scholarly journals An emerging consensus in palaeoanthropology: demography was the main factor responsible for the disappearance of Neanderthals

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Krist Vaesen ◽  
Gerrit L. Dusseldorp ◽  
Mark J. Brandt
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Research Community ◽  
Modern Humans ◽  
Extinction Process ◽  
Political Views ◽  
Main Factor

AbstractThe causes of Neanderthal disappearance about 40,000 years ago remain highly contested. Over a dozen serious hypotheses are currently endorsed to explain this enigmatic event. Given the relatively large number of contending explanations and the relatively large number of participants in the debate, it is unclear how strongly each contender is supported by the research community. What does the community actually believe about the demise of Neanderthals? To address this question, we conducted a survey among practicing palaeo-anthropologists (total number of respondents = 216). It appears that received wisdom is that demography was the principal cause of the demise of Neanderthals. In contrast, there is no received wisdom about the role that environmental factors and competition with modern humans played in the extinction process; the research community is deeply divided about these issues. Finally, we tested the hypothesis that palaeo-anthropologists’ stand in the debate co-varies with their socio-political views and attitudes. We found no evidence for such a correlation.

scholarly journals What Do Palaeo-Anthropologists Believe About the Disappearance of Neanderthals?

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krist Vaesen ◽  
Gerrit Dusseldorp ◽  
Mark Brandt
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Research Community ◽  
Modern Humans ◽  
Extinction Process ◽  
Political Views

Abstract The causes of Neanderthal disappearance about 40,000 years ago remain highly contested. Over a dozen serious hypotheses are currently endorsed to explain this enigmatic event. Given the relatively large number of contending explanations and the relatively large number of participants in the debate, it is unclear how strongly each contender is supported by the research community. What does the community actually believe about the demise of Neanderthals? To address this question, we conducted a survey among practicing palaeo-anthropologists (total number of respondents = 216). It appears that received wisdom is that demography was the principal cause of the demise of Neanderthals. In contrast, there is no received wisdom about the role that environmental factors and competition with modern humans played in the extinction process; the research community is deeply divided about these issues. Finally, we tested the hypothesis that palaeo-anthropologists’ stand in the debate co-varies with their socio-political views and attitudes. We found no evidence for such a correlation.

Ecology and demography of a population of Anseropoda placenta (Echinodermata: Asteroidea) in the Bay of Brest, Brittany

1988 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Guillou ◽  
M. Diop
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Entire Population ◽  
Late Winter ◽  
Feeding Preferences ◽  
Length Frequency ◽  
Growth Processes ◽  
Bay Of Brest ◽  
Main Factor ◽  
Shallow Part

The starfish Anseropoda placenta (Pennant) is abundant in the gravelly sands of the Bay of Brest (Finistere, France). The size, distribution and density of this animal were evaluated along a transect perpendicular to the River Aulne in the southern part of the Bay. The spawning phases, the recruitment and growth processes were defined. When the entire population was considered, three plurimodal year classes were visible from the length frequency histograms. Year-class segregations were observed. Their density varied in space and time in a manner which suggests a pattern of migration from the southern part of the transect towards the northern part. Juveniles were recruited mainly during the autumn on the gravelly bottom of the southern shallow part. By late winter, they had migrated to the deeper parts of the channel. Feeding preferences do not seem to be the main factor controlling these migrations which are discussed in relation to environmental factors and the intra- and inter-specific competition.

scholarly journals Research Issues Involving the Biology of Autism

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.M. Edelson
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Sensory Processing ◽  
Research Community ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Female Ratio ◽  
Research Issues ◽  
Medical Comorbidities ◽  
Autism Research ◽  
And Behavior ◽  
Male To Female

This article provides an overview and discussion on many of the major topics currently discussed in the autism research community. These topics include: prevalence, male-to-female ratio, diagnosis, genetics, environmental factors, neurology, medical comorbidities, sensory processing, and behavior. The article concludes with a discussion of future research in the field of autism.

