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Robira B, Benhamou S, Obeki Bayanga E, Breuer T, Masi S. Changes in movement patterns in relation to sun conditions and spatial scales in wild western gorillas. Anim Cogn 2024; 27:37. [PMID: 38684551 PMCID: PMC11058680 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-024-01871-9] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
For most primates living in tropical forests, food resources occur in patchworks of different habitats that vary seasonally in quality and quantity. Efficient navigation (i.e., spatial memory-based orientation) towards profitable food patches should enhance their foraging success. The mechanisms underpinning primate navigating ability remain nonetheless mostly unknown. Using GPS long-term tracking (596 days) of one group of wild western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla), we investigated their ability to navigate at long distances, and tested for how the sun was used to navigate at any scale by improving landmark visibility and/or by acting as a compass. Long episodic movements ending at a distant swamp, a unique place in the home range where gorillas could find mineral-rich aquatic plants, were straighter and faster than their everyday foraging movements relying on spatial memory. This suggests intentional targeting of the swamp based on long-distance navigation skills, which can thus be efficient over a couple of kilometres. Interestingly, for both long-distance movements towards the swamp and everyday foraging movements, gorillas moved straighter under sunlight conditions even under a dense vegetation cover. By contrast, movement straightness was not markedly different when the sun elevation was low (the sun azimuth then being potentially usable as a compass) or high (so providing no directional information) and the sky was clear or overcast. This suggests that gorillas navigate their home range by relying on visual place recognition but do not use the sun azimuth as a compass. Like humans, who rely heavily on vision to navigate, gorillas should benefit from better lighting to help them identify landmarks as they move through shady forests. This study uncovers a neglected aspect of primate navigation. Spatial memory and vision might have played an important role in the evolutionary success of diurnal primate lineages.
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Affiliation(s)
- B Robira
- Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive, Université de Montpellier & CNRS, Montpellier, France.
- Eco-Anthropologie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Musée de L'Homme, Paris, France.
| | - S Benhamou
- Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive, Université de Montpellier & CNRS, Montpellier, France
- Associated to Cogitamus Lab,
| | - E Obeki Bayanga
- Congo Program, Mondika Research Center, Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, Wildlife Conservation Society, Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo
| | - T Breuer
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Global Conservation Program, New-York, USA
- World Wide Fund for Nature, Berlin, Germany
| | - S Masi
- Eco-Anthropologie, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique/Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Musée de L'Homme, Paris, France
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2
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Hanzawa M, Morimitsu Y, Owusu EH, Suu-Ire RD, Nakagawa N. Rushing for "burned" food: Why and how does a group of patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas) reach freshly burned areas? Primates 2024; 65:103-113. [PMID: 38319464 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-023-01113-5] [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: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
Recently, considerable attention has been paid to animal adaptations to anthropogenic environments, such as foraging in burned areas where plants are promoted to regenerate by anthropogenic burning. However, among primates, reports on the utilization of resources that are available immediately after burning have been limited to a few primate species. In this study, we investigated and compared the activity budgets and food categories of a group of patas monkeys (Erythrocebus patas) in freshly burned areas by comparing them with those in previously burned areas and unburned areas. We also assessed the proportion of time spent in the freshly burned area before and after the fire: GPS collars were fitted to five of the six adults in the group, and their patterns when they traveled toward freshly burned and unburned feeding areas were compared. Patas monkeys spent more time in freshly burned areas after the fire, and they visited such areas mostly for feeding, particularly on roasted seeds of Cissus populnea. Furthermore, patas monkeys traveled faster and in a more synchronized way toward freshly burned areas. This "apparent goal-directed" travel began at least 1 h before arriving. Results indicate that the group recognized freshly burned areas as valuable, and the monkeys were able to travel in a goal-directed manner to them despite their variable locations. We suggest that smoke from freshly burned areas provides a visual cue with which to orient to the burned areas. Our results also support the notion that some primates are flexible enough to adapt to and benefit from anthropogenic environmental changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maho Hanzawa
- Human Evolution Studies, Department of Zoology, Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwakecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan.
