The Evolutionary Biology of the Human Pelvis: An Integrative Approach

This book provides a synthetic overview of all evidence concerning the evolution of the morphology of the human pelvis, including comparative anatomy, clinical and experimental studies, and quantitative evolutionary models. By integrating these lines of research, this is the first book to bring all sources of evidence together to develop a coherent statement about the current state of the art in understanding pelvic evolution. Second, and related to this, the volume is the first detailed assessment of existing paradigms about the evolution of the pelvis, especially the obstetric dilemma. The authors argue that there are many 'dilemmas', but these must be approached using a testable methodology, rather than on the proviso of a single paradigm. The volume clearly contributes to greater scientific knowledge about human variation and evolution, and has implications for clinicians working within reproductive health. A thought-provoking read for students, researchers and professionals in the fields of biological anthropology, human evolutionary anthropology, paleoanthropology, bioarchaeology, biology, developmental biology and obstetrics.

Cara M. Wall-Scheffler is Professor and Chair, Department of Biology, Seattle Pacific University. Her research interests focus around evolutionary tradeoffs throughout the human lineage with a particular interest in mobility strategies. She received the Frameshifter Award for her contributions to science and has published numerous peer-reviewed articles on the evolution of human locomotion.

Helen K. Kurki is Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Her research investigates the factors that underlie morphological variation in the human skeleton, with a particular focus on the pelvis. She is currently exploring the use of 3D imaging to analyze the shape of skeletal elements throughout the growth period.

Benjamin M. Auerbach is Associate Professor, Department of Anthropology, and Adjunct Associate Professor, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His research has focused on understanding how global human morphological variation has evolved in relation to genetic trait covariances and in correspondence with environmental factors. He currently studies primate evolution through the use of quantitative genetics and biomechanics.