Previous studies on the Rice-Millet （foxtail millet and common millet） Blended Zone in Chinese Neolithic have not clearly addressed such questions as the importance of primitive rice-millet mixed agriculture to huma...Previous studies on the Rice-Millet （foxtail millet and common millet） Blended Zone in Chinese Neolithic have not clearly addressed such questions as the importance of primitive rice-millet mixed agriculture to human lifestyle and livestock managements within this region, the relationship among the development of the agriculture, paleoenvironment, and cultural interactions, and so on. Here stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of human and pig bones from the Qinglongquan site was conducted, covering two cultural phases, namely the Qujialing Culture （3000 BC to 2600 BC） and the Shijiahe Culture （2600 BC to 2200 BC）. Based on this analysis, we further discussed the diets of ancient humans and pigs in the site, investigated the importance of rice-millet mixed agriculture to human and pig diets, and explored the relationship among the primitive rice agriculture and millet agriculture, cultural interactions, and paleoenvironment. The δ^13C values of human bone collagen （-16.7‰ to -12.4‰, averaging -14.6‰±1.3‰, n=24） revealed that both C3 and Ca foods were consumed, probably from the contribution of rice （C3 plant） and millets （C4 plants） due to the coexistence of these crops at this site. In addition, the human mean δ^13C value suggested that millet agriculture was only minor in human diets. The human δ^15N values （6.6‰ to 10.8‰, averaging 9.0‰±1.2‰, n=24） showed that animal resources played a significant role in human diets, and varied greatly. The mean δ^13C value of the pigs （-14.3‰±2.5‰, n=13） was quite similar to that of the humans, but the mean δ^15N value of the pigs was slightly less （1.3‰） The similar δ^13C and δ^15N values between humans and pigs suggested that the pigs consumed a lot of humans＇ food remains. No correlations of the δ^13C and δ^15N values between humans and pigs showed that both human and pig diets were based mainly on plant foods, which might be related to highly developed rice-millet mixed agriculture at that time. In comparison with the human and pig diets between the two periods, millet agriculture contributed more than 10% in the Shijiahe Culture, if a simple mixing model was used. This apparent dietary shift matched the climatic variation and agricultural development through the time. In warm and humid climate with the expansion of the Qujialing Culture northwards, rice was widely cultivated. However, when the climate was cold and add, northern culture was expanding southwards. Thus, millet agriculture became more important.展开更多
When selection increases the frequency of a beneficial gene substitution it can also increase the frequencies of linked neutral alleles through a process called genetic hitchhiking. A model built to investigate reduce...When selection increases the frequency of a beneficial gene substitution it can also increase the frequencies of linked neutral alleles through a process called genetic hitchhiking. A model built to investigate reduced genetic diversity in Pleistocene hominins shows that genetic hitchhiking can have a strong effect on neutral diversity in the presence of culturally mediated mi- gration. Under conditions in which genetic and cultural variants are transmitted symmetrically, neutral genes may also hitchhike to higher frequencies on the coattails of adaptive cultural traits through a process called cultural hitchhiking. Cultural hitchhiking has been proposed to explain why some species of matrilineal whales display relatively low levels of mitochondrial DNA diver- sity, and it may be applicable to humans as well. This paper provides a critical review of recent models of both types of hitch- hiking in socially structured populations. The models＇ assumptions and predictions are compared and discussed in the hope that studies of reduced genetic diversity in humans might improve our understanding of reduced genetic diversity in other species, and vice versa展开更多
Despite great achievements in the origins of domestic pigs made by the methods of zooarchaeology and molecular biology,how to scientifically distinguish the domesticated pigs from wild boars during the early stage of ...Despite great achievements in the origins of domestic pigs made by the methods of zooarchaeology and molecular biology,how to scientifically distinguish the domesticated pigs from wild boars during the early stage of pig domestication is still poorly understood.Compared to wild boar's diets which come from the natural environment,the diets of domestic pigs are more easily influenced by human feeding activities.Therefore,in principle,exploration of the dietary differences among pigs and understanding the impact on pig diets fed by humans can