A5038647223- Pleistocene-Era Hominins and Archaeology
- Diet and metabolism studies
- Archaeology and ancient environmental studies
- Gut microbiota and health
- Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
- Archaeological and Geological Studies
- Archaeological and Historical Studies
- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Paleopathology and ancient diseases
- Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Studies
- Evolution and Paleontology Studies
- Echinoderm biology and ecology
- Geological and Geophysical Studies Worldwide
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Marine and coastal plant biology
- Viral gastroenteritis research and epidemiology
- Paleontology and Evolutionary Biology
- Cephalopods and Marine Biology
- Marine animal studies overview
- Clostridium difficile and Clostridium perfringens research
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Identification and Quantification in Food
- Morphological variations and asymmetry
- melanin and skin pigmentation
University of Copenhagen
2019-2023
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2013-2022
Planetary Science Institute
2020-2021
Natural History Museum Aarhus
2020
Universidad de La Laguna
2012-2015
Boston University
2013
Industrialization has impacted the human gut ecosystem, resulting in altered microbiome composition and diversity. Whether bacterial genomes may also adapt to industrialization of their host populations remains largely unexplored. Here, we investigate extent which rates targets horizontal gene transfer (HGT) vary across thousands strains from 15 spanning a range industrialization. We show that HGTs have accumulated over recent generations HGT occurs at high frequency within individuals....
Neanderthal dietary reconstructions have, to date, been based on indirect evidence and may underestimate the significance of plants as a food source. While zooarchaeological stable isotope data have conveyed an image Neanderthals largely carnivorous, studies dental calculus scattered palaeobotanical suggest some degree contribution their diet. However, both views remain plausible there is no categorical indication omnivorous Here we present direct diet using faecal biomarkers, valuable...
Predator-prey dynamics are an important evolutionary driver of escalating predation mode and efficiency, commensurate responses prey [1Vermeij G.J. The Mesozoic marine revolution: evidence from snails, predators grazers.Paleobiology. 1977; 3: 245-258Crossref Scopus (721) Google Scholar, 2Vermeij Evolution Escalation: An Ecological History Life. Princeton University Press, 1993Google 3Vermeij interaction among species: selection, escalation, coevolution.Annu. Rev. Ecol. Syst. 1994; 25:...
A comprehensive view of our evolutionary history cannot ignore the ancestral features gut microbiota. To provide some glimpse into past, we searched for human microbiome components in ancient DNA from 14 archeological sediments spanning four stratigraphic units El Salt Middle Paleolithic site (Spain), including layers unit X, which has yielded well-preserved Neanderthal occupation deposits dating around 50 kya. According to findings, bacterial genera belonging families known be part modern...
Spatial statistical models are powerful tools for creating simulation and prediction models. Here, we apply such to the newly discovered 1.84 Ma site of DS (Bed I, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania). Ongoing excavation has already exposed 370 m 2 same discrete archaeological level. This is biggest window into an Early Pleistocene anthropogenic site. With a large area opened, modelling based on spatial trends (using coordinates) covariates (topography) enabled creation predictions about where densest...
Our understanding of early human diets is based on reconstructed biomechanics hominin jaws, bone and teeth isotopic data, tooth wear patterns, lithic, taphonomic zooarchaeological which do not provide information about the relative amounts different types foods that contributed most to diets. Faecal biomarkers are proving be a valuable tool in identifying proportions plant animal tissues Palaeolithic A limiting factor application faecal biomarker approach striking absence data related...
Significance Molecular fossil biomarkers illuminate a geothermally active oasis landscape at Olduvai Gorge 1.7 Ma the emergence of Acheulean technology. This study on local paleolandscape reveals mosaic ecosystem with great biodiversity, rivers, edible resources, and hydrothermal features. Evidence hydrothermalism was found near sites intensively used by early hominins. The geothermal activity described here may have influenced use space provided advantages, such as cooking, which has not...
Abstract Hominin encephalization has been at the centre of debates concerning human evolution with a consensus on greater role for improved dietary quality. To sustain energetic demands larger brains, cooking was likely essential increasing digestibility and energy gain meat readily available, yet toxic starches. Here, we present oldest geochemical evidence landscape influenced by tectonic activity hydrothermal features that potentially shaped early hominin behaviour Olduvai Gorge. Although...
Abstract Horizontal Gene Transfer, the process by which bacteria acquire new genes and functions from non-parental sources, is common in human microbiome 1,2 . If timescale of HGT rapid compared to colonization, then it could have effect ‘personalizing’ bacterial genomes providing incoming strains with necessary adapt diet or lifestyle a host. The extent occurs on however, remains unclear. Here, we analyzed 6,188 newly isolated sequenced gut 34 individuals 9 populations, show that more among...
Steranes preserved in sedimentary rocks serve as molecular fossils, which are thought to record the expansion of eukaryote life through Neoproterozoic Era ( ~ 1000-541 Ma). Scientists hypothesize that ancient C27 steranes originated from cholesterol, major sterol produced by living red algae and animals. Similarly, C28 C29 be derived sterols prehistoric fungi, green algae, other microbial eukaryotes. However, recent work on annelid worms-an advanced group eumetazoan animals-shows they also...
We present the isotopic discrimination between paired skin and bone collagen from animals of known life history, providing a modern baseline for interpretation archaeological data. At present, inter-tissue variation (Δ (skin–bone) ) in mummified remains is based on comparisons with other material, which have attributed divergence to their contrasting turnover rates, rapidly remodelling incorporating alterations environmental, cultural physiological conditions months prior death. While...
Abstract Molecular fossils have been used to augment the physical fossil record, charting expansion of complex life through Neoproterozoic Era (~1000-541 Ma). This work relies on hypothesis that C27 steranes preserved in sedimentary rocks originated from cholesterol, predominant sterol produced by red algae and animals. Following same logic, C28 C29 carbon are widely considered be derived sterols fungi, green some protists. In this study, we demonstrate gene 24-C methyltransferase (smt),...
Outstanding questions about human evolution include systematic connections between critical landscape resources-such as water and food-and how these shaped the competitive biodiverse environment(s) that our ancestors inhabited. Here, we report fossil n-alkyl lipid biomarkers their associated δ13C values across a newly discovered Olduvai Gorge site (AGS) dated to 1.84 million years ago, enabling multiproxy analysis of distributions local resources an explicit locus hominin activity. Our...
Despite the fact that melanin is a ubiquitous pigment found in bacteria, fungi, plants and animals, little known about its chemical preservation distribution fossil record. Melanins are polymeric phenolic compounds classified into two major groups based their structures molecular precursors: eumelanin (dark brown-black colour) pheomelanin (orange-red colour)1,2. Both complex highly cross-linked biopolymers, being comparable to biomolecules like chitin resistant microbial degradation...