Alan Cross

Research Interest: Evolution of bipedality, Adaptations to climate, Primate limb proportions and functional morphology, Transition from australopithecine to Homo physique ca. 2Ma, Science writing for young children.

Ph.D. Research: The Role of Thermoregulation in the Evolution of Hominin Limb and Body Proportions

Recent fossil hominin discoveries outside of Africa (i.e. at higher latitudes) at very early dates (1.8MA, possibly older) present a mix of primitive and derived postcranial morphology and have helped rekindle an interest in hominin thermoregulation debates. Similarly, some hominin skeletal remains with very recent dates (H. floresiensis - 18kya) present very primitive limb and body morphology and yet were found in Southeast Asia. Again, thermoregulatory adaptation is a logical hypothesis to test in any attempt to explain these new additions to the fossil record.

The overall goals of my ongoing research is to perform an analysis of bipedal locomotion from the perspective of the three-dimensional movement of body segments during gait in order to assess the thermoregulatory implications of body and limb proportion changes throughout human evolution. Using the segmented model of the hominin body presented in Cross et al. (2008) and Cross and Collard (2011), this study involves mapping body segment 3D kinematics onto a variety of anthropometric and 3D body scans, physiological and environmental parameters that influence hominin thermal responses during normal walking. All 3D imaging has been done using equipment housed in the laboratory of the Human Evolutionary Studies Program, Department of Archaeology.

The data collected will be used to compare this new method with the methods historically used in palaeoanthropology to address this topic (e.g. 2D modeling of body movement). By including both female and male subjects in this research, the thermal ramifications of sexually dimorphic characteristics (e.g. the distribution of skin surface area throughout the body, segment skin temperatures, locomotor kinematics) will be assessed. Collectively, these new methods and data will allow for more accurate quantification of hominin body segment properties during bipedal locomotion so that these data can be applied to the fossil record with greater confidence.

Research funded by SSHRC-CGS 767-2006-1902, Canada Research Chairs Program, Canada Foundation for Innovation, and Simon Fraser University.

MA Thesis: The Role of Arm Swing and Thermoregulation in the Evolution of Bipedality and Hominin Limb Proportions (Supervisor: Andrew Nelson)

Publications:

2011 (Cross, Alan and Collard, Mark). Estimating surface area in early hominins. PLoS ONE 6(1): e16107.

2010 (Cross, Alan) A segmented method for reconstructing hominin thermoregulation. In: A Human Voyage. Eds. Lazenby R and Keenleyside A. Thomson Canada. p: 248.

2008 (Cross Alan, Collard Mark, and Nelson Andrew). Body segment differences in surface area, skin temperatures and 3D displacement and the estimation of heat balance during locomotion in hominins.  PLoS ONE 3(6): e2464.

2007 (Beauchesne, Patrick, Ian Colquhoun, Alan Cross, Fred Longstaffe, Laura Marciano, Jessica Metcalfe, Andrew J. Nelson, Andrew Pawlowski , Sandra Wheeler, Christine D. White, and Lana Williams). The Lady Hudson Project.  In: VI World Congress on Mummy Studies. February 2007 conference proceedings volume. Pp: 636-640.

Manuscripts in Preparation

In prep (Cross, Alan and Collard, Mark). A reanalysis of thermoregulation in Homo erectus and the Neanderthals.

In prep (Dembo, Mana., Mark Collard, and Alan Cross). Does Allen’s Rule rule? Revisiting the geographic patterning of limb segment length variability in modern humans.

Teaching Experience:

Sessional Instructor:  2011 - Climate and Human Evolution (ARCH 333 – Special Topics in Archaeology) Simon Fraser University, Burnaby Campus.

Invited Lectures & Workshops:

2011    Title: Prosimians and Tarsiers. In Dr. Biruté Galdikas’s ARCH 344 (Primate Behaviour). Simon Fraser University, Burnaby Campus.

2010    Title: Primate evolution in the Eocene. In Dr. Biruté Galdikas’s ARCH 131 (Human Origins). Simon Fraser University, Burnaby Campus.

2010   Title: Anatomically modern morphology and fossils. In Dr. Dennis Sandgathe’s ARCH 131 (Human Origins). Simon Fraser University, Burnaby Campus.

2010    Title: The role of thermoregulation in the evolution of hominin limb and body proportions. Graduate Student Seminar Series in the Department of Archaeology. Simon Fraser University.

2009    Title: Reconstructing hominin energetics: Fleshing out the bones. In Professor Mark Skinner’s ARCH 385 (Paleoanthropology). Simon Fraser University.

2009    Title: The Neanderthal’s relationship to modern humans. In Professor Mark Skinner’s ARCH 385 (Paleoanthropology). Simon Fraser University.

2008    The evolution of hominin body and limb proportions. In Professor Mark Collard’s ARCH 131 (Human Origins). Simon Fraser University.

2007    Title: A segmented analysis of the evolution of hominin body size, limb proportions, and thermoregulation during locomotion. Seminar Series in the Department of Archaeology. Simon Fraser University.

