Early humans preferred diverse habitats over harsh open environments in Europe
In short: Researchers analyzing fossil records from Spain found that early humans in Europe tended to inhabit diverse landscapes like woodlands and savannas. By studying the dental records of large herbivorous mammals, the team reconstructed past climates to see where early humans lived. They discovered that while humans expanded into a wider variety of environments over time, they generally avoided very dry or cold, open landscapes.
The study used dental ecometrics to estimate precipitation and plant productivity in the Guadix-Baza Basin, spanning from the Pliocene to the Middle Pleistocene. This helps explain the environmental conditions during the initial human dispersal into Europe.
A limitation of this research is that it relies on indirect evidence from mammal dental records to model human habitats, rather than direct observations of human behavior.
Why it matters: Understanding where our ancestors lived helps reveal the environmental preferences that shaped early human migration.
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