IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/nathum/v8y2024i7d10.1038_s41562-024-01887-8.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Evolutionary–developmental (evo-devo) dynamics of hominin brain size

Author

Listed:
  • Mauricio González-Forero

    (University of St Andrews)

Abstract

Brain size tripled in the human lineage over four million years, but why this occurred remains uncertain. Here, to study what caused this brain expansion, I mathematically model the evolutionary and developmental (evo-devo) dynamics of hominin brain size. The model recovers (1) the evolution of brain and body sizes of seven hominin species starting from brain and body sizes of the australopithecine scale, (2) the evolution of the hominin brain–body allometry and (3) major patterns of human development and evolution. I show that the brain expansion recovered is not caused by direct selection for brain size but by its genetic correlation with developmentally late preovulatory ovarian follicles. This correlation is generated over development if individuals experience a challenging ecology and seemingly cumulative culture, among other conditions. These findings show that the evolution of exceptionally adaptive traits may not be primarily caused by selection for them but by developmental constraints that divert selection.

Suggested Citation

  • Mauricio González-Forero, 2024. "Evolutionary–developmental (evo-devo) dynamics of hominin brain size," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 8(7), pages 1321-1333, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:8:y:2024:i:7:d:10.1038_s41562-024-01887-8
    DOI: 10.1038/s41562-024-01887-8
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-024-01887-8
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41562-024-01887-8?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Manuel Will & Mario Krapp & Jay T. Stock & Andrea Manica, 2021. "Different environmental variables predict body and brain size evolution in Homo," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 12(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. PatrÍcia Beldade & Kees Koops & Paul M. Brakefield, 2002. "Developmental constraints versus flexibility in morphological evolution," Nature, Nature, vol. 416(6883), pages 844-847, April.
    3. Mauricio González-Forero & Timm Faulwasser & Laurent Lehmann, 2017. "A model for brain life history evolution," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(3), pages 1-28, March.
    4. Christopher B. Ruff & Erik Trinkaus & Trenton W. Holliday, 1997. "Body mass and encephalization in Pleistocene Homo," Nature, Nature, vol. 387(6629), pages 173-176, May.
    5. Mauricio González-Forero & Andy Gardner, 2018. "Inference of ecological and social drivers of human brain-size evolution," Nature, Nature, vol. 557(7706), pages 554-557, May.
    6. Mauricio González-Forero & Andy Gardner, 2018. "Publisher Correction: Inference of ecological and social drivers of human brain-size evolution," Nature, Nature, vol. 561(7723), pages 32-32, September.
    7. Geoffrey B. West & James H. Brown & Brian J. Enquist, 2001. "A general model for ontogenetic growth," Nature, Nature, vol. 413(6856), pages 628-631, October.
    8. U. Dieckmann & R. Law, 1996. "The Dynamical Theory of Coevolution: A Derivation from Stochastic Ecological Processes," Working Papers wp96001, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mauricio González-Forero & Timm Faulwasser & Laurent Lehmann, 2017. "A model for brain life history evolution," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 13(3), pages 1-28, March.
    2. González-Forero, Mauricio, 2024. "A mathematical framework for evo-devo dynamics," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 24-50.
    3. Horan, Richard D. & Shogren, Jason F. & Bulte, Erwin H., 2011. "Joint determination of biological encephalization, economic specialization," Resource and Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 33(2), pages 426-439, May.
    4. Dominik Deffner & David Mezey & Benjamin Kahl & Alexander Schakowski & Pawel Romanczuk & Charley M. Wu & Ralf H. J. M. Kurvers, 2024. "Collective incentives reduce over-exploitation of social information in unconstrained human groups," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Chu, Angus C., 2023. "Human Brain Evolution in a Malthusian Economy," MPRA Paper 117130, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Nassar, Elma & Pardoux, Etienne, 2019. "Small jumps asymptotic of the moving optimum Poissonian SDE," Stochastic Processes and their Applications, Elsevier, vol. 129(7), pages 2320-2340.
    7. Pierre Bernhard, 2015. "Evolutionary Dynamics of the Handicap Principle: An Example," Dynamic Games and Applications, Springer, vol. 5(2), pages 214-227, June.
    8. Tao, Yong & Lin, Li & Wang, Hanjie & Hou, Chen, 2023. "Superlinear growth and the fossil fuel energy sustainability dilemma: Evidence from six continents," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 66(C), pages 39-51.
    9. Wu, Jiabin, 2017. "Political institutions and the evolution of character traits," Games and Economic Behavior, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 260-276.
    10. E. Kisdi & F.J.A. Jacobs & S.A.H. Geritz, 2000. "Red Queen Evolution by Cycles of Evolutionary Branching and Extinction," Working Papers ir00030, International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis.
    11. Francesconi, Marco & Ghiglino, Christian & Perry, Motty, 2009. "On the Origin of the Family," IZA Discussion Papers 4637, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    12. Parvinen, Kalle & Metz, Johan A.J., 2008. "A novel fitness proxy in structured locally finite metapopulations with diploid genetics, with an application to dispersal evolution," Theoretical Population Biology, Elsevier, vol. 73(4), pages 517-528.
    13. Joëlle Noailly, 2008. "Coevolution of economic and ecological systems," Journal of Evolutionary Economics, Springer, vol. 18(1), pages 1-29, February.
    14. Rajan Varadarajan, 2020. "Advancing theory in marketing: insights from conversations in other disciplines," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 10(1), pages 73-84, June.
    15. Barberis, L. & Condat, C.A., 2012. "Describing interactive growth using vector universalities," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 227(C), pages 56-63.
    16. Sigourney, Douglas B. & Munch, Stephan B. & Letcher, Benjamin H., 2012. "Combining a Bayesian nonparametric method with a hierarchical framework to estimate individual and temporal variation in growth," Ecological Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 247(C), pages 125-134.
    17. Amit Vutha & Martin Golubitsky, 2015. "Normal Forms and Unfoldings of Singular Strategy Functions," Dynamic Games and Applications, Springer, vol. 5(2), pages 180-213, June.
    18. Gergely Boza & Ádám Kun & István Scheuring & Ulf Dieckmann, 2012. "Strategy Diversity Stabilizes Mutualism through Investment Cycles, Phase Polymorphism, and Spatial Bubbles," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 8(11), pages 1-14, November.
    19. Matthijs van Veelen & Benjamin Allen & Moshe Hoffman & Burton Simon & Carl Veller, 2016. "Inclusive Fitness," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 16-055/I, Tinbergen Institute.
    20. Mayu Sugiyama & Takashi Saitou & Hiroshi Kurokawa & Asako Sakaue-Sawano & Takeshi Imamura & Atsushi Miyawaki & Tadahiro Iimura, 2014. "Live Imaging-Based Model Selection Reveals Periodic Regulation of the Stochastic G1/S Phase Transition in Vertebrate Axial Development," PLOS Computational Biology, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(12), pages 1-16, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:nathum:v:8:y:2024:i:7:d:10.1038_s41562-024-01887-8. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.