| | - Yoshiki Morimitsu
- Wildlife Management Research Center, Hyogo / Institute of Natural and Environmental Sciences, University of Hyogo, Tanba, Japan
| | - Erasmus H Owusu
- Department of Animal Biology and Conservation Science, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Naofumi Nakagawa
- Human Evolution Studies, Department of Zoology, Division of Biological Science, Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-Oiwakecho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan
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Judson K, Sanz C, Ebombi TF, Massamba JM, Teberd P, Abea G, Mbebouti G, Matoumona JKB, Nkoussou EG, Zambarda A, Brogan S, Stephens C, Morgan D. Socioecological factors influencing intraspecific variation in ranging dynamics of western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) in Ndoki Forest. Am J Primatol 2024; 86:e23586. [PMID: 38151775 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23586] [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: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 12/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
Ranging dynamics are physical and behavioral representations of how different socioecological factors affect an organism's spatial decisions and space use strategies. Western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) are a model species to investigate the drivers of spatial dynamics based on both the natural variation in socioecological factors within the species and compared with their mountain gorilla counterparts. In this study, we evaluate the influences of resource seasonality and social dynamics on variation in home range size, utilization, and intergroup overlap among multiple gorilla groups over an 8-year study period in the northern Republic of Congo. This study shows that western lowland gorillas can have small home ranges comparable to mountain gorillas, rather than universally larger home ranges as previously supposed, and that home ranges are stable through time. The largest source of variation in space use was the degree of intergroup home range overlap. The study groups did not demonstrate intraspecific variation in range size nor changes in intergroup overlap with respect to seasonality of fruit resources, but all groups demonstrated expansion of monthly range and core area with group size, matching predictions of intragroup feeding competition. These findings highlight the potential impact of intergroup relationships on space use and prompt further research on the role of social dynamics in ranging strategies. In this study, we reveal a greater degree of variability and flexibility in gorilla ranging behavior than previously realized which is relevant to improving comparative studies and informing conservation strategies on behalf of these endangered primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Judson
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - Crickette Sanz
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Congo Program, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | | | - Jean Marie Massamba
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Congo Program, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Prospère Teberd
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Congo Program, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Gaston Abea
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Congo Program, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Gaeton Mbebouti
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Congo Program, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | | | | | - Alice Zambarda
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Congo Program, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Sean Brogan
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Congo Program, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Colleen Stephens
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University in Saint Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - David Morgan
- Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Auger C, Cipolletta C, Todd A, Fuh T, Sotto-Mayor A, Pouydebat E, Masi S. Feeling a bit peckish: Seasonal and opportunistic insectivory for wild gorillas. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2023; 182:210-223. [PMID: 37483018 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 06/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Insectivory likely contributed to survival of early humans in diverse conditions and influenced human cognitive evolution through the need to develop harvesting tools. In living primates, insectivory is a widespread behavior and frequently seasonal, although previous studies do not always agree on reasons behind this. Since western gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) diet is largely affected by seasonal variation in fruit availability, we aimed to test three non-mutually exclusive hypotheses (habitat use, frugivory and rainfall) to explain seasonality in termite feeding across age/sex classes in three habituated groups (Nindividuals = 27) in Central Africa. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used 4 years of ranging, scan and continuous focal sampling records of gorillas (Nranging days = 883, Nscans = 12,384; Nhours = 891) in addition to 116 transects recording vegetation and termite mound distribution. RESULTS Depending on the age/sex classes, we found support for all three hypotheses. Time spent in termite-rich vegetation positively impacted termite consumption in all age/sex classes, but subadults. Lengthier travels increased termite feeding in females but decreased it in subadults. Frugivory decreased termite consumption in adults. Daily rainfall had a positive effect on termite feeding and foraging in silverbacks and juveniles, but a negative effect in subadults. For females, rainfall had a positive effect on termite feeding, but a negative effect for termite foraging. DISCUSSION In great apes, seasonal insectivory seems to be multifactorial and primarily opportunistic with important differences among age/sex classes. While insectivory has potentials to be traditional, it likely played a crucial role during primate evolution (including ours), allowing diet flexibility in changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claire Auger
