Article
Was climate the prime releaser for encephalization? An editorial comment
Climatic Change
(2009)
Abstract
Kleidon (2009) concludes that warm climates impose important constraints on the evolution of large brains relative to body size, confirming our previous hypothesis (Schwartzman and Middendorf 2000). Here we update the case for our hypothesis and present a first approximation estimate of the cooling required for hominin brain size increase using a simple model of heat loss. We conclude that Pleistocene glacial episodes were likely sufficient to serve as prime releasers for emergence of Homo habilis and Homo erectus. In addition, we propose that atmospheric oxygen levels may been an analogous constraint on insect encephalization.
Disciplines
Publication Date
July, 2009
DOI
10.1007/s10584-009-9603-5
Citation Information
David Schwartzman, George Middendorf and Miranda Armour-Chelu. "Was climate the prime releaser for encephalization? An editorial comment" Climatic Change Vol. 95 Iss. 3 (2009) p. 439 - 447 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/george-middendorf/17/