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Van Mulders L, Locquet L, Kaandorp C, Janssens GPJ. An overview of nutritional factors in the aetiopathogenesis of myocardial fibrosis in great apes. Nutr Res Rev 2024:1-16. [PMID: 38343129 DOI: 10.1017/s0954422424000076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
The main cause of mortality in great apes in zoological settings is cardiovascular disease (CVD), affecting all four taxa: chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), bonobo (Pan paniscus), gorilla (Gorilla spp.) and orangutan (Pongo spp.). Myocardial fibrosis, the most typical histological characterisation of CVD in great apes, is non-specific, making it challenging to understand the aetiopathogenesis. A multifactorial origin of disease is assumed whereby many potential causative factors are directly or indirectly related to the diet, which in wild-living great apes mainly consists of high-fibre, low-carbohydrate and very low-sodium components. Diets of great apes housed in zoological settings are often different compared with the situation in the wild. Moreover, low circulating vitamin D levels have recently been recognised in great apes housed in more northern regions. Evaluation of current supplementation guidelines shows that, despite implementation of different dietary strategies, animals stay vitamin D insufficient. Therefore, recent hypotheses designate vitamin D deficiency as a potential underlying factor in the pathogenesis of myocardial fibrosis. The aim of this literature review is to: (i) examine important differences in nutritional factors between zoological and wild great ape populations; (ii) explain the potential detrimental effects of the highlighted dietary discrepancies on cardiovascular function in great apes; and (iii) elucidate specific nutrition-related pathophysiological mechanisms that may underlie the development of myocardial fibrosis. This information may contribute to understanding the aetiopathogenesis of myocardial fibrosis in great apes and pave the way for future clinical studies and a more preventive approach to great ape CVD management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurens Van Mulders
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (KMDA), Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Laurent Locquet
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Sciences, University of Notingham, Nottingham, UK
- Dick White Referrals, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Christine Kaandorp
- Safari Park Beekse Bergen, Hilvarenbeek, The Netherlands
- Gaia zoo, Kerkrade, The Netherlands
- Zooparc Overloon, Overloon, The Netherlands
- Dierenrijk, Mierlo, The Netherlands
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2
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Morrison RE, Hirwa JP, Ndagijimana F, Vecellio V, Eckardt W, Stoinski TS. Cascading effects of social dynamics on the reproduction, survival, and population growth of mountain gorillas. Anim Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- R. E. Morrison
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Kinigi Rwanda
- Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, Department of Psychology University of Exeter Exeter UK
| | - J. P. Hirwa
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Kinigi Rwanda
| | - F. Ndagijimana
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Kinigi Rwanda
| | - V. Vecellio
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Kinigi Rwanda
| | - W. Eckardt
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Kinigi Rwanda
| | - T. S. Stoinski
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Ellen DeGeneres Campus of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund Kinigi Rwanda
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3
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Fiorenza L, Harty T, Janocha MM, Kullmer O, Nguyen HN, Bortolini E, Benazzi S. Understanding dietary ecology in great apes from dental macrowear analysis. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2022. [PMCID: PMC9544277 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Dietary diversity in primates is reflected in their dental morphology, with differences in size and shape of teeth. The objective of this study is to investigate the relationship between molar morphology and macrowear patterns in Pongo, Gorilla, and Pan to obtain dietary information. Methods We have examined 68 second lower molars using the Occlusal Fingerprint Analysis method including 18 chimpanzees, 28 gorillas, and 22 orangutans. We selected only molars from wildshot specimens characterized by a moderate degree of wear. High‐resolution digital models of teeth were created using a white scanning light system with a resolution of 45 μm. Results The macrowear patterns of Pan were significantly different from those of Gorilla and of Pongo, differences that are mostly due to shearing wear. Gorilla and Pongo macrowear patterns are dominated by phase II areas, followed by lingual phase I facets, while in Pan we observe a significant increase in buccal phase I facets. The latter group also displays the highest macrowear variation across the sample examined in this study. Conclusions The molar macrowear patterns of the great apes analyzed in this study did not confirm our initial hypothesis of finding larger crushing and grinding areas in Pongo and more shearing wear in Gorilla. Pan shows the most variable macrowear, which is probably associated with their more flexible diet. The similarity between Pongo and Gorilla macrowear patterns may be due to a larger intake of mechanically challenging foods that could obfuscate dietary wear signals generated by softer foods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luca Fiorenza
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Teagan Harty
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology Monash University Melbourne Victoria Australia
| | - Marcel M. Janocha
- Division of Palaeoanthropology Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Department of Palaeobiology and Environment, Institute of Ecology Evolution, and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt Germany
| | - Ottmar Kullmer
- Division of Palaeoanthropology Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt Frankfurt am Main Germany
- Department of Palaeobiology and Environment, Institute of Ecology Evolution, and Diversity, Goethe University Frankfurt Germany
| | - Huynh N. Nguyen
- School of Mechanical Engineering Hanoi University of Science and Technology Hanoi Vietnam
| | - Eugenio Bortolini
- Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, Institución Milá y Fontanals de investigación en Humanidades Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (IMF – CSIC) Barcelona Spain
- Culture and Socio‐Ecological Dynamics, Department of Humanities Universitat Pompeu Fabra Barcelona Spain
| | - Stefano Benazzi
- Department of Cultural Heritage University of Bologna Ravenna Italy
- Department of Human Evolution Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig Germany
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4
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Harty T, Berthaume MA, Bortolini E, Evans AR, Galbany J, Guy F, Kullmer O, Lazzari V, Romero A, Fiorenza L. Dental macrowear reveals ecological diversity of Gorilla spp. Sci Rep 2022; 12:9203. [PMID: 35655071 PMCID: PMC9163330 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-12488-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Size and shape variation of molar crowns in primates plays an important role in understanding how species adapted to their environment. Gorillas are commonly considered to be folivorous primates because they possess sharp cusped molars which are adapted to process fibrous leafy foods. However, the proportion of fruit in their diet can vary significantly depending on their habitats. While tooth morphology can tell us what a tooth is capable of processing, tooth wear can help us to understand how teeth have been used during mastication. The objective of this study is to explore if differences in diet at the subspecies level can be detected by the analysis of molar macrowear. We analysed a large sample of second lower molars of Grauer’s, mountain and western lowland gorilla by combining the Occlusal Fingerprint Analysis method with other dental measurements. We found that Grauer’s and western lowland gorillas are characterised by a macrowear pattern indicating a larger intake of fruit in their diet, while mountain gorilla’s macrowear is associated with the consumption of more folivorous foods. We also found that the consumption of herbaceous foods is generally associated with an increase in dentine and enamel wear, confirming the results of previous studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teagan Harty
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Michael A Berthaume
- Division Mechanical Engineering and Design, London South Bank University, London, UK
| | - Eugenio Bortolini
- Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, Institución Milá y Fontanals de Investigación en Humanidades, Barcelona, Spain.,Culture and Socio-Ecological Dynamics, Department of Humanities, Universitat Pompeu Fabra Ramon Trias Fargas, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alistair R Evans
- School of Biological Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.,Geosciences, Museums Victoria, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Jordi Galbany
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, USA.,Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Franck Guy
- Laboratory PALEVOPRIM, UMR CNRS 7262, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Ottmar Kullmer
- Department of Paleoanthropology, Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany.,Department of Paleobiology and Environment, Institute of Ecology, Evolution, and Diversity, Goethe University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Vincent Lazzari
- Laboratory PALEVOPRIM, UMR CNRS 7262, University of Poitiers, Poitiers, France
| | - Alejandro Romero
- Departamento de Biotecnología, Universidad de Alicante, 03690, Alicante, Spain.,Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Arqueología y Patrimonio Histórico (INAPH), Universidad de Alicante, 03690, Alicante, Spain
| | - Luca Fiorenza
- Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Department of Anatomy and Developmental Biology, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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5
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Petrželková K, Samaš P, Romportl D, Uwamahoro C, Červená B, Pafčo B, Prokopová T, Cameira R, Granjon A, Shapiro A, Bahizi M, Nziza J, Noheri J, Syaluha E, Eckardt W, Ndagijimana F, Šlapeta J, Modrý D, Gilardi K, Muvunyi R, Uwingeli P, Mudakikwa A, Mapilanga J, Kalonji A, Hickey J, Cranfield M. Ecological drivers of helminth infection patterns in the Virunga Massif mountain gorilla population. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2022; 17:174-184. [PMID: 35145846 PMCID: PMC8802862 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2022.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 01/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
The Virunga Massif mountain gorilla population has been periodically monitored since the early 1970s, with gradually increasing effort. The population declined drastically in the 1970s, but the numbers stabilized in the 1980s. Since then, the population has been steadily increasing within their limited habitat fragment that is surrounded by a dense human population. We examined fecal samples collected during the Virunga 2015-2016 surveys in monitored and unmonitored gorilla groups and quantified strongylid and tapeworm infections using egg counts per gram to determine environmental and host factors that shape these helminth infections. We showed that higher strongylid infections were present in gorilla groups with smaller size of the 500-m buffered minimum-convex polygon (MCP) of detected nest sites per gorilla group, but in higher gorilla densities and inhabiting vegetation types occurring at higher elevations with higher precipitation and lower temperatures. On the contrary, the impact of monitoring (habituation) was minor, detected in tapeworms and only when in the interaction with environmental variables and MCP area. Our results suggest that the Virunga mountain gorilla population may be partially regulated by strongylid nematodes at higher gorilla densities. New health challenges are probably emerging among mountain gorillas because of the success of conservation efforts, as manifested by significant increases in gorilla numbers in recent decades, but few possibilities for the population expansion due to limited amounts of habitat.
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Affiliation(s)
- K.J. Petrželková
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Liberec Zoo, Liberec, Czech Republic
| | - P. Samaš
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - D. Romportl
- Department of Physical Geography and Geoecology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | | | - B. Červená
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - B. Pafčo
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - T. Prokopová
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - R. Cameira
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - A.C. Granjon
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - A. Shapiro
- Here + There Mapping Solutions, Berlin, Germany
| | - M. Bahizi
- Gorilla Doctors (MGVP, Inc.), Davis, CA, USA
| | - J. Nziza
- Gorilla Doctors (MGVP, Inc.), Davis, CA, USA
| | - J.B. Noheri
- Gorilla Doctors (MGVP, Inc.), Davis, CA, USA
| | | | - W. Eckardt
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Musanze, Rwanda
| | | | - J. Šlapeta
- Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - D. Modrý
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary Sciences, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic
- Department of Veterinary Sciences/CINeZ, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - K. Gilardi
- Gorilla Doctors (MGVP, Inc.), Davis, CA, USA
- School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - R. Muvunyi
- Rwanda Development Board, Kigali, Rwanda
| | | | | | - J. Mapilanga
- Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, Kinshasa, Congo
| | - A. Kalonji
- Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, Parc National de Kahuzi Biega, Bukavu, Congo
| | - J.R. Hickey
- International Gorilla Conservation Programme, Kigali, Rwanda
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6
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Bista D, Baxter GS, Hudson NJ, Lama ST, Weerman J, Murray PJ. Movement and dispersal of a habitat specialist in human-dominated landscapes: a case study of the red panda. MOVEMENT ECOLOGY 2021; 9:62. [PMID: 34906253 PMCID: PMC8670026 DOI: 10.1186/s40462-021-00297-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Habitat specialists living in human-dominated landscapes are likely to be affected by habitat fragmentation and human disturbances more than generalists. But there is a paucity of information on their response to such factors. We examined the effect of these factors on movement patterns of red pandas Ailurus fulgens, a habitat and diet specialist that inhabits the eastern Himalaya. METHODS We equipped 10 red pandas (six females, four males) with GPS collars and monitored them from September 2019 to March 2020 in Ilam, eastern Nepal. We collected habitat and disturbance data over four seasons. We considered geophysical covariates, anthropogenic factors and habitat fragmentation metrics, and employed linear -mixed models and logistic regression to evaluate the effect of those variables on movement patterns. RESULTS The median daily distance travelled by red pandas was 756 m. Males travelled nearly 1.5 times further than females (605 m). Males and sub-adults travelled more in the mating season while females showed no seasonal variation for their daily distance coverage. Red pandas were relatively more active during dawn and morning than the rest of the day, and they exhibited seasonal variation in distance coverage on the diel cycle. Both males and females appeared to be more active in the cub-rearing season, yet males were more active in the dawn in the birthing season. Two sub-adult females dispersed an average of 21 km starting their dispersal with the onset of the new moon following the winter solstice. The single subadult male did not disperse. Red pandas avoided roads, small-habitat patches and large unsuitable areas between habitat patches. Where connected habitat with high forest cover was scarce the animals moved more directly than when habitat was abundant. CONCLUSIONS Our study indicates that this habitat specialist is vulnerable to human disturbances and habitat fragmentation. Habitat restoration through improving functional connectivity may be necessary to secure the long-term conservation of specialist species in a human-dominated landscape. Regulation of human activities should go in parallel to minimize disturbances during biologically crucial life phases. We recommend habitat zonation to limit human activities and avoid disturbances, especially livestock herding and road construction in core areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damber Bista
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences (Wildlife Science Unit), The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, 4343, Australia.
