influence of brain and
body size on diet and metabolism.
American Journal of Human Biology, v.6, n.1, (1994): 77-88.
Abstract:
Human dietary patterns and metabolic requirements are compared to those of
nonhuman primate species in order to gain insights into the evolution of
our nutritional needs. In general, primate diet quality (i.e., caloric and
nutrient density) is inversely related to body size and total resting
metabolic requirements (RMR). Humans, however, consume a diet of much
higher quality than is expected for our size and metabolic needs. This
energy-rich diet appears to reflect an adaptation to the high metabolic
cost of our large brain. Among primates, the relative proportion of
resting metabolic energy used for brain metabolism is positively
correlated with relative diet quality. Humans represent the positive
extreme, having both a very high quality diet and a large brain that
accounts for 20-25% of resting metabolism. Evidence from the hominid
fossil record implies that major changes in diet and relative brain
metabolism occurred with the emergence of the genus Homo.
Allman, J; Mclaughlin, T; Hakeem, A.
Brain Weight and Life-Span in Primate Species.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of
America, v.90, n.1, (1993): 118-122.
Abstract:
In haplorhine primates (tarsiers, monkeys, apes, and humans), there is a
significant correlation between brain weight and maximum life-span when
the effect of body size is removed. There is also so significant
correlation in haplorhine primates between brain weight and female age at
first reproduction. For strepsirhine primates (lorises and lemurs), there
are no significant correlations between brain weight and either life-span
or female reproductive age when the effect of body size is removed. This
lack of correlation in strepsirhine primates may be related to the fact
that these primates are nocturnal and/or natives of the island of
Madagascar, both of which conditions may reduce competition for resources
and predation pressure. These findings suggest that in haplorhine primates
the genetic systems controlling brain growth are linked to the systems
governing the life cycle so that species with longer cycles have larger
brains. When the effect of body weight is removed, leaf-eating haplorhines
have significantly smaller brains and shorter lives than haplorhines with
other diets. Harem-living haplorhines also have significantly smaller
brains and shorter life-spans than troop-living haplorhines when the
effect of body weights is removed. We also sought to test the
rate-of-living hypothesis by determining whether primates with basal
metabolic rates that are higher than would be expected for their body size
have shorter maximum life-spans than would be expected for their body
size. Metabolic rate is not correlated with life-span or female age at
first reproduction when the effect of body size is removed.
Milton, K.
Diet and Primate Evolution.
Scientific American, v.269, n.2, (1993): 86-93.
(Abstract not available.)
Leonard, W R; Robertson, M L.
Nutritional requirements and human evolution: A bioenergetics model.
American Journal of Human Biology, v.4, n.2, (1992): 179-195.
Abstract:
A bioenergetics model is developed to examine changes in metabolic
requirements over the course of human evolution. Data on (1) body size
and resting metabolism, (2) brain size and metabolism, (3) activity
budgets, and (4) foraging patterns for humans and other anthropoids are
used to evaluate ecological correlates of variation in diet and energy
expenditure. Analyses of variation in these extant species provide a
framework for estimating (1) resting metabolic requirements, (2) brain
metabolic needs, and (3) total energy requirements in fossil hominids.
Anthropoid primates spend about 8% of resting metabolism to maintain
their brains, a significantly larger proportion than in other mammals
(3-4%), but still significantly less than 20-25% in humans. Total energy
expenditure among anthropoids is positively correlated with day range and
dietary quality. Human foragers fit this pattern, having high levels of
energy expenditure, large foraging ranges, and a high quality diet.
Within the fossil record, it appears that both total energy expenditure
(TEE) and energy required by the brain increased substantially with the
emergence of Homo erectus. For H. erectus, the percentage of resting
metabolism used by the brain falls beyond the nonhuman primate range and
approaches the modern human range. Additionally, TEE is 35-55% greater
than in the australopithecines. The high total metabolic needs and the
large proportion of energy required by the brain imply that important
dietary changes occurred with H. erectus. These metabolic and dietary
changes are linked to (1) the emergence of hunting and gathering, (2) the
evolution of the human pattern of prolonged development, and (3) the
coexistence and competition with the robust australopithecines.
Speth, J D.
Protein Selection and Avoidance Strategies of Contemporary and Ancestral
Foragers Unresolved Issues.
Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London B Biological
Sciences, v.334, n.1270, (1991): 265-270.
(Abstract not available.)
Chapman, C A; Chapman, L J.
Dietary variability in primate populations.
Primates, v.31, n.1, (1990): 121-128.
Abstract:
Dietary variability among primates is examined based on a review of 46
long-term studies of wild populations. Results suggest that primates do
not consistently combine the same kinds of foods in their diets, as many
past categorizations would suggest, but rather, that they often switch
between diet categories (e.g., fruit, insects, etc.). Dietary
variability, as quantified in our review, did not appear to be
constrained by phylogeny or to differ between species placed in different
diet categories (e.g., frugivores, insectivores, etc.). In addition,
dietary variability was not related to body size, habitat productivity,
seasonality, population density, or the number of sympatric primate
species.
BOOK:
Sutton, M Q.
Insect Resources and Plio-Pleistocene Hominid Evolution.
POSEY, D. A. AND W. L. OVERAL (ED.). ETHNOBIOLOGY: IMPLICATIONS AND
APPLICATIONS, VOLS. 1 AND 2; PROCEEDINGS OF THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL
CONGRESS OF ETHNOBIOLOGY, BELEM, BRAZIL, JULY 19-22, 1988. IX+363P.(VOL.
1); IX+257P.(VOL. 2) MUSEU PARAENSE EMILIO GOELDI: BELEM, PARA, BRAZIL.
ILLUS. MAPS. PAPER. ISBN 85-7098-020-5; ISBN 85-7098-021-3. 1990. p.
195-208.
(Abstract not available.)
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