The Correlation Between Bioactive Components of Fallopia multiflora Root and Environmental Factors

2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (03) ◽  
pp. 473-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Han-Jing Yan ◽  
Zhi-Jian Fang ◽  
Jun Fu ◽  
Shi-Xiao Yu
Keyword(s):  
High Performance Liquid Chromatography ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
High Performance ◽  
Stepwise Regression ◽  
Bioactive Components ◽  
Average Temperature ◽  
Accumulated Temperature ◽  
Main Factor ◽  
Chinese Medicinal Plant

Fallopia multiflora (Thunb.) Harald, a traditional Chinese medicinal plant, is used in treating dizziness. In this study, the samples of F. multiflora from ten different locations were collected, and five bioactive components (2, 3, 5, 4′-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside, emodin, emodin-8-O-β-D-glucoside, physcion and physcion-8-O-β-D-glucoside) were quantified by high performance liquid chromatography. The correlations between 17 environmental factors and 5 bioactive components were analyzed. The results showed that the highest contents of bioactive components were in samples from Deqing, and the lowest in samples from Tianyang, which indicated that the quality of F. multiflora grown in Deqing was superior, while that grown in Tianyang was inferior. Emodin content was negatively correlated with the average temperature in January (p < 0.01) and the accumulated temperature (p < 0.01). Physician content was also negatively correlated with the average temperature in January (P < 0.01), the accumulated temperature (p < 0.05) and the organic matter (p < 0.05). However, emodin was positively correlated with the soil available K (p < 0.05) and Zn (p < 0.01) . The results of stepwise regression showed that the accumulated temperature was the main factor influencing the contents of emodin and physcion. However, none of the environmental factors had significant correlation with 2, 3, 5, 4′-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucoside, emodin-8- O-β-D-glucoside and physcion-8-O-β-D-glucoside. In conclusion, some environmental factors have significant influence on the content of dissociated anthraquinones, while some have no influence on that of combined anthraquinones.

So, who really is a “noted author” within the accounting literature? A reflection on Benson et al. (2015)

2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 483-490 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Deegan
Keyword(s):  
Research Community ◽  
The Political ◽  
World Views ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Accounting Research ◽  
Political Views ◽  
Political Foundations ◽  
Other World ◽  
Education And Society ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the propensity of some researchers within the accounting research community (and elsewhere) to ignore potentially rich insights available from other paradigms, and the implications this has for the advancement of knowledge both from an educational and a social perspective. Design/methodology/approach – The analysis is based on a review of a paper published in the Australian Journal of Management by Benson et al. (2015) together with a synthesis of other work which cautions against dismissing conflicting “world views”. Findings – The analysis suggests that the propensity of some accounting researchers to dismiss, or ignore, research undertaken by researchers outside of their paradigm is still apparently “alive and well” within today’s accounting research community. The implications associated with ignoring or dismissing rich interdisciplinary insights are highlighted. Research limitations/implications – The implications of the research are that many rich insights are apparently being ignored by a segment of the accounting research community and this has implications for the advancement of knowledge, education and society. The limitations of this commentary are that the views are based on personal opinion which by its very nature is biased and based on the political views of the author. Practical implications – The practical implications are that in highlighting a propensity to ignore potentially valuable research from alternative paradigms the commentary encourages researchers to consider other world views, as well as the political foundations inherent in their own work. This can have positive implications for the advancement of knowledge, and of society. Social implications – By highlighting the propensity of some researchers to potentially dismiss entire areas of research as not being “notable” it is hoped that there will be a revision of this tendency and this will have possible implications for the advancement of knowledge. Originality/value – The commentary highlights how certain elements of the accounting research community continue to appear to have a propensity to forget/ignore that potentially useful insights are available from people who undertake research beyond the confines of their research paradigm.

