Award Abstract # 0817782
Functional Tradeoffs in Specialization for Locomotion Versus Fighting

NSF Org: IOS
Division Of Integrative Organismal Systems
Recipient: UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
Initial Amendment Date: July 19, 2008
Latest Amendment Date: June 19, 2013
Award Number: 0817782
Award Instrument: Continuing Grant
Program Manager: Steven Ellis
stellis@nsf.gov
 (703)292-7876
IOS
 Division Of Integrative Organismal Systems
BIO
 Directorate for Biological Sciences
Start Date: August 1, 2008
End Date: July 31, 2014 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $290,921.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $290,921.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2008 = $122,509.00
FY 2009 = $88,448.00

FY 2010 = $79,964.00
History of Investigator:
  • David Carrier (Principal Investigator)
    carrier@biology.utah.edu
  • Kent Bachus (Co-Principal Investigator)
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: University of Utah
201 PRESIDENTS CIR
SALT LAKE CITY
UT  US  84112-9049
(801)581-6903
Sponsor Congressional District: 01
Primary Place of Performance: University of Utah
201 PRESIDENTS CIR
SALT LAKE CITY
UT  US  84112-9049
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
01
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): LL8GLEVH6MG3
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): Symbiosis Infection & Immunity
Primary Program Source: 01000809DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
01000910DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT

01001011DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 9178, 9183, BIOT
Program Element Code(s): 765600
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.074

ABSTRACT

Both rapid, economical running and fighting are important in the life histories of most or all terrestrial species. Nevertheless, musculoskeletal "design" that allows rapid, economical running is likely to be incompatible with musculoskeletal design that is appropriate for fighting. This locomotor versus fighting tradeoff may explain many cases of divergence in body form among closely related species and may also help explain why males and females of the same species often differ in the size and proportions of their musculoskeletal system. This study will use comparative methods to test hypotheses of functional tradeoff between specialization for rapid, economical running versus specialization for fighting. The first aim of the investigation is to test a broad set of hypotheses of functional design of the skeletal system in two mammalian orders: Artiodactyla (e.g., deer and antelope) and Carnivora (e.g. wolves and lions). Using museum collections, limb bone proportions will be measured in a large number of species and compared with proxies for male-male aggression (size sexual dimorphism) and maximum running speed. The second and third aims of the study are to quantify sexual differences in the properties of limb bones and muscle architecture in 2 species exhibiting high levels of male-male competition (black bears and bisons) and 2 highly cursorial species (wolves and pronghorns). Hence, this investigation will test hypotheses of functional tradeoff between musculoskeletal specializations for running versus fighting and it will significantly expand our knowledge and understanding of the sexual dimorphism of the mammalian musculoskeletal system. The study will also provide research opportunities for 6 to 9 undergraduate students. We will also create an open access, online library of high resolution CT scans of anatomically aligned cross-sections of the whole limb bones from all of the subjects. Finally, although sexual dimorphism is poorly understood by the general public, it is of broad importance to physiology, evolutionary biology, and human evolution and behavior. We expect the research proposed here to be of general interest and to provide opportunities to educate the public about the biological significance of sexual dimorphism.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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(Showing: 1 - 10 of 19)
Carrier, D. R. "The advantage of standing up to fight and the evolution of habitual bipedalism in hominins." PLoS ONE , v.6 , 2011
Carrier, D. R. "The advantage of standing up to fight and the evolution of habitual bipedalism in hominins." PLoS ONE , v.6 , 2011
Carrier, D. R., Anders, C. and Schilling, N. "The musculoskeletal system of humans is not tuned to maximize the economy of locomotion." PNAS , v.108 , 2011 , p.:18631
Carrier, D.R. and M. H. Morgan. "Protective buttressing of the hominin face." Biological Reviews , 2014
Carrier, D. R. and Morgan, M. H. "Response to ?Fists of furry: at what point did human fists part company with the rest of the hominid lineage??" The Journal of experimental biology , v.216 , 2013
Cunningham, C. B., Ruff, J. S., Chase, K., Potts, W. K., and Carrier, D. R. "Competitive Ability in Male House Mice (Mus musculus): Genetic Influences." Behavior genetics , v.43 , 2013
Cunningham, C. B., Schilling, N., Anders, C. and Carrier, D. R. "The influence of foot osture on the cost of transport in humans." J. Exp. Biol. , v.213 , 2010 , p.790
Daley, M. A., Bramble, D. M., and Carrier, D. R. "Impact Loading and Locomotor-Respiratory Coordination Significantly Influence Breathing Dynamics in Running Humans" PloS one , v.8 , 2013
Deban, S. M., Schilling, N. and Carrier, D. R. "Activity of extrinsic limb muscles in dogs at walk, trot and gallop." J. Exp. Biol. , v.215 , 2012 , p.287
Galis, F., Carrier, D. R., van Alphen, J., van der Mije, S. D., Van Dooren, T. J., Metz, J. A., & ten Broek, C. M. "Fast running restricts evolutionary change of the vertebral column in mammals." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, , v.111 , 2014
Markely, J. S. and Carrier, D. R. "The cost of ventilation in birds measured via unidirectional artificial ventilation." Comp. Biochem. Physiol. Part A , v.155 , 2010 , p.146
(Showing: 1 - 10 of 19)

PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT

Disclaimer

This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.

This Award - Functional Tradeoffs in Specialization for Locomotion Versus Fighting (0817782) supported 19 peer-reviewed papers that are in print or accepted and 4 manuscripts that are almost ready to submit for review. Seven undergraduate students are co-authors on these papers. Four of these publications received widespread attention from the scientific media. Examples of this media coverage are listed here. 

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/02/100212092304.htm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/05/110518171343.htm

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-20790294

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-27720617

http://paleomagonline.com/episode-14-david-carrier-and-james-gregory/

http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-27763015

 

SIGNIFICANT RESULTS

Sexual dimorphism in Grey Wolves - To test for morphological adaptation associated with aggression and prey capture performance, we assessed skeletal sexual dimorphism in three subspecies of grey wolves. Male wolves appear to exhibit a higher degree of morphological adaptation that is associated with aggression-based activities. Postcranial dimorphism varied by subspecies, likely reflecting differences in selective pressures based on prey size and the resultant differences in capture techniques.

Sexual dimorphism in Carnivores - We collected a large comparative data set on skeletal sexual dimorphism in morphological characters associated with specialization for aggression. The results of this study reveal widespread skeletal shape dimorphism in terrestrial carnivorans that may be associated with improving aggressive performance when males compete.

Are humans economical walkers or endurance runners? - Although humans are clearly highly specialized for terrestrial locomotion compared to other great apes, the results of this study indicate that our locomotor muscles are not tuned to specific walking or running speeds. This is inconsistent with the evolution of an optimal phenotype for economical walking or endurance running. Instead, the locomotor muscles of the human body appear to have evolved for a variety of functions, some of which clearly entailed limits on specialization for locomotor economy. 

Protective buttressing of the human fist - The proportions of the human hand provide a performance advantage when striking with a fist. We propose that the derived proportions of hominin hands reflect, in part, sexual selection to improve fighting performance.

Protective buttressing of the hominin face - In this review, we suggested that many of the facial features that characterize early hominins evolved to protect the face from injury during fighting with fists. In this scenario, the evolution of reduced facial robusticity in Homo is associated with the evolution of reduced strength of the upper body and, therefore, with reduced striking power. The protective buttressing hypothesis provides a functional explanation for the puzzling observation in modern humans that the jaw adductor muscles of males are 42% stronger and have 8-times more fast ...

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