A Comprehensive Study on the Evolution of Animal Domestication.
Alice Al Nyme
3rd professional year, BVSc & AH,
Lakhimpur college of veterinary science, Joyhing,
North Lakhimpur, 787051
Acknowledgement
I would like to thank my sister Mariyam Rasul for always looking out for me and providing me with everything I needed to know to start writing the paper and my mother for always being so motivational. Also special thanks to my professors, Dr. S. Khuman sir, Dr. A. Gogoi ma’am for encouraging me to write and complete this paper.
Abstract
The paper explores the multifaceted process of animal domestication, comprising its historical dynamics, strongly supported with environment and ecological evidences, fossil remains, artistic depiction and genetic and behavioral dynamics. By combining all this finding, the aim of the paper is to provide a comprehensive understanding of animal-human interaction and how it has reached to what it is today, over time.
- Introduction:
1.1 Definition of animal domestication
Animal domestication is the process by which human selectively breed and manage wild animals over generations to derive the traits that are advantageous or desirable for human use. This results in animals that are genetically distinct from their wild ancestors and more suited to living alongside human for various uses. The animals which are domesticated also rely on human for their care and survival.
Animal Domestication is the mutual relationship between human and animal through generations where human had an upper hand, so it was able to receive supply of resources including food and also had a control over it. Over the past years, human history has been completely transformed by domestication. We have seen the shift from hunting wild animal to herding and hunting with domestic ones.
Domestication of animal was started back in the Mesolithic period or age. This age is also called as Neolithic age as neolithic people lived in that age who were primarily dependent on hunting animals for food, hides, protection, etc.
1.2 Importance of animal domestication in human history
Animal domestication as well as plants are important development in the past 13,000 years of human history. It was a prerequisite to the rise of civilization; it helped transform global demography. It provides most of our food today. Overall, domestication of animal provided a stable food source, leading to development of permanent settlements and rise of agriculture and civilization. The transition from nomadic or hunting-gathering societies to agricultural societies was one of the major milestones in human history, known as neolithic revolution.
Domestication of animals was also a boon to transportation facilities. Horses, camels and donkeys played crucial role in transportation and luggage carriers enabling trade, communication, military conquest over longer distances, extensions of empire, etc. Economy flourished as animal became a form of wealth and currency in many cultures. The products of animals like wool, leathers, etc. supported early industrial developments, contributing to growth of economies.
The study of domesticated animals has contributed to several scientific advancements, like biological research, medicine development, vaccine testing. Animals have been used in medical research field to develop treatments and vaccines and their biology helped us in understanding the human health.
Human and domesticated animals have co-evolved influencing evolutionary path of one another. This co-evolution has led to behavioral and genetic changes in both the species.
1.3 Outline of the paper
In order to make the writeup accessible to readers, the work presented is divided into a number of chapters. Each chapter outlines the contribution provided to model evaluation. This is as follows:
Chapter 1 outlines an overview or introduction to the topic domestication of animals, what is it, the relationship between human and animals, the Mesolithic age, importance of animal domestication in human history. It addresses co-evolution of man and animal and how domestication acted as a boon for economic prosperity.
Chapter 2 focuses on the historical evidences of animal domestication. It involves early evidences of domestication; how selective breeding and flora cultivation started. It also stresses on how environment and ecology played a significant role in animal domestication and provided evidences about it. It also tells us how archeological studies like historical artistic depiction and fossil remain collectively paint a picture of the gradual process by which human began to domesticate animals.
Chapter 3 provides genetic insight and behavioral transformation of domesticated animal over time. It tells about how human have altered animals genetically which have influenced morphological characters as well, as per their needs, which have lead to a population distinct from their wild ancestors.
Chapter 4 finally provides conclusion of the study. It summarizes the overall work presented in the paper.
- Historical perspective of animal domestication:
2.1 Early evidence of domestication
The various signs and artifacts indicate that human began to selectively breed animals and cultivate flora for their own use. The artifacts like hides were used for clothing, storage and to build tent shelters, etc. The early domestication evidences are also crucial in understanding the transition from nomadic societies to agricultural and settled communities. Storage facilities provided the idea that by that time agricultural societies have formed, as structures built for surplus food indicates an ability to produce more than immediate needs, which is a characteristic of settled communities.
