F. Clark Howell is professor emeritus of paleoanthropology at the University of California, Berkeley where he is co-director of the Laboratory of Human Studies. He is also curator at The University of California Museum of Paleontology. Francois Bourliere (1913-1993) was professor of physiology at the University of Paris. He is also credited with founding the Gerontology Research Unit of Institute of Health and Medical Research and was a member of Paris hospitals.
<p> This interesting volume explores what is known of the ecological background of the origins and later evolution of early man in Africa, especially in relation to what can be inferred on present evidence about Pleistocene environments in Africa.... This is a useful book covering a wide variety of interesting topics, with a refreshingly biological approach to human prehistory. <p> --R. M. Laws, Journal of Applied Ecology <p> The greatest value of this volume is in emphasizing how hypotheses for testing against paleoanthropological evidence can be derived from viewing man as part of the ecosystem. <p> --Maxine R. Kleindienst, American Anthropologist <p> Ecologists will especially value the present volume for its deliberate focus on the interaction between related areas within biological, geological, and social sciences. <p> --Paul S. Martin, Ecology <p> [T]his volume contains a great amount of data highly important for future students of African prehistory. <p> --Alfred S. Romer, The Quarterly Review of Biology <p> [I]ndisputable usefulness as a major reference work on African prehistory. The wide variety of topics, the tables that summarize current opinions on stratigraphic chronology, the maps that outline climates, distribution of mammals, vegetation and fossil sites, the informal (and occasionally unfortunate) comments of respected field workers on the relative values of data presented, the difficulties inherent in problems yet to be solved, the obvious transition to a biological approach in human paleontological and archeological thinking and techniques--these are the things that will make this volume a sought-after reference by students of African prehistory, and of human evolution in general. <p> --Ronald Singer, Science