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Domestication and Human Evolution

The domestication of other species has played an undeniably central role in the evolution of modern humans, and in our planetary dominance and success. In view of this fact, researchers have over the years investigated the genetic underpinnings and the anatomical, neural, physiological and behavioral consequences of domestication across a number of animal species - but largely independently of each other. Recently, a convergence of views has led to the notion that the study of animal domestication may tell us something not only about our relationship with domesticated species since perhaps at least the Pleistocene, but also about our own evolution as a species in the more distant past. Specifically, it has been suggested that a number of the unique anatomical, neural, developmental, social, cognitive and communicative traits that define our species may be attributable to selection for lack of aggression and to a process of self-domestication. This symposium brings together researchers from a variety of research backgrounds to examine these concepts and to elucidate further the possible role of domestication in human evolution. (from carta.anthropogeny.org)

1. The Transformation of Wolf to Dog: History, Traits, and Genetics
Robert Wayne presents a historical perspective on dog evolution in this talk. The timing and context of dog domestication is controversial.

2. Fox Domestication and Genetics of Complex Behaviors
Anna Kukekova discusses the genetics-centered view of domestication that was supported by the experimental selection of farm-bred foxes (Vulpes vulpes) at the Russian Institute of Cytology and Genetics back in the 1950s.

3. Craniofacial Feminization in Canine and Human Evolution
Robert Franciscus explains that anatomically modern humans are recognized in the fossil record primarily by retraction and diminution of the facial skeleton compared to pre-modern "archaic" humans.

4. The Domesticated Brain
Terrence Deacon describes how the signature pattern of specific brain structure changes can provide evidence to distinguish between the processes associated with domestication.

5. Neotenous Gene Expression in the Developing Human Brain
Philipp Khaitovich and his team have identified the human-specific delay in timing of neocortical synaptogenesis as one of the molecular mechanisms that potentially underlies the evolution of the human phenotype.

6. The Domestication Syndrome and Neural Crest Cells: A Unifying Hypothesis
The neural crest is a transitory embryonic tissue that, early in development, gives rise to a very diverse set of tissues and organs including pigment cells (melanocytes), bones, muscles and connective tissues in the head, and the adrenal gland.

7. Domestication and Vocal Behavior in Finches
Kazuo Okanoya describes his research with Bengalese finches, a domesticated strain of wild white-rumped munias that were imported from China to Japan 250 years ago.

8. Did Homo Sapiens Self-Domesticate?
In this talk, Richard Wrangham puts forth the theory that Homo sapiens are, in fact, a self-domesticated species.