Doctoral Dissertation Research: Functional Morphology and Macroevolution of the Mammalian Cervical Vertebral Column

博士论文研究：哺乳动物颈椎的功能形态学和宏观进化

• 批准号: 1919764
• 负责人: Gabrielle Russo
• 金额: $ 3.12万
• 依托单位: SUNY at Stony Brook
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2019
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2019-10-01 至 2023-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1919764&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; Functional; Morphology

Bipedal locomotion is a hallmark trait of the human evolutionary lineage, representing a major transition away from the apes and other primates. This pivotal shift can be investigated through studies of the neck, as the human neck is adapted to balance and stabilize the head during bipedal movements. This doctoral research project will test how the shape of the bones of the neck relate to locomotion and posture in a diverse sample of mammals. The findings will be used to interpret fossilized neck bones from extinct human relatives to learn about their early forms of bipedalism, as well as potentially informing clinical research. This project will also support the sharing of three-dimensional scan data through digital repositories and the training and mentorship of student researchers, including those from groups underrepresented in scientific fields. Cervical vertebrae in the hominin fossil record can provide insight into the interplay between the head, neck and trunk during key locomotor and postural transitions. Currently, however, functional interpretations of these fossils are limited to broad categories such as "human-like" neck mobility or "ape-like" neck posture. The goal of this dissertation is to improve hominin neck reconstructions by experimentally testing how cervical vertebral shape relates to neck function, locomotor mode, and trunk posture. This goal will be addressed in three objectives: 1) quantify the relationship between vertebral shape and neck mobility using bending mechanics experiments, 2) develop neck posture models in living species using virtual reconstruction methods, and 3) evaluate patterns of vertebral shape change across diverse mammalian groups using phylogenetic comparative methods. The objectives will be tested in a broad sample of primates, rodents, and marsupials. These groups contain species with independently-evolved forms of bipedal locomotion and upright trunk posture, allowing for independent verification of form-function relationships. This project will provide the foundational data necessary to quantitatively interpret functional information from cervical vertebral fossils, furthering our understanding of the nature and biomechanical demands of bipedalism in early hominins.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

两足动力是人类进化谱系的标志性特征，代表了远离猿和其他灵长类动物的主要过渡。可以通过对颈部的研究来研究这种关键的转移，因为在两足动作过程中，人颈适应并稳定头部。该博士研究项目将测试颈​​部骨骼的形状与各种哺乳动物样品样本中的运动和姿势之间的关系。这些发现将用于解释灭绝的人类亲戚的化石颈部骨骼，以了解其早期形式的双皮亚主义，并有可能告知临床研究。该项目还将通过数字存储库以及学生研究人员的培训和指导（包括来自科学领域的人数不足的人的培训和指导）来支持三维扫描数据。人类化石记录中的颈椎椎骨可以在关键的运动和姿势过渡期间深入了解头部，颈部和躯干之间的相互作用。但是，目前，这些化石的功能解释仅限于广泛的类别，例如“类人类”的颈部迁移率或“类似猿的”颈部姿势。本文的目的是通过实验测试颈椎形状与颈部功能，运动模式和躯干姿势如何相关的颈椎形状来改善人类颈部重建。该目标将在三个目标中解决：1）使用弯曲力学实验量化椎骨形状和颈部迁移率之间的关系，2）使用虚拟重建方法在活物种中开发颈部姿势模型，3）使用系统发育比较方法评估各种哺乳动物组跨不同哺乳动物组的椎体形状变化模式。这些目标将在广泛的灵长类动物，啮齿动物和有袋动物的样本中进行测试。这些群体包含具有独立进化的两足球运动和直立的树干姿势的物种，从而可以独立地验证形式功能关系。该项目将提供必要的基本数据，以定量解释颈椎化石的功能信息，从而进一步了解我们对早期人类化的双皮亚主义的性质和生物力学要求的理解。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并通过使用该基金会的知识优点和广泛影响来评估NSF的法定任务。