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Pascual-Garrido A, Carvalho S, Almeida-Warren K. Primate archaeology 3.0. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024; 183:e24835. [PMID: 37671610 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
The new field of primate archaeology investigates the technological behavior and material record of nonhuman primates, providing valuable comparative data on our understanding of human technological evolution. Yet, paralleling hominin archaeology, the field is largely biased toward the analysis of lithic artifacts. While valuable comparative data have been gained through an examination of extant nonhuman primate tool use and its archaeological record, focusing on this one single aspect provides limited insights. It is therefore necessary to explore to what extent other non-technological activities, such as non-tool aided feeding, traveling, social behaviors or ritual displays, leave traces that could be detected in the archaeological record. Here we propose four new areas of investigation which we believe have been largely overlooked by primate archaeology and that are crucial to uncovering the full archaeological potential of the primate behavioral repertoire, including that of our own: (1) Plant technology; (2) Archaeology beyond technology; (3) Landscape archaeology; and (4) Primate cultural heritage. We discuss each theme in the context of the latest developments and challenges, as well as propose future directions. Developing a more "inclusive" primate archaeology will not only benefit the study of primate evolution in its own right but will aid conservation efforts by increasing our understanding of changes in primate-environment interactions over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Pascual-Garrido
- Primate Models for Behavioural Evolution Lab, Institute of Human Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Susana Carvalho
- Primate Models for Behavioural Evolution Lab, Institute of Human Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Archaeology and the Evolution of Human Behaviour, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Gorongosa National Park, Sofala, Mozambique
| | - Katarina Almeida-Warren
- Primate Models for Behavioural Evolution Lab, Institute of Human Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Archaeology and the Evolution of Human Behaviour, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
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2
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Saiyed ST, Fuentes A, Shaw E, Schurr MR, Gettler LT. Barbary macaques show sex-related differences in body weight based on anthropogenic food exposure despite comparable female-male stable isotope ratios. Sci Rep 2024; 14:3320. [PMID: 38336986 PMCID: PMC10858218 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53641-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
As the human-primate interface expands, many nonhuman primate (NHP) populations exploit anthropogenic foods to survive, while some populations opportunistically target them. Though anthropogenic food consumption is sometimes associated with greater reproductive output and survival in these populations, there is a dearth of research on possible health effects. We explore how differential exposure to anthropogenic foods is linked to variation in isotopic compositions (δ13C and δ15N) and body weights in Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) in the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, Gibraltar. We placed monkeys into three categories based on anthropogenic food exposure. We then analyzed individuals for isotopic signatures (N = 147) and body weight measurements (N = 80). Using the lowest exposure category as the comparison, we found body weights and δ15N values, but not δ13C values, significantly differed across key categories. Within categories, we found no significant associations between sex and δ13C or δ15N values, suggesting that individuals within categories consumed similar foods regardless of sex. We found a significant interaction effect between category and sex for predicting body weights. These results suggest that sex plays a role in how anthropogenic foods are accessed and consumed regardless of exposure, which may result in differential health profiles for female and male macaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sana T Saiyed
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA.
| | - Agustin Fuentes
- Department of Anthropology, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA
| | - Eric Shaw
- Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society (GONHS), Gibraltar, Gibraltar
| | - Mark R Schurr
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
| | - Lee T Gettler
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN, USA
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3
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Loudon JE, Lewis AE, Turner TR, Howells ME, Lieurance A, Pender JE. Heavy metal ecotoxicology of vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) across field sites in South Africa. Primates 2022; 63:525-533. [DOI: 10.1007/s10329-022-01002-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
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Inter-individual variation in the diet within a group of Japanese macaques and its relationship with social structure investigated by stable isotope and DNA analyses. Primates 2020; 62:103-112. [PMID: 32617910 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-020-00840-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
We investigated individual variation in diet in relation to age-sex class and kin relationship in 28 of 40 members of a small group of wild Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). We used stable isotope ratios from hair as an index of individual dietary profiles, genetic relatedness as an index of kin relationship, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotype as a marker of being an immigrant or native member of the group. The range of carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios from hair of individual macaques (δ13C: -24.1‰ to -22.6‰, δ15N:3.8-5.5‰), which reflected their diet over a period of ~ 6 months, implied small individual variation in diet. The results of PERMANOVA implied that there were no significant effects of age class, sex, or mtDNA haplotype on hair stable isotope ratios between individuals, or on the variation in individual diet. However, the isotope values of males with mtDNA haplotypes that differed from those of the native females appeared to differ from those of other group members, which implies that immigrant males might have had a different diet profile from that of native group members. Furthermore, there was a weak correlation trend between genetic relatedness and differences in stable isotope ratios between pairs of individuals. Differences in stable isotope values were more marked in pairs with a more distant genetic relationship. This implies that within the group, closely related kin tended to forage together to avoid competing for food. However, this effect might have been weak because the size of the group was small relative to the size of the food patches, thereby reducing competition.