Seasonal distribution of coastal mesozooplankton community in relation to the environmental factors in İskenderun Bay (north-east Levantine, Mediterranean Sea)

2012 ◽  
Vol 93 (5) ◽  
pp. 1163-1174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tuba Terbiyik Kurt ◽  
Sevim Polat
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Seawater Temperature ◽  
Mesh Size ◽  
Distribution Patterns ◽  
Seasonal Distribution ◽  
Mesozooplankton Community ◽  
North East ◽  
Iskenderun Bay ◽  
Two Peaks ◽  
Main Factor

Mesozooplankton was studied during 2008 in coastal waters of the İskenderun Bay in order to determine seasonal changes in abundance, biomass, community structure and their relationship with environmental factors. Samples were collected seasonally at five stations using WP-2 net of 200 µ mesh size by vertical hauls. A total of 23 planktonic groups including 30 copepod species, 4 cladocerans and 4 chaetognaths were identified. Copepods were the most important group during the whole period of survey. Penilia avirostris was found to be dominant in spring, while Paracalanus parvus in summer and winter, and Acrocalanus gibber in autumn. Mesozooplankton abundance varied from 438 ind m−3 (autumn) to 7163 ind m−3 (spring), while biomass varied between 2.2 mg m−3 (summer) and 52.9 mg m−3 (autumn). Differences in abundance and biomass between seasons were statistically significant (P < 0.01). Clear seasonal distribution patterns were observed in the area. Two peaks in abundance were defined: a major peak in spring and a second minor one in autumn. It seems that the trophic element was the main factor affecting the density distribution of zooplankton populations, whereas species distributions were more affected by hydrographical parameters, namely: seawater temperature and salinity.

Hominin Taxic Diversity

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernard Wood ◽  
Dandy Doherty ◽  
Eve Boyle
Keyword(s):  
Fossil Record ◽  
Evolutionary History ◽  
Vocal Tract ◽  
Modern Human ◽  
Modern Humans ◽  
Minimum Requirement ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Relative Rarity ◽  
Taxic Diversity ◽  
Main Factor

The clade (a.k.a. twig of the Tree of Life) that includes modern humans includes all of the extinct species that are judged, on the basis of their morphology or their genotype, to be more closely related to modern humans than to chimpanzees and bonobos. Taxic diversity with respect to the hominin clade refers to evidence that it included more than one species at any one time period in its evolutionary history. The minimum requirement is that a single ancestor-descendant sequence connects modern humans with the hypothetical common ancestor they share with chimpanzees and bonobos. Does the hominin clade include just modern human ancestors or does it also include non-ancestral species that are closely related to modern humans? It has been suggested there is evidence of taxic diversity within the hominin clade back to 4.5 million years ago, but how sound is that evidence? The main factor that would work to overestimate taxic diversity is the tendency for paleoanthropologists to recognize too many taxa among the site collections of hominin fossils. Factors that would work to systematically underestimate taxic diversity include the relative rarity of hominins within fossil faunas, the realities that many parts of the world where hominins could have been living are un- or under-sampled, and that during many periods of human evolutionary history, erosion rather than deposition predominated, thus reducing or eliminating the chance that animals alive during those times would be recorded in the fossil record. Finally, some of the most distinctive parts of an animal (e.g., pelage, vocal tract, scent glands) are not likely to be preserved in the hominin fossil record, which is dominated by fragments of teeth and jaws.

scholarly journals Factors Affecting the Presence and the Diversity of Bryophytes in the Petrifying Sources Habitat (7220) in Wallonia and the Brussels-Capital Region, Belgium

2016 ◽  
Vol 2016 ◽  
pp. 1-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.-M. Couvreur ◽  
G. San Martin ◽  
A. Sotiaux
Keyword(s):  
Species Richness ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Community Composition ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Individual Species ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Main Factor

