Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Ecological Niches02:02

Ecological Niches

23.4K
All organisms have a position within an ecosystem. The complete set of living and nonliving factors—including food resources, climate, and terrain—that define the position of a given organism are collectively referred to as the organism’s ecological niche.
23.4K
What is a Species?01:17

What is a Species?

43.5K
Overview
43.5K
What is Conservation Biology?01:57

What is Conservation Biology?

18.3K
Conservation biology is a scientific field that focuses on the preservation of biodiversity in order to protect ecosystems while meeting the needs of the human population. Humans require properly functioning ecosystems to maintain our supply of natural resources, including food, medicines, and building materials.
18.3K
Speciation Rates01:07

Speciation Rates

20.8K
Overview
20.8K
Symbiosis00:58

Symbiosis

27.0K
Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...
27.0K
Formation of Species01:31

Formation of Species

38.7K
Speciation describes the formation of one or more new species from one or sometimes multiple original species. The resulting species are discrete from the parent species, and barriers to reproduction will typically exist. There are two primary mechanisms, speciation with and without geographic isolation—allopatric and sympatric speciation, respectively.
38.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Integrating physiology into movement ecology of large terrestrial mammals.

The Journal of experimental biology·2025
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 14, 2025

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity
08:16

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity

Published on: March 13, 2014

18.7K

Reconciling Species Concepts: An Ecological Perspective.

Norman Owen-Smith1

  • 1Centre for African Ecology, School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa.

American Journal of Biological Anthropology
|April 11, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Species concepts in paleoanthropology are debated, with ecological factors crucial for understanding hominin species coexistence and evolutionary history. Distinguishing pseudo-extinctions from true extinctions is vital for accurate interpretation.

Keywords:
Neanderthal displacementcompetitive exclusionevolutionary lineagespseudo‐extinctionsspecies concepts

More Related Videos

Basic Methods for the Study of Reproductive Ecology of Fish in Aquaria
07:25

Basic Methods for the Study of Reproductive Ecology of Fish in Aquaria

Published on: July 20, 2017

11.5K
Coral Reef Arks: An In Situ Mesocosm and Toolkit for Assembling Reef Communities
07:59

Coral Reef Arks: An In Situ Mesocosm and Toolkit for Assembling Reef Communities

Published on: January 6, 2023

3.2K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 14, 2025

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity
08:16

Experimental Protocol for Manipulating Plant-induced Soil Heterogeneity

Published on: March 13, 2014

18.7K
Basic Methods for the Study of Reproductive Ecology of Fish in Aquaria
07:25

Basic Methods for the Study of Reproductive Ecology of Fish in Aquaria

Published on: July 20, 2017

11.5K
Coral Reef Arks: An In Situ Mesocosm and Toolkit for Assembling Reef Communities
07:59

Coral Reef Arks: An In Situ Mesocosm and Toolkit for Assembling Reef Communities

Published on: January 6, 2023

3.2K

Area of Science:

  • Paleoanthropology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Taxonomy

Background:

  • Species concepts are contentious in both paleoanthropology and modern taxonomy.
  • The lineage-based species concept, emphasizing evolutionary independence, is fundamental but often relies on proxy evidence like morphological or genetic divergence.
  • This reliance has led to a proliferation of hominin species names and challenges in distinguishing pseudo-extinctions from terminal extinctions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To critically evaluate species concepts in paleoanthropology, particularly regarding hominin fossil records.
  • To emphasize the overlooked ecological criterion for species coexistence, specifically the competitive exclusion principle.
  • To reappraise hominin evolutionary history, including the displacement of Neanderthals, from an ecological perspective.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of the hominin fossil record, focusing on the distinction between lineages and species.
  • Application of the competitive exclusion principle to assess the ecological viability of proposed hominin species.
  • Comparative analysis with modern taxonomic equivocation in other mammalian groups (bovids, giraffids, baboons, elephants).

Main Results:

  • The proliferation of hominin species names is often ecologically suspect due to insufficient evidence of niche separation.
  • The Paranthropus lineage's distinction from Homo highlights ecological divergence, with Paranthropus eventually fading.
  • Ecological factors likely played a significant role in the displacement of Neanderthals by modern humans.

Conclusions:

  • Ecological considerations, particularly niche differentiation and competitive exclusion, are essential for robust species delimitation in paleoanthropology.
  • The traditional 'bushy tree' model of evolution may be better represented by a reticulate paradigm of diverging and coalescing lineages.
  • Accurate species recognition requires distinguishing between persistent lineages under new names and true terminal extinctions.