| | - Greg S Baxter
- School of Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, West St, Darling Heights, QLD, 4350, Australia
| | - Nicholas J Hudson
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences (Wildlife Science Unit), The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, 4343, Australia
| | | | - Janno Weerman
- Royal Rotterdam Zoological & Botanical Gardens, Postbus 532, 3000 AM, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Peter John Murray
- School of Sciences, University of Southern Queensland, West St, Darling Heights, QLD, 4350, Australia
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7
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Dissecting the two mechanisms of scramble competition among the Virunga mountain gorillas. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021; 75:82. [PMID: 34776593 PMCID: PMC8550613 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03016-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Two mechanisms have been proposed to explain why scramble competition can increase the travel requirements of individuals within larger groups. Firstly, individuals in larger groups may be more likely to encounter food sites where other group members have already eaten, leading to greater asynchronous “individual” travel to find fresh sites. Secondly, when food sites are aggregated into patches, larger groups may need to visit more patches to obtain the same amount of food per capita, leading to greater synchronous “group” travel between patches. If the first mechanism can be mitigated by increasing group spread, then we expect the second mechanism to be more sensitive to group size. Here, we examine the individual travel and group travel of the Virunga mountain gorillas, along with potential implications for the two mechanisms of scramble competition. Asynchronous individual travel accounted for 67% of the total travel time, and the remainder arose from group travel. Group spread increased significantly for larger groups, but not enough to prevent an increase in individual travel. Contrary to expectations, group travel decreased with size among most groups, and we found only limited evidence of patch depletion that would cause the second mechanism of scramble competition. Collectively, our results illustrate how the influence of group size can differ for individual travel versus group travel, just as it differs among species for overall travel. Studies that distinguish between the two mechanisms of scramble competition may enhance our understanding of ecological constraints upon group size, including potential differences between frugivores and folivores. Significance statement Feeding competition provides insight into how group size can influence the foraging patterns of social animals, but two key mechanisms are not typically compared. Firstly, larger groups may visit more patches to access the same amount of food per capita (group travel). Secondly, their individuals may also need to move past more spots where another member has already eaten (individual travel). Contrary to expectations, we found that group travel decreased with size for most groups of mountain gorillas, which may reflect extra travel by smaller groups to avoid larger groups. Individual travel increased with size in most groups, even though gorillas in larger groups compensated by spreading out over a broader area. The two mechanisms revealed patterns that were not apparent in our previous study of overall travel. Our approach may help to explain potential differences between folivores and frugivores.
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8
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Cold Discomfort: A Model to Explain Repetitive Linear Enamel Hypoplasia Among Pan troglodytes and Pan paniscus. INT J PRIMATOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-021-00206-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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9
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Tuyisenge MF, Eckardt W, Nshutiyayesu S, Devore M. A Simple and Environmentally Friendly Field Method for Fecal Analysis of Herbivore Diet. WILDLIFE SOC B 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/wsb.1143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Marie Fidele Tuyisenge
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International PB 105 Musanze Rwanda
- University of Rwanda PB 117 Butare Rwanda
| | - Winnie Eckardt
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International PB 105 Musanze Rwanda
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10
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Bernard AB, Marshall AJ. Assessing the state of knowledge of contemporary climate change and primates. Evol Anthropol 2020; 29:317-331. [DOI: 10.1002/evan.21874] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2019] [Revised: 03/05/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew B. Bernard
- Department of Anthropology University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA
| | - Andrew J. Marshall
- Department of Anthropology University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA
- Program in the Environment University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA
- School for Environment and Sustainability University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan USA
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11
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Caillaud D, Eckardt W, Vecellio V, Ndagijimana F, Mucyo JP, Hirwa JP, Stoinski T. Violent encounters between social units hinder the growth of a high-density mountain gorilla population. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2020; 6:6/45/eaba0724. [PMID: 33148636 PMCID: PMC7673674 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aba0724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Accepted: 08/29/2020] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Density-dependent processes such as competition for resources, migration, predation, and disease outbreaks limit the growth of natural populations. The analysis of 50 years of mountain gorilla data reveals that social behavior changes observed at high group density may also affect population growth in social species. A sudden increase in social group density observed in 2007 caused a threefold increase in the rate of violent encounters between social units (groups and solitary males). A fivefold increase in the rate of infanticide and seven cases of lethal fights among mature males were subsequently recorded, and the annual subpopulation growth rate declined by half between 2000 and 2017. The increase in infanticide alone explains 57% of this decline. These findings highlight the complex relationship between population density and growth in social species and hold important implications for the management of island populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Caillaud
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, 800 Cherokee Ave. SE, Atlanta, GA 30315, USA.
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, One Shields Ave., Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Winnie Eckardt
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, 800 Cherokee Ave. SE, Atlanta, GA 30315, USA
| | - Veronica Vecellio
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, 800 Cherokee Ave. SE, Atlanta, GA 30315, USA
| | - Felix Ndagijimana
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, 800 Cherokee Ave. SE, Atlanta, GA 30315, USA
| | - Jean-Pierre Mucyo
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, 800 Cherokee Ave. SE, Atlanta, GA 30315, USA
| | - Jean-Paul Hirwa
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, 800 Cherokee Ave. SE, Atlanta, GA 30315, USA
| | - Tara Stoinski
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, 800 Cherokee Ave. SE, Atlanta, GA 30315, USA.
