Description of some areas of biological anthropology.

1. What Do Anthros Do?
One way to describe anthropology is to
describe some things anthropologists do.
Traditionally, the things they do have been
divided into:
PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
and
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY

2. Physical
Anthropometry
Osteology
Primatology
Human Genetics

3. Anthropometry
One of the earliest specialties
In the 19th and early 20th centuries, anthropometry was a
In a pseudoscience called phrenology, anthropologists were interested in
It was during this period that many
pseudoscience used mainly to classify potential criminals by facial
characteristics. For example, empirical
Franz-Joseph Gall (1758 withand
Concerned -1828) the work of Eugene Vidocq, which
populations such as the native Tasmanians….They were interested in
his followers what they considered to be “living fossils”.
measuring identified 37 mental and
identifies criminals by facial characteristics, aspects nearly a
moral faculties which they thought of many is still used
description
century after its introduction in France.
of the human physical
were represented in the exterior
The main of the skull.
surface result of Gall's theory was
aThe most infamous use which
kind of chart of the skull, of anthropometry was by the Nazis, whose
condition…..
These faculties were divided into
mapped the regions where the on Population Policy and Racial Welfare
Bureau spheres: intellectual,
for Enlightenment
several
bumps and depressions related to of Aryans and non-Aryans on the basis
recommended the classification
perceptiveness, mental energy, moral
Never a good source of theory…has
the 37 faculties could be palpated,
of Today, love, etc. of the skull and other physical features. Craniometric
measurements Most of the limned human physical
faculties,
anthropometry has
been mainly descriptive…important skull
height; weight; skin pigmentation;
measured and diagnosed. This was
faculties dealt with abstract and law. The Nazis set up certification
hard-
acertification and has manyby
variation, was required benign practical applications. For
marvelous device for
to-define personality traits, such as
part of modern ratios ofof ergonomics.
shape; girth; science measurements,
practicioners, and was widelyracial policies. Not measuring up meant
institutes approbativeness, used.
example, further their
to
firmness, it is used to assess nutritional status, to monitor the
denial of permission to marry or humanand for many it meant the death
growth of children, to identify work, remains, and forms
i.e. the Cephalic Index.
cautiousness, marvelousness,
camps.
eventuality, spirituality, veneration,
the basis of ergonomics.
amativeness. etc.

4. Osteology
Why study bones?
Long bones such isofthe "Why study bones?" A few of with
Often the question as bone….in anthropology the more
Study asked
Tibia areemphasis inknowledge of osteology has
Now recognized prevention of osteoporosis
tibia grow the(shinbone) provides a model to illustrate
obvious reasons way a tree
listed below.
Untilfrom the our primates
recently on
grows…that isthe process of bonefor the study of fossil man.
They and in identification of human remains.
constitute the evidence development:
ends. UsingThey been relatively ignored in prehistory.
data from basis of racial Forensic Anthropology)
(i.e.the
are Clyde Snow and classification
various bones, it is possible
Bones are theThey are the means of biological comparison of prehistoric
to determineframework of the vertebrate body and thus contain much
with some present living descendents.
peoples withadaptive mechanisms to his environment. The
information about man'ssuch the
degree of confidence
study of evolution essentially would be impossible if bones were evidence
At birth,bear witness toof bonevery smallthus give
There are two kinds burial patterns and and only
They human skeleton is
things as theaapproximate Inworld viewcells….essentially hard,
eliminated as for the calcified….the skull of theotheris studied.
partially culture and summary,oneanswer bones such as
source of data. the people that bones
age, sex,outer bone cellsdecay overlap and another, and for the
often survive the process of that and provide the main evidence a soft,
population group,
represented. Based onoften a cartilaginous model,of death.
the They death.the major whose of information on ancient
tibia consist of
spongy form Skeletal source also develop along stressand
human form after interior boneevidence cellshas the potential to
proceed to and
diseases harden give clues as to the causes
lines and provide as calcification proceeds with age.
skeletal material on prehistoric customs marrow.
provide informationalone, housing forand diseases.
Their identification often helps solve forensic cases.
positive I.D. is rare.

5. Primatology
Study of Primates
Before the 1930’s knowledge of free ranging
primates was riddled with “sea stories.”
Early studies included:
Clarence Ray Carpenter’s studies of Howler Monkeys on Barrio Colorado
Harold island in the Panama of the Zone.
Bingham’s studies Canal Mountain Gorilla.
These were essentially studies in comparative psychology
that employed anthropological field techniques….These
studies were interrupted by WWII.

6. Primatology
Among these were: of free ranging primates
After the war studies
were resumed with renewed vigor.
Jane Goodall’s studies among the Chimpanzees
of the Gombe Stream Preserve in NE Tanzania.
Sigourney Weaver, who played Diane Fossey in the
Dian Fossey’s studies
Watch Gorillas in the vid inis featured in an Animal
movie this YouTube Mist, which Jane Goodall
of Mountain Gorillas in
Planet special:
addresses the question:
Ruwanda’s Volcanic
“What separates us from the Gorillas Revisited, was
When the television special, apes?”
National Park.
aired, Weaver was stunned when she returned to
Rwanda, where she filmed GORILLAS IN THE MIST,
because the gorillas from the movie remembered who
she was.

7. Human Genetics
Basic Biology
Two types of cells:
body (somatic) cells
and sex cells (gametes)
Human body cells have 23 pairs of
chromosomes (diploid cells). Human sex
cells have half of each pair (haploid cells).

8. Human Genetics
Basic Biology
When male and female
gametes are combined, the
The term GENOTYPE refers to normally
result, a zygote, the actual
genetic composition of the person while
develops into a human
the way a person develops with
being through interaction
interaction with the environment is called
the PHENOTYPE.
with the environment.

9. Human Genetics
aka Population Genetics (Microevolution)
Species
Largest set of individuals who can mate
with one another with genetically viable
offspring as a result.

10. Human Genetics
aka Population Genetics (Microevolution)
Population (Mendelian population;
breeding population)
Set of individuals who mate with one
another more often than with others.

11. Human Genetics
Barriers that divide species into populations:
Geographic barriers
Temporal barriers
Psychological barriers
Sociocultural barriers

12. Human Genetics
The total genetic material of a population is
the Gene Pool of that population.
Evolution is operationally defined as change
in the composition of a gene pool.

13. Human Genetics
Processes that effect changes in composition of gene pools:
Genetic Drift/Sewell Wright Effect
(founder’s principle is related)
Natural Selection
(i.e. H.B.D. Kettlewell’s pepperback moth study)
Mutation
Cross breeding

14. EvoDevo (Evolutionary Development
A number of problems in macroevolution that have not
been successfully addressed by microevolution are now being
addressed by molecular geneticists in the field of
evolutionary development (EvoDevo).
EvoDevo demonstrates that evolution alters
The field of “EvoDevo”, looking at development from
developmental processes (genes and gene networks)
an evolutionary standpoint, has provided a great deal of
to create new and novel structures from the old gene
information in recent years particularly inthe jaw to
networks (such as bone structures of regard
development to the ossicles of structures. The discovery of a
deviating of complex body the middle ear).
set Wikipedia:genes, referred to as the homeotic genes, has
of control http://
allowed scientists to understand how complex body plans are
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evolutionary_developmental_biology
initially laid out in embryonic stages. The homeotic genes are
a suite of genes found in animals that determine the axes of
embryos, then control how embryos are divided into
segments, and initiate the development of appropriate body
parts in each segment. This system is interesting because it
answers so many developmental questions and also because
it provides a reasonable method for development of radically
different body plans.