Comment on the paleoenvironment of Ardipithecus ramidus.
White and colleagues (Research Articles, 2 October 2009, pp. 65-67 and www.sciencemag.org/ardipithecus) characterized the paleoenvironment of Ardipithecus ramidus at Aramis, Ethiopia, which they described as containing habitats ranging from woodland to forest patches. In contrast, we find the environmental context of Ar. ramidus at Aramis to be represented by what is commonly referred to as tree- or bush-savanna, with 25% or less woody canopy cover.
Cerling
Thure E
TE
Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA. thure.cerling@utah.edu
Levin
Naomi E
NE
Quade
Jay
J
Wynn
Jonathan G
JG
Fox
David L
DL
Kingston
John D
JD
Klein
Richard G
RG
Brown
Francis H
FH
D000349:Africa; D000818:Animals; D018533:Biomass; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D002254:Carbonates; D017753:Ecosystem; D004777:Environment; D005002:Ethiopia; D005580:Fossils; D005843:Geography; D015186:Hominidae; D008322:Mammals; D010103:Oxygen Isotopes; D010944:Plants; D006109:Poaceae; D013696:Temperature; D014197:Trees
D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D002254:Carbonates; D010103:Oxygen Isotopes