What were the advantages of bipedalism in a savanna environment?

Answer 1

We don't know whether one single mutant ape decided to get up and go into the Savana from the forest edge. If it was, it wopuld have had to be female. If this was the case it would have probably increased the probability of her having a better diet. Or it may have been different chimps or groups of chimps venturing out at different times, over a span of thousands of years. Factors that may have drove them out may have been too much competition for food in the shrinking forests. ADVANTAGES THAT BYPEDALISM GAVE, AND ITS IMPORTANCE Bypedalism is thought to be such an important factor in our early development because it had such a knock on effect. It was an important catalyst for so many other traits that we now see in ourselves. Height advantage -We know from fossil records that our ancestors were no more than about 1 metre tall so it was very important for them to stand right up. -In the long grasses of the Savana it gave apes an advantage as they had to be able to see above the long grass and look out for predators, improving their chances of survival. At first they would not be standing upright all the time, they would jump up at various times to see if there were predators coming, and later on, through mutations they would evolve to stand upright all the time. -Bypedalism would have important consequences as although language wouldn't happen for millions of years, our ancestors could communicate by making noises at each other as they stood upright to warn each other over the grass, of predators. Arms freed up for other purposes -Such as carrying things like infants, tools or food. This is supported by the fact that when chimpanzees are observed walking upright it is often when they are carrying items of food. (although carrying leaves no direct trace in the fossil record) Communication-Maybe through a mutation, a slightly better way of communicating on a slightly broader scale could have happened, which would have given that group of chimps an edge. Diet - maybe whilst one of them foreged for food, there may have been two or three standing upright on the lookout, signalling with their hands. So as a result they may have had a better diet, and healthier offspring. A better diet in turn gives lots of potential for evolution and a larger opportunity to grow. (For example, due to a better diet, modern Europeans are on average one foot taller than Europeans 500 years ago.) - Their diet may also be improved by the fact they could utilise both the forest edge and the Savana due to their being able to stand upright. Hands - As they may well have started to signal with their hands, this over time will have caused their hands to evolve, and much later for them to be able to use stone tools etc. Brain-Being forced into a new environment with these new ways of operating was sure to make the brain grown and evolve to operate in different ways. Increased brain size would mean opportunities to develop even better methods of finding food and communicating, enabling them to be better nourished, and go out even further, creating even more opportunities. Better thermoregulation in Tropical Climates

Answer 2

bipedal creatures run slower than quadrupeds