A recent study published in Nature Communications Earth & Environment reveals that Homo erectus, an early human ancestor, successfully adapted to harsh desert-like environments in Eastern Africa over a million years ago, demonstrating a greater adaptability than previously thought. The research challenges the long-held belief that only Homo sapiens had the capacity to thrive in extreme environments.
An international team of scientists conducted a multidisciplinary analysis at Engaji Nanyori in Oldupai Gorge, Tanzania, a key early hominin archaeological site. Researchers gathered archaeological, geological, and paleoclimatic data to understand how Homo erectus managed to survive in such challenging conditions. The research team used biogeochemical analyses, chronometric dating, paleoclimate simulations, biome modeling, fire history reconstructions, palaeobotanical studies, faunal assemblages, and archaeological evidence to reconstruct an environment dominated by semi-desert shrubland.
“By doing archaeology, what we can see is that Homo erectus keeps coming back to the same place in the landscape over thousands of years. It’s not a one-time camp,” said Professor Julio Mercader, the lead author from the University of Calgary. “There is thickness to the accumulation of archaeological remains and fossils that is telling us that a species was targeting a very specific point in the landscape to do what they came here to do,” he added.
The study found that Homo erectus repeatedly occupied locations with freshwater resources, such as ponds and streams, utilizing these ecological focal points to mitigate risks while adapting to extreme environments. This strategic use of water sources demonstrates an ecological flexibility previously attributed only to later hominins.
Dr. Jed Kaplan, a co-author of the study and a Canada Research Chair in global systems modelling, reconstructed past landscapes to simulate the East African region at the time. “It’s now become clear that our human ancestors were demonstrating their ability to survive in a wide range of environments—including really extreme ones,” Kaplan said, as reported by The Independent. “These findings help us better understand who we are.”
Despite the harsh conditions, Homo erectus not only survived but thrived. They developed specialized stone tools, including scrapers and denticulates, to increase the efficiency of butchery and optimize the processing of prey in a dryland niche.
Homo erectus is an extinct human species that lived for more than 1.5 million years, making them one of the greatest survival success stories in human evolution. “This success stemmed from their ability to survive over a long period amid numerous changes in the environment and climate,” Mercader noted, as per Agencia SINC.
The adaptability displayed by Homo erectus at Engaji Nanyori may have facilitated their expansion into other continents, contributing to the first great human migration into Eurasia.
“This adaptive trait changes our understanding of the distribution of early hominins. It shows that Homo erectus was a versatile species that was the first hominin to enter different environments,” said Michael Petraglia, director of the Australian Research Center for Human Evolution at Griffith University and a study co-author.
The findings challenge previous hypotheses that only Homo sapiens could adapt to extreme ecosystems. Researchers long debated when early hominins acquired the adaptability to survive in extreme environments such as deserts and rainforests. The study provides evidence that Homo erectus had much greater adaptability to survive in extreme environments than was previously thought.
The research team included experts from the University of Calgary, the University of Manitoba, and 17 other institutions around the world, demonstrating the collaborative effort behind the study.
The study redefines the role of Homo erectus as a generalist hominin capable of inhabiting fragmented landscapes with limited resources.
Physically, Homo erectus resembled modern humans, walking upright and having long, slender legs that allowed them to run efficiently, giving them a distinctly modern human-like appearance.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.