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Debetencourt B, Barry MM, Arandjelovic M, Stephens C, Maldonado N, Boesch C. Camera traps unveil demography, social structure, and home range of six unhabituated Western chimpanzee groups in the Moyen Bafing National Park, Guinea. Am J Primatol 2024; 86:e23578. [PMID: 37985945 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23578] [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: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Precise estimates of population dynamics and social grouping patterns are required for effective conservation of wild animal populations. It is difficult to obtain such information on non-human great apes as they have slow reproductive rates. To gain a better understanding of demography in these populations, previous research has typically involved habituation\, a process that requires years. Here, we collected data continuously over year-long periods to monitor an unhabituated population of critically endangered Western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) in the Moyen Bafing National Park, Guinea. We used two arrays of 100 camera traps that were placed opportunistically in two distinct 100 km2 sites, named Bakoun and Koukoutamba. We identified 227 individuals in Bakoun and 207 in Koukoutamba through their unique facial features. Our camera trap data make clear that these individuals belong to six and seven closed groups, respectively. Six of those groups were near-completely sampled with an average minimum size of 46.8 individuals (range: 37-58), and a mean adult sex ratio of 1.32 (range: 0.93-2.10). We described the demographic composition of these groups and use Bayesian social network analysis to understand population structure. The network analyses suggested that the social bonds within the two populations were structured by sex homophily, with male chimpanzees being more or equally likely to be observed together than other adult associations. Through estimation of minimum convex polygons, we described the minimum home range for those groups. Compared to other chimpanzee groups living in a similar environment (mosaic savanna-forest), the Moyen Bafing region seems to host a high-density of chimpanzees with small home ranges for their group size. Our research highlights the potential of camera traps for studying the demographic composition of chimpanzee populations with high resolution and obtaining crucial information on several groups in a time-efficient and cost-effective way.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin Debetencourt
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA), Leipzig, Germany
- Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mamadou Moussa Barry
- Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mimi Arandjelovic
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA), Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Colleen Stephens
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nuria Maldonado
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christophe Boesch
- Department of Primate Behavior and Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI-EVA), Leipzig, Germany
- Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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Koops K, Humle T, Frandsen P, Fitzgerald M, D'Auvergne L, Jackson HA, Børsting C, Siegismund HR, Soumah AG, Hvilsom C. Genetics as a novel tool in mining impact assessment and biomonitoring of critically endangered western chimpanzees in the Nimba Mountains, Guinea. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Kathelijne Koops
- Ape Behaviour & Ecology Group, Department of Evolutionary Anthropology University of Zurich Zurich Switzerland
- Department of Archaeology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
| | - Tatyana Humle
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation University of Kent Kent UK
| | - Peter Frandsen
- Research and Conservation Copenhagen Zoo Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Maegan Fitzgerald
- Department of Ecology and Conservation Biology Texas A&M University College Station Texas USA
| | - Lucy D'Auvergne
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation University of Kent Kent UK
| | - Hazel A. Jackson
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology, School of Anthropology and Conservation University of Kent Kent UK
| | - Claus Børsting
- Department of Forensic Medicine University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
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Sun P, Umuntunundi P, Wronski T. Species richness, relative abundance and occupancy of ground-dwelling mammals denote the ineffectiveness of chimpanzee as flagship species. Mamm Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s42991-022-00289-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
AbstractIn conservation biology, flagship species are defined as species that can raise support for biodiversity conservation in a given place or social context. In the newly established Gishwati–Mukura National Park in Rwanda, the Eastern chimpanzee was considered such an ambassador. To test whether the flagship species concept was effective in the park, we studied species richness, relative abundance, and species distribution (occupancy) of medium- to large-sized, ground-dwelling mammals using camera trapping technology. The impact of three environmental and three anthropogenic variables on species distribution was investigated and the ecological diversity of the fauna in the national park assessed. Over a period of 9 months, two 4 × 4 camera trapping grids were deployed in Gishwati and Mukura Forest. Sampling effort in each forest equated to 32 and 29 camera trapping locations, yielding 258 and 242 independent photographic events of eight and six species, respectively. In both forests, the Emin's giant poached rat was the most frequently encountered species, while all other species showed high relative abundance only in Gishwati Forest. The relative abundance of the endangered Eastern chimpanzee in Gishwati Forest was 0.54, the estimated occupancy was 0.31. Single-species, single-season occupancy models revealed that forest cover, altitude and distance to forest edge influenced the detectability of L'Hoest's monkey and squirrel species, while no effect was found on their occupancy. Notably, no larger herbivore or carnivore species were observed in the park, while the flagship species, i.e., the Eastern chimpanzee, was relatively abundant. Moreover, in both forests, all detected carnivores were small- to medium-sized, suggesting a meso-predator release phenomenon, i.e., populations of medium-sized predators increased after the removal of larger, top carnivores, due to relaxed competition. It appears that the prioritization of the flagship species resulted in the neglect of other mammalian species, leading eventually into the demise of entire functional guilds. Based on these results, the Gishwati–Mukura NP was categorized as a ‘depleted forest’. We, therefore, strongly object chimpanzees as a suitable flagship species—at least in the Gishwati–Mukura NP—and recommend collating more knowledge on the release of meso-predators and the loss of forest ungulates to improve their future conservation in Afro-montane forest habitats.
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Tuyisingize D, Eckardt W, Caillaud D, Ngabikwiye M, Kaplin BA. Forest Landscape Restoration Contributes to the Conservation of Primates in the Gishwati-Mukura Landscape, Rwanda. INT J PRIMATOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-022-00303-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Rundus A, