Walker Robert, Gurven Michael, Hill Kim, Migliano Andrea, Chagnon Napoleon, De Souza Roberta, Djurovic Gradimir, Hames Raymond, Hurtado A Magdalena, Kaplan Hillard, Kramer Karen, Oliver William J, Valeggia Claudia, Yamauchi Taro
Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, 87131, USA.
Am J Hum Biol. 2006 May-Jun;18(3):295-311. doi: 10.1002/ajhb.20510.
This study investigates variation in body growth (cross-sectional height and weight velocity) among a sample of 22 small-scale societies. Considerable variation in growth exists among hunter-gatherers that overlaps heavily with growth trajectories present in groups focusing more on horticulture. Intergroup variation tends to track environmental conditions, with societies under more favorable conditions displaying faster growth and earlier puberty. In addition, faster/earlier development in females is correlated with higher mortality. For example, African "Pygmies," Philippine "Negritos," and the Hiwi of Venezuela are characterized by relatively fast child-juvenile growth for their adult body size (used as a proxy for energetic availability). In these societies, subadult survival is low, and puberty, menarche, and first reproduction are relatively early (given their adult body size), suggesting selective pressure for accelerated development in the face of higher mortality. In sum, the origin and maintenance of different human ontogenies may require explanations invoking both environmental constraints and selective pressures.
本研究调查了22个小规模社会样本中的身体生长差异（身高和体重的横断面生长速度）。狩猎采集者之间存在相当大的生长差异，这与更多关注园艺的群体的生长轨迹有很大重叠。群体间的差异往往与环境条件相关，处于更有利条件下的社会表现出更快的生长速度和更早的青春期。此外，女性更快/更早的发育与更高的死亡率相关。例如，非洲的“俾格米人”、菲律宾的“尼格利陀人”以及委内瑞拉的希维人，就其成年体型而言（用作能量可获得性的指标），儿童-青少年时期的生长相对较快。在这些社会中，亚成年个体的存活率较低，青春期、初潮和首次生育相对较早（考虑到其成年体型），这表明在面临较高死亡率时存在加速发育的选择压力。总之，不同人类个体发育的起源和维持可能需要从环境限制和选择压力两方面进行解释。