have great potential to differentiate between wild boars and domesticated pigs.To reveal dietary differences among pigs and distinguish the domesticated pigs from wild boars based on comparison with the diets of humans and other animals,we analyzed the carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes of human bones from Xiaojingshan Site and animal bones from Yuezhuang Site,both of which belong to Houli Culture in Shandong Province and date to about 8500―7500 years ago.The mean δ 13C value((-17.8 ± 0.3)‰) and δ 15N value((9.0±0.6)‰) in human collagen indicate that although millet agriculture began it was not the main subsistence strategy as millets are typical of C4 plants and that humans made a living mainly by gathering,hunting or raising some domesticated animals.The δ 13C value(-16.1‰) and δ 15N value(6.9‰) in the bovine suggest that C3 plants were dominant in its diet with some C4 plants complemented.The fish has lower δ 13C value(-24.9‰) and higher δ 15N value(8.8‰) than the bovine,which is the characteristic of the isotopic values from Eurasian freshwater fish.Based on the differences in carbon and nitrogen isotope values,the pigs can be divided into three groups.A group,composed of two pigs,has low δ 13C values(-18.1‰,-20.0‰) and low δ 15N values(4.7‰,6.0‰).B group,only one pig,has the highest δ 13C value(-10.6‰) and mediate δ 15N value(6.4‰).As for the C group,also only one pig,low δ 13C value(-19.0‰) and the highest δ 15N value(9.1‰) are observed.Previous studies on the stable isotopes from modern or ancient wild boars' bones have suggested that C3 plants are predominated in their diets and that their δ 15N values are close to those in herbivores and far from those in carnivores.Based on the comparison with the isotope values from humans,the wild boars and the domestic pigs from Xipo Site in Henan 6000―5500 years ago and Kangjia Site in Shaanxi 4500―4000 years ago,we conclude that A pig group belongs to wild boars while B and C groups can be attributed to domesticated pigs.展开更多
基金supported by the Knowledge Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.KJCX3.SYW.N12)National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.40702003)+1 种基金Partner group program of Max Plank Institute and Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.KACX1-YW-0830)Relics Preservation Project of South-to-North Water Diversion
文摘Previous studies on the Rice-Millet （foxtail millet and common millet） Blended Zone in Chinese Neolithic have not clearly addressed such questions as the importance of primitive rice-millet mixed agriculture to human lifestyle and livestock managements within this region, the relationship among the development of the agriculture, paleoenvironment, and cultural interactions, and so on. Here stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of human and pig bones from the Qinglongquan site was conducted, covering two cultural phases, namely the Qujialing Culture （3000 BC to 2600 BC） and the Shijiahe Culture （2600 BC to 2200 BC）. Based on this analysis, we further discussed the diets of ancient humans and pigs in the site, investigated the importance of rice-millet mixed agriculture to human and pig diets, and explored the relationship among the primitive rice agriculture and millet agriculture, cultural interactions, and paleoenvironment. The δ^13C values of human bone collagen （-16.7‰ to -12.4‰, averaging -14.6‰±1.3‰, n=24） revealed that both C3 and Ca foods were consumed, probably from the contribution of rice （C3 plant） and millets （C4 plants） due to the coexistence of these crops at this site. In addition, the human mean δ^13C value suggested that millet agriculture was only minor in human diets. The human δ^15N values （6.6‰ to 10.8‰, averaging 9.0‰±1.2‰, n=24） showed that animal resources played a significant role in human diets, and varied greatly. The mean δ^13C value of the pigs （-14.3‰±2.5‰, n=13） was quite similar to that of the humans, but the mean δ^15N value of the pigs was slightly less （1.3‰） The similar δ^13C and δ^15N values between humans and pigs suggested that the pigs consumed a lot of humans＇ food remains. No correlations of the δ^13C and δ^15N values between humans and pigs showed that both human and pig diets were based mainly on plant foods, which might be related to highly developed rice-millet mixed agriculture at that time. In comparison with the human and pig diets between the two periods, millet agriculture contributed more than 10% in the Shijiahe Culture, if a simple mixing model was used. This apparent dietary shift matched the climatic variation and agricultural development through the time. In warm and humid climate with the expansion of the Qujialing Culture northwards, rice was widely cultivated. However, when the climate was cold and add, northern culture was expanding southwards. Thus, millet agriculture became more important.
文摘When selection increases the frequency of a beneficial gene substitution it can also increase the frequencies of linked neutral alleles through a process called genetic hitchhiking. A model built to investigate reduced genetic diversity in Pleistocene hominins shows that genetic hitchhiking can have a strong effect on neutral diversity in the presence of culturally mediated mi- gration. Under conditions in which genetic and cultural variants are transmitted symmetrically, neutral genes may also hitchhike to higher frequencies on the coattails of adaptive cultural traits through a process called cultural hitchhiking. Cultural hitchhiking has been proposed to explain why some species of matrilineal whales display relatively low levels of mitochondrial DNA diver- sity, and it may be applicable to humans as well. This paper provides a critical review of recent models of both types of hitch- hiking in socially structured populations. The models＇ assumptions and predictions are compared and discussed in the hope that studies of reduced genetic diversity in humans might improve our understanding of reduced genetic diversity in other species, and vice versa
基金Supported by Max-Planck Society and Chinese Academy of Sciences,Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KJCX3.SYW.N12)National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.40702003)President Funding of Graduate University of Chinese Academy of Sciences
文摘Despite great achievements in the origins of domestic pigs made by the methods of zooarchaeology and molecular biology,how to scientifically distinguish the domesticated pigs from wild boars during the early stage of pig domestication is still poorly understood.Compared to wild boar's diets which come from the natural environment,the diets of domestic pigs are more easily influenced by human feeding activities.Therefore,in principle,exploration of the dietary differences among pigs and understanding the impact on pig diets fed by humans can have great potential to differentiate between wild boars and domesticated pigs.To reveal dietary differences among pigs and distinguish the domesticated pigs from wild boars based on comparison with the diets of humans and other animals,we analyzed the carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes of human bones from Xiaojingshan Site and animal bones from Yuezhuang Site,both of which belong to Houli Culture in Shandong Province and date to about 8500―7500 years ago.The mean δ 13C value((-17.8 ± 0.3)‰) and δ 15N value((9.0±0.6)‰) in human collagen indicate that although millet agriculture began it was not the main subsistence strategy as millets are typical of C4 plants and that humans made a living mainly by gathering,hunting or raising some domesticated animals.The δ 13C value(-16.1‰) and δ 15N value(6.9‰) in the bovine suggest that C3 plants were dominant in its diet with some C4 plants complemented.The fish has lower δ 13C value(-24.9‰) and higher δ 15N value(8.8‰) than the bovine,which is the characteristic of the isotopic values from Eurasian freshwater fish.Based on the differences in carbon and nitrogen isotope values,the pigs can be divided into three groups.A group,composed of two pigs,has low δ 13C values(-18.1‰,-20.0‰) and low δ 15N values(4.7‰,6.0‰).B group,only one pig,has the highest δ 13C value(-10.6‰) and mediate δ 15N value(6.4‰).As for the C group,also only one pig,low δ 13C value(-19.0‰) and the highest δ 15N value(9.1‰) are observed.Previous studies on the stable isotopes from modern or ancient wild boars' bones have suggested that C3 plants are predominated in their diets and that their δ 15N values are close to those in herbivores and far from those in carnivores.Based on the comparison with the isotope values from humans,the wild boars and the domestic pigs from Xipo Site in Henan 6000―5500 years ago and Kangjia Site in Shaanxi 4500―4000 years ago,we conclude that A pig group belongs to wild boars while B and C groups can be attributed to domesticated pigs.
