This study documents and interprets patterns of identity in relation to tooth ablation patterns at Yoshigo, a Late/Final Jomon period (3500-2500 yBP) site. Two patterns of tooth ablation are observed among the Yoshigo people: both (2) mandibular canines or four (4) mandibular incisors were extracted during life and formed a basis for identity differentiation. Three hypotheses are tested regarding these groups: (1) tooth ablation groups will be unrelated to postmarital residence; (2) tooth ablation groups will be associated with age-based achievements; (3) tooth ablation groups will be associated with occupational specialisation. Biodistance, demographic and stable isotope analyses were performed on skeletal remains recovered from Yoshigo (3500-2300 BP) to test these hypotheses. Within-group variation expressed by cranial and dental measurements was not significantly different between tooth ablation groups. This indicates that tooth ablation practices were not related to migration. Previous biodistance findings do, however, suggest that tooth ablation groups represent closely related individuals, possibly kin-based networks. Demographic analysis of age-at-death and tooth ablation suggests that tooth ablation styles were achieved at different ages. Stable isotope analysis indicates that the tooth ablation groups consumed similar foods. Based on isotopic findings from other sites and archaeological evidence for food sharing among Jomon people, these results suggest that dietary variability between tooth ablation groups was homogenised by cooperative food sharing. The totality of these findings support the hypothesis that the identities associated with tooth ablation were unrelated to migratory patterns, and instead, possibly reflect kin-based social units, where achievement or age acted as a determinant of membership. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Analysis of ancient human dental calculus for the presence of inclusions related to diet and dental health has been overlooked in anthropological literature. Small particles of archaeobotanical debris, which would otherwise not be preserved in the archaeological record, can become incorporated into unmineralised plaque on teeth during mastication and oral manipulation. When plaque mineralises into calculus, debris is preserved in situ. Samples of dental calculus (n?=?18) were collected from the Danbury site (33OT16) in Ottawa County, Ohio and viewed under a scanning electron microscope for inclusions. Analysis yielded a variety of noticeable inclusions, including mineralised bacteria, calcium-phosphate crystalline structures and numerous phytoliths. Here we report the first evidence of fibres consistent with cotton (Gossypium spp.) embedded in the dental calculus from the Late Woodland component (9001100 AD) of the Danbury site. Prehistoric cotton has not been previously documented in Ohio. The distinct morphology of the Danbury cotton and its presence in the Late Woodland component at Danbury suggests long-distance interaction at a time in Ohio when movement of exotic goods appeared to have diminished. These microscopic remains provide insight into paleoethnobotanical history of ancient Ohioans and attest to how analysis of dental calculus could be used to supplement other paleodietary and archaeological analyses. Copyright (c) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

This study employs metric and morphological features of the deciduous dentition for discriminating between European-American and African-American children and providing allocation rules (regression equations). Five logistic regression equations are presented, with the percentage of correct allocation to group of between 90.1-92.6%. All five equations employ three metric traits (the mesiodistal diameters of the mandibular deciduous canines and anterior and posterior deciduous premolars) and one morphological feature (cusp number of the maxillary deciduous anterior premolar). In addition to these four variables, only two or three additional morphological features are added in carious combinations in the final equations. Correct allocation to group is 4-12% greater when combining metric and morphological features compared to using the features separately.

Fluctuating asymmetry (FA) represents non-directional deviations from perfect symmetry in morphological characters. Prenatal stressors contribute to the imprecise expression of symmetrical phenotypes and display of agonistic behavior in children and adults. Because prenatal stress affects neurological function and overt behavior, and FA is often used as a marker for prenatal stress, we hypothesized that high FA would be associated with elevated levels of human reactive aggression. Data were collected from 100 males and females (average age = 20.1) on FA of 11 bilateral traits (second, third, fourth, and fifth digit length, palm height, wrist diameter, elbow width, ear height, ear width, foot breadth, and ankle circumference). Additional relationships were also investigated among FA, testosterone (T), and type of provocation to test a comprehensive aggression model. Experimental participants solicited donations for a fictitious charity organization via telephone and selected follow-up letters after the calls. High FA and T values were independently associated with elevated reactive aggression (force of terminating the call) under low provocation in males, and under high provocation in females. In the absence of phenotypical markers, i.e., FA and T, sex differences in response to provocation disappeared and a "passive-aggressive" response emerged. Both males and females selected hostile follow-up letters, but showed low reactive aggression when terminating the call under high provocation. This pattern was reversed under low provocation. Taken together, these data suggest that individuals' phenotype and intensity of provocation are important determinants of individual and sex differences in aggression.

