Evolution has provided various species with changes that have benefitted their successors in various ways. One of those changes is an innovation known as bipedalism and dates back to various species who were ancestors of modern day humans. The following text will review how this valuable innovation originated, the environmental challenges combated by it and the advantages of bipedalism for the predecessors of Homo sapiens.
Prior to depicting innovations, it is important to understand how evolution helps specify diversity in species and makes the task of depicting the development of new features easier. It is similar to a tree, as it assists with following the path from successors to their ancestors, which explains the history of all species (Phelan, 2021). Thus, the research of diversity in species becomes easier, as scientists are provided with a better understanding of how a specific feature came into existence.
Tracing a species’ history is crucial to depicting the development of a certain feature in its ancestors and predecessors. For example, the fully bipedal great ape species, Homo Erectus, is the last part of the following order: the eukarya domain, the animalia kingdom, the mammal class, the primate order, the hominidae family and the homo genus (New World Encyclopedia, n.d.). By its name, its ancestors, Homo rudolphensis and homo habilis can be traced in the evolutionary tree, as well as the successor, homo sapiens (Smithsonian National Museum of Human History, 2020). Thus, this classification and the name helps specify the history of its innovations, such as bipedalism.
Although the origins and causes of this innovation are currently underresearched, and require more scientific studies and reviews. The first predecessors of modern day humans had moving traits reminiscent of both humans and apes, one of them being the Sahelanthropus (Smithsonian National Museum of Human History). Eventually, the angled part of the thigh bone of later ancestors became similar to that of the current Homo Sapiens, which implies that the species known for that feature, Orrorin tugenesis, was bipedal. The extra changes were strong knees (Australopithecus anamensis), curved spines (Australopithecus africanus) and hip support (Homo erectus). The latter species was more similar to humans than its predecessors and were more agile and faster than its successors.
It is believed that climate change was the main trigger of bipedalism. Colder temperatures have made Africa more cruel, thus forcing the ancestors of humans to travel larger distances to seek food (LENScience, n.d.). Forests have transformed into savannahs, which complicated the lives of the humans’ ancestors. This made bipedalism more beneficial for the successors of species similar to Sahelantropus, as it requires less energy than moving on four limbs.
There are some advantages that were triggered by this innovation. Aside from preserving energy, it improved the predecessors’ visual abilities, helping them see predators better; carrying items and newborns and thermoregulation. Bipedalism has assisted humans with decreasing body temperature due to the high wind speed and air temperature decreasing from the land (LENScience, n.d.). This innovation mattered because it simplified the way ancestors carried tools and infants during dependence periods (Brown, 2022). Moreover, it helped the first human species access fruit on trees easier by stretching out their hands. Thus, the feature has added a number of diverse advantages for the past species and present day humans.
These advantages are seen as the secondary motivators for the selection on the basis of the use of energy. It is more likely that bipedalism had a far more influential trigger. This innovation could have been started by the first humans standing upright, thus developing movement by using their legs instead of all of their limbs (LENScience, n.d). This means that bipedalism was chosen due to adaptive advantages.
However, although this innovation was rather positive for homo erectus and their successors, there were some troubles related to it as well. First, they became slower and less agile, especially in comparison to their predecessor (University of Notre Dame, 2020). Second, Homo erectus, along with their descendants, were more likely to develop problems with the spine, knees and hips. Finally, this species and the others were no longer capable of climbing trees, as opposed to the species that lived before them.
With that taken into consideration, there is one optimistic fact on the matter. The advantages of the development of bipedalism outweigh the disadvantages. Primarily, because Homo sapiens, the descendants of Homo erectus, do not need to climb trees. Moreover, some of the advantages, such as being able to reach for fruit and being able to carry items and infants, are still relevant today. It is easier to fight against enemies with the help of this evolutionary innovation as well (Brown, 2021). This means that while modern day humans are more vulnerable than their predecessors, their current lifestyle has a stronger need for bipedalism than being quadrupedal.
In conclusion, evolution helps depict biodiversity by using the tree structure, helping scientists study descendants and their ancestors. A species’ name can help trace their ancestors and successors, providing context for evolutionary innovations. Bipedalism is a commonly known innovation, which was triggered by climate change. It helped early humans access food easier, reach for fruit and have a better view of predators. While it has some disadvantages, such as back problems and loss of agility, they are irrelevant due to the lifestyle of modern humans. Thus, this innovation has become rather beneficial, as humans can carry items and newbowns, and have better thermoregulation.
References
Brown, J. (2022). What are the advantages of bipedalism? MainAdvantages.
LENScience. (n.d.). Cultural and biological evolution. LENScience – The University of Auckland.
New World Encyclopedia. (n.d.). Homo erectus.
Phelan, J. (2021). What Is Life: Guide to Biology Preview Book + Supplements Sampler (5th ed.). W. H. Freeman & Company.
Smithsonian National Museum of Human History. (2020). Human family tree. The Smithsonian Institution’s Human Origins Program.
Smithsonian National Museum of Human History. (2022). Walking upright. The Smithsonian Institution’s Human Origins Program.
Smithsonian National Museum of Human History. (2022). Homo erectus. The Smithsonian Institution’s Human Origins Program.
University of Notre Dame. (2020). Understanding apes: How we became bipeds. Notre Dame Sites.