Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Human Evolution, 2 Volume Set volume Volumes I (A-K) and II (L-Z)

This comprehensive A to Z encyclopedia provides extensive coverage of important scientific terms related to improving our understanding of how we evolved. Specifically, the 5,000 entries in this two-volume set cover evidence and methods used to investigate the relationships among the living great apes, evidence about what makes the behavior of modern humans distinctive, and evidence about the evolutionary history of that distinctiveness, as well as information about modern methods used to trace the recent evolutionary history of modern human populations. This text provides a resource for everyone studying the emergence of Homo sapiens. Visit the companion site www.woodhumanevolution.com to browse additional references and updates from this comprehensive encyclopedia. "This comprehensive A to Z encyclopedia provides extensive coverage of important scientific terms related to improving our understanding of how we evolved. Specifically, the 5,000 entries cover evidence and methods used to investigate the relationships among the living great apes, evidence about what makes the behavior of modern humans distinctive, and evidence about the evolutionary history of that distinctiveness, as well as information about modern methods used to trace the recent evolutionary history of modern human populations. This text provides a resource for everyone studying the emergence of Homo sapiens"-- "The long-term plan for the Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Human Evolution (W-BEHE) is that it will be an authoritative and accessible source of information about the hominin clade of the tree of life. Entries cover: - general evolutionary principles, - information about the molecular and developmental biological approaches used to help understand the pattern and process of evolution, - methods used to investigate relationships among the living great apes and modern humans, - methods germane to understanding the origins and evolutionary history of the hominin clade and its climatic and ecological context, - what makes the behavior of modern humans distinctive and the evolutionary history of that distinctiveness, - information about the modern methods used to capture and interpret data from the hominin fossil and archeological records, as well as comparative biology, - nonhominin fossil evidence germane to the evolution of the hominin clade, - specialist terms used to describe the hominin fossil and archeological records, - hypotheses germane to interpreting human evolutionary history, - biographies of individuals who have made significant contributions to the accumulation of the fossil and archeological, and other, evidence and to its interpretation, - institutions and organizations that have contributed to our understanding of human evolutionary history, - information about hominin fossil and comparative great ape collections and about some of the repositories that hold hominin fossil collections"-- "The long-term plan for the Wiley-Blackwell Encyclopedia of Human Evolution (W-BEHE) is that it will be an authoritative and accessible source of information about the hominin clade of the tree of life. Entries cover: - general evolutionary principles, - information about the molecular and developmental biological approaches used to help understand the pattern and process of evolution, - methods used to investigate relationships among the living great apes and modern humans, - methods germane to understanding the origins and evolutionary history of the hominin clade and its climatic and ecological context, - what makes the behavior of modern humans distinctive and the evolutionary history of that distinctiveness, - information about the modern methods used to capture and interpret data from the hominin fossil and archeological records, as well as comparative biology, - nonhominin fossil evidence germane to the evolution of the hominin clade, - specialist terms used to describe the hominin fossil and archeological records, - hypotheses germane to interpreting human evolutionary history, - biographies of individuals who have made significant contributions to the accumulation of the fossil and archeological, and other, evidence and to its interpretation, - institutions and organizations that have contributed to our understanding of human evolutionary history, - information about hominin fossil and comparative great ape collections and about some of the repositories that hold hominin fossil collections"-- Provided by publisher Not so long ago, all a student studying human evolution needed was a familiarity with the relatively sparse fossil record and what limited information there was about the context of the sites, a basic knowledge of gross anatomy and archeology, and an understanding of simple analytical methods. Times have changed. The fossil record has grown exponentially, imaging techniques have advanced dramatically, quantitative methods have burgeoned, and molecular biology has revolutionized our understanding of genetics, evolutionary history, and development. Added to this are advances in the archeological, biological, and earth sciences that help interpret the context of the fossil evidence and reconstruct behavior. But presently there is nowhere students of human evolution cna easily find out about topics as disparate as ameloblast, Coopers Cave, daily secretion rate, the effect hypothesis, homeobox genes, insolation, phylogenetically independent contrasts, quantitative trait locus, semicircular canals, and tephrostratigraphy. The Wiley Blackwell Student Dictionary of Human Evolution contains upwards of 2500 entries, all drafted with an eye on the student user. It is an indispensable source for those studying human evolution. Cover......Page 1 Frontmatter......Page 2 Copyright page......Page 6 Contents......Page 7 Contributors......Page 8 Foreword......Page 12 Preface......Page 19 Acknowledgments......Page 22 Topic Entry List......Page 24 Abbreviations......Page 78 A......Page 80 B......Page 143 C......Page 191 D......Page 256 E......Page 293 F......Page 323 G......Page 345 H......Page 376 I......Page 428 J......Page 444 K......Page 450 L......Page 505 M......Page 556 N......Page 611 O......Page 633 P......Page 669 Q......Page 733 R......Page 736 S......Page 760 T......Page 845 U......Page 885 V......Page 891 W......Page 903 X......Page 921 Y......Page 923 Z......Page 925 References......Page 932