- Éco-Anthropologie, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique: UMR7206, Paris, France
- Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique: UMR7179, Paris, France
| | - Chloé Cipolletta
- Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas, World Wide Fund for Nature, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | - Angelique Todd
- Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas, World Wide Fund for Nature, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | - Terence Fuh
- Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas, World Wide Fund for Nature, Bangui, Central African Republic
| | - Andrea Sotto-Mayor
- Éco-Anthropologie, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique: UMR7206, Paris, France
| | - Emmanuelle Pouydebat
- Mécanismes Adaptatifs et Evolution, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique: UMR7179, Paris, France
| | - Shelly Masi
- Éco-Anthropologie, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique: UMR7206, Paris, France
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Fei H, de Guinea M, Yang L, Garber PA, Zhang L, Chapman CA, Fan P. Wild gibbons plan their travel pattern according to food types of breakfast. Proc Biol Sci 2023; 290:20230430. [PMID: 37192666 PMCID: PMC10188241 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.0430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/25/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Planning for the future is a complex skill that is often considered uniquely human. This cognitive ability has never been investigated in wild gibbons (Hylobatidae). Here we evaluated the movement patterns from sleeping trees to out-of-sight breakfast trees in two groups of endangered skywalker gibbons (Hoolock tianxing). These Asian apes inhabit a cold seasonal montane forest in southwestern China. After controlling for possible confounding variables including group size, sleeping pattern (sleep alone or huddle together), rainfall and temperature, we found that food type (fruits or leaves) of the breakfast tree was the most important factor affecting gibbon movement patterns. Fruit breakfast trees were more distant from sleeping trees compared with leaf trees. Gibbons left sleeping trees and arrived at breakfast trees earlier when they fed on fruits compared with leaves. They travelled fast when breakfast trees were located further away from the sleeping trees. Our study suggests that gibbons had foraging goals in mind and plan their departure times accordingly. This ability may reflect a capacity for route-planning, which would enable them to effectively exploit highly dispersed fruit resources in high-altitude montane forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanlan Fei
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China
- College of Life Science, China West Normal University, Nanchong 637002, People's Republic of China
| | - Miguel de Guinea
- Movement Ecology Lab, Department of Ecology Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silverman Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Li Yang
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China
| | - Paul A. Garber
- Department of Anthropology, Program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
- International Centre of Biodiversity and Primate Conservation, Dali University, Dali 671000, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China
| | - Colin A. Chapman
- Biology Department, Vancouver Island University, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada V9R 5S5
- Wilson Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20004, USA
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg 3209, South Africa
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi'an 710127, People's Republic of China
| | - Pengfei Fan
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, People's Republic of China
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van den Heuvel MP, Ardesch DJ, Scholtens LH, de Lange SC, van Haren NEM, Sommer IEC, Dannlowski U, Repple J, Preuss TM, Hopkins WD, Rilling JK. Human and chimpanzee shared and divergent neurobiological systems for general and specific cognitive brain functions. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2218565120. [PMID: 37216540 PMCID: PMC10235977 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2218565120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
A long-standing topic of interest in human neurosciences is the understanding of the neurobiology underlying human cognition. Less commonly considered is to what extent such systems may be shared with other species. We examined individual variation in brain connectivity in the context of cognitive abilities in chimpanzees (n = 45) and humans in search of a conserved link between cognition and brain connectivity across the two species. Cognitive scores were assessed on a variety of behavioral tasks using chimpanzee- and human-specific cognitive test batteries, measuring aspects of cognition related to relational reasoning, processing speed, and problem solving in both species. We show that chimpanzees scoring higher on such cognitive skills display relatively strong connectivity among brain networks also associated with comparable cognitive abilities in the human group. We also identified divergence in brain networks that serve specialized functions across humans and chimpanzees, such as stronger language connectivity in humans and relatively more prominent connectivity between regions related to spatial working memory in chimpanzees. Our findings suggest that core neural systems of cognition may have evolved before the divergence of chimpanzees and humans, along with potential differential investments in other brain networks relating to specific functional specializations between the two species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martijn P. van den Heuvel
- Department of Complex Traits Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam1081 HV, the Netherlands
