Modelling the role of groundwater hydro-refugia in East African hominin evolution and dispersal
Authors: Cuthbert, M.O., Gleeson, T., Reynolds, S.C., Bennett, M.R., Newton, A.C., McCormack, C.J. and Ashley, G.M.
Journal: Nature Communications
Volume: 8
eISSN: 2041-1723
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15696
Abstract:Water is a fundamental resource, yet its spatiotemporal availability in East Africa is poorly understood. This is the area where most hominin first occurrences are located, and consequently the potential role of water in hominin evolution and dispersal remains unresolved. Here, we show that hundreds of springs currently distributed across East Africa could function as persistent groundwater hydro-refugia through orbital-scale climate cycles. Groundwater buffers climate variability according to spatially variable groundwater response times determined by geology and topography. Using an agent-based model, grounded on the present day landscape, we show that groundwater availability would have been critical to supporting isolated networks of hydro-refugia during dry periods when potable surface water was scarce. This may have facilitated unexpected variations in isolation and dispersal of hominin populations in the past. Our results therefore provide a new environmental framework in which to understand how patterns of taxonomic diversity in hominins may have developed.
https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/29283/
Source: Scopus
Modelling the role of groundwater hydro-refugia in East African hominin evolution and dispersal.
Authors: Cuthbert, M.O., Gleeson, T., Reynolds, S.C., Bennett, M.R., Newton, A.C., McCormack, C.J. and Ashley, G.M.
Journal: Nat Commun
Volume: 8
Pages: 15696
eISSN: 2041-1723
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15696
Abstract:Water is a fundamental resource, yet its spatiotemporal availability in East Africa is poorly understood. This is the area where most hominin first occurrences are located, and consequently the potential role of water in hominin evolution and dispersal remains unresolved. Here, we show that hundreds of springs currently distributed across East Africa could function as persistent groundwater hydro-refugia through orbital-scale climate cycles. Groundwater buffers climate variability according to spatially variable groundwater response times determined by geology and topography. Using an agent-based model, grounded on the present day landscape, we show that groundwater availability would have been critical to supporting isolated networks of hydro-refugia during dry periods when potable surface water was scarce. This may have facilitated unexpected variations in isolation and dispersal of hominin populations in the past. Our results therefore provide a new environmental framework in which to understand how patterns of taxonomic diversity in hominins may have developed.
https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/29283/
Source: PubMed
Modelling the role of groundwater hydro-refugia in East African hominin evolution and dispersal
Authors: Cuthbert, M.O., Gleeson, T., Reynolds, S.C., Bennett, M.R., Newton, A.C., McCormack, C.J. and Ashley, G.M.
Journal: NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
Volume: 8
ISSN: 2041-1723
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15696
https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/29283/
Source: Web of Science (Lite)
Modelling the role of groundwater hydro-refugia in East African hominin evolution and dispersal
Authors: Cuthbert, M.O., Gleeson, T., Reynolds, S., Bennett, M.R., Newton, A., McCormack, C. and Ashley, G.M.
Journal: Nature Communications
Volume: 8
Issue: 15696
Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
ISSN: 2041-1723
Abstract:Water is a fundamental resource, yet its spatiotemporal availability in East Africa is poorly understood. This is the area where most hominin first occurrences are located, and consequently the potential role of water in hominin evolution and dispersal remains unresolved. Here, we show that hundreds of springs currently distributed across East Africa could function as persistent groundwater hydro-refugia through orbital-scale climate cycles.
Groundwater buffers climate variability according to spatially variable groundwater response times determined by geology and topography. Using an agent-based model, grounded on the present day landscape, we show that groundwater availability would have been critical to supporting isolated networks of hydro-refugia during dry periods when potable surface water was scarce. This may have facilitated unexpected variations in isolation and dispersal of hominin populations in the past. Our results therefore provide a new environmental framework in which to understand how patterns of taxonomic diversity in hominins may have developed.
https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/29283/
Source: Manual
Modelling the role of groundwater hydro-refugia in East African hominin evolution and dispersal.
Authors: Cuthbert, M.O., Gleeson, T., Reynolds, S.C., Bennett, M.R., Newton, A.C., McCormack, C.J. and Ashley, G.M.
Journal: Nature communications
Volume: 8
Pages: 15696
eISSN: 2041-1723
ISSN: 2041-1723
DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15696
Abstract:Water is a fundamental resource, yet its spatiotemporal availability in East Africa is poorly understood. This is the area where most hominin first occurrences are located, and consequently the potential role of water in hominin evolution and dispersal remains unresolved. Here, we show that hundreds of springs currently distributed across East Africa could function as persistent groundwater hydro-refugia through orbital-scale climate cycles. Groundwater buffers climate variability according to spatially variable groundwater response times determined by geology and topography. Using an agent-based model, grounded on the present day landscape, we show that groundwater availability would have been critical to supporting isolated networks of hydro-refugia during dry periods when potable surface water was scarce. This may have facilitated unexpected variations in isolation and dispersal of hominin populations in the past. Our results therefore provide a new environmental framework in which to understand how patterns of taxonomic diversity in hominins may have developed.
https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/29283/
Source: Europe PubMed Central
Modelling the role of groundwater hydro-refugia in East African hominin evolution and dispersal.
Authors: Cuthbert, M.O., Gleeson, T., Reynolds, S.C., Bennett, M.R., Newton, A., McCormack, C. and Ashley, G.M.
Journal: Nature Communications
Volume: 8
Issue: 15696
ISSN: 2041-1723
Abstract:Water is a fundamental resource, yet its spatiotemporal availability in East Africa is poorly understood. This is the area where most hominin first occurrences are located, and consequently the potential role of water in hominin evolution and dispersal remains unresolved. Here, we show that hundreds of springs currently distributed across East Africa could function as persistent groundwater hydro-refugia through orbital-scale climate cycles. Groundwater buffers climate variability according to spatially variable groundwater response times determined by geology and topography. Using an agent-based model, grounded on the present day landscape, we show that groundwater availability would have been critical to supporting isolated networks of hydro-refugia during dry periods when potable surface water was scarce. This may have facilitated unexpected variations in isolation and dispersal of hominin populations in the past. Our results therefore provide a new environmental framework in which to understand how patterns of taxonomic diversity in hominins may have developed.
https://eprints.bournemouth.ac.uk/29283/
Source: BURO EPrints