Microhabitat Variability in Human Evolution

Climate variability and hominin evolution are inextricably linked. Yet, hypotheses examining the impact of large-scale climate shifts on landscape ecology often constrained by proxy data coming from off-site lake ocean cores temporal offsets between paleoenvironmental archaeological records. Additionally, response (most commonly, records vegetation change), used as a proxy. This is problematic it assumes that change signifies global or regional without accounting for known non-linear behavior ecological systems often-significant spatial heterogeneity in habitat structure response. The exploitation diverse, rapidly changing habitats Homo at least two million years ago highlights ability to adapt landscapes flux had emerged time our genus’ African origin. To understand ecosystem variability, adaptations environmental complexity diversity, we need cross-disciplinary datasets direct association with stratified fossil assemblages variety scales. In this article, propose microhabitat framework understanding ’s adaptability fluctuating climates, environments, resource bases. We argue microhabitats, unique ecologically geographically defined areas within larger ecoregions, was key skill allowed multiple climates zones ecoregions beyond Africa throughout Pleistocene.