- Department of Child Psychiatry, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam1081 HV, the Netherlands
| | - Dirk Jan Ardesch
- Department of Complex Traits Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam1081 HV, the Netherlands
| | - Lianne H. Scholtens
- Department of Complex Traits Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam1081 HV, the Netherlands
| | - Siemon C. de Lange
- Department of Complex Traits Genetics, Center for Neurogenomics and Cognitive Research, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Amsterdam1081 HV, the Netherlands
- Department of Sleep and Cognition, Netherlands Institute for Neuroscience, An institute of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences, Amsterdam1105 BA, the Netherlands
| | - Neeltje E. M. van Haren
- Department of Psychiatry, Brain Center University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht3584 CX, the Netherlands
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam3015 CE, the Netherlands
| | - Iris E. C. Sommer
- Department of Psychiatry, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen9700 RB, the Netherlands
| | - Udo Dannlowski
- Institute for Translational Psychiatry, University of Münster, Münster48149, Germany
| | - Jonathan Repple
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt60438, Germany
| | - Todd M. Preuss
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA30329
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA30307
| | - William D. Hopkins
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Michael E. Keeling Center for Comparative Medicine and Research, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Bastrop, TX77030
| | - James K. Rilling
- Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA30329
- Center for Translational Social Neuroscience, Emory University, Atlanta, GA30329
- Department of Anthropology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA30322
- Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition, Emory University, Atlanta, GA30322
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, GA30322
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Nsekanabo JD, Leeds A, Eckardt W, Tuyisingize D, Nyiramana A, Lukas KE. Distinguishing mobility and immobility when establishing species-specific activity budgets: A case study with gorillas (Gorilla berengei berengei and Gorilla gorilla gorilla). Zoo Biol 2022; 41:503-511. [PMID: 35098583 DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Activity budgets characterize the distribution of behavior over a specified time period. In some cases, having comparable data from free-ranging populations can help inform the management of wildlife in zoos and sanctuaries. For example, although variations exist across subspecies, seasons, and study sites, diurnal activity budgets for free-ranging gorillas largely consist of feeding and resting. Unfortunately, most studies do not consistently differentiate between the type of activities gorillas exhibit while locomoting versus stationary. Therefore, it can be difficult to characterize optimal levels of aerobic activity that might enhance body condition or promote gorilla health in zoos and sanctuaries. In this study, we concurrently measured the mobility state and activity of mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) in Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda. From June to August 2015, behavioral data were collected using group scan sampling with 15-min intervals in two groups (N = 29 gorillas) monitored by the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International. Overall, gorillas spent significantly more time immobile (85.2% of observations) than mobile (14.8%), revealing energy expenditure levels comparable to western lowland gorillas living in zoos. There was no difference in behavioral diversity when gorillas were mobile versus immobile but adult females exhibited substantially less behavioral diversity while immobile than other age-sex classes. There was more diversity in behaviors following the transition from immobile to mobile than vice versa, particularly for adult females. Future studies should concurrently measure mobility state and behavior to improve the precision of activity budget data and serve as a more useful tool for evaluating optimal activity levels for wildlife in human care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean D Nsekanabo
- Karisoke Research Center, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Musanze, Rwanda.,Department of Biology, University of Rwanda, Huye, Rwanda
| | - Austin Leeds
- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Winnie Eckardt
- Karisoke Research Center, Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Musanze, Rwanda
| | | | | | - Kristen E Lukas
- Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.,Department of Biology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Kaczanowska J, Ganglberger F, Chernomor O, Kargl D, Galik B, Hess A, Moodley Y, von Haeseler A, Bühler K, Haubensak W. Molecular archaeology of human cognitive traits. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111287. [PMID: 36044840 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2019] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The brains and minds of our human ancestors remain inaccessible for experimental exploration. Therefore, we reconstructed human cognitive evolution by projecting nonsynonymous/synonymous rate ratios (ω values) in mammalian phylogeny onto the anatomically modern human (AMH) brain. This atlas retraces human neurogenetic selection and allows imputation of ancestral evolution in task-related functional networks (FNs). Adaptive evolution (high ω values) is associated with excitatory neurons and synaptic function. It shifted from FNs for motor control in anthropoid ancestry (60-41 mya) to attention in ancient hominoids (26-19 mya) and hominids (19-7.4 mya). Selection in FNs for language emerged with an early hominin ancestor (7.4-1.7 mya) and was later accompanied by adaptive evolution in FNs for strategic thinking during recent (0.8 mya-present) speciation of AMHs. This pattern mirrors increasingly complex cognitive demands and suggests that co-selection for language alongside strategic thinking may have separated AMHs from their archaic Denisovan and Neanderthal relatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Kaczanowska
