What do AMH have to do with anything?

In an earlier post, I discussed the evolutionary emergence of Neanderthals. I now need to take a step back, and address two models for the origin and dispersal of AMH. As we will see, each of these models carries important implications for Neanderthal disappearance.

http://anthro.palomar.edu/homo2/mod_homo_4.htm

The Regional Continuity Model

The Regional Continuity Model (also known as the Multiregional Model) is championed by Milford Wolpoff. It states that all modern humans evolved from Homo erectus, who lived in Africa 1.8 mya and eventually colonized most of the world's continents. Modern humans therefore emerged from an "in situ evolution from local populations" (Maher 9/13). Thus, for example, Modern Africans emerged out of African Homo erectus. European Homo erectus would have given rise to Archaic Europeans (for example: Neanderthals), which in term would have evolved into Modern Europeans. Proponents of this theory argue for significant gene flow between each evolutionary branch, but that local subspecies would have coexisted temporally.

The Replacement Model 

The Replacement Model (also know as "Out of Africa Model) proposes that AMH evolved from Homo heidelbergensis in Africa only 200, 000 to 150, 000 years ago. Around 60, 0000 to 40, 000 years ago, AMH left Africa and colonized the rest of the world, replacing other pre-existing archaic humans. Therefore, very little gene flow would have taken place between these populations. This model was originally advanced by Christopher Stringer and Peter Andrews.

In my next post, I will look at supporting evidence for each and possible implications for Neanderthal demise.

Bibliography 

• O'Neil, Dennis. "Early Modern Homo sapiens ." EVOLUTION OF MODERN HUMANS: A Survey of the Biological and Cultural Evolution of Archaic and Modern Homo sapiens. Behavioral Sciences Department, Palomar College, San Marcos, California, n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2012. <http://anthro.palomar.edu/homo2/mod_homo_4.htm>.
• O'Neil, Dennis. "Glossary of Terms ." EVOLUTION OF MODERN HUMANS: A Survey of the Biological and Cultural Evolution of Archaic and Modern Homo sapiens. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Nov. 2012. <anthro.palomar.edu/homo2/glossary.htm#gene_flow>.