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This Open Access book explains that after long periods of prehistoric research in which the importance of the archaeological as well as the natural context of rock art has been constantly underestimated, research has now begun to take this context into focus for documentation, analysis, interpretation and understanding. Human footprints are prominent among the long-time under-researched features of the context in caves with rock art. In order to compensate for this neglect an innovative research program has been established several years ago that focuses on the merging of indigenous knowledge and western archaeological science for the benefit of both sides. The book gathers first the methodological diversity in the analysis of human tracks. Here major representatives of anthropological, statistical and traditional approaches feature the multi-layered methods available for the analysis of human tracks. Second it compiles case studies from around the globe of prehistoric human tracks. For the first time, the most important sites which have been found worldwide are published in a single publication. The third focus of this book is on firsthand experiences of researchers with indigenous tracking experts from around the globe, expounding on how archaeological sciencecan benefit from the ancestral knowledge. This book will be of interest to professional archaeologists, graduate students, ecologists, cultural anthropologists and laypeople, especially those focussing on hunting-gathering and pastoralist communities and who appreciate indigenous knowledge.

Archaeology --- Anthropology --- Biological and Physical Anthropology --- Physical-Biological Anthropology --- Footprints in caves with rock art. --- Indigenous trackers from around the globe --- Open Access --- Pleistocene human footprints --- Scientific value of prehistoric human footprints --- Tracking in Caves

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The vertebral spine is a key element of the human anatomy. Its main role is to protect the spinal cord and the main blood vessels. The axial skeleton, with its muscles and joints, provides stability for the attachment of the head, tail and limbs and, at the same time, enables the mobility required for breathing and for locomotion. Despite its great importance, the vertebral spine is often over looked by researchers because: a) vertebrae are fragile in nature, which makes their fossilization a rare event; b) they are metameric (seriated and repeated elements) that make their anatomical determination and, thus, their subsequent study difficult; and c) the plethora of bones and joints involved in every movement or function of the axial skeleton makes the reconstruction of posture, breathing mechanics and locomotion extremely difficult. It is well established that the spine has changed dramatically during human evolution. Spinal curvatures, spinal load transmission, and thoracic shape of bipedal humans are derived among hominoids. Yet, there are many debates as to how and when these changes occurred and to their phylogenetic, functional, and pathological implications. In recent years, renewed interest arose in the axial skeleton. New and exciting finds, mostly from Europe and Africa, as well as new methods for reconstructing the spine, have been introduced to the research community. New methodologies such as Finite Element Analysis, trabecular bone analysis, Geometric Morphometric analysis, and gait analysis have been applied to the spines of primates and humans. These provide a new and refreshing look into the evolution of the spine. Advanced biomechanical research regarding posture, range of motion, stability, and attenuation of the human spine has interesting evolutionary implications. Until now, no book that summarizes the updated research and knowledge regarding spinal evolution in hominoids has been available. The present book explores both these new methodologies and new data, including recent fossil, morphological, biomechanical, and theoretical advances regarding vertebral column evolution. In order to cover all of that data, we divide the book into four parts: 1) the spine of hominoids; 2) the vertebral spine of extinct hominins; 3) ontogeny, biomechanics and pathology of the human spine; and 4) new methodologies of spinal research. These parts complement each other and provide a wide and comprehensive examination of spinal evolution.

Spine --- Evolution. --- Evolution (Biology). --- Physical anthropology. --- Morphology (Animals). --- Developmental biology. --- Vertebrates. --- Evolutionary Biology. --- Biological and Physical Anthropology. --- Animal Anatomy / Morphology / Histology. --- Developmental Biology. --- Vertebrata --- Chordata --- Development (Biology) --- Biology --- Growth --- Ontogeny --- Animal morphology --- Animals --- Body form in animals --- Zoology --- Morphology --- Biological anthropology --- Somatology --- Anthropology --- Human biology --- Animal evolution --- Biological evolution --- Darwinism --- Evolutionary biology --- Evolutionary science --- Origin of species --- Evolution --- Biological fitness --- Homoplasy --- Natural selection --- Phylogeny --- Evolutionary biology. --- Animal anatomy. --- Animal anatomy --- Physiology --- Anatomy

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This textbook provides a collection of case studies in paleoanthropology demonstrating the method and limitations of science. These cases introduce the reader to various problems and illustrate how they have been addressed historically.  The various topics selected represent important corrections in the field, some critical breakthroughs, models of good reasoning and experimental design, and important ideas emerging from normal science.  .