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12
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Brealey JC, Leitão HG, van der Valk T, Xu W, Bougiouri K, Dalén L, Guschanski K. Dental Calculus as a Tool to Study the Evolution of the Mammalian Oral Microbiome. Mol Biol Evol 2020; 37:3003-3022. [PMID: 32467975 PMCID: PMC7530607 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msaa135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Dental calculus, the calcified form of the mammalian oral microbial plaque biofilm, is a rich source of oral microbiome, host, and dietary biomolecules and is well preserved in museum and archaeological specimens. Despite its wide presence in mammals, to date, dental calculus has primarily been used to study primate microbiome evolution. We establish dental calculus as a valuable tool for the study of nonhuman host microbiome evolution, by using shotgun metagenomics to characterize the taxonomic and functional composition of the oral microbiome in species as diverse as gorillas, bears, and reindeer. We detect oral pathogens in individuals with evidence of oral disease, assemble near-complete bacterial genomes from historical specimens, characterize antibiotic resistance genes, reconstruct components of the host diet, and recover host genetic profiles. Our work demonstrates that metagenomic analyses of dental calculus can be performed on a diverse range of mammalian species, which will allow the study of oral microbiome and pathogen evolution from a comparative perspective. As dental calculus is readily preserved through time, it can also facilitate the quantification of the impact of anthropogenic changes on wildlife and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaelle C Brealey
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Henrique G Leitão
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Tom van der Valk
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Wenbo Xu
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Katia Bougiouri
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Love Dalén
- Department of Bioinformatics and Genetics, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
- Centre for Palaeogenetics, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Katerina Guschanski
- Department of Ecology and Genetics, Animal Ecology, Evolutionary Biology Centre, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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DeVore ML, Nyandwi A, Eckardt W, Bizuru E, Mujawamariya M, Pigg KB. Urticaceae leaves with stinging trichomes were already present in latest early Eocene Okanogan Highlands, British Columbia, Canada. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BOTANY 2020; 107:1449-1456. [PMID: 33091153 DOI: 10.1002/ajb2.1548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 06/18/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
PREMISE Paleontologists use tooth form to assess diets of fossil mammals. Plants would also be expected to adapt their morphology to respond to herbivory. Fossil nettle leaves with definitive stinging trichomes (tribe Urticeae, family Urticaceae) are described from the early Eocene upland lacustrine floras of the Okanogan Highlands, British Columbia, Canada. This is the first report of stinging trichomes in the fossil record. Their occurrence in western North America at a time of major large herbivorous mammal radiation suggests they acted, as they do today, as a deterrent for mammal herbivory. METHODS Fossil leaf compressions and extant leaves were photographed with standard methods. Focus-shift stacking was used to layer photos of the fossil leaves. RESULTS Urticaceous fossil leaves from the Okanogan Highlands greatly resemble their modern relatives in leaf morphology and particularly in both stinging and nonstinging trichomes. Nettles are common components of the flora of the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. This region is used as a modern analogue for the Okanogan Highlands, based on comparable elevation, equable conditions that host both similar floras and large folivores. CONCLUSIONS Nettles in tribe Urticeae (Urticaceae) producing leaves with stinging and nonstinging trichomes were already present in the early Eocene of western North America at a pivotal time during the early radiation of modern mammalian herbivore groups. They offer tantalizing evidence of a selective response that plants may have developed to protect themselves from the evolving mammalian herbivores of that time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie L DeVore
- Department of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville, Georgia, 31062-0001, USA
| | - Alphonse Nyandwi
- Department of Biology, University of Rwanda, Huye, Rwanda
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Karisoke Research Center, Ruhengeri, Rwanda
| | - Winnie Eckardt
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Karisoke Research Center, Ruhengeri, Rwanda
| | | | | | - Kathleen B Pigg
- School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, PO Box 874501, Tempe, Arizona, 85287-4501, USA
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14
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Mirville MO, Ridley AR, Samedi JPM, Vecellio V, Ndagijimana F, Stoinski TS, Grueter CC. Intragroup Behavioral Changes Following Intergroup Conflict in Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei). INT J PRIMATOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-020-00130-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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15
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van der Hoek Y, Emmanuel F, Eckardt W, Kwizera I, Derhé M, Caillaud D, Stoinski TS, Tuyisingize D. Recent decline in vegetative regeneration of bamboo (Yushania alpina), a key food plant for primates in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. Sci Rep 2019; 9:13041. [PMID: 31506574 PMCID: PMC6736879 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49519-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 08/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The African montane bamboo Yushania alpina provides both habitat and food for many species in the Albertine Rift region. In Volcanoes National Park (VNP), Rwanda, it is especially important as a key food resource for the Endangered mountain gorilla Gorilla beringei beringei and Endangered golden guenon Cercopithecus mitis kandti. We examined temporal and spatial variation in bamboo shoots regeneration and consumption by primates, monitored between 2013 and 2018 in 82 16-m2 plots located along transects in VNP. Our analyses revealed a decline in vegetative regeneration of bamboo in recent years, which is mirrored by a decline in bamboo shoot consumption by primates; but an increase in proportional intake. Local declines in regeneration are potentially due to high intensities of herbivory, decreased amounts of rainfall during growing seasons, and natural processes that form part of the life cycle of bamboo. Moreover, spatial variation in bamboo regeneration can be explained by elevation, as well as by stand-level variation in soil acidity, vegetation density, and the density of dead bamboo culms. We discuss the potential mechanisms underlying observed temporal and spatial variations and outline possible effects of a decline in bamboo regeneration for primates and other aspects of biodiversity in VNP.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Faida Emmanuel
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Musanze, Rwanda
| | - Winnie Eckardt
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Musanze, Rwanda
| | | | - Mia Derhé
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Musanze, Rwanda
| | - Damien Caillaud
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Musanze, Rwanda
- Department of Anthropology, The University of California, Davis, USA
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16
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van der Hoek Y, Faida E, Musemakweli V, Tuyisingize D. Living the high life: remarkable high-elevation records of birds in an East African mountain range. Ecology 2019; 101:e02866. [PMID: 31454062 DOI: 10.1002/ecy.2866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 07/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yntze van der Hoek
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Karisoke Research Center, Musanze, Rwanda
| | - Emmanuel Faida
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Karisoke Research Center, Musanze, Rwanda
| | - Valens Musemakweli
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Karisoke Research Center, Musanze, Rwanda
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17
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Eckardt W, Stoinski TS, Rosenbaum S, Santymire R. Social and ecological factors alter stress physiology of Virunga mountain gorillas ( Gorilla beringei beringei). Ecol Evol 2019; 9:5248-5259. [PMID: 31110676 PMCID: PMC6509442 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2018] [Revised: 02/05/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Living in a rapidly changing environment can alter stress physiology at the population level, with negative impacts on health, reproductive rates, and mortality that may ultimately result in species decline. Small, isolated animal populations where genetic diversity is low are at particular risks, such as endangered Virunga mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei). Along with climate change-associated environmental shifts that are affecting the entire population, subpopulations of the Virunga gorillas have recently experienced extreme changes in their social environment. As the growing population moves closer to the forest's carrying capacity, the gorillas are coping with rising population density, increased frequencies of interactions between social units, and changing habitat use (e.g., more overlapping home ranges and routine ranging at higher elevations). Using noninvasive monitoring of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) on 115 habituated Virunga gorillas, we investigated how social and ecological variation are related to baseline FGM levels, to better understand the adaptive capacity of mountain gorillas and monitor potential physiological indicators of population decline risks. Generalized linear mixed models revealed elevated mean monthly baseline FGM levels in months with higher rainfall and higher mean maximum and minimum temperature, suggesting that Virunga gorillas might be sensitive to predicted warming and rainfall trends involving longer, warmer dry seasons and more concentrated and extreme rainfall occurrences. Exclusive use of smaller home range areas was linked to elevated baseline FGM levels, which may reflect reduced feeding efficiency and increased travel efforts to actively avoid neighboring groups. The potential for additive effects of stress-inducing factors could have short- and long-term impacts on the reproduction, health, and ultimately survival of the Virunga gorilla population. The ongoing effects of environmental changes and population dynamics must be closely monitored and used to develop effective long-term conservation strategies that can help address these risk factors.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Stacy Rosenbaum
