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Human Ecology

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Handbook of Evolutionary Research in Archaeology

Abstract

Human bio-cultural evolution is affected by ecological processes, whether on scales of individual decision-makers or population-level phenomena. Archaeologists have invested significant research in gaining an understanding of human interactions with their associated ecosystems. Contemporary research emphasizes several themes including foraging behavior, socio-ecology, ecological demography, and niche construction. This chapter introduces each of these themes, all of which are considered in greater detail in subsequent chapters. The chapter also reviews a number of debates, highlighting in particular the debate between proponents of strict cost-benefit models from human behavioral ecology versus the more global perspectives of the niche construction theorists.

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  1. Department of Anthropology, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA

    Anna Marie Prentiss

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  1. Department of Anthropology, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, USA

    Anna Marie Prentiss

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Prentiss, A.M. (2019). Human Ecology. In: Prentiss, A. (eds) Handbook of Evolutionary Research in Archaeology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11117-5_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-11117-5_11

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-11116-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-11117-5

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