FSHD 150B1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Concealed Ovulation, Coevolution
Document Summary
Compared to other primates: what makes primates special: relative to the mammalian orders, the primate order is. Large brained: humans are at the extreme of this primate continuum. Longest living terrestrial mammal: juvenile dependence. Results in families with multiple dependent children of different ages. Age-specific mortality profile: first five years: very high, juvenile years: low. About 60% survive to reproductive age: after age 15: very low, 60s and 70s: increases again. Human children are a good long-term bet. Low mortality (after they survive infancy) favors offspring quality over quantity: multigenerational resource flows. Post-reproductive individuals support reproduction of other kin. Only a very few number of species have a very long post- reproductive life: concealed ovulation/ monogamous bond, male provisioning. Male support of reproduction through provisioning females and offspring. Unusually short infancy period (lactation) leads to short interval between birth and multiple dependent offspring: the role of men in food-getting.