- Departmet of AnthropologyNorthwestern UniversityEvanstonIllinois
- Davee Center for Epidemiology and EndocrinologyLincoln Park ZooChicagoIllinois
| | - Rachel Santymire
- Davee Center for Epidemiology and EndocrinologyLincoln Park ZooChicagoIllinois
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18
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Kayitete L, Hoek Y, Nyirambangutse B, Derhé MA. Observations on regeneration of the keystone plant species
Hagenia abyssinica
in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. Afr J Ecol 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Laban Kayitete
- Biology Department, School of SciencesUniversity of Rwanda Huye Rwanda
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International Karisoke Research Center Musanze Rwanda
| | - Yntze Hoek
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International Karisoke Research Center Musanze Rwanda
| | | | - Mia A. Derhé
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International Karisoke Research Center Musanze Rwanda
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19
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Grueter CC, Robbins AM, Abavandimwe D, Vecellio V, Ndagijimana F, Stoinski TS, Robbins MM. Quadratic relationships between group size and foraging efficiency in a herbivorous primate. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16718. [PMID: 30425319 PMCID: PMC6233200 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35255-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The effect of feeding competition on foraging efficiency is an important link between ecological factors and the social organization of gregarious species. We examined the effects of group size on daily travel distances, activity budgets, and energy intake of mountain gorillas in Rwanda. We measured daily travel distances of five groups, activity budgets of 79 gorillas in nine groups, and energy intake data for 23 adult females in three groups over a 16-month period. Travel distances and the proportion of time spent traveling increased with size for most groups, which would be expected if their foraging efficiency is limited by intragroup feeding competition. However, travel distances and times decreased for the largest group, which also had higher energy intake rates than intermediate sized groups. The improved foraging efficiency of the largest group may be explained by advantages in intergroup contest competition. The largest group had much lower home range overlap than the other study groups which may be due to groups avoiding one another as a result of male mating competition. Collectively, our results indicate that intermediate sized groups had the lowest foraging efficiency and provide a new twist on the growing evidence of non-linear relationships between group size and foraging efficiency in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril C Grueter
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Atlanta, USA.
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
| | - Andrew M Robbins
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Tara S Stoinski
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Atlanta, USA
- Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta, USA
| | - Martha M Robbins
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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20
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Mirville MO, Ridley AR, Samedi JPM, Vecellio V, Ndagijimana F, Stoinski TS, Grueter CC. Low familiarity and similar ‘group strength’ between opponents increase the intensity of intergroup interactions in mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-018-2592-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
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21
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Galbany J, Muhire T, Vecellio V, Mudakikwa A, Nyiramana A, Cranfield MR, Stoinski TS, McFarlin SC. Incisor tooth wear and age determination in mountain gorillas from Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 167:930-935. [PMID: 30368801 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2018] [Revised: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Ecological factors, but also tooth-to-tooth contact over time, have a dramatic effect on tooth wear in primates. The aim of this study is to test whether incisor tooth wear changes predictably with age and can thus be used as an age estimation method in a wild population of mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) from Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. MATERIALS AND METHODS In mountain gorillas of confidently known chronological age (N = 24), we measured the crown height of all permanent maxillary and mandibular incisors (I1 , I1 , I2 , I2 ) as a proxy for incisal macrowear. Linear and quadratic regressions for each incisor were used to test whether age can be predicted by crown height. Using these models, we then predicted age at death of two individual mountain gorillas of probable identifications, based on their incisor crown height. RESULTS Age decreased significantly with incisor height for all teeth, but the upper first incisors (I1 ) provided the best results, with the lowest Akaike's Information Criterion corrected for small sample size (AICc) and lowest Standard Error of the Estimate (SEE). When the best age equations for each sex were applied to gorillas with probable identifications, the predicted ages differed 1.58 and 3.33 years from the probable ages of these individuals. CONCLUSIONS Our findings corroborate that incisor crown height, a proxy for incisal wear, varies predictably with age. This relationship can be used to estimate age at death of unknown gorillas in the skeletal collection, and in some cases, to corroborate the identity of individual gorillas recovered from the forest postmortem at an advanced state of decomposition. Such identifications help fill gaps in the demographic database and support research that requires individual-level data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Galbany
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia.,Department of Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Thadée Muhire
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Atlanta, Georgia
| | | | - Antoine Mudakikwa
- Department of Tourism and Conservation, Rwanda Development Board, Kigali, Rwanda
| | | | - Michael R Cranfield
- Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, University of California at Davis, Davis, California
| | | | - Shannon C McFarlin
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia
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22
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Robbins MM, Robbins AM. Variation in the social organization of gorillas: Life history and socioecological perspectives. Evol Anthropol 2018; 27:218-233. [PMID: 30325554 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Revised: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
A focus of socioecological research is to understand how ecological, social, and life history factors influence the variability of social organization within and between species. The genus Gorilla exhibits variability in social organization with western gorilla groups being almost exclusively one-male, yet approximately 40% of mountain gorilla groups are multimale. We review five ultimate causes for the variability in social organization within and among gorilla populations: human disturbance, ecological constraints on group size, risk of infanticide, life history patterns, and population density. We find the most evidence for the ecological constraints and life history hypotheses, but an over-riding explanation remains elusive. The variability may hinge on variation in female dispersal patterns, as females seek a group of optimal size and with a good protector male. Our review illustrates the challenges of understanding why the social organization of closely related species may deviate from predictions based on socioecological and life history theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha M Robbins
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andrew M Robbins
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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23
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OUTCOMES OF SNARE-RELATED INJURIES TO ENDANGERED MOUNTAIN GORILLAS ( GORILLA BERINGEI BERINGEI) IN RWANDA. J Wildl Dis 2018; 55:298-303. [PMID: 30284944 DOI: 10.7589/2018-01-008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Mountain gorillas ( Gorilla beringei beringei) are one of the most critically endangered great apes in the world. The most common cause of mountain gorilla morbidity and mortality is trauma (e.g., injury from conspecifics or snare entrapment). We conducted a retrospective case-control study of free-ranging, human-habituated mountain gorillas to evaluate factors associated with snare entrapment and the results of clinical intervention. Data were collected from clinical records on all clinical intervention cases ( n=132) in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda, conducted between 1995-2015. Wildlife veterinarians treated 37 gorillas entrapped in snares and 95 gorillas for other clinical conditions (including trauma and respiratory illness). Multivariate statistical analyses revealed that young gorillas (<8 yr old) were more likely than older gorillas to become snared; that comorbidities delayed times to intervention (≥3 d); and that severity of wounds at the time of intervention were associated with increased risk of lasting impairment (including loss of limb or limb function, or death) within 1 mo after intervention. Our results may influence decisions for gorilla health monitoring and treatment to most effectively conserve this critically endangered species.
