The mystery of the extinction of our distant relative, Gigantopithecus buxianus, has been solved. The reporter learned from the results press conference of the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences on the 10th that based on evidence from 22 caves in Guangxi, the research team of the institute cooperated with multiple scientific research teams from Australia, the United States and other countries to find the cause of the extinction of Gigantopithecus buxton: changes in the environment between 295,000 and 215,000 years ago, and the persistence of feeding behavior and food preferences led to the extinction of Gigantopithecus buxton. Relevant research results were published online in the journal Nature.
Restored scenes of the giant ape’s life. Garcia/Joannes-Boyau drawing. Photo courtesy of the Institute of Paleovertebra, Chinese Academy of Sciences
Gigantopithecus buxus is the largest primate in the history of the earth. Its erect height can reach 3 meters and its weight can reach 300 kilograms. It once roamed in groups in the karst areas of southern China.
Since this distant relative of humans was first discovered and named in 1935, our understanding of Gigantopithecus buxopithecus has been limited. "So far, only nearly 2,000 teeth and 4 incomplete mandibular fossils can prove that they once existed. As for the reasons that led to their extinction, we know very little." Zhang Yingqi, co-first author and co-corresponding author of the paper and researcher at the Institute of Vertebral Paleontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, said frankly.
The researchers investigated hundreds of cave fossil sites in Guangxi this time and selected 22 of them for sample collection. Among them, there are not only 11 sites that have produced Gigantopithecus buxiliary fossils, but also 11 sites that have not produced Gigantopithecus buxiliary fossils from a later era.
Cliff cave investigation and cave excavation scenes. Photo courtesy of Zhang Yingqi
On this basis, the researchers used 6 dating techniques to study the fossil-bearing accumulations and the fossils themselves, and obtained a total of 157 radioactive dating results. At the same time, the researchers combined these data with the analysis results of eight aspects including sporopollen, mammal groups, stable isotopes of teeth, trace elements, and micro-wear marks, to provide us with a comprehensive picture of the causes and consequences of the extinction of Gigantopithecus buxianus.
Comprehensive analysis results show that Gigantopithecus buxianus became extinct between 295,000 and 215,000 years ago, much earlier than previously thought. Between 2.3 million and 700,000 years ago, they flourished in forests with abundant and diverse food resources.
About 700,000 to 600,000 years ago, due to enhanced seasonality, the environment began to become more diverse, causing the structure of forest communities to begin to change. When the living conditions changed, the orangutan, a close relative of Gigantopithecus buxianus, not only became smaller and more flexible, but also changed its feeding behavior and habitat preferences, so there was less pressure on its survival. On the contrary, when its preferred food resources are scarce, Gigantopithecus buxianus still relies on alternative foods that lack nutrients, greatly reducing the diversity of its food. Despite this, they have grown larger and more bulky, and their geographical range for feeding has been greatly reduced. Therefore, its population faces long-term survival pressure and continues to shrink, eventually becoming extinct.
Zhang Yingqi said that compared with orangutans, who are more flexible in their survival strategies and are aware of current affairs, Gigantopithecus buxianus is a maverick who has reached the end of its rope. It was this stubbornness and conservatism that led to its demise. This research will provide a new starting point and enlightenment for our understanding of the survival resilience of primates in the past and into the future, as well as the fate of other large animals.