Testing evolutionary hypotheses about human biological adaptation using cross-cultural comparison

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A: Molecular and Integrative Physiology • Vol/Iss. 136(1) • Elsevier • • Published In • Pages: 85-94 •
By Mace, Ruth, Jordan, Fiona M., Holden, Clare

Abstract

Can physiological variation in human populations be attributed to environmental variables? Arguing for the importance of phylogenetic comparative methods, the authors present the results of previous research by Holden & Mace (1997) on lactose intolerance as well as introduce new research on sex ratio at birth. The authors suggest that global variance in sex ratio at birth is an adapted response to the physiological costs of giving birth to boys in high fertility populations.

Samples

Sample Used Coded Data Comment
CIA World FactbookOther researchersData on sex ratio at birth drawn from CIA World Factbook.
WHO (1995)Other researchersData on maternal mortality ratio.
Cavalli-Sforza et al. (1994) worldwide genetic treeOther researchersAuthors selected Old World countries then matched the major ethnic groups to those on the genetic tree.

Hypotheses (5)

HypothesisSupported
Sex ratio at birth will be negatively correlated with total fertility rate.Supported
Sex ratio at birth will be negatively correlated with maternal mortality ratio.Supported
Sex ratio at birth will be positively correlated with sex ratio of children between 0 and 14 years old.Supported
Sex ratio at birth will be positively correlated with sex ratio in adults between 15 and 65 years old.Not Supported
Sex ratio at birth will be negatively correlated with the mortality rate of those under 1 year of age.Supported
Documents and Hypotheses Filed By: isanaraja