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24
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L Canington
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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25
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Grueter CC, Wright E, Abavandimwe D, Ortmann S, Mudakikwa A, Musana A, Uwingeli P, Ndagijimana F, Vecellio V, Stoinski TS, Robbins MM. Going to extremes for sodium acquisition: use of community land and high-altitude areas by mountain gorillas Gorilla beringei
in Rwanda. Biotropica 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Cyril C. Grueter
- School of Human Sciences; The University of Western Australia; Perth WA 6009 Australia
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology; School of Biological Sciences; The University of Western Australia; Perth WA 6009 Australia
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Deutscher Platz 6 04103 Leipzig Germany
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International; 800 Cherokee Avenue SE Atlanta GA 30315 USA
| | - Edward Wright
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Deutscher Platz 6 04103 Leipzig Germany
| | - Didier Abavandimwe
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International; 800 Cherokee Avenue SE Atlanta GA 30315 USA
| | - Sylvia Ortmann
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology; Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research; Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17 10315 Berlin Germany
| | - Antoine Mudakikwa
- Tourism and Conservation; Rwanda Development Board (RDB); P.O. Box 6239 Kigali Rwanda
| | - Abel Musana
- Tourism and Conservation; Rwanda Development Board (RDB); P.O. Box 6239 Kigali Rwanda
| | - Propser Uwingeli
- Tourism and Conservation; Rwanda Development Board (RDB); P.O. Box 6239 Kigali Rwanda
| | - Felix Ndagijimana
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International; 800 Cherokee Avenue SE Atlanta GA 30315 USA
| | - Veronica Vecellio
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International; 800 Cherokee Avenue SE Atlanta GA 30315 USA
| | - Tara S. Stoinski
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International; 800 Cherokee Avenue SE Atlanta GA 30315 USA
| | - Martha M. Robbins
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Deutscher Platz 6 04103 Leipzig Germany
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26
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Thompson NE, Ostrofsky KR, McFarlin SC, Robbins MM, Stoinski TS, Almécija S. Unexpected terrestrial hand posture diversity in wild mountain gorillas. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 166:84-94. [PMID: 29344933 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Revised: 12/19/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Gorillas, along with chimpanzees and bonobos, are ubiquitously described as 'knuckle-walkers.' Consequently, knuckle-walking (KW) has been featured pre-eminently in hypotheses of the pre-bipedal locomotor behavior of hominins and in the evolution of locomotor behavior in apes. However, anecdotal and behavioral accounts suggest that mountain gorillas may utilize a more complex repertoire of hand postures, which could alter current interpretations of African ape locomotion and its role in the emergence of human bipedalism. Here we documented hand postures during terrestrial locomotion in wild mountain gorillas to investigate the frequency with which KW and other hand postures are utilized in the wild. MATERIALS AND METHODS Multiple high-speed cameras were used to record bouts of terrestrial locomotion of 77 habituated mountain gorillas at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (Uganda) and Volcanoes National Park (Rwanda). RESULTS We captured high-speed video of hand contacts in 8% of the world's population of mountain gorillas. Our results reveal that nearly 40% of these gorillas used "non-KW" hand postures, and these hand postures constituted 15% of all hand contacts. Some of these "non-KW" hand postures have never been documented in gorillas, yet match hand postures previously identified in orangutans. DISCUSSION These results highlight a previously unrecognized level of hand postural diversity in gorillas, and perhaps great apes generally. Although present at lower frequencies than KW, we suggest that the possession of multiple, versatile hand postures present in wild mountain gorillas may represent a shared feature of the African ape and human clade (or even great ape clade) rather than KW per se.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan E Thompson
- Department of Anatomy, NYIT College of Osteopathic Medicine, Northern Boulevard, Old Westbury, New York
| | - Kelly R Ostrofsky
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, 800 22nd St. NW, Suite 6000, Washington, DC
| | - Shannon C McFarlin
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, 800 22nd St. NW, Suite 6000, Washington, DC
| | - Martha M Robbins
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
| | - Tara S Stoinski
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, 800 Cherokee Avenue SE, Atlanta, Georgia
| | - Sergio Almécija
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, 800 22nd St. NW, Suite 6000, Washington, DC.,Institut Català de Paleontologia Miquel Crusafont, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Barcelona, 08193, Spain
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27
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Galbany J, Abavandimwe D, Vakiener M, Eckardt W, Mudakikwa A, Ndagijimana F, Stoinski TS, McFarlin SC. Body growth and life history in wild mountain gorillas (
Gorilla beringei beringei
) from Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2017; 163:570-590. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2016] [Revised: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Galbany
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human PaleobiologyThe George Washington UniversityWashington, District Columbia
| | | | - Meagan Vakiener
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human PaleobiologyThe George Washington UniversityWashington, District Columbia
| | | | - Antoine Mudakikwa
- Department of Tourism and ConservationRwanda Development BoardKigali Rwanda
| | | | | | - Shannon C. McFarlin
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human PaleobiologyThe George Washington UniversityWashington, District Columbia
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28
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Glowacka H, McFarlin SC, Vogel ER, Stoinski TS, Ndagijimana F, Tuyisingize D, Mudakikwa A, Schwartz GT. Toughness of the Virunga mountain gorilla (
Gorilla beringei beringei
) diet across an altitudinal gradient. Am J Primatol 2017; 79. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Revised: 03/04/2017] [Accepted: 03/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Halszka Glowacka
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Institute of Human OriginsArizona State UniversityTempeArizona
| | - Shannon C. McFarlin
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human PaleobiologyThe George Washington UniversityWashingtonDistrict of Columbia
| | - Erin R. Vogel
- Department of Anthropology, RutgersThe State University of New JerseyNew BrunswickNew Jersey
| | | | - Felix Ndagijimana
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund InternationalKarisoke Research CenterMusanzeRwanda
| | - Deo Tuyisingize
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund InternationalKarisoke Research CenterMusanzeRwanda
| | - Antoine Mudakikwa
- Department of Tourism and ConservationRwanda Development BoardKigaliRwanda
| | - Gary T. Schwartz
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Institute of Human OriginsArizona State UniversityTempeArizona
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29
