TY - JOUR
T1 - Metabolic demands and sexual dimorphism in human nasal morphology
T2 - A test of the respiratory-energetics hypothesis
AU - Kelly, Alexa Pennavaria
AU - Ocobock, Cara
AU - Butaric, Lauren Nicole
AU - Maddux, Scott David
N1 - Funding Information:
National Science Foundation, Grant/Award Number: 2050253; Wenner‐Gren Foundation, Grant/Award Number: 10009 Funding information
Funding Information:
The authors thank the Associate Editor, an AJBA Editorial Board member, and two anonymous reviewers for suggestions that helped improve this manuscript. We are greatly indebted to the individuals who provided the post-cranial and cranial CT scan data for this project, specifically Benjamin Auerbach, Charles Hilton, and Lynn Copes. We would also like to thank Giselle Garcia and Ashley Hammond (American Museum of Natural History) for their assistance with information about the collection. This research was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (SBE-BCS #2050253 to Scott D. Maddux and Alexa P. Kelly) and the Wenner-Gren Foundation (#10009 to Alexa P. Kelly).
Funding Information:
The authors thank the Associate Editor, an AJBA Editorial Board member, and two anonymous reviewers for suggestions that helped improve this manuscript. We are greatly indebted to the individuals who provided the post‐cranial and cranial CT scan data for this project, specifically Benjamin Auerbach, Charles Hilton, and Lynn Copes. We would also like to thank Giselle Garcia and Ashley Hammond (American Museum of Natural History) for their assistance with information about the collection. This research was supported by grants from the National Science Foundation (SBE‐BCS #2050253 to Scott D. Maddux and Alexa P. Kelly) and the Wenner‐Gren Foundation (#10009 to Alexa P. Kelly).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
PY - 2023/3
Y1 - 2023/3
N2 - Objectives: Although ecogeographic variation in human nasal morphology is commonly attributed to climatic adaptation, recent research into the “respiratory-energetics hypothesis” has suggested that metabolic demands for oxygen intake may influence overall nasal size. Here, we further test the respiratory-energetics hypothesis and investigate potential interactions between metabolic and climatic pressures on human nasal morphology. Materials and Methods: This study employed computed tomography (CT) scans of 79 mixed-sex crania derived from an extreme cold-dry locale (Point Hope, Alaska). In conjunction with basal metabolic rate (BMR, kcal/day) estimates derived from associated femoral head diameter measurements, 41 cranial three-dimensional (3D) coordinate landmarks and 17 linear measurements were employed in multivariate analyses to test for associations between metabolic demands and nasal/facial morphology across and within the sexes. Results: Overall nasal size was found to be significantly correlated with BMR both across and within the sexes, with higher metabolic demands predictably associated with larger noses. However, associations between BMR and overall nasal size were found to be predominantly driven by nasal passage height and length dimensions, with the Arctic sample exhibiting minimal (non-dimorphic) variation in nasal passage breadths. Accordingly, significant correlations between BMR and 3D nasal shape were also identified. Discussion: Our study provides additional support for the respiratory-energetics hypothesis, while providing insights into potential metabolic and climatic constraints on specific nasal dimensions. In particular, our results suggest that climatic pressures on nasal passage breadths for heat/moisture transfers may necessitate compensatory changes in passage heights (and developmentally-linked lengths) to maintain sufficient air intake to meet metabolic requirements.
AB - Objectives: Although ecogeographic variation in human nasal morphology is commonly attributed to climatic adaptation, recent research into the “respiratory-energetics hypothesis” has suggested that metabolic demands for oxygen intake may influence overall nasal size. Here, we further test the respiratory-energetics hypothesis and investigate potential interactions between metabolic and climatic pressures on human nasal morphology. Materials and Methods: This study employed computed tomography (CT) scans of 79 mixed-sex crania derived from an extreme cold-dry locale (Point Hope, Alaska). In conjunction with basal metabolic rate (BMR, kcal/day) estimates derived from associated femoral head diameter measurements, 41 cranial three-dimensional (3D) coordinate landmarks and 17 linear measurements were employed in multivariate analyses to test for associations between metabolic demands and nasal/facial morphology across and within the sexes. Results: Overall nasal size was found to be significantly correlated with BMR both across and within the sexes, with higher metabolic demands predictably associated with larger noses. However, associations between BMR and overall nasal size were found to be predominantly driven by nasal passage height and length dimensions, with the Arctic sample exhibiting minimal (non-dimorphic) variation in nasal passage breadths. Accordingly, significant correlations between BMR and 3D nasal shape were also identified. Discussion: Our study provides additional support for the respiratory-energetics hypothesis, while providing insights into potential metabolic and climatic constraints on specific nasal dimensions. In particular, our results suggest that climatic pressures on nasal passage breadths for heat/moisture transfers may necessitate compensatory changes in passage heights (and developmentally-linked lengths) to maintain sufficient air intake to meet metabolic requirements.
KW - Arctic
KW - basal metabolic rate
KW - climatic adaptation
KW - ecogeographic variation
KW - geometric morphometrics
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85147214030&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/ajpa.24692
DO - 10.1002/ajpa.24692
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85147214030
SN - 2692-7691
VL - 180
SP - 453
EP - 471
JO - American Journal of Biological Anthropology
JF - American Journal of Biological Anthropology
IS - 3
ER -