Insights into human evolution from 60 years of research on chimpanzees at Gombe
Sixty years of research on chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) at Gombe National Park, Tanzania have revealed many similarities with human behaviour, including hunting, tool use and coalitionary killing. The close phylogenetic relationship between chimpanzees and humans suggests that these traits were pre...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Cambridge University Press
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Evolutionary Human Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2513843X21000025/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1811156407467114496 |
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| author | Michael Lawrence Wilson |
| author_facet | Michael Lawrence Wilson |
| author_sort | Michael Lawrence Wilson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sixty years of research on chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) at Gombe National Park, Tanzania have revealed many similarities with human behaviour, including hunting, tool use and coalitionary killing. The close phylogenetic relationship between chimpanzees and humans suggests that these traits were present in the last common ancestor of Pan and Homo (LCAPH). However, findings emerging from studies of our other closest living relative, the bonobo (Pan paniscus), indicate that either bonobos are derived in these respects, or the many similarities between chimpanzees and humans evolved convergently. In either case, field studies provide opportunities to test hypotheses for how and why our lineage has followed its peculiar path through the adaptive landscape. Evidence from primate field studies suggests that the hominin path depends on our heritage as apes: inefficient quadrupeds with grasping hands, orthograde posture and digestive systems that require high-quality foods. Key steps along this path include: (a) changes in diet; (b) increased use of tools; (c) bipedal gait; (d) multilevel societies; (e) collective foraging, including a sexual division of labour and extensive food transfers; and (f) language. Here I consider some possible explanations for these transitions, with an emphasis on contributions from Gombe. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:51:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f7005d70150f4ae2a5d82f9637b1f27a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2513-843X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T04:51:03Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Evolutionary Human Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-f7005d70150f4ae2a5d82f9637b1f27a2023-03-09T12:32:20ZengCambridge University PressEvolutionary Human Sciences2513-843X2021-01-01310.1017/ehs.2021.2Insights into human evolution from 60 years of research on chimpanzees at GombeMichael Lawrence Wilson0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3073-4518Department of Anthropology, University of Minnesota, 395 Humphrey Center, 301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 140 Gortner Laboratory, 1479 Gortner Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USA Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota, 1954 Buford Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55108, USASixty years of research on chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) at Gombe National Park, Tanzania have revealed many similarities with human behaviour, including hunting, tool use and coalitionary killing. The close phylogenetic relationship between chimpanzees and humans suggests that these traits were present in the last common ancestor of Pan and Homo (LCAPH). However, findings emerging from studies of our other closest living relative, the bonobo (Pan paniscus), indicate that either bonobos are derived in these respects, or the many similarities between chimpanzees and humans evolved convergently. In either case, field studies provide opportunities to test hypotheses for how and why our lineage has followed its peculiar path through the adaptive landscape. Evidence from primate field studies suggests that the hominin path depends on our heritage as apes: inefficient quadrupeds with grasping hands, orthograde posture and digestive systems that require high-quality foods. Key steps along this path include: (a) changes in diet; (b) increased use of tools; (c) bipedal gait; (d) multilevel societies; (e) collective foraging, including a sexual division of labour and extensive food transfers; and (f) language. Here I consider some possible explanations for these transitions, with an emphasis on contributions from Gombe.https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2513843X21000025/type/journal_articleChimpanzeePan troglodyteshuman evolutionGombe National Park |
| spellingShingle | Michael Lawrence Wilson Insights into human evolution from 60 years of research on chimpanzees at Gombe Evolutionary Human Sciences Chimpanzee Pan troglodytes human evolution Gombe National Park |
| title | Insights into human evolution from 60 years of research on chimpanzees at Gombe |
| title_full | Insights into human evolution from 60 years of research on chimpanzees at Gombe |
| title_fullStr | Insights into human evolution from 60 years of research on chimpanzees at Gombe |
| title_full_unstemmed | Insights into human evolution from 60 years of research on chimpanzees at Gombe |
| title_short | Insights into human evolution from 60 years of research on chimpanzees at Gombe |
| title_sort | insights into human evolution from 60 years of research on chimpanzees at gombe |
| topic | Chimpanzee Pan troglodytes human evolution Gombe National Park |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S2513843X21000025/type/journal_article |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT michaellawrencewilson insightsintohumanevolutionfrom60yearsofresearchonchimpanzeesatgombe |