Human biology of African pastoralists

Abstract

Pastoralism in Africa is a subsistence tradition that has a long and complex history. During the course of several thousand years of nomadic and semi-nomadic herding practices, pastoral populations have successfully exploited African savannas and rangelands by maintaining highly mobile and low-density human populations and by maintaining symbiotic relationships between the people and their livestock. This review will cover the pastoralists' adaptations to their environments and the measures of health and adaptability of pastoralists within a biobehavioral framework. The measures that are considered are: diet and nutrition; infant, child, and adolescent growth; adult size and body composition; activity and physical fitness; reproduction; and disease. Several integrated issues (seasonal hunger, drought, sedentarization) are discussed as important areas for current and continued research.

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