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Keenan SW, DeBruyn JM. Changes to vertebrate tissue stable isotope (δ 15N) composition during decomposition. Sci Rep 2019; 9:9929. [PMID: 31289347 PMCID: PMC6617491 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-46368-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
During carcass decomposition, tissues undergo biochemical changes: Cells autolyze, enteric microbes ferment cellular products, and tissues degrade. Ultimately, decomposition fluids are released as an ephemeral nitrogen (N) and carbon source to the surrounding environment. However, decomposition fluids are δ15N-enriched relative to body tissues, leading to a disconnect between starting tissue composition and ending fluid composition. It remains largely unknown when or if tissues exhibit δ15N enrichment postmortem despite the importance of tissue stable isotopes to ecologists. To test our hypothesis that tissues would become progressively δ15N-enriched during decay, soft tissues and bone were collected from beaver carcasses at five time points. All soft tissues, including muscle, were significantly δ15N-enriched compared to fresh tissues, but were not as enriched as decomposition fluids. Tissue breakdown is initially dominated by anaerobic autolysis and later by microbe and insect infiltration, and partly explains decay fluid isotopic enrichment. We speculate that after rupture, preferential volatilization of δ15N-depleted compounds (especially ammonia) contributes to further enrichment. These results constrain the timing, rate, and potential mechanisms driving carcass isotopic enrichment during decay, and suggest that found carcasses (e.g., road kill) should be used with caution for inferring trophic ecology as decay can result in significant postmortem δ15N enrichment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah W Keenan
- University of Tennessee, Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, 2506 E.J. Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA. .,South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, Department of Geology and Geological Engineering, 501 East St. Joseph Street, Rapid City, SD, 57701, USA.
| | - Jennifer M DeBruyn
- University of Tennessee, Department of Biosystems Engineering and Soil Science, 2506 E.J. Chapman Drive, Knoxville, TN, 37996, USA
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Schillaci MA, Lintlop J, Sumra M, Pizarro M, Jones-Engel L. Hair cortisol and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) from Gibraltar. RAPID COMMUNICATIONS IN MASS SPECTROMETRY : RCM 2019; 33:831-838. [PMID: 30741464 PMCID: PMC8055468 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.8413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2018] [Revised: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Prolonged exposure to the stress hormone cortisol can precipitate a catabolic state in animals resulting in a negative nitrogen balance and increased excreted nitrogen, possibly affecting stable nitrogen and carbon isotope ratios in animal tissues. Here we test the hypothesis that stress, as measured by hair cortisol, is a significant contributor to variation in δ15 N and δ13 C values in hair. The results of the present study have important implications for the use of stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios measured in animal and human tissues to make inferences regarding feeding ecology and diet. METHODS Samples containing roughly 10-20 hairs (approx. 4-6 cm long) were collected from 49 free ranging macaque monkeys (Macaca sylvanus) in Gibraltar. Hair samples were analyzed for stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes by continuous-flow isotope-ratio mass spectrometry. Cortisol extracted from matched hair samples was measured using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Cortisol and stable isotope ratios were compared statistically using nonparametric Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests, as well as Spearman correlation. RESULTS Correlation analysis revealed that although hair δ15 N and δ13 C values were significantly correlated with each other, neither was correlated with cortisol concentrations. Cortisol concentrations were not correlated with age-adjusted body mass index. Age category was correlated with δ13 C values but not with δ15 N values. CONCLUSIONS The results of our study suggest that the cumulative stress experienced by these macaques under typical social and environmental conditions is not a significant contributor to variation in δ15 N and δ13 C values, nor does it have a significant effect on relative body mass.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Schillaci
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Jessica Lintlop
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Monika Sumra
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Mark Pizarro
- Gibraltar Veterinary Clinic, Rosio Bay, Gibraltar, GX11 1|AA, Gibraltar
| | - Lisa Jones-Engel
- Department of Anthropology, University of Washington, Box 353100, Seattle, WA, 98105, USA
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Quinn RL. Isotopic equifinality and rethinking the diet of
Australopithecus anamensis. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2019; 169:403-421. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Rhonda L. Quinn
- Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Social WorkSeton Hall University South Orange New Jersey
- Department of Earth and Planetary SciencesRutgers University Piscataway New Jersey
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8
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Bradham J, Jorge MLSP, Pedrosa F, Keuroghlian A, Costa VE, Bercê W, Galetti M. Spatial isotopic dietary plasticity of a Neotropical forest ungulate: the white-lipped peccary (Tayassu pecari). J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer Bradham
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Maria Luisa S P Jorge
- Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Felipe Pedrosa
- Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Department of Ecology, Rio Claro, Brazil
| | | | - Vladimir Eliodoro Costa
- Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Stable Isotope Center, Botucatu-SP, Brazil
| | - William Bercê
- Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Department of Ecology, Rio Claro, Brazil
| | - Mauro Galetti
- Institute of Biosciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Department of Ecology, Rio Claro, Brazil
