A Major Change in Rate of Climate Niche Envelope Evolution during Hominid History
Alessandro Mondanaro,
Marina Melchionna,
Mirko Di Febbraro,
Silvia Castiglione,
Philip B. Holden,
Neil R. Edwards,
Francesco Carotenuto,
Luigi Maiorano,
Maria Modafferi,
Carmela Serio,
Josè A.F. Diniz-Filho,
Thiago Rangel,
Lorenzo Rook,
Paul O'Higgins,
Penny Spikins,
Antonio Profico,
Pasquale Raia
Affiliations
Alessandro Mondanaro
Department of Earth, Environmental and Resources Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples 80126, Italy; Department of Earth Science. University of Florence, Florence 50121, Italy
Marina Melchionna
Department of Earth, Environmental and Resources Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples 80126, Italy
Mirko Di Febbraro
Department of Bioscience and Territory. University of Molise, Pesche, Isernia 86090, Italy
Silvia Castiglione
Department of Earth, Environmental and Resources Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples 80126, Italy
Philip B. Holden
School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6BJ, UK
Neil R. Edwards
School of Environment, Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes MK7 6BJ, UK
Francesco Carotenuto
Department of Earth, Environmental and Resources Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples 80126, Italy
Luigi Maiorano
Department of Biology and Biotechnologies Charles Darwin, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome 00185, Italy
Maria Modafferi
Department of Earth, Environmental and Resources Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples 80126, Italy
Carmela Serio
Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK
Josè A.F. Diniz-Filho
Department of Ecology, ICB, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia 74968-755, Brasil
Thiago Rangel
Department of Ecology, ICB, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia 74968-755, Brasil
Lorenzo Rook
Department of Earth Science. University of Florence, Florence 50121, Italy
Paul O'Higgins
Department of Archaeology and Hull York Medical School, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
Penny Spikins
Department of Archaeology and Hull York Medical School, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
Antonio Profico
Department of Archaeology and Hull York Medical School, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK
Pasquale Raia
Department of Earth, Environmental and Resources Sciences, University of Naples “Federico II”, Naples 80126, Italy; Corresponding author
Summary: Homo sapiens is the only species alive able to take advantage of its cognitive abilities to inhabit almost all environments on Earth. Humans are able to culturally construct, rather than biologically inherit, their occupied climatic niche to a degree unparalleled within the animal kingdom. Precisely, when hominins acquired such an ability remains unknown, and scholars disagree on the extent to which our ancestors shared this same ability. Here, we settle this issue using fine-grained paleoclimatic data, extensive archaeological data, and phylogenetic comparative methods. Our results indicate that whereas early hominins were forced to live under physiologically suitable climatic conditions, with the emergence of H. heidelbergensis, the Homo climatic niche expanded beyond its natural limits, despite progressive harshening in global climates. This indicates that technological innovations providing effective exploitation of cold and seasonal habitats predated the emergence of Homo sapiens.
