Description: The Human Biology of Pastoral Populations draws together the current knowledge of the biology, population structure, and ecology of herding populations. It investigates how pastoral populations adapt to limited and variable food availability, the implications of the herding way of life for reproductive patterns, population structure and genetic diversity, and the impacts of ongoing social and ecological changes on the health and well-being of these populations. This volume will be of broad interest to scholars in anthropology, human biology, genetics, and demography.
Brief description: William R. Leonard is Associate Professor of Anthropology at Northwestern University, Illinois. He is a biological anthropologist whose research focusses heavily on aspects of physiology, nutrition and health. He has extensive fieldwork experience in Siberia and Latin America examining how human populations adapt to extreme environments.
Review Quotes: "...this volume provides a unique collection of research on the biological consequences of the herding existence. The volume is well-written, informative, and is highly recommended for researchers and graduate students interested in the relationships among substinence, social organization, and human biology. In addition, the chapters would serve nicely as case studies in a graduate seminar in human biology." American Journal of Human Biology