The size and growth of the human population are often cited as key factors in threats to Earth’s biodiversity, yet the extent of their contribution to the endangerment and extinction of other species has remained unclear. Moreover, it could be valuable to know what additional threats may arise from continued human population growth. Here we quantify a model of the relationship between human population density and the number of threatened mammal and bird species by nation. Our multiple regression analysis revealed that two predictor variables, human population density and species richness (of birds and mammals), account for 88% of the variability in log-transformed densities of threatened species across 114 continental nations. Using the regression model with projected population sizes of each nation, we found that the number of threatened species in the average nation is expected to increase 7% by 2020, and 14% by 2050, as forecast by human population growth alone. Our findings strongly support the notion that abating human population growth is a necessary, if not sufficient, step in the epic attempt to conserve biodiversity on the global scale.

Deciduous tooth size in Native Americans of the Ohio Valley area is fairly stable from the terminal Late Archaic (3200 BP) through the Late Prehistoric (350 BP) periods. Some fluctuation in average size did occur during this time. These fluctuations most likely reflect random changes due to gene drift. However, no difference in the pattern of interactions among the sizes of teeth (covariance structures) can be demonstrated during this period. Principal components analysis of the buccolingual and mesiodistal dimensions in the total sample indicate that the major axis of deciduous tooth size in the Ohio Valley population shows an allometric relationship, with the dimensions of the anterior teeth increasing (or decreasing) as the 1.33 power of the dimension of m1(1) and as the 2.0 power of the dimension of m2(2). Comparison of the Ohio Valley samples with other samples from the Eastern Woodlands suggests that geography may have played a minor role in structuring deciduous tooth size variation. For the most part, however, widely separated Eastern Woodlands populations appear to have been evolving independently with respect to deciduous tooth size.

American Journal of Human BiologyVolume 12, Issue 2 p. 241-242 Book Review Human dental development, morphology, and pathology: A tribute to Albert A. Dahlberg Paul W. Sciulli, Paul W. Sciulli Department of Anthropology and Department of Evolution Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OhioSearch for more papers by this author Paul W. Sciulli, Paul W. Sciulli Department of Anthropology and Department of Evolution Ecology and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OhioSearch for more papers by this author First published: 11 February 2000 https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1520-6300(200003/04)12:2<241::AID-AJHB11>3.0.CO;2-AAboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Volume12, Issue2March/April 2000Pages 241-242 RelatedInformation

Previous studies of population structure among prehistoric groups in the Ohio valley region have shown that hunting-gathering populations exhibited a different structure than horticultural populations. Among both Late Archaic hunter-gatherers and Late Prehistoric horticulturists, covariance structures for cranial metrics were found to be homogenous within the populations, but the Late Archaic subpopulations showed little differentiation while the Late Prehistoric subpopulations exhibited a marked differentiation. Biodistance based on cranial discrete trait frequency showed similar patterns, but in the Late Archaic discrete trait distance was associated significantly with the geographical distance separating populations. The present investigation is an extension of the previous studies increasing the Late Prehistoric sample (n = 8 samples and n = 341 individuals) and using the Harpending-Ward model, modified for use with multivariate quantitative data, to estimate the effects of differential gene flow and the amount of differentiation within populations. Results of the present analyses indicate that differentiation among subpopulations, measured by minimum FST, was greater in the Late Prehistoric compared to the Late Archaic period. However, for both periods the minimum FST is comparable to values found for historic native populations of the northeast woodlands. Analysis of differential gene flow in the Late Archaic period indicates that geographically peripheral populations were affected more by external gene flow than more central populations. Late Prehistoric populations exhibit a very complex pattern of differential gene flow. We discuss the latter pattern in terms of proposed culture change in the Late Prehistoric period of Ohio. Am J Phys Anthropol 112:363–376, 2000. © 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