Life sciences. --- History. --- Developmental biology. --- Evolutionary biology. --- Animal anatomy. --- Physical anthropology. --- Archaeology. --- Life Sciences. --- Evolutionary Biology. --- Biological Anthropology. --- Animal Anatomy / Morphology / Histology. --- History of Science. --- Developmental Biology. --- Archeology --- Biological anthropology --- Somatology --- Animal anatomy --- Animals --- Animal evolution --- Biological evolution --- Darwinism --- Evolutionary biology --- Evolutionary science --- Origin of species --- Development (Biology) --- Annals --- Biosciences --- Sciences, Life --- Anatomy --- Evolution --- Anthropology --- Auxiliary sciences of history --- History --- Antiquities --- Human biology --- Biology --- Physiology --- Biological fitness --- Homoplasy --- Natural selection --- Phylogeny --- Growth --- Ontogeny --- Science --- Evolution (Biology). --- Morphology (Animals). --- Biological and Physical Anthropology. --- Animal morphology --- Body form in animals --- Zoology --- Morphology --- Evolution (Biology)

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Professor Linda M. Fedigan, Member of the Order of Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, has made major contributions to our understanding of the behavioural ecology of primates. Furthermore, Linda Fedigan pioneered and continues to advance scholarship on the role of women in science, as well as actively promoting the inclusion of women in the academy. A symposium in honour of her career was held in Banff (Alberta, Canada) in December 2016, during which former and current students and collaborators, as well as scientists with similar research interests, presented and discussed their work and their connections to Linda Fedigan. These presentations and discussions are here presented as chapters in this festschrift. The original works presented in this book are organized around four major research areas that have been greatly advanced and influenced by Linda Fedigan: Primate life histories Sex roles, gender, and science Primate-environment interactions Primate adaptation to changing environments.

Primates. --- Primates --- Primate breeding --- Quadrumana --- Mammals --- Breeding. --- Adaptation. --- Animal ecology. --- Evolution (Biology). --- Conservation biology. --- Physical anthropology. --- Animal behavior. --- Animal Ecology. --- Evolutionary Biology. --- Conservation Biology/Ecology. --- Biological and Physical Anthropology. --- Behavioral Sciences. --- Animals --- Animals, Habits and behavior of --- Behavior, Animal --- Ethology --- Animal psychology --- Zoology --- Ethologists --- Psychology, Comparative --- Biological anthropology --- Somatology --- Anthropology --- Human biology --- Ecology --- Nature conservation --- Animal evolution --- Biological evolution --- Darwinism --- Evolutionary biology --- Evolutionary science --- Origin of species --- Biology --- Evolution --- Biological fitness --- Homoplasy --- Natural selection --- Phylogeny --- Behavior --- Evolutionary biology. --- Ecology . --- Behavioral sciences. --- Balance of nature --- Bionomics --- Ecological processes --- Ecological science --- Ecological sciences --- Environment --- Environmental biology --- Oecology --- Environmental sciences --- Population biology

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The social sciences share a mission to shed light on human nature and society. However, there is no widely accepted meta-theory; no foundation from which variables can be linked, causally sequenced, or ultimately explained. This book advances “life history evolution” as the missing meta-theory for the social sciences. Originally a biological theory for the variation between species, research on life history evolution now encompasses psychological and sociological variation within the human species that has long been the stock and trade of social scientific study. The eighteen chapters of this book review six disciplines, eighteen authors, and eighty-two volumes published between 1734 and 2015—re-reading the texts in the light of life history evolution. .

Social evolution. --- Applied psychology. --- Evolution (Biology). --- Demography. --- Physical anthropology. --- Ecology. --- Biological Psychology. --- Evolutionary Biology. --- Biological and Physical Anthropology. --- Community & Population Ecology. --- Balance of nature --- Biology --- Bionomics --- Ecological processes --- Ecological science --- Ecological sciences --- Environment --- Environmental biology --- Oecology --- Environmental sciences --- Population biology --- Biological anthropology --- Somatology --- Anthropology --- Human biology --- Historical demography --- Social sciences --- Population --- Vital statistics --- Animal evolution --- Animals --- Biological evolution --- Darwinism --- Evolutionary biology --- Evolutionary science --- Origin of species --- Evolution --- Biological fitness --- Homoplasy --- Natural selection --- Phylogeny --- Applied psychology --- Psychagogy --- Psychology, Practical --- Social psychotechnics --- Psychology --- Ecology --- Biological psychology. --- Evolutionary biology. --- Community ecology, Biotic. --- Biological psychology --- Biopsychology --- Human behavior --- Biological psychiatry --- Biocenoses --- Biocoenoses --- Biogeoecology --- Biological communities --- Biomes --- Biotic community ecology --- Communities, Biotic --- Community ecology, Biotic --- Ecological communities --- Ecosystems --- Natural communities --- Psychobiology. --- Evolution (Biology) --- Biotic communities.