Neandertal energetics and foraging efficiency

Area of Science:

• Paleoanthropology
• Human Evolution
• Bioenergetics

Background:

• Neandertal skeletal robusticity suggests high activity levels, implying significant energy requirements.
• This conflicts with arguments suggesting Neandertals were inefficient foragers.
• This study reconciles these apparent contradictions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To estimate Neandertal energy needs.
• To evaluate Neandertal foraging efficiency in the context of their estimated energy demands.
• To assess the feasibility of high activity levels and/or inefficient foraging in Neandertals.

Main Methods:

• Basal metabolic rates (BMR) were predicted using World Health Organization standards based on body weight estimates.
• Total daily energy expenditure was calculated assuming high physical activity levels (2-3x BMR).
• Foraging efficiency was determined using conservative estimates of foraging returns and time, compared to modern humans and nonhuman primates.

Main Results:

• Estimated Neandertal energy requirements ranged from 3000–5500 kcal/day.
• Even with conservative parameters, Neandertal foraging efficiency was estimated at 800–1150 kcal/h.
• These foraging efficiency estimates are comparable to those of contemporary hunter-gatherers.

Conclusions:

• Neandertals with high activity levels would require foraging efficiencies within the range of modern human groups.
• The data suggest Neandertals could not have been both highly active and poor foragers simultaneously.
• This challenges the notion of Neandertals being exclusively inefficient foragers if they were indeed highly active.