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9
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Fardi S, Sauther ML, Cuozzo FP, Jacky IAY, Bernstein RM. The effect of extreme weather events on hair cortisol and body weight in a wild ring-tailed lemur population (Lemur catta) in southwestern Madagascar. Am J Primatol 2017; 80. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2017] [Revised: 11/08/2017] [Accepted: 11/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Fardi
- Department of Anthropology; University of Colorado; Boulder Colorado
| | | | - Frank P. Cuozzo
- Lajuma Research Centre; Louis Trichardt (Mahkado) South Africa
| | - Ibrahim A. Y. Jacky
- Laboratoire de Biologie Animale et Ecologie Terrestre; Faculté des Sciences; Université de Toliara; Toliara Madagascar
| | - Robin M. Bernstein
- Department of Anthropology; University of Colorado; Boulder Colorado
- Health and Society Program; Institute of Behavioral Science; University of Colorado; Boulder Colorado
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10
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Lewis MC, West AG, O'Riain MJ. Isotopic assessment of marine food consumption by natural-foraging chacma baboons on the Cape Peninsula, South Africa. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2017; 165:77-93. [PMID: 29076130 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2017] [Revised: 08/14/2017] [Accepted: 09/18/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Stable isotope analysis has been used to investigate consumption of marine resources in a variety of terrestrial mammals, including humans, but not yet in extant nonhuman primates. We sought to test the efficacy of stable isotope analysis as a tool for such studies by comparing isotope- and observation-based estimates of marine food consumption by a troop of noncommensal, free-ranging chacma baboons. MATERIALS AND METHODS We determined δ13 C and δ15 N values of baboon hair (n = 9) and fecal samples (n = 144), and principal food items (n = 362). These values were used as input for diet models, the outputs of which were compared to observation-based estimates of marine food consumption. RESULTS Fecal δ13 C values ranged from -29.3‰ to -25.6‰. δ15 N values ranged from 0.9‰ to 6.3‰ and were positively correlated with a measure of marine foraging during the dietary integration period. Mean (± SD) δ13 C values of adult male and female baboon hairs were -21.6‰ (± 0.1) and -21.8‰ (± 0.3) respectively, and corresponding δ15 N values were 5.0‰ (± 0.3) and 3.9‰ (± 0.2). Models indicated that marine contributions were ≤10% of baboon diet within any season, and contributed ≤17% of dietary protein through the year. DISCUSSION Model output and observational data were in agreement, both indicating that despite their abundance in the intertidal region, marine foods comprised only a small proportion of baboon diet. This suggests that stable isotope analysis is a viable tool for investigating marine food consumption by natural-foraging primates in temperate regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew C Lewis
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa.,Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa.,Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
| | - Adam G West
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
| | - M Justin O'Riain
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
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11
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McGee E, Vaughn S. Of lemurs and louse flies: The biogeochemical and biotic effects of forest disturbance on Propithecus edwardsi and its obligate ectoparasite Allobosca crassipes in Ranomafana National Park, southeastern Madagascar. Am J Primatol 2017; 79. [PMID: 28563902 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2016] [Revised: 04/08/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
From alleles to ecosystems and landscapes, anthropogenic activity continues to affect the environment, with particularly adverse effects on biodiversity hotspots such as Madagascar. Selective logging has been proposed as a "win-win" conservation strategy, yet its effects on different components of biodiversity are still not fully understood. Here we examine biotic factors (i.e., dietary differences) that may be driving differences in biogeochemical stocks between disturbed and undisturbed forests. We present the stable nitrogen (δ15 N) and carbon (δ13 C) isotope composition of hair from the lemur Propithecus edwardsi and of whole bodies of its obligate ectoparasite, the louse-fly Allobosca crassipes, from sites in Ranomafana National Park (RNP) that are comparable except for the history of logging and subsequent forest regeneration. P. edwardsi and A. crassipes from the disturbed (i.e., heavily selectively logged) site are lower in 15 N and 13 C relative to P. edwardsi and A. crassipes from sites that were minimally selectively logged or not commercially logged at all. There is a ∼3‰ decrease in 15 N between disturbed and undisturbed sites that corresponds to a difference of nearly a full trophic level. Flowers from Bakerella clavata, a staple food source for P. edwardsi in disturbed habitats and a fallback food for P. edwardsi in primary forests, were also analyzed isotopically. B. clavata is δ15 N-depleted in both disturbed and undisturbed sites. Data from longitudinal behavioral surveys of P. edwardsi in RNP and other forests in eastern Madagascar point to significant differences in consumption patterns of B. clavata, with P. edwardsi in disturbed forests consuming almost twice as much of this plant. Depletion of 15 N in animal tissues is a complex issue, but likely the result of the interaction of physiological and ecological factors. Anthropogenic disturbance in RNP from selective logging has had both biotic and biogeochemical effects that are observable trophically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth McGee
- Department of Biological Sciences, San José State University, San Jose, California
| | - Stanley Vaughn
- College of Science, San José State University, San Jose, California
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Roberts P, Blumenthal SA, Dittus W, Wedage O, Lee-Thorp JA. Stable carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen, isotope analysis of plants from a South Asian tropical forest: Implications for primatology. Am J Primatol 2017; 79. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2016] [Revised: 02/24/2017] [Accepted: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Roberts
- Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History; Jena Germany
- Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art; School of Archaeology; University of Oxford; Oxford UK
| | - Scott A. Blumenthal
- Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art; School of Archaeology; University of Oxford; Oxford UK
| | - Wolfgang Dittus
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute; Conservation Ecology Center; Front Royal Washington D.C
- National Institute of Fundamental Studies; Kandy Sri Lanka
| | - Oshan Wedage
- Department of History and Archaeology; University of Sri Jayewardenepura; Gangodawila Nugegoda Sri Lanka
| | - Julia A. Lee-Thorp
- Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art; School of Archaeology; University of Oxford; Oxford UK
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13
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Bădescu I, Katzenberg MA, Watts DP, Sellen DW. A novel fecal stable isotope approach to determine the timing of age-related feeding transitions in wild infant chimpanzees. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2016; 162:285-299. [PMID: 27768227 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Revised: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Determining nutritional development in wild primates is difficult through observations because confirming dietary intake is challenging. Physiological measures are needed to determine the relative contributions of maternal milk and other foods at different ages, and time of weaning. We used fecal stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ13 C, δ15 N) and fecal nitrogen concentrations (%N) from wild chimpanzees at Ngogo, Uganda, to derive physiological dietary indicators during the transition from total reliance on maternal milk to adult foods after weaning. MATERIALS AND METHODS We analyzed 560 fecal samples collected non-invasively from 48 infants, their mothers, and 6 juvenile siblings. Most infant and juvenile samples (90%) were matched to samples collected from mothers on the same day. Isotopic assessments were compared with observations of nursing and feeding. RESULTS Infants ≤1 year old showed average δ15 N, δ13 C and %N ratios that were 2.0‰, 0.8‰ and 1.3% greater than their mothers, respectively, interpreted as trophic level effects. Although data collected on newborns were few, results suggest that solid foods were consumed within 2-5 months after birth. Trophic level differences decreased steadily after 1 year, which indicates a decreasing relative contribution of milk to the diet. Isotopic results indicated infants were weaned by 4.5 years old-more than a year earlier than observations of nipple contacts ceased, which revealed the occurrence of "comfort nursing." Juvenile isotopic signatures indicate no nursing overlap between siblings. DISCUSSION Our results resemble the stable isotope differences of human babies. This study contributes to a model of chimpanzee nutritional development required to understand early life history patterns in hominins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iulia Bădescu
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 2S2
| | - M Anne Katzenberg
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2N 1N4
| | - David P Watts
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 0511
| | - Daniel W Sellen
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 2S2
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14
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Phillips CA, O'Connell TC. Fecal carbon and nitrogen isotopic analysis as an indicator of diet in Kanyawara chimpanzees, Kibale National Park, Uganda. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2016; 161:685-697. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2016] [Revised: 07/28/2016] [Accepted: 08/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Caroline A. Phillips
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the WitwatersrandWits2050 South Africa
- Department of Archaeology and AnthropologyMcDonald Institute of Archaeological Research, University of CambridgeDowning StreetCambridge CB2 3ER England
| | - Tamsin C. O'Connell
- Department of Archaeology and AnthropologyMcDonald Institute of Archaeological Research, University of CambridgeDowning StreetCambridge CB2 3ER England
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15
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Loudon JE, Sandberg PA, Wrangham RW, Fahey B, Sponheimer M. The stable isotope ecology of Pan in Uganda and beyond. Am J Primatol 2016; 78:1070-85. [PMID: 27188271 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2015] [Revised: 04/05/2016] [Accepted: 04/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Stable isotope analysis has long been used to study the dietary ecology of living and fossil primates, and there has been increasing interest in using stable isotopes to study primate habitat use and anthropogenic impacts on non-human primates. Here, we examine the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) from seven communities in Uganda across a continuum of habitat structure (closed to more open) and access to anthropogenic resources (no reliance to heavy reliance). In general, the hair δ(13) C, but not δ(15) N, values of these communities vary depending on forest structure and degree of anthropogenic influence. When integrated with previously published hair δ(13) C and δ(15) N values for Pan, it is apparent that modern "savanna" and "forest" Pan form discrete clusters in carbon and nitrogen isotope space, although there are exceptions probably relating to microhabitat specialization. The combined dataset also reveals that Pan δ(13) C values (but not δ(15) N values) are inversely related to rainfall (r(2) = 0.62). We converted Pan hair δ(13) C values to enamel equivalents and made comparisons to the fossil hominoids Sivapithecus sp., Gigantopithecus blacki, Ardipithecus ramidus, and Australopithecus anamensis. The δ(13) C values of the fossil hominins Ar. ramidus and Au. anamensis do not cluster with the δ(13) C values of modern Pan in "forest" habitats, or with fossil hominoids that are believed to have inhabited forests. Am. J. Primatol. 78:1070-1085, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- James E Loudon
- Department of Anthropology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina.