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Kralick AE, Loring Burgess M, Glowacka H, Arbenz-Smith K, McGrath K, Ruff CB, Chan KC, Cranfield MR, Stoinski TS, Bromage TG, Mudakikwa A, McFarlin SC. A radiographic study of permanent molar development in wild Virunga mountain gorillas of known chronological age from Rwanda. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2017; 163:129-147. [PMID: 28251607 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2016] [Revised: 01/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES While dental development is important to life history investigations, data from wild known-aged great apes are scarce. We report on the first radiographic examination of dental development in wild Virunga mountain gorillas, using known-age skeletal samples recovered in Rwanda. MATERIALS AND METHODS In 43 individuals (0.0-14.94 years), we collected radiographs of mandibular molars, and where possible, cone beam CT scans. Molar crown and root calcification status was assessed using two established staging systems, and age prediction equations generated using polynomial regression. Results were compared to available data from known-age captive and wild chimpanzees. RESULTS Mountain gorillas generally fell within reported captive chimpanzee distributions or exceeded them, exhibiting older ages at equivalent radiographic stages of development. Differences reflect delayed initiation and/or an extended duration of second molar crown development, and extended first and second molar root development, in mountain gorillas compared to captive chimpanzees. However, differences in the duration of molar root development were less evident compared to wild chimpanzees. DISCUSSION Despite sample limitations, our findings extend the known range of variation in radiographic estimates of molar formation timing in great apes, and provide a new age prediction technique based on wild specimens. However, mountain gorillas do not appear accelerated in radiographic assessment of molar formation compared to chimpanzees, as they are for other life history traits. Future studies should aim to resolve the influence of species differences, wild versus captive environments, and/or sampling phenomena on patterns observed here, and more generally, how they relate to variation in tooth size, eruption timing, and developmental life history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra E Kralick
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052.,Department of Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19104
| | - M Loring Burgess
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21218
| | - Halszka Glowacka
- Institute of Human Origins, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, 85287
| | - Keely Arbenz-Smith
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052
| | - Kate McGrath
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052
| | - Christopher B Ruff
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, 21218
| | - King Chong Chan
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology, Radiology and Medicine, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, 10010
| | - Michael R Cranfield
- Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project, University of California at Davis, California, 95616
| | - Tara S Stoinski
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Atlanta, Georgia, 30315
| | - Timothy G Bromage
- Hard Tissue Research Unit, Department of Biomaterials and Biomimetics, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, 10010.,Hard Tissue Research Unit, Department of Basic Sciences and Craniofacial Biology, New York University College of Dentistry, New York, 10010
| | - Antoine Mudakikwa
- Department of Tourism and Conservation, Rwanda Development Board, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Shannon C McFarlin
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20052.,Division of Mammals, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC
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Rosenbaum S, Vecellio V, Stoinski T. Observations of severe and lethal coalitionary attacks in wild mountain gorillas. Sci Rep 2016; 6:37018. [PMID: 27849056 PMCID: PMC5111119 DOI: 10.1038/srep37018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
In humans and chimpanzees, most intraspecific killing occurs during coalitionary intergroup conflict. In the closely related genus Gorilla, such behavior has not been described. We report three cases of multi-male, multi-female wild mountain gorilla (G. beringei) groups attacking extra-group males. The behavior was strikingly similar to reports in chimpanzees, but was never observed in gorillas until after a demographic transition left ~25% of the population living in large social groups with multiple (3+) males. Resource competition is generally considered a motivator of great apes' (including humans) violent intergroup conflict, but mountain gorillas are non-territorial herbivores with low feeding competition. While adult male gorillas have a defensible resource (i.e. females) and nursing/pregnant females are likely motivated to drive off potentially infanticidal intruders, the participation of others (e.g. juveniles, sub-adults, cycling females) is harder to explain. We speculate that the potential for severe group disruption when current alpha males are severely injured or killed may provide sufficient motivation when the costs to participants are low. These observations suggest that the gorilla population's recent increase in multi-male groups facilitated the emergence of such behavior, and indicates social structure is a key predictor of coalitionary aggression even in the absence of meaningful resource stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacy Rosenbaum
- Institute for Mind and Biology, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Davee Center for Epidemiology and Endocrinology, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Veronica Vecellio
- Karisoke Research Center, Musanze Rwanda
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Tara Stoinski
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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Behavioral Variation in Gorillas: Evidence of Potential Cultural Traits. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0160483. [PMID: 27603668 PMCID: PMC5014408 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0160483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2016] [Accepted: 07/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The question of whether any species except humans exhibits culture has generated much debate, partially due to the difficulty of providing conclusive evidence from observational studies in the wild. A starting point for demonstrating the existence of culture that has been used for many species including chimpanzees and orangutans is to show that there is geographic variation in the occurrence of particular behavioral traits inferred to be a result of social learning and not ecological or genetic influences. Gorillas live in a wide variety of habitats across Africa and they exhibit flexibility in diet, behavior, and social structure. Here we apply the ‘method of exclusion’ to look for the presence/absence of behaviors that could be considered potential cultural traits in well-habituated groups from five study sites of the two species of gorillas. Of the 41 behaviors considered, 23 met the criteria of potential cultural traits, of which one was foraging related, nine were environment related, seven involved social interactions, five were gestures, and one was communication related. There was a strong positive correlation between behavioral dissimilarity and geographic distance among gorilla study sites. Roughly half of all variation in potential cultural traits was intraspecific differences (i.e. variability among sites within a species) and the other 50% of potential cultural traits were differences between western and eastern gorillas. Further research is needed to investigate if the occurrence of these traits is influenced by social learning. These findings emphasize the importance of investigating cultural traits in African apes and other species to shed light on the origin of human culture.