Bryological composition, water chemistry, and environmental factors were characterized on 67 Belgian travertines. We explore the relationship between these environmental factors and the community composition, species richness, or presence of individual species using Redundancy Analysis with Hellinger’s transformation (tb-RDA) or Generalized Linear Models (GLMs). The best variables explaining the community composition are slope, NO3, NH4, and PO4. The species richness is negatively related to canopy cover and PO4.Palustriella commutatatends to be more frequent when the slope is steeper and to a lesser degree when the canopy cover is lower.Eucladium verticillatumtends to be slightly more frequent when canopy cover and NH4concentrations are lower.Cratoneuron filicinumis more frequent at higher Mg concentrations andPellia endiviifoliais more frequent at lower PO4concentrations and higher NO3concentrations.Brachythecium rivulareshowed wide ecological amplitude and almost none of the tested environmental factors seem to be related to its presence. The study identifies eutrophication as the main factor responsible for habitat deterioration. Practical indications on the best ways to maintain or to enhance the quality of these petrifying sources are given.

scholarly journals Horário Ideal para Coleta de Gafanhotos na Depressão Central no Rio Grande do Sul

2014 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 93-98
Author(s):  
Nathália Leal Carvalho ◽  
Ervandil Correa Costa ◽  
Juliana Garlet ◽  
Danilo Boanerges Souza ◽  
Jardel Boscardin
Keyword(s):  
Wind Speed ◽  
Relative Humidity ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Rio Grande ◽  
Rio Grande Do Sul ◽  
Plastic Bags ◽  
Native Grassland ◽  
Higher Temperature ◽  
Made In ◽  
Main Factor

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a influência dos principais fatores ambientais no comportamento de acridóideos, bem como o horário ideal para coleta de espécimes deste grupo. As coletas foram realizadas em uma área de campo nativo, e para a captura dos insetos utilizou-se uma rede de coleta adaptada, com a qual se percorreu a distância de 20m, nos horários: 7:30, 9:30, 11:30, 13:30, 15:30 e 17:30, sendo que em cada um dos horários coletaram-se 10 amostras. Durante a coleta, foram medidas também, as variáveis meteorológicas: pressão atmosférica, velocidade do vento, temperatura média do ar, umidade relativa do ar e luminosidade, em cada horário de coleta. Os exemplares coletados foram acondicionados em sacos plásticos e levados ao Laboratório de Entomologia da UFSM. Após a separação e montagem os espécimes, foram encaminhados ao Laboratório de Entomologia da Faculdade de Biociências da PUCRS, onde foram identificados em nível de espécie. Foram coletados 568 exemplares adultos, distribuídos em vinte e duas espécies, pertencentes a dezoito gêneros e três famílias Acrididae, Proscopiidae e Romaleidae. Neste estudo observou-se que o melhor horário de coleta para áreas de campo foi as 13:30, onde observou-se maior temperatura, fator principal que possibilitou a coleta de número superior de exemplares e maior diversidade das espécies. Ideal Time to Collect Grasshoppers in the Central Depression in Rio Grande do Sul Abstract. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the environmental factors on the behavior of acridóideos as well as ideal time for collecting specimens of this group. The collections were made in an area of native grassland, and to capture the insects used an adapted collection network, with which it covered the distance of 20m, in times: 7:30, 9:30, 11:30 , 13:30, 15:30 and 17:30, and in each of the schedules were collected 10 samples.  In the collects, measures were also meteorological variables: air pressure, wind speed, mean air temperature, relative humidity and luminosity in each hour of collection. The collected samples were placed in plastic bags and taken to the Laboratory of Entomology UFSM. After separation and assembly were sent to the Laboratory of Entomology, Faculty of Biosciences, PUCRS, where Acridoidea were identified by Prof. Maria Katia Matiotti Coast to the taxonomic category of species. We collected 568 adult specimens, distributed in twenty two species, belonging to eighteen genera and three families Acrididae, Proscopiidae and Romaleidae. During the study it was observed that the best time for collecting field areas was 13:30, where we observed a higher temperature, the main factor that enabled the collection of higher number of copies and greater diversity of species.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document