| | - Paul A Sandberg
- Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma
| | - Richard W Wrangham
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
| | | | - Matt Sponheimer
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
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16
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Bennett G, Malone M, Sauther ML, Cuozzo FP, White B, Nelson KE, Stumpf RM, Knight R, Leigh SR, Amato KR. Host age, social group, and habitat type influence the gut microbiota of wild ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta). Am J Primatol 2016; 78:883-92. [PMID: 27177345 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22555] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2015] [Revised: 04/09/2016] [Accepted: 04/12/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The gut microbiota contributes to host health by maintaining homeostasis, increasing digestive efficiency, and facilitating the development of the immune system. The composition of the gut microbiota can change dramatically within and between individuals of a species as a result of diet, age, or habitat. Therefore, understanding the factors determining gut microbiota diversity and composition can contribute to our knowledge of host ecology as well as to conservation efforts. Here we use high-throughput sequencing to describe variation in the gut microbiota of the endangered ring-tailed lemur (Lemur catta) at the Bezà Mahafaly Special Reserve (BMSR) in southwestern Madagascar. Specifically, we measured the diversity and composition of the gut microbiota in relation to social group, age, sex, tooth wear and loss, and habitat disturbance. While we found no significant variation in the diversity of the ring-tailed lemur gut microbiota in response to any variable tested, the taxonomic composition of the gut microbiota was influenced by social group, age, and habitat disturbance. However, effect sizes were small and appear to be driven by the presence or absence of relatively low abundance taxa. These results suggest that habitat disturbance may not impact the lemur gut microbiota as strongly as it impacts the gut microbiota of other primate species, highlighting the importance of distinct host ecological and physiological factors on host-gut microbe relationships. Am. J. Primatol. 78:883-892, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Genevieve Bennett
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Matthew Malone
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Michelle L Sauther
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Frank P Cuozzo
- Department of Anthropology, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks, North Dakota
| | - Bryan White
- C.R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | | | - Rebecca M Stumpf
- C.R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
- Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois
| | - Rob Knight
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, California
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California, San Diego, California
| | - Steven R Leigh
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Katherine R Amato
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
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Crowley BE, Reitsema LJ, Oelze VM, Sponheimer M. Advances in primate stable isotope ecology-Achievements and future prospects. Am J Primatol 2015; 78:995-1003. [PMID: 26683892 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Revised: 11/24/2015] [Accepted: 11/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Stable isotope biogeochemistry has been used to investigate foraging ecology in non-human primates for nearly 30 years. Whereas early studies focused on diet, more recently, isotopic analysis has been used to address a diversity of ecological questions ranging from niche partitioning to nutritional status to variability in life history traits. With this increasing array of applications, stable isotope analysis stands to make major contributions to our understanding of primate behavior and biology. Most notably, isotopic data provide novel insights into primate feeding behaviors that may not otherwise be detectable. This special issue brings together some of the recent advances in this relatively new field. In this introduction to the special issue, we review the state of isotopic applications in primatology and its origins and describe some developing methodological issues, including techniques for analyzing different tissue types, statistical approaches, and isotopic baselines. We then discuss the future directions we envision for the field of primate isotope ecology. Am. J. Primatol. 78:995-1003, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke E Crowley
- Departments of Geology and Anthropology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.
| | | | - Vicky M Oelze
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Matt Sponheimer
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
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Oelze VM. Reconstructing temporal variation in great ape and other primate diets: A methodological framework for isotope analyses in hair. Am J Primatol 2015; 78:1004-16. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2014] [Revised: 10/16/2015] [Accepted: 10/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vicky M. Oelze
- Department of Primatology; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig Germany
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Blumenthal SA, Rothman JM, Chritz KL, Cerling TE. Stable isotopic variation in tropical forest plants for applications in primatology. Am J Primatol 2015; 78:1041-54. [PMID: 26444915 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2015] [Revised: 09/23/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Stable isotope analysis is a promising tool for investigating primate ecology although nuanced ecological applications remain challenging, in part due to the complex nature of isotopic variability in plant-animal systems. The aim of this study is to investigate sources of carbon and nitrogen isotopic variation at the base of primate food webs that reflect aspects of primate ecology. The majority of primates inhabit tropical forest ecosystems, which are dominated by C3 vegetation. We used stable isotope ratios in plants from Kibale National Park, Uganda, a well-studied closed-canopy tropical forest, to investigate sources of isotopic variation among C3 plants related to canopy stratification, leaf age, and plant part. Unpredictably, our results demonstrate that vertical stratification within the canopy does not explain carbon or nitrogen isotopic variation in leaves. Leaf age can be a significant source of isotopic variation, although the direction and magnitude of this difference is not consistent across tree species. Some plant parts are clearly differentiated in carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition, particularly leaves compared to non-photosynthetic parts such as reproductive parts and woody stem parts. Overall, variation in the isotopic composition of floral communities, plant species, and plant parts demonstrates that stable isotope studies must include analysis of local plant species and parts consumed by the primates under study from within the study area. Am. J. Primatol. 78:1041-1054, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Scott A Blumenthal
- Department of Anthropology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York. .,New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York. .,Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.
