Domestication

What types of phenotypic changes did humans selct during the domestication of cattle?

Passive, smaller

What are the mechanisms through which humans select for traits among domesticated plants and animals?

- Collecting - Tending & weeding - Protection from predators - Differentially culling - Purposeful breeding - Genetic engineering

Where and when did the initial domestication of plants and animals take place?

14,000 years ago in East Asia Wolves domesticated to dogs Accompanied humans to New World

Social hypothesis

Ag emerged in areas with abundant resources • Key is ability to transform food surplus into other forms of wealth and/or power • Feasting and conspicuous consumption • Focus on strategies that were some members of society are motivated to encourage development of agriculture -Agriculture as a means for social inequality BARBARA BENDER

Population pressure hypothesis

Agriculture is back-breaking, time-consuming and labor intensive • Hunter-gatherer lifestyles are less taxing and intense • Focus on processes that force development of agriculture -People would not become farmers unless they had no other choice -a last resort due to problems, such as overpopulation MARK COHEN

What is domestication?

Changes in the physical characteristics of a plant or animal species caused by human manipulation -physiological transformation of plants/animals

Broad Spectrum Revolution

During the Mesolithic time period; a period in which a wider range of plants and animals were hunted, gathered, etc

Oasis Theory

Environmental change caused plants, animals and humans to cluster in confined areas near water • Domestication as a result of clustering caused by drought • Domestication emerged as a symbiotic relationship • Climatic factors central: environmental determinism • Focus on processes that facilitatedevelopment of agriculture V. GORDON CHILDE

Hilly Flanks hypothesis

Hilly flanks: location for origins of agriculture • Upland regions with regular rainfall • Habitat of wild ancestors of domesticates • Zagros and Tauros Mountains • Focus on processes that facilitatedevelopment of agriculture ROBERT BRAIDWOOD

What is agriculture?

Obtaining food from intense use of previously domesticated plants and animals -Cultural transformation of society

What were the primary effects of the processes of domestication and sedenatry lifestyles to human health?

Poor diet, malnutrition, increase in illness, dental problems, increase in disease

What are some of the pros and cons of the widespread adoption of sedentary, agricultural lifestyles?

Pros -Lower infant mortality -More permanent housing, sedentary lifestyle -Allows increased population -Control of food sources -Increasing specialization (science, art, etc) -Increasing pace of technological advancements Cons -Overpopulation -Increase in work time -Comparatively poor diet -Shorter Stature -Net decline in health for entire population -Increased rates of infection -Increased rates of malnutrition -Dental problems -Epidemic disease -Environmental degradation -Social inequality -Social domination/violence -Increase in warfare

What is the result of domestication in terms of the ways that humans and domesticated species live?

Reciprocal, co-dependent relationship between humans and domesticates -Co-Domestication

Agriculture

The deliberate effort to modify a portion of Earth's surface through the cultivation of crops and the raising of livestock for sustenance or economic gain.

Carrying capacity

The largest population that an environment can support at any given time

Optimal forging theory

invests time acquiring food with the highest nutritional value, most abundant source, and is located the shortest distance away