In order to evaluate the microevolutionary dynamics of morphological features of the deciduous dentition, I collected data on the variation of 57 features (33 crown and 24 root) from prehistoric Ohio Valley populations. I sampled a total of 370 individuals from 26 populations representing a lineage that inhabited the middle and upper Ohio valley region from approximately 3000 to 350 BP. Evolutionary changes in the frequencies of morphological features of the deciduous teeth in this lineage were limited. Over 80% of the features show no significant differences among the populations. The relatively few features that show consistent differences separate pre- and postmaize agricultural populations. I discuss explanations for this change in terms of selection differences or gene flow. The general pattern of morphological trait expression in the deciduous teeth of this Ohio Valley lineage corresponds to what has been termed the Mongoloid dental complex (sinodonty in the permanent teeth). I suggest additional features that, with further study, may be added to this morphological complex.

Temporal patterns of tooth wear rates (loss of crown height) and dental pathologies (caries, abscess, and tooth loss) are estimated for 40 Native American populations of the upper Ohio River valley area ranging in time from the Late Archaic (ca. 3500 years BP) to Protohistoric times (ca. 350 years BP). Within this time span three ‘dental cultural ecological environments’ are recognized: high rates of wear, low frequencies of pathology (Late Archaic), low rates of wear, low frequencies of pathologies (Woodland, ca. 2500–1000 years BP), and low rates of wear and high frequencies of pathologies (Late Prehistoric, ca. post-1000 years BP). Phenotypic selection acting to maintain tooth size is associated with pre-ceramic, hunter–fisher–gatherers in the first dental environment. The introduction and development of ceramics at the end of the Late Archaic is associated with significant reduction in tooth wear rates and reduction in size of maxillary teeth, most likely due to selection. From at least the Middle Woodland period (ca. 2000 years BP) to the end of the time sequence considered, tooth size in Ohio Valley Native Americans was stable, with minor fluctuations due to genetic drift. At present there is no evidence that major changes in diet at the beginning of the Late Prehistoric period affected tooth size, even though the frequencies of dental pathologies increased dramatically. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

American Journal of Physical AnthropologyVolume 100, Issue 2 p. 293-294 Technical note: Uto-Aztecan premolars in Ohio Valley populations Cheryl A. Johnston, Corresponding Author Cheryl A. Johnston Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210Search for more papers by this authorPaul W. Sciulli, Paul W. Sciulli Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210Search for more papers by this author Cheryl A. Johnston, Corresponding Author Cheryl A. Johnston Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210Search for more papers by this authorPaul W. Sciulli, Paul W. Sciulli Department of Anthropology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210Search for more papers by this author First published: June 1996 https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1096-8644(199606)100:2<293::AID-AJPA8>3.0.CO;2-YCitations: 5AboutPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShare Give accessShare full text accessShare full-text accessPlease review our Terms and Conditions of Use and check box below to share full-text version of article.I have read and accept the Wiley Online Library Terms and Conditions of UseShareable LinkUse the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more.Copy URL Share a linkShare onFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat No abstract is available for this article.Citing Literature Volume100, Issue2June 1996Pages 293-294 RelatedInformation

In this investigation, we relate transverse midshaft diameter of the femur, age, and weight in a sample of 183 children from Central Ohio. Age and femur diameter considered separately are similar in their ability to predict weight. Considering all sex and ancestry groupings (male, female, white, black), age explains between 90% to 96.8% of the variation in weight while femur diameter explains between 93% to 97.4%. However, estimates of individual weight from age or femur diameter have very large 95% prediction limits. Using age and femur diameter together results in a greater proportion of the variation in weight explained, 97.7% for the total sample, but the 95% prediction limits are similar to those using femur diameter alone.

Patterns of variation in sexual dimorphism and size and shape of limb bones are established for seven terminal Late Archaic populations of Ohio. Results of the analyses show little differentiation among the Ohio populations. These populations are all characteristically tall, with significant sexual dimorphism, suggesting at least a degree of sexual division of labor. Patterns of shape variation in the limb bones indicate mechanical adaptations to high levels of physical activity. These features, except for the relatively large stature, are similar to those expressed by other eastern North American Late Archaic populations. Possible causes, both proximate and ultimate, for stature variation are discussed.