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Olga Chernomor
- Center for Integrative Bioinformatics Vienna (CIBIV), Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Dr. Bohr Gasse 9, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Dominic Kargl
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Department of Neuronal Cell Biology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bence Galik
- Bioinformatics and Scientific Computing, Vienna Biocenter Core Facilities (VBCF), Dr. Bohr Gasse 3, 1030 Vienna, Austria
| | - Andreas Hess
- Institute of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Fahrstrasse 17, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Yoshan Moodley
- Department of Zoology, University of Venda, Private Bag X5050, Thohoyandou, Republic of South Africa
| | - Arndt von Haeseler
- Center for Integrative Bioinformatics Vienna (CIBIV), Max Perutz Labs, University of Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Dr. Bohr Gasse 9, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Faculty of Computer Science, University of Vienna, Währinger Str. 29, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Katja Bühler
- VRVis Research Center, Donau-City Strasse 11, 1220 Vienna, Austria
| | - Wulf Haubensak
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna Biocenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-Biocenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Department of Neuronal Cell Biology, Center for Brain Research, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
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Allritz M, Call J, Schweller K, McEwen ES, de Guinea M, Janmaat KRL, Menzel CR, Dolins FL. Chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes) navigate to find hidden fruit in a virtual environment. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2022; 8:eabm4754. [PMID: 35749496 PMCID: PMC9232100 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm4754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Almost all animals navigate their environment to find food, shelter, and mates. Spatial cognition of nonhuman primates in large-scale environments is notoriously difficult to study. Field research is ecologically valid, but controlling confounding variables can be difficult. Captive research enables experimental control, but space restrictions can limit generalizability. Virtual reality technology combines the best of both worlds by creating large-scale, controllable environments. We presented six chimpanzees with a seminaturalistic virtual environment, using a custom touch screen application. The chimpanzees exhibited signature behaviors reminiscent of real-life navigation: They learned to approach a landmark associated with the presence of fruit, improving efficiency over time; they located this landmark from novel starting locations and approached a different landmark when necessary. We conclude that virtual environments can allow for standardized testing with higher ecological validity than traditional tests in captivity and harbor great potential to contribute to longstanding questions in primate navigation, e.g., the use of landmarks, Euclidean maps, or spatial frames of reference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Allritz
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig 04103, Germany
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9JP, UK
| | - Josep Call
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig 04103, Germany
| | - Ken Schweller
- Ape Cognition and Conservation Initiative, Des Moines, IA, USA
| | - Emma S. McEwen
- Department of Comparative Cultural Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig 04103, Germany
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9JP, UK
| | - Miguel de Guinea
- Movement Ecology Lab, Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Edmond J. Safra Campus, Givat Ram, Jerusalem 9190401, Israel
| | - Karline R. L. Janmaat
- Evolutionary and Population Biology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands
- ARTIS Amsterdam Royal Zoo, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Charles R. Menzel
- Language Research Center, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Francine L. Dolins
- Department of Behavioral Sciences, College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters, University of Michigan-Dearborn, Dearborn, MI, USA
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10
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de Chevalier G, Bouret S, Bardo A, Simmen B, Garcia C, Prat S. Cost-Benefit Trade-Offs of Aquatic Resource Exploitation in the Context of Hominin Evolution. Front Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2022.812804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
While the exploitation of aquatic fauna and flora has been documented in several primate species to date, the evolutionary contexts and mechanisms behind the emergence of this behavior in both human and non-human primates remain largely overlooked. Yet, this issue is particularly important for our understanding of human evolution, as hominins represent not only the primate group with the highest degree of adaptedness to aquatic environments, but also the only group in which true coastal and maritime adaptations have evolved. As such, in the present study we review the available literature on primate foraging strategies related to the exploitation of aquatic resources and their putative associated cognitive operations. We propose that aquatic resource consumption in extant primates can be interpreted as a highly site-specific behavioral expression of a generic adaptive foraging decision-making process, emerging in sites at which the local cost-benefit trade-offs contextually favor aquatic over terrestrial foods. Within this framework, we discuss the potential impacts that the unique intensification of this behavior in hominins may have had on the evolution of the human brain and spatial ecology.
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11
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Fei H, de Guinea M, Yang L, Chapman CA, Fan P. Where to sleep next? Evidence for spatial memory associated with sleeping sites in Skywalker gibbons (Hoolock tianxing). Anim Cogn 2022; 25:891-903. [PMID: 35099623 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-022-01600-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Finding suitable sleeping sites is highly advantageous but challenging for wild animals. While suitable sleeping sites provide protection against predators and enhance sleep quality, these sites are heterogeneously distributed in space. Thus, animals may generate memories associated with suitable sleeping sites to be able to approach them efficiently when needed. Here, we examined traveling trajectories (i.e., direction, linearity, and speed of traveling) in relation to sleeping sites to assess whether Skywalker gibbons (Hoolock tianxing) use spatial memory to locate sleeping trees. Our results show that about 30% of the sleeping trees were efficiently revisited by gibbons and the recursive use of trees was higher than a randomly simulated visiting pattern. When gibbons left the last feeding tree for the day, they traveled in a linear fashion to sleeping sites out-of-sight (> 40 m away), and linearity of travel to sleeping trees out-of-sight was higher than 0.800 for all individuals. The speed of the traveling trajectories to sleeping sites out-of-sight increased not only as sunset approached, but also when daily rainfall increased. These results suggest that gibbons likely optimized their trajectories to reach sleeping sites under increasing conditions of predatory risk (i.e., nocturnal predators) and uncomfortable weather. Our study provides novel evidence on the use of spatial memory to locate sleeping sites through analyses of movement patterns, which adds to an already extensive body of literature linking cognitive processes and sleeping patterns in human and non-human animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanlan Fei
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.,College of Life Science, China West Normal University, Nanchong, 637002, China
| | - Miguel de Guinea
- Movement Ecology Laboratory, Department of Ecology Evolution and Behavior, Alexander Silverman Institute of Life Science, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 91904, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Li Yang
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Colin A Chapman
- Wilson Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20004, USA.,Department of Anthropology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20037, USA.,School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, 3209, South Africa.,Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi'an, 710127, China
| | - Pengfei Fan
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
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12
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de Guinea M, Estrada A, Nekaris KAI, Van Belle S. Cognitive maps in the wild: revealing the use of metric information in black howler monkey route navigation. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:271801. [PMID: 34384101 PMCID: PMC8380465 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
When navigating, wild animals rely on internal representations of the external world – called ‘cognitive maps’ – to take movement decisions. Generally, flexible navigation is hypothesized to be supported by sophisticated spatial skills (i.e. Euclidean cognitive maps); however, constrained movements along habitual routes are the most commonly reported navigation strategy. Even though incorporating metric information (i.e. distances and angles between locations) in route-based cognitive maps would likely enhance an animal's navigation efficiency, there has been no evidence of this strategy reported for non-human animals to date. Here, we examined the properties of the cognitive map used by a wild population of primates by testing a series of cognitive hypotheses against spatially explicit movement simulations. We collected 3104 h of ranging and behavioural data on five groups of black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) at Palenque National Park, Mexico, from September 2016 through August 2017. We simulated correlated random walks mimicking the ranging behaviour of the study subjects and tested for differences between observed and simulated movement patterns. Our results indicated that black howler monkeys engaged in constrained movement patterns characterized by a high path recursion tendency, which limited their capacity to travel in straight lines and approach feeding trees from multiple directions. In addition, we found that the structure of observed route networks was more complex and efficient than simulated route networks, suggesting that black howler monkeys incorporate metric information into their cognitive map. Our findings not only expand the use of metric information during route navigation to non-human animals, but also highlight the importance of considering efficient route-based navigation as a cognitively demanding mechanism. Highlighted Article: Black howler monkeys rely on route-based cognitive maps, which constrain their movement decisions, but likely incorporate metric information to navigate more efficiently along frequently used routes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel de Guinea
- School of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK.,Movement Ecology Lab, Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91904, Israel
| | - Alejandro Estrada
- Institute of Biology, National Autonomous University of Mexico, CP 04510 Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Sarie Van Belle
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA
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13
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Janmaat KRL, de Guinea M, Collet J, Byrne RW, Robira B, van Loon E, Jang H, Biro D, Ramos-Fernández G, Ross C, Presotto A, Allritz M, Alavi S, Van Belle S. Using natural travel paths to infer and compare primate cognition in the wild. iScience 2021; 24:102343. [PMID: 33997670 PMCID: PMC8101046 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2021.102343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Within comparative psychology, the evolution of animal cognition is typically studied either by comparing indirect measures of cognitive abilities (e.g., relative brain size) across many species or by conducting batteries of decision-making experiments among (typically) a few captive species. Here, we propose a third, complementary approach: inferring and comparing cognitive abilities through observational field records of natural information gradients and the associated variation in decision-making outcomes, using the ranging behavior of wild animals. To demonstrate the feasibility of our proposal, we present the results of a global survey assessing the availability of long-term ranging data sets from wild primates and the willingness of primatologists to share such data. We explore three ways in which such ranging data, with or without the associated behavioral and ecological data often collected by primatologists, might be used to infer and compare spatial cognition. Finally, we suggest how ecological complexity may be best incorporated into comparative analyses. Comparing animal ranging decisions in natural habitats has untapped potential How decisions vary with natural information gradients reveals wild animal cognition Ranging data on at least 164 populations of 105 wild primate species are available We present three thought analyses to compare cognition and explain its evolution
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Affiliation(s)
- Karline R L Janmaat
- Evolutionary and Population Biology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.,Department of Cognitive Psychology, Faculty of Social Sciences, Leiden University, Leiden, the Netherlands.,ARTIS Amsterdam Royal zoo, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Miguel de Guinea
- Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK
| | - Julien Collet
- Oxford Navigation Group, Department of Zoology, Oxford University, Oxford, UK
| | - Richard W Byrne
- Centre for Social Learning and Cognitive Evolution, School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrew, UK.,Scottish Primate Research Group, Scotland, UK
| | - Benjamin Robira
- Centre d'Écologie Fonctionnelle et Évolutive, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Eco-anthropologie, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Emiel van Loon
- Theoretical and Computational Ecology, Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Haneul Jang
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Dora Biro
- Oxford Navigation Group, Department of Zoology, Oxford University, Oxford, UK.,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, University of Rochester, Rochester, USA
| | - Gabriel Ramos-Fernández
- Department of Mathematical Modelling of Social Systems, Institute for Research on Applied Mathematics and Systems, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico.,Center for Complexity Sciences, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Cody Ross
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andrea Presotto
- Department of Geography and Geosciences, Salisbury University, Salisbury, MA, USA
| | - Matthias Allritz
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, Scotland, UK
| | - Shauhin Alavi
- Department for the Ecology of Animal Societies, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behaviour, Konstanz, Germany.,Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany.,Department of Biology, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Sarie Van Belle
- Department of Anthropology, University of Austin at Texas, Austin, TX, USA
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van der Hoek Y, Binyinyi E, Ngobobo U, Stoinski TS, Caillaud D. Daily Travel Distances of Unhabituated Grauer's Gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri) in a Low Elevation Forest. Folia Primatol (Basel) 2021; 92:112-125. [PMID: 33756464 DOI: 10.1159/000514626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
To accurately determine the space use of animals, we need to follow animal movements over prolonged periods, which is especially challenging for the critically endangered Grauer's gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri) in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). As a consequence, we know little about Grauer's gorillas, particularly from the lower elevational parts of their range. Between 2016 and 2018, we tracked unhabituated Grauer's gorillas in lowland forests (500-1,000 m a.s.l.), at the community-managed Nkuba Conservation Area in Nord Kivu (DRC) to provide estimates of daily travel distances (DTD), daily displacement distances (DDD), and the linearity of recorded paths expressed as the Linearity Index (LI): DDD/DTD. We found an average DTD of ∼1.3 km (range 0.05-5.0 km), with temporal variation among monthly averages; specifically, an increase in travel distance over the June-August dry season resulting in peak travel distances at the beginning of the September-December wet season. Daily displacements showed similar temporal variation, which resulted in a lack of obvious temporal patterns in LI. We conclude that the movement patterns of Grauer's gorillas in lowland forests, which are characterized by larger DTD than those of Grauer's gorillas that inhabit highland habitats, show similarity to travel distances of other predominantly frugivorous gorillas. Moreover, the observed temporal patterns in space use may be tentatively linked to temporal changes in fruit availability or consumption. These observations have consequences for our understanding of the ecological role that Grauer's gorillas play and provide baseline data to estimate current and future distributions, abundances, and carrying capacities of this highly threatened animal.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Urbain Ngobobo
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Musanze, Rwanda
| | | | - Damien Caillaud
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, California, USA
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15
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Abreu F, Garber PA, Souto A, Presotto A, Schiel N. Navigating in a challenging semiarid environment: the use of a route-based mental map by a small-bodied neotropical primate. Anim Cogn 2021; 24:629-643. [PMID: 33394185 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-020-01465-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 12/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
To increase efficiency in the search for resources, many animals rely on their spatial abilities. Specifically, primates have been reported to use mostly topological and rarely Euclidean maps when navigating in large-scale space. Here, we aimed to investigate if the navigation of wild common marmosets inhabiting a semiarid environment is consistent with a topological representation and how environmental factors affect navigation. We collected 497 h of direct behavioral and GPS information on a group of marmosets using a 2-min instantaneous focal animal sampling technique. We found that our study group reused not only long-route segments (mean of 1007 m) but entire daily routes, a pattern that is not commonly seen in primates. The most frequently reused route segments were the ones closer to feeding sites, distant to resting sites, and in areas sparse in tree vegetation. We also identified a total of 56 clustered direction change points indicating that the group modified their direction of travel. These changes in direction were influenced by their close proximity to resting and feeding sites. Despite our small sample size, the obtained results are important and consistent with the contention that common marmosets navigate using a topological map that seems to benefit these animals in response to the exploitation of clustered exudate trees. Based on our findings, we hypothesize that the Caatinga landscape imposes physical restrictions in our group's navigation such as gaps in vegetation, small trees and xerophytic plants. This study, based on preliminary evidence, raises the question of whether navigation patterns are an intrinsic characteristic of a species or are ecologically dependent and change according to the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa Abreu
- Department of Biology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, R. Dom Manuel de Medeiros, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil.
| | - Paul A Garber
- Department of Anthropology, Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Antonio Souto
- Department of Zoology, Federal University of Pernambuco, Av. Professor Moraes Rego, 1235, Recife, PE, 50670-901, Brazil
| | - Andrea Presotto
- Department of Geography and Geosciences, Salisbury University, Salisbury, USA
| | - Nicola Schiel
- Department of Biology, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, R. Dom Manuel de Medeiros, s/n, Dois Irmãos, Recife, PE, 52171-900, Brazil
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16
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Seiler N, Robbins MM. Ecological correlates of space use patterns in wild western lowland gorillas. Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23168. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 06/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Seiler
- Department of Primatology Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig Germany
| | - Martha M. Robbins
- Department of Primatology Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig Germany
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