| | - Jessica M Rothman
- Department of Anthropology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, New York.,New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York.,Department of Anthropology, Hunter College, City University of New York, New York, New York
| | - Kendra L Chritz
- Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
| | - Thure E Cerling
- Department of Geology and Geophysics, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah.,Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah
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Abstract
Stable isotope analysis of carbon and nitrogen has revolutionized anthropology's approach and understanding of the evolution of human diet. A baseline comparison across extant nonhuman primates reveals that they all depend on C3 plants in forests, forest patches, and woodlands except during rare seasonal intake, in marginal regions, or where maize fields exist. Even large-bodied hominoids that could theoretically rely on hard-to-digest C4 plants do not do so. Some Plio-Pleistocene hominins, however, apparently relied heavily on C4 and/or CAM plants, which suggests that they relied extensively on cecal-colon microbial fermentation. Neanderthals seem less carnivorous than is often assumed when we compare their δ15Nbone collagen values with those of recent human populations, including recent human foragers who also fall at or near the top of their local trophic system. Finally, the introduction of maize into North America is shown to have been more sporadic and temporally variable than previously assumed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margaret J. Schoeninger
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0532
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Loudon JE, Grobler JP, Sponheimer M, Moyer K, Lorenz JG, Turner TR. Using the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope compositions of vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) to examine questions in ethnoprimatology. PLoS One 2014; 9:e100758. [PMID: 25010211 PMCID: PMC4091945 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0100758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2014] [Accepted: 05/28/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
This study seeks to understand how humans impact the dietary patterns of eight free-ranging vervet monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) groups in South Africa using stable isotope analysis. Vervets are omnivores that exploit a wide range of habitats including those that have been anthropogenically-disturbed. As humans encroach upon nonhuman primate landscapes, human-nonhuman primate interconnections become increasingly common, which has led to the rise of the field of ethnoprimatology. To date, many ethnoprimatological studies have examined human-nonhuman primate associations largely in qualitative terms. By using stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analysis, we use quantitative data to understand the degree to which humans impact vervet monkey dietary patterns. Based on initial behavioral observations we placed the eight groups into three categories of anthropogenic disturbance (low, mid, and high). Using δ13C and δ15N values we estimated the degree to which each group and each anthropogenically-disturbed category was consuming C4 plants (primarily sugar cane, corn, or processed foods incorporating these crops). δ13C values were significantly different between groups and categories of anthropogenic-disturbance. δ15N values were significantly different at the group level. The two vervet groups with the highest consumption of C4 plants inhabited small nature reserves, appeared to interact with humans only sporadically, and were initially placed in the mid level of anthropogenic-disturbance. However, further behavioral observations revealed that the high δ13C values exhibited by these groups were linked to previously unseen raiding of C4 crops. By revealing these cryptic feeding patterns, this study illustrates the utility of stable isotopes analysis for some ethnoprimatological questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- James E. Loudon
- Department of Anthropology, East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - J. Paul Grobler
- Department of Genetics, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
| | - Matt Sponheimer
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Kimberly Moyer
- University of Colorado, Denver, Denver, Colorado, United States of America
| | - Joseph G. Lorenz
- Department of Anthropology, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Trudy R. Turner
- Department of Genetics, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa
- Department of Anthropology, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconisn, United States of America
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Macharia AN, Cerling TE, Jorgensen MJ, Kaplan JR. The Hair-Diet13C and15N Fractionation inChlorocebus aethiops sabaeusBased on a Control Diet Study. ANN ZOOL FENN 2014. [DOI: 10.5735/086.051.0208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Schillaci MA, Castellini JM, Stricker CA, Jones-Engel L, Lee BPYH, O'Hara TM. Variation in hair δ(13)C and δ (15)N values in long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) from Singapore. Primates 2013; 55:25-34. [PMID: 23729223 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-013-0361-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2013] [Accepted: 05/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Much of the primatology literature on stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ(13)C) and nitrogen (δ(15)N) has focused on African and New World species, with comparatively little research published on Asian primates. Here we present hair δ(13)C and δ(15)N isotope values for a sample of 33 long-tailed macaques from Singapore. We evaluate the suggestion by a previous researcher that forest degradation and biodiversity loss in Singapore have led to a decline in macaque trophic level. The results of our analysis indicated significant spatial variability in δ(13)C but not δ(15)N. The range of variation in δ(13)C was consistent with a diet based on C3 resources, with one group exhibiting low values consistent with a closed canopy environment. Relative to other macaque species from Europe and Asia, the macaques from Singapore exhibited a low mean δ(13)C value but mid-range mean δ(15)N value. Previous research suggesting a decline in macaque trophic level is not supported by the results of our study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Schillaci
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON, M1C 1A4, Canada,
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Nakashita R, Hamada Y, Hirasaki E, Suzuki J, Oi T. Characteristics of stable isotope signature of diet in tissues of captive Japanese macaques as revealed by controlled feeding. Primates 2013; 54:271-81. [DOI: 10.1007/s10329-013-0346-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2012] [Accepted: 02/06/2013] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Sandberg PA, Loudon JE, Sponheimer M. Stable isotope analysis in primatology: a critical review. Am J Primatol 2013; 74:969-89. [PMID: 23015270 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Stable isotope analysis has become an important tool in ecology over the last 25 years. A wealth of ecological information is stored in animal tissues in the relative abundances of the stable isotopes of several elements, particularly carbon and nitrogen, because these isotopes navigate through ecological processes in predictable ways. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes have been measured in most primate taxonomic groups and have yielded information about dietary content, dietary variability, and habitat use. Stable isotopes have recently proven useful for addressing more fine-grained questions about niche dynamics and anthropogenic effects on feeding ecology. Here, we discuss stable carbon and nitrogen isotope systematics and critically review the published stable carbon and nitrogen isotope data for modern primates with a focus on the problems and prospects for future stable isotope applications in primatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul A Sandberg
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado at Boulder, 80309-0233, USA.
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26
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Reitsema LJ. Introducing fecal stable isotope analysis in primate weaning studies. Am J Primatol 2012; 74:926-39. [PMID: 22729669 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2011] [Revised: 05/13/2012] [Accepted: 05/14/2012] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
This research investigates the potential of a new, noninvasive method for determining age of weaning among primates using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios in feces. Analysis of stable isotope ratios in body tissues is a well-established method in archeology and ecology for reconstructing diet. This is the first study to investigate weaning in primates using fecal stable isotope ratios. Diets of a single François' langur (Trachypithecus francoisi) mother-infant pair at the Toledo Zoo are reconstructed using this technique to track changes in infant suckling behavior over the weaning period. Stable isotope ratios in feces are sampled instead of more traditional samples such as bone or hair to enable daily, noninvasive snapshots of weaning status. Isotopic assessments of weaning status are compared to visual assessments to identify any discordance between the two. Three measurements documented the transition from breast milk to solid foods: stable carbon isotope ratios (δ(13)C), stable nitrogen isotope ratios (δ(15)N), and nitrogen content of feces (%N). It appears that solid foods were introduced at approximately 2 months of infant age, but that nursing continued into the 12th month, when sample collection ceased. Stable isotope data exposed a much longer weaning period than what was expected based on previously published data for captive langurs, and clarified visual estimates of weaning status. This reflects the method's sensitivity to suckling at night and ability to distinguish actual nursing from comfort nursing. After testing this method with zoo animals, it can readily be applied among wild populations. An isotopic approach to weaning provides a new, accurate, and biologically meaningful assessment of interbirth intervals, and facilitates a better understanding of mother-infant interactions. Both of these outcomes are critical for developing successful conservation strategies for captive and wild primates.
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Crowley BE, Godfrey LR, Guilderson TP, Zermeño P, Koch PL, Dominy NJ. Extinction and ecological retreat in a community of primates. Proc Biol Sci 2012; 279:3597-605. [PMID: 22628463 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2012.0727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The lemurs of Madagascar represent a prodigious adaptive radiation. At least 17 species ranging from 11 to 160 kg have become extinct during the past 2000 years. The effect of this loss on contemporary lemurs is unknown. The concept of competitive release favours the expansion of living species into vacant niches. Alternatively, factors that triggered the extinction of some species could have also reduced community-wide niche breadth. Here, we use radiocarbon and stable isotope data to examine temporal shifts in the niches of extant lemur species following the extinction of eight large-bodied species. We focus on southwestern Madagascar and report profound isotopic shifts, both from the time when now-extinct lemurs abounded and from the time immediately following their decline to the present. Unexpectedly, the past environments exploited by lemurs were drier than the protected (albeit often degraded) riparian habitats assumed to be ideal for lemurs today. Neither competitive release nor niche contraction can explain these observed trends. We develop an alternative hypothesis: ecological retreat, which suggests that factors surrounding extinction may force surviving species into marginal or previously unfilled niches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke E Crowley
- Department of Geology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA.
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29
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Rakotondranary SJ, Struck U, Knoblauch C, Ganzhorn JU. Regional, seasonal and interspecific variation in 15N and 13C in sympatric mouse lemurs. Naturwissenschaften 2011; 98:909-17. [PMID: 21881908 DOI: 10.1007/s00114-011-0840-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2011] [Revised: 08/17/2011] [Accepted: 08/19/2011] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Madagascar provides some of the rare examples where two or more primate species of the same genus and with seemingly identical niche requirements occur in sympatry. If congeneric primate species co-occur in other parts of the world, they differ in size in a way that is consistent with Hutchinson's rule for coexisting species, or they occupy different ecological niches. In some areas of Madagascar, mouse lemurs do not follow these "rules" and thus seem to violate one of the principles of community ecology. In order to understand the mechanisms that allow coexistence of sympatric congeneric species without obvious niche differentiation, we studied food composition of two identical sized omnivorous mouse lemur species, Microcebus griseorufus and M. murinus with the help of stable isotope analyses (δ(15)N and δ(13)C). The two species are closely related sister species. During the rich season, when food seems abundant, the two species do not differ in their nitrogen isotope composition, indicating that the two species occupy the same trophic level. But they differ in their δ(13)C values, indicating that M. griseorufus feeds more on C(4) and CAM (Crassulacean-acid-metabolism) plants than M. murinus. During the lean season, M. murinus has lower δ(15)N values, indicating that the two species feed at different trophic levels during times of food shortage. Hybrids between the two species showed intermediate food composition. The results reflect subtle differences in foraging or metabolic adaptations that are difficult to quantify by traditional observations but that represent possibilities to allow coexistence of species.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Jacques Rakotondranary
- Department of Animal Ecology and Conservation, University of Hamburg, Biozentrum Grindel, Martin-Luther-King Platz 3, 20146, Hamburg, Germany.
