ANT101H5 Chapter Notes - Chapter 7: Basal Metabolic Rate, Ecological Relationship, Hominidae
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These include length of gestation, number of offspring per birth, interbirth interval, age of sexual maturity, and longevity. Although these characters are strongly influenced by the genome of any species, they are also influence by environmental and social factors, such as nutrition and social status. In turn, nutritional requirements are affected by body size, diet, and basal metabolic rate: primates are among the most social of animals, but within social groups there is competition for resources and conflict. Dominant hierarchies help reduce the amount of physical aggressions. Also, there are numerous amicable behaviors, such as grooming, that maintain peaceful relationships between individuals: affiliative behaviors such as grooming, hugging, and helping others (altruism) also promote group cohesion, communication makes it possible to live in social groups. It occurs in many forms, including vocalization and gestures.
