Origins of Agriculture

I. Introduction

beginning of Homo sapiens

II. The transition from hunter/gatherers to farmers

A. How long ago?

-carbon dating

-dendrochronology

Bristlecone Pine

B. Plant Identification

-Pollen grains

-phytoliths

-coprolites 1

-example excavation Cyperous rotundus

III. Early Sites of Agriculture

A. Near East

-Fertile Crescent

-Jarmo

B. Far East

-rice cultivation in Asia: where did it begin?

Vavilov: India

Chinese Rice Research Project

C. New World

-Tehuacan Valley

-corn cobs of different size

IV. Origins of Domesticated Plants

A. Introduction

-the effects of artificial selection

teosinte vs corn husk

shattering heads 

B. Centers of Plant Domestication

A. Introduction

• indigenous crops developed 
• "migration" of crops follows trade routes
• ?confusion?

B. Nikolai Vavilov

-biography 

-centers of origin

-modern interpretations

"gene-rich" vs "gene poor"