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32
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Grueter CC, Robbins MM, Abavandimwe D, Ortmann S, Mudakikwa A, Ndagijimana F, Vecellio V, Stoinski TS. Elevated activity in adult mountain gorillas is related to consumption of bamboo shoots. J Mammal 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyw132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
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33
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Grueter CC, Stoinski TS. Homosexual Behavior in Female Mountain Gorillas: Reflection of Dominance, Affiliation, Reconciliation or Arousal? PLoS One 2016; 11:e0154185. [PMID: 27167861 PMCID: PMC4864209 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0154185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2016] [Accepted: 04/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Humans are unique among primates for not only engaging in same-sex sexual acts, but also forming homosexual pair bonds. To shed light on the evolutionary origins of homosexuality, data on the occurrence and contexts of same-sex behavior from nonhuman primates may be of particular significance. Homosexual behavior involving females is poorly researched in most primate taxa, exceptions being Japanese macaques, rhesus macaques, Hanuman langurs and bonobos. We present data on homosexual behavior in female mountain gorillas in the Virunga Volcanoes (Rwanda) and test four functional hypotheses, namely reconciliation, affiliation, dominance expression and sexual arousal. Homosexual interactions between females involved both ventro-dorsal and ventro-ventral copulations accompanied by vocalizations and courtship displays. The only sociosexual hypothesis that received partial empirical support is the social status hypothesis, i.e., that mounting reaffirms the dominance hierarchy. There is also some limited evidence that same-sex behavior reflects an overall state of arousal or is triggered via a 'pornographic' effect. An adaptive function of female homosexual behavior is not readily apparent, and we tentatively conclude (until a more rigorous test becomes available) that it may simply be related to sexual gratification or that it is an evolutionary by-product of an adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril C. Grueter
- School of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology, The University of Western Australia, Crawley (Perth), WA, Australia
| | - Tara S. Stoinski
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, SE Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
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34
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Glowacka H, McFarlin SC, Catlett KK, Mudakikwa A, Bromage TG, Cranfield MR, Stoinski TS, Schwartz GT. Age-related changes in molar topography and shearing crest length in a wild population of mountain Gorillas from Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2016; 160:3-15. [PMID: 26853974 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2015] [Revised: 12/26/2015] [Accepted: 01/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Great ape teeth must remain functional over long lifespans. The molars of the most folivorous apes, the mountain gorillas, must maintain shearing function for 40+ years while the animals consume large quantities of mechanically challenging foods. While other folivorous primates experience dental senescence, which compromises their occlusal surfaces and affects their reproductive success as they age, it is unknown whether dental senescence also occurs in mountain gorillas. In this article, we quantified and evaluated how mountain gorilla molars change throughout their long lifespans. MATERIALS AND METHODS We collected high-resolution replicas of M(1)s (n = 15), M(2)s (n = 13), and M(3)s (n = 11) from a cross-sectional sample of wild mountain gorilla skeletons from the Virunga Volcanoes, ranging in age from 4 to 43 years. We employed dental topographic analyses to track how aspects of occlusal slope, angularity, relief index, and orientation patch count rotated change with age. In addition, we measured the relative length of shearing crests in two- and three-dimensions. RESULTS Occlusal topography was found to decrease, while 2D relative shearing crest length increased, and 3D relative crest lengths were maintained with age. DISCUSSION Our findings indicate that shearing function is maintained throughout the long lifetimes of mountain gorillas. Unlike the dental senescence experienced by other folivorous primates, mountain gorillas do not appear to possess senesced molars despite their long lifetimes, mechanically challenging diets, and decreases in occlusal topography with age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Halszka Glowacka
- Institute of Human Origins, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
| | - Shannon C McFarlin
- Department of Anthropology and Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, the George Washington University, DC.,Division of Mammals, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, DC
| | - Kierstin K Catlett
- Institute of Human Origins, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
| | | | - Timothy G Bromage
- Department of Biomaterials and Biomimetics, New York University College of Dentistry, NY.,Department of Basic Science and Craniofacial Biology, New York University College of Dentistry, NY
| | | | | | - Gary T Schwartz
- Institute of Human Origins, School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
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35
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Weaned age variation in the Virunga mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei): influential factors. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2066-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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36
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Grueter CC, Robbins AM, Abavandimwe D, Vecellio V, Ndagijimana F, Ortmann S, Stoinski TS, Robbins MM. Causes, mechanisms, and consequences of contest competition among female mountain gorillas in Rwanda. Behav Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arv212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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37
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Galbany J, Imanizabayo O, Romero A, Vecellio V, Glowacka H, Cranfield MR, Bromage TG, Mudakikwa A, Stoinski TS, McFarlin SC. Tooth wear and feeding ecology in mountain gorillas from Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2015; 159:457-65. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22897] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2015] [Revised: 11/02/2015] [Accepted: 11/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jordi Galbany
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human PaleobiologyDepartment of AnthropologyThe George Washington UniversityDC
| | | | - Alejandro Romero
- Departamento de BiotecnologíaUniversidad de AlicanteAlicante Spain
| | | | | | | | | | - Antoine Mudakikwa
- Rwanda Development Board, Department of Tourism and ConservationKigali Rwanda
| | | | - Shannon C. McFarlin
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human PaleobiologyDepartment of AnthropologyThe George Washington UniversityDC
- Division of MammalsNational Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian InstitutionDC
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38
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Wright E, Grueter CC, Seiler N, Abavandimwe D, Stoinski TS, Ortmann S, Robbins MM. Energetic responses to variation in food availability in the two mountain gorilla populations (Gorilla beringei beringei). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2015; 158:487-500. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2014] [Revised: 06/22/2015] [Accepted: 06/22/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Edward Wright
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig 04103 Germany
| | - Cyril C. Grueter
- School of Anatomy, Physiology and Human Biology, The University of Western Australia,Crawley; Perth WA 6009 Australia
| | - Nicole Seiler
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig 04103 Germany
| | - Didier Abavandimwe
- Karisoke Research Center, The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International; Musanze, North Province Rwanda
| | - Tara S. Stoinski
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International; Atlanta GA 30315 USA
| | - Sylvia Ortmann
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research; Berlin Germany
| | - Martha M. Robbins
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig 04103 Germany
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39
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Caillaud D, Ndagijimana F, Giarrusso AJ, Vecellio V, Stoinski TS. Mountain gorilla ranging patterns: influence of group size and group dynamics. Am J Primatol 2014; 76:730-46. [PMID: 24573634 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2013] [Revised: 01/15/2014] [Accepted: 01/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Since the 1980s, the Virunga mountain gorilla population has almost doubled, now reaching 480 individuals living in a 430-km(2) protected area. Analysis of the gorillas' ranging patterns can provide critical information on the extent and possible effects of competition for food and space. We analyzed 12 years of daily ranging data and inter-group encounter data collected on 11 gorilla groups monitored by the Karisoke Research Center in Rwanda. During that period, the study population increased in size by almost 50% and the number of groups tripled. Groups had small yearly home ranges compared to other known gorilla populations, with an average 90% kernel density estimate of 8.07 km2 and large between-group variations (3.17-23.59 km2). Most groups had consistent home range location over the course of the study but for some, we observed gradual range shifts of up to 4 km. Neighboring groups displayed high home range overlap, which increased dramatically after the formation of new groups. On average, each group used only 28.6% of its 90% kernel home range exclusively, and in some areas up to six different groups had overlapping home ranges with little or no exclusive areas. We found a significant intra-group positive relationship between the number of weaned individuals in a group and the home range size, but the fitted models only explained 17.5% and 13.7% of the variance in 50% and 90% kernel home range size estimates, respectively. This suggests that despite the increase in size, the study population is not yet experiencing marked effects of feeding competition. However, the increase in home range overlap resulting from the formation of new groups led to a sixfold increase in the frequency of inter-group encounters, which exposes the population to elevated risks of fight-related injuries and infanticide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Damien Caillaud
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Atlanta, Georgia; Center for Geographic Information Systems, College of Architecture, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia
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