A5049332372- Forensic and Genetic Research
- Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
- Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology
- Pacific and Southeast Asian Studies
- Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Genetic diversity and population structure
- Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
- Archaeology and Rock Art Studies
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Cervical Cancer and HPV Research
- Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
- Animal Diversity and Health Studies
- Race, Genetics, and Society
- Health, psychology, and well-being
- Family Support in Illness
- Resilience and Mental Health
- Yersinia bacterium, plague, ectoparasites research
- Indigenous Studies and Ecology
- Global Cancer Incidence and Screening
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Isotope Analysis in Ecology
- Geographies of human-animal interactions
University of the Witwatersrand
2011-2024
Florida State University
2024
Southern Methodist University
2015-2022
University of Otago
2010-2021
Allan Wilson Centre
2010-2013
Stanford University
2007-2009
Indiana University Bloomington
2002-2004
University of Auckland
2001
A synthetic history of human land use Humans began to leave lasting impacts on Earth's surface starting 10,000 8000 years ago. Through a collaboration with archaeologists around the globe, Stephens et al. compiled comprehensive picture trajectory worldwide during Holocene (see Perspective by Roberts). Hunter-gatherers, farmers, and pastoralists transformed face Earth earlier greater extent than has been widely appreciated, transformation that was essentially global 3000 before present....
When did cattle come to South Africa? Radiocarbon dates on a newly found cow horn indicates time in the early first millennium AD. In study of likely context for advent herding, authors favour immigrants moving along western route through Namibia.
The dispersal of modern humans across the globe began ∼65,000 y ago when people first left Africa and culminated with settlement East Polynesia, which occurred in last 1,000 y. With arrival Polynesian canoes only 750 ago, Aotearoa/New Zealand became major landmass to be permanently settled by humans. We present here complete mitochondrial genome sequences likely founding population recovered from archaeological site Wairau Bar. These data represent ancient voyagers provide insights into...
Domesticated cattle were commonplace in northern Africa by about 7,000 years ago. Archaeological evidence, however, suggests they not established southern until much later, no earlier than 2,000 Genetic reconstructions have started to shed light on the movement of African cattle, but efforts been frustrated a lack data south Ethiopia and nature mitochondrial haplogroup T1 which is almost fixed across continent. We sequenced 35 complete genomes from South herd Nguni breed historically...
Dogs accompanied people in their migrations across the Pacific Ocean and ultimately reached New Zealand, which is southern-most point of oceanic distribution, around beginning fourteenth century AD. Previous ancient DNA analyses mitochondrial control region sequences indicated Zealand dog population included two lineages. We sequenced complete genomes fourteen dogs from colonisation era archaeological site Wairau Bar found five closely-related haplotypes. The limited number lineages present...
Large numbers of domestic stock have been reported among the faunal remains recovered from archaeological sites with predominantly forager-associated material culture in highlands Lesotho. These remains, conjunction presence artefacts apparent agropastoralist origin, led to suggestion that either a process neolithisation saw adoption livestock-keeping by traditionally foraging peoples, or extensive contact and trade occurred between groups mountains distant communities. We present here...
Abstract While terrestrial megafaunal extinctions have been well characterized worldwide, our understanding of declines in marine megafauna remains limited. Here, we use ancient DNA analyses prehistoric (<1450–1650 AD ) sea lion specimens from New Zealand's isolated Chatham Islands to assess the demographic impacts human settlement. These data suggest there was a large population lions, unique Islands, at time Polynesian This distinct mitochondrial lineage became rapidly extinct within...
Abstract We explore potential sources of genetic variation in Pacific pigs over the duration their commensal relationships with people. Three time periods are identified as critical to understanding history region: (1) late Pleistocene–early Holocene following from human movement into Near Oceania; (2) Lapita colonization Remote Oceania beginning ca. 3000 bp, and (3) Polynesia, shortly after sustained Euro‐American contact (ca. 1700s) when several new breeds were introduced region. This...
Confronted by significant and systematic errors in morphologically based identification to species of archaeological faunal specimens (Horsburgh Moreno-Mayar 2015; Horsburgh et al. 2016a, 2016b), Plug (2017) tries make the case that morphological identifications are more accurate than genetic on ancient DNA. The rhetoric her defence includes an appeal authority as a analyst, special pleading regarding size, shape condition samples question, new unpublished data lipids found ceramics...
We investigated the genetic diversity and historic relationships among southern African sheep as well between them outside continent by sourcing both archaeological modern samples. Archaeological samples derived from site Die Kelders 1, near Cape Town, date to approximately 1500 years ago. The were taken ear snips Damara, Namaqua Afrikaner, Ronderib Afrikaner on a farm in Prieska Northern Cape. Illumina sequencing libraries constructed for ancient specimens. Ancient specimens enriched...
Domestic pigs (Sus scrofa) were first transported to Polynesia through a series of long-distance voyages ultimately linked the Neolithic expansion Austronesian-speaking people out Asia. The descendants founding belong rare mtDNA group referred as "Pacific Clade" that may have originated in peninsular or island Southeast We report whole genome from domestic any remote islands Pacific. In this brief report, we describe close link discovered between ancient archaeological specimens across and...
Analyses of mitochondrial DNA variation in archaeological samples Rattus exulans obtained during the 1997 excavations at Emily Bay, Norfolk Island suggest a high degree prehistoric populations on island. The ten sequenced produced five unique haplotypes. This result is consistent with scenario multiple introductions species to There are clear affiliations East Polynesian and New Zealand samples, however other lineages also appear be present Island. Three haplotypes that had previously not...
Establishing robust temporal control of the arrival domesticated stock and associated husbandry skills lifeways in Southern Africa remains frustrated by osteological similarities between domestic wild endemic fauna. We report results a systematic ancient DNA survey appropriately sized bovid from Later Stone Age deposits four South African archaeological sites. show that none tested originated cattle. The precise date cattle region awaits further study, although we also new radiocarbon...
This paper outlines advances in biocultural approaches to anthropology by discussing anthropological understanding stress, how anthropologists have typically measured and why it matters for beyond. We discuss the application of common quantification techniques such as Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) biomarkers psychosocial stress from abnormal hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activity. highlight case studies that demonstrate utility a approach across range topics—(i) childhood effects,...
This study aimed to characterize the cervical cancer diagnosis experience of Kenyan women undergoing treatment for cancer. We analyzed qualitative interviews with 29 living in rural Kenya who were currently at Machakos Cancer Care and Research Centre Level 5 Referral Hospital eastern Kenya. Semistructured conducted Kiswahili English then de-identified translated during transcription. The main themes generated identified through an inductive approach determine how experienced symptoms their...