ABSTRACT

The hominin fossil record is characterized by a remarkable amount of morphological variability. Although evolutionary processes have clearly acted to shape this variation, studies of the underlying cause have been limited, with little attention given to non-adaptive (genetic drift and gene flow) scenarios in traditional paleoanthropology. In this talk, I discuss two areas of my research program that aim to understand how non-adaptive processes have contributed to our evolution.

About the Speaker:

Dr. Lauren Schroeder is an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto Mississauga. Lauren is a palaeoanthropologist whose research is broadly focused on understanding the evolution of craniomandibular diversity within hominins. Lauren has previously been involved in both the Malapa (Australopithecus sediba) and Rising Star (Homo naledi) projects as part of the research team studying the fossil hominin discoveries from these sites. Current research in the Schroeder Lab includes collaborative projects focused on the evolution, integration and variability of the primate skeleton, identifying the skeletal signatures of hybridization in mammalian taxa for detecting instances of gene flow in the fossil record, and exploring the relative roles of genetic drift and natural selection in hominin evolution.