2006    Title: Making sense of Homo floresiensis. In Professor Mark Collard’s ANTH 326 (Primate Behaviour and Ecology). University of British Columbia.

2005    Title: A Summed Segment Approach to the Evolution of Hominin Bipedality. Department of Anthropology Brown Bag series. University of Western Ontario. 

2004    Anthropological Applications for 3D & 4D Motion Capture Technology. Workshop Demonstration. 3D Imaging in Anthropological Research Conference 2004.  London, Ontario.

2004    Title: Human Evolution in the Pleistocene. In Professor Ian Colquhoun’s AN 226 (Biological Anthropology). University of Western Ontario. 

2004    Title: Population Genetics.  In Dr. Holly Martelle’s AN 026 (Introduction to Biological Anthropology and Archaeology). University of Western Ontario.

2003    Title: Hominin Dispersal Outside of Africa. In Terry Webb’s AN 026 (Introduction to Biological Anthropology and Archaeology). University of Western Ontario. 

2003    Title: Comparative Primate Skeletal Morphology. Laboratory workshop in Professor Terry Webb’s AN 026 (Introduction to Biological Anthropology and Archaeology). University of Western Ontario.

2000    Title: Debates Pertaining to the Evolution of Hominid Bipedality. In Dr. Susan Pfeiffer’s ANT 203 (Human Biology and Evolution) course at the University of Toronto. 

Conference Presentations:   

2012 (Cross, A. and M. Collard) A reanalysis of thermoregulation in Homo erectus and the Neanderthals. Eightieth Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropology. Portland, Oregon.

2011 (Collard, M, A. Cross, M. Dembo, and F. Foster. Reassessing the impact of climate on the hominin body [Podium Presentation – Presented by Mark Collard]. Archaeology Day 2011, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia.

2009 (Cross, A. and M. Collard)  On the estimation of surface area in fossil hominins [Podium Presentation]. Canadian Association for Physical Anthropology Conference. Vancouver, British Columbia.

2008 (Dembo, M, A. Cross, and M. Collard) Does Allen’s Rule rule? Revisiting the geographic patterning of limb segment length variability in modern humans [Poster Presentation]. Annual Meeting of the Paleoanthropology Society. Vancouver, British Columbia.

2008 (Cross, A., M. Collard, A. Nelson) Hyper polar or hyperbole: Revisiting Neanderthal limb proportions [Poster Presentation]. Annual Meeting of the Paleoanthropology Society. Vancouver, British Columbia.

2007 (Dembo, M, A. Cross, and M. Collard). Investigating the phylogenetic effects on modern human limb proportion variation using Comparative Analysis by Independent Contrasts (CAIC) [Poster Presentation]. Seventy-Seventh Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropology. Columbus, Ohio.

2007 (Dembo, M, A. Cross, and M. Collard) Ecogeographic variation in modern human limb proportions: a reassessment [Podium Presentation]. Canadian Association for Physical Anthropology Conference. Banf, Alberta.

2007 (Dembo, M, A. Cross, and M. Collard) An analysis of the geographic patterning of limb segment length variability using the dynamic sum segment method [Poster Presentation]. Seventy-Sixth Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropology.  Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

2007 (Beauschene, P., I. Colquhoun, A. Cross, F. Longstaffe, L. Marciano, J. Metcalfe, A. Nelson, A. Pawlowski, S. Wheeler, C.D. White, L. Williams) The Lady Hudson Project [Poster Presentation]. VI World Congress on Mummy Studies. Lanzarote, Spain.

2006 (Cross, A.)  A Summed Segment Analysis of Bipedality: Implications For Hominin Dispersals Out of Africa [Poster Presentation].  Seventy-Fifth Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropology.  Anchorage, Alaska.

2006 (Cross, A.) A Summed Segment Analysis of Bipedality: Implications For Hominin Dispersals Out of Africa [Poster Presentation].  First annual UBC Archaeology Day.  British Columbia, Canada.

2005 (Cross, A.)  The Role of Arm Swing and Thermoregulation In the Evolution of Bipedality and Hominin Limb Proportions [Poster Presentation].  Seventy-Forth Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropology.  Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

2005 (Cross, A., and A.J. Nelson) A Test of Models Used for Estimating Total Body Surface Area in Hominins [Poster Presentation]. Annual Meeting of the Paleoanthropology Society.  Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

2004 (Cross, A., S. Wheeler, L. Williams, P. Beauchense, L. Marciano, and J. Metcalfe) The UWO Mummy Project: Student Perspectives On A Multidisciplinary Approach to Applied Research [Poster Presentation].  Canadian Association of Physical Anthropology Conference 2004.  London, Ontario.

2004 (The UWO Mummy Project Team, including A. Cross)  Lady Hudson and Mummy Studies at UWO [Poster Presentation].  Canadian Association for Physical Anthropology Conference.  London, Ontario.

2002 (Cross, A.) Arm Swing and Thermoregulation in Early Hominids [Podium Presentation].  Seventy-First Annual Meeting of the American Association of Physical Anthropology.  Buffalo, New York. 

Images: