Fitness and reproductive trade-offs in uncertain environments: Explaining the evolution of cultural elaboration

Dunnell (1989) proposed that cultural elaboration is likely a consequence o f selection within uncertain environments. He developed the theory to the e xtent that it performs well in explaining the distribution of elaboration w ithin eastern North America at regional scales. More detailed studies requi re development of the theory so that additional hypotheses and implications can be deduced. We draw upon theories of selection in fluctuating environm ents and theories about reproductive strategies to propose a simple model o f selection for cultural elaboration in uncertain environments. The simple model has several general implications for the relationship between fecundi ty, elaboration, and other archaeological observables, including population age structure, spatial variation and mobility, and the character of enviro nmental variability. (C) 1999 Academic Press.