The habitat utilization and environmental resilience of Homo heidelbergensis in Europe

Abstract

The European populations of Homo heidelbergensis may have contributed to the genetic heritage of modern Eurasians. A better understanding of the possible effects of palaeoenvironmental alterations on the evolution of ancient humans can help to understand the origin of developed traits. For this purpose, the spatiotemporal alterations of physical factors were modelled in Europe for the period of 670–190 ka, covering the existence of Homo heidelbergensis in Europe. The factors included the following: paleoclimatic conditions, climatic suitability values of ancient humans, two prey species, and the European beech. Furthermore, the distribution and features of wood used for toolmaking were also investigated. Finally, changes in the relative mortality risk, the percentage of the body covered by clothing, and daily energy expenditure values in the coldest quarter of the year were modelled. The results suggest that H. heidelbergensis inhabited dominantly temperate regions in Europe where prey such as red deer were present. In the northern regions, European beech trees were abundant. When making wood tools, they preferred relatively light but not the strongest woods, which were readily available in the vicinity of the sites. Although hard and heavy woods were also occasionally used, at a European level, significant changes were observed in the relative mortality risk, the percentage of the body covered by clothing, and daily energy expenditure values during the period of 670–190 ka. However, substantial differences between archaeological sites in these values, indicating somewhat ecological variations, were not found during the studied period.