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ARCH2108 Animals, plants and people : The process, recognition and progress of animal domestication

What is a domestic animal?. Domestic animals may be provisionally defined as those kept and bred in and around human habitation to be used constantly to human advantage.Hemmer, 1983/1990A domestic animal is one that has been bred in captivity for purposes of economic profit to a human community

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ARCH2108 Animals, plants and people : The process, recognition and progress of animal domestication

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    1. ARCH2108 Animals, plants and people : The process, recognition and progress of animal domestication

    2. What is a domestic animal? Domestic animals may be provisionally defined as those kept and bred in and around human habitation to be used constantly to human advantage. Hemmer, 1983/1990 A domestic animal is one that has been bred in captivity for purposes of economic profit to a human community that maintains complete mastery over its breeding, organization of territory, and food supply. Clutton-Brock, 1981

    3. “In its most developed form the domestic animal exhibits four principal characteristics: 1. Its breeding is under human control. 2. It provides a product or service useful to man. 3. It is tame. 4. It has been selected away from the wild type.” Mason, 1984 Zoo animals meet criterion 1, but not the others Working elephants meet criteria 2 and 3, not 1 and 4 Do laboratory animals meet all criteria?

    4. Fully domesticated mammals have undergone parallel changes: Increased colour variability Paedomorphosis Brain reduction Docility Earlier maturation “Verarmung der Merkwelt”

    5. Merkwelt A concept proposed by Jacob von Uexküll (1864-1944) Estonian biologist, regarded by many as the founder of ethology. - An animal’s world is partitioned into its – Umwelt - what it experiences (environment) Merkwelt – what it perceives (knowledge) Werkwelt – what it does (actions)

    6. “Verarmung der Merkwelt” can be translated “Impoverishment of the Perceptual World” In Hemmer’s model, domestication is a process of selection for docility which in turn involves reduction of stress, behavioural flexibility, aggression, activity patterns, sensory awareness - in sum, impoverishment of the Merkwelt.

    7. Catecholamines produced by nervous tissue and adrenal glands stress hormones (increase heart rate, blood pressure, muscle strength and alertness). The most important are adrenalin (epinephrine) noradrenalin (norepinephrine) dopamine. Melanins are produced by the same biochemical pathways as catecholamines. Can we predict a link between pelage colour and stress susceptibility?

    8. Keeler (1975) Research with colour morphs of Red Foxes (Vulpes vulpes) Wild type Silver Pearl Amber Non-agouti Non-agouti/ Non-agouti/ black + silver dilution dilution/brown

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