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30
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Schurr MR, Fuentes A, Luecke E, Cortes J, Shaw E. Intergroup variation in stable isotope ratios reflects anthropogenic impact on the Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) of Gibraltar. Primates 2011; 53:31-40. [PMID: 21881959 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-011-0268-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2011] [Accepted: 07/11/2011] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Interactions with humans impact many aspects of behavior and ecology in nonhuman primates. Because of the complexities of the human-nonhuman primate interface, methods are needed to quantify the effects of anthropogenic interactions, including their intensity and differential impacts between nonhuman primate groups. Stable isotopes can be used to quickly and economically assess intergroup dietary variation, and provide a framework for the development of specific hypotheses about anthropogenic impact. This study uses stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis to examine intraspecific variation in diet between five groups of Barbary macaques, Macaca sylvanus, in the Upper Rock Nature Reserve, Gibraltar. Analysis of hair from 135 macaques showed significant differences in δ(13)C and δ(15)N values between a group with minimal tourist contact and groups that were main tourist attractions. Because we observed no overt physiological or substantial behavioral differences between the groups, feeding ecology is the most likely cause of any differences in stable isotope ratios. Haphazard provisioning by tourists and Gibraltarians is a likely source of dietary variation between groups. Stable isotope analysis and observational data facilitate a deeper understanding of the feeding ecology of the Barbary macaques relevant to the role of an anthropogenic ecology for the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark R Schurr
- Department of Anthropology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
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Edwards MA, Derocher AE, Hobson KA, Branigan M, Nagy JA. Fast carnivores and slow herbivores: differential foraging strategies among grizzly bears in the Canadian Arctic. Oecologia 2010; 165:877-89. [PMID: 21153738 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-010-1869-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2009] [Accepted: 11/23/2010] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Categorizing animal populations by diet can mask important intrapopulation variation, which is crucial to understanding a species' trophic niche width. To test hypotheses related to intrapopulation variation in foraging or the presence of diet specialization, we conducted stable isotope analysis (δ(13)C, δ(15)N) on hair and claw samples from 51 grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) collected from 2003 to 2006 in the Mackenzie Delta region of the Canadian Arctic. We examined within-population differences in the foraging patterns of males and females and the relationship between trophic position (derived from δ(15)N measurements) and individual movement. The range of δ(15)N values in hair and claw (2.0-11.0‰) suggested a wide niche width and cluster analyses indicated the presence of three foraging groups within the population, ranging from near-complete herbivory to near-complete carnivory. We found no linear relationship between home range size and trophic position when the data were continuous or when grouped by foraging behavior. However, the movement rate of females increased linearly with trophic position. We used multisource dual-isotope mixing models to determine the relative contributions of seven prey sources within each foraging group for both males and females. The mean bear dietary endpoint across all foraging groups for each sex fell toward the center of the mixing polygon, which suggested relatively well-mixed diets. The primary dietary difference across foraging groups was the proportional contribution of herbaceous foods, which decreased for both males and females from 42-76 to 0-27% and 62-81 to 0-44%, respectively. Grizzlies of the Mackenzie Delta live in extremely harsh conditions and identifying within-population diet specialization has improved our understanding of varying habitat requirements within the population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A Edwards
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada.
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Dammhahn M, Kappeler PM. Scramble or contest competition over food in solitarily foraging mouse lemurs (Microcebus spp.): New insights from stable isotopes. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2010; 141:181-9. [PMID: 19591211 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.21129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The relationships between resource distribution, type of competition, and consequences for social organization have been formalized in the socioecological model (SEM) which predicts that ecological factors are the main determinants of female distribution. We tested this basic prediction in two solitary primates (Microcebus berthae and M. murinus) which differ in female association patterns. Using stable nitrogen and carbon isotope data of hair samples and food sources we quantified inter-specific differences in diet. delta(13)C in M. berthae reflected a diet composed mainly of insect secretions. Higher within-species as well as seasonal variation in delta(13)C of M. murinus indicated a wider trophic niche including plant and animal source food. Constantly elevated delta(15)N in M. murinus most likely reflected extended torpor during the lean season. This energy-saving strategy together with a wider, more opportunistic feeding niche might reduce female competition in this species, facilitating smaller female ranges, and a higher association potential. In contrast, delta(15)N fluctuated seasonally in M. berthae, most likely indicating varying amounts of arthropod food in the diet. Intense scramble competition over small and seasonally limited resources might lead to female spatial avoidance and a reduced association potential in M. berthae. Thus, differences in female association patterns between these two solitary foragers are due to different types of competition and overall intensities of intra-specific competition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Dammhahn
- Abteilung Verhaltensökologie & Soziobiologie, Deutsches Primatenzentrum, Göttingen, Germany.
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Scott J, Godfrey L, Jungers W, Scott R, Simons E, Teaford M, Ungar P, Walker A. Dental microwear texture analysis of two families of subfossil lemurs from Madagascar. J Hum Evol 2009; 56:405-16. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2008.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2008] [Revised: 11/03/2008] [Accepted: 11/16/2008] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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