Origins of Bipedalism

TL;DR

This paper reviews multiple theories explaining the evolution of bipedalism in humans, emphasizing that it was likely driven by various factors and occurred through complex, non-linear processes.

Contribution

It provides a holistic analysis of existing theories on bipedalism, integrating them into an evolutionary timeline and highlighting the multifaceted nature of human bipedal evolution.

Findings

Postural feeding hypothesis explains partial bipedalism in early hominins.

Savannah-based theory accounts for increased bipedalism as hominins settled ground environments.

Multiple evolutionary forces contributed to the development of bipedalism.

Abstract

The following manuscript reviews various theories of bipedalism and provides a holistic answer to human evolution. There are two questions regarding bipedalism: i) why were the earliest hominins partially bipedal? and ii) why did hominins become increasingly bipedal over time and replace their less bipedal ancestors? To answer these questions, the prominent theories in the field, such as the savanna-based theory, the postural feeding hypotheses, and the provisioning model, are collectively examined. Because biological evolution is an example of trial and error and not a simple causation, there may be multiple answers to the evolution of bipedalism. The postural feeding hypothesis (reaching for food/balancing) provides an explanation for the partial bipedalism of the earliest hominins. The savannah-based theory describes how the largely bipedal hominins that started to settle on the ground became increasingly bipedal. The provisioning model (food-gathering/monogamy) explains questions arising after the postural feeding hypothesis and before the savannah theory in an evolutionary timeline. Indeed, there are no straight lines between the theories, and multiple forces could have pushed the evolution of bipedalism at different points. Finally, this manuscript states that the arboreal hominins that possessed ambiguous traits of bipedalism were eliminated through choice and selection. Using the biological analogy of the okapi and giraffe, I explain how one of the branches (Homo) became increasingly bipedal while the other (Pan) adapted to locomotion for forest life by narrowing the anatomical/biological focus in evolution.