Anyone know...?
Posted by Anonymous on May 18, 2007 · Member since Dec 1969 · 11789 posts
So, I've been thinking about this lately and my Google-ing hasn't turned up any results, so I'm seeking your help!
Does anyone know how animals used for meat today (cows, chickens, pigs, sheep...what else am I forgetting?) historically fit into ecosystems prior to human existence? I mean, I'm pretty sure they didn't just appear when humans came into being with big signs saying "Put me inside a fence and eat me". What was their main 'purpose' prior to being used for human food/clothing?
First of all, I am a vehement Darwinist, and science has no answers for you if you are a creationist.
All animals existed in some form prior to their domestication. All animals in existence originally lived in a natural habitat, before humans made use of them. Hooved animals (goats especially) were the first livestock. The dog was probably the first animal to live with mankind. Cats were domesticated later, and they were used to keep rodents and other pests out of grain stocks and homes.
Over time, these animals (and many/most edible plants!) have been selectively bred, so they are different now than they were in ancient times.
Follow this link for more info:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domestication
Thanks, Operachic! I'm not a creationist, so I have been looking for a scientific explanation and have had little luck. Might have to stop by the university library and see if someone can recommend any books. The Wikipedia article cites Jared Diamond--maybe I'll have to look at some of his things. Guns, Germs, and Steel doesn't talk about this sort of thing, though, does it? It's on my reading list, but so are about 1000 others ;)
Cool.
I haven't read the book, but I did see the PBS miniseries on it. He does talk about domestication at length, as the variety and quality of animals available for domestication in a region is a huge factor in the development of that civilization. Cultures without access to livestock developed slower and less efficiently. Use of these animals for food is a reason (ready food source vs. hunting), but this is also because of the ability to use animals to help with labor (oxen to work the land for agriculture, horses and camels to speed up travel, etc.) and disease resistance that developed from being exposed to pathogens from those species.
Also - you could try looking up the evolutionary development of each domesticated species, as most of them changed significantly because of breeding. If you know something about the current animal's ancestor, you may learn about what it's natural habitat was like.
I don't know a whole lot about this either, except that chickens were apparently domesticated from jungle fowl (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jungle_fowl), and are even the same species as one of the jungle fowl. They're from south Asia.
And turkeys are pretty close relatives to wild turkeys.
But their ecological "function" or niche? Dunno.
I studied Anthropology/Archaeology in college years ago, and I remember Marvin Harris (an anthropologist) had written some good books on the topics of food and culture. I haven't kept up on these topics over the years, so I don't know if he has published anything recently, or if it will help you. His work might be dated (as am I ;).
Thanks, ShaolinBunny! I found a list of his works on Wikipedia, and a few of them sound very applicable to my thesis idea (i.e. "Origin of the U.S. Preference for Beef")
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Marvin_Harris_works
First of all, I am a vehement Darwinist, and science has no answers for you if you are a creationist.
Heehee... dunno why exactly but this really made me smile! ;)
Yay Darwin! :D