Transitions to agriculture and human socioecology

 

While hunter-gatherers behavioural ecology offer us a window into the origins of human specific adaptations, comparisons between hunter-gatherers and small scale food producers offer an window into the origins of one of humans most important technological advances, the Neolithic transition. The transition from foraging to farming has led to many behavioural changes such as sedentism, food storage and increased technological specialisations which consequently altered human sociostructure, pay-offs of cooperation and mate systems. Together with Lucio Vinicius, we are looking at the socio ecology of small scale societies in Vanuatu, to understand these transitions.