ANTHRO 126N Lec 5

Consequences of agriculture

-rapid increase in population -Increased sedentism (living in one place year-round) -Reduction in bone strength associated with lower mobility -Large scale production of food

Agricultural paradox

Early farmers were actually less healthy than hunter-gatherers

Çatalhöyük

In Southern Anatolia, very dense population

Lactose

Galactose + glucose

Lactase digestion

-Lactose is digested by the enzyme Lactase -Secreted by the intestinal villi -Separates lactose into galactose and glucose

Lactose production

Livestock sources

LCT gene

codes for lactase

Lactase non-persistence

inability to digest lactose into adulthood

Lactase persistent

-High in people with pastoral ancestry -Autosomal dominant

LCT*P

lactase persistence allele LCT*R

Lactase persistent likely evolved independently in

Europe and Africa

Evolution of lactose persistence: Cultural-historical hypothesis

LP alleles were rare until the advent of dairying early in the Neolithic, but then rose rapidly in frequency as a result of positive natural selection

Evolution of lactase persistence: Reverse-cause hypothesis

dairying was adopted in populations with preadaptive high LP frequencies

Why lactase persistence in Neolithic ancestors

Cultural adaptations to aid in consuming lactose