Previous studies proposed that Neandertals had one third higher energetic cost of locomotion than anatomically modern humans. Greater cost of locomotion could disadvantage Neandertals in competition with anatomically modern humans and could be a factor in their extinction. Greater cost of Neandertal locomotion was ascribed to their shorter lower limb and greater body mass. However, Neandertals differed also in other morphological parameters that were not considered in estimation of their locomotor cost. In this dissertation we model locomotor cost of Neandertals and anatomically modern humans using previously described relation between muscle force production and energetic cost of movement. We estimate the key locomotor parameters using a model developed by us from osteometric data from literature (n =50) and from our measurement (n = 21), and from kinematic data of 26 individuals. Further, we analyze the effect of relative lower limb length (in relation to body mass) and crural index on energetic cost of locomotion. Our results suggest that walking of Neandertal males was 9-14% energetically more demanding than walking of anatomically modern males. Nevertheless, the walking cost of Neandertal females was similar to that of anatomically modern females. Inclusion of lower limb proportions into the...
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:nusl.cz/oai:invenio.nusl.cz:348918 |
| Date | January 2016 |
| Creators | Hora, Martin |
| Contributors | Sládek, Vladimír, Jelen, Karel, Jandačka, Daniel |
| Source Sets | Czech ETDs |
| Language | Czech |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | info:eu-repo/semantics/doctoralThesis |
| Rights | info:eu-repo/semantics/restrictedAccess |
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