Going beyond the “Bos/Bison” classification: How teeth can help us understand prehistoric human populations and paleoenvironments

Key Points

• Teeth morphology reveals adaptations of prehistoric human populations to changing paleoenvironmental conditions.
• Key metrics include isotopic signatures that reflect dietary practices and habitat preferences of ancient humans.
• Morphological analysis across various dental traits connects human adaptation to diverse ecological settings throughout history.
• Insights from dental data support a fuller understanding of prehistoric life and highlight how environmental changes shaped populations.