There are some instances of early domesticated animals. Dog is one of the earliest domesticated animals. Archeological evidences suggest domestication occurred around 20,000 to 40,000 years ago, likely from the wolves. Then the sheep and goats were domesticated around 10,000 years ago and undergone selective breeding for traits like wool and docility. Cattles were domesticated around the same period as goat and sheep. Archeological studies indicate that they have been developed from wild aurochs from the change in size and temperament.
2.2 Environmental and ecological evidences
The domestication of animals and plants was a result of climatic and environmental changes that occurred after the last glacial coldest period. After the domestication of dog, it was followed by domestication of livestock and crop such as wheat, barley and rice followed up by transition of human from foraging to farming. One of the main factors for driving domestication process is inconvenience of obtaining food by hunting and gathering due to the peak of last glacial coldest period. Several alterations in environment, like deforestation, terracing indicates human efforts to modify environment for agriculture.
2.3 Artistic depictions and fossil remains
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https://images.app.goo.gl/jsJxz9pTdMyK72LR7
Early art, such as cave paintings or carvings, depicts animals in the way they were important to human society, either as companions, work animals or livestock. Pottery, stone carvings, other archeological findings tell us many things about domesticated animals or provide an insight into the species and practices that were important to early human societies.
Finding of fossil remains of domesticated animals or plants in archeological sites, especially when located far from species natural habitat range, indicates deliberate breeding by human or other forms of human interventions. Bones of animals found in ancient human settlements provide clues that animals were kept for labor, companionship & as livestock. For instance, there are bones of dogs found in human grave, dating back around 14,000 years, which suggest close relationship between human and dogs.
These lines of evidences collectively paint a picture of the gradual process by which human began to domesticate animals, shaping their evolution and foraging a close relationship between human societies and the animal species we rely on today.
- Genetic insight and Behavioral transformation
The genetic and behavioral transformation seen in domesticated animals are the result of a complex interplay between human selection and natural evolutionary processes. Humans have selectively bred animals for desirable characters, such as docility, productivity (fur type, size, etc.). Over generations, these selective breeding has led to genetic changes in animals. Through artificial selection, modern dogs have been evolved from wolves, with changes in temperament, behaviors, morphology, metabolism changes which have enabled them to live with human. Side by side humans have also undergone genetic changes. A notable example is development of lactose intolerance in certain human population.
Certain phenomena like bottleneck effect, founders’ effect, genetic drift have also played major role in genetic transformation of animals. Domestication often begins with a small population of wild animals that are selectively bred by human through artificial selection. Thus, founder effect creates a bottleneck to a population where only a subset of the genetic diversity from wild population is passed on to the future generations. As a result, the genetic diversity in the domesticated animals is lower than their wild ancestors
Physical traits such as coat color, ear shape and body size are often influenced by genetic changes during domestication. Certain behavioral adaptations have been observed in domesticated animals which significantly differ from their wild ancestors, such as increased sociability, reduced aggression, ability to understand human cues. For example, dogs have evolved to be attenuated to human emotion and commands. Humans, in turn, have developed better ways to communicate and manage animals effectively. This can include body languages, vocal commands and various training methods that yield better responses from the animals.
- Conclusion
This paper presents a comprehensive study and analysis on animal domestication over time. It is a pivotal chapter in human history where there is a complex interplay between genetic, behavioral and cultural transformations. Through selective and artificial breeding humans have not only shaped evolution of animal species but also have undergone changes themselves. These co-evolutionary processes have led to development of domesticated animals that are genetically different from their wild ancestors posing traits and characters tuned as per human needs, such as tameness, altered reproductive cycles and other physical characters. Domestication has enabled transformation of nomadic herd to permanent settlements, thus giving rise to civilization and technological advancements.
Overall, the evolution of animal domestication is a testament to the deep and enduring connection between humans and animals. It highlights the impact it has on natural world and human evolution as well.
Reference
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/domestication-origins/
https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/domestication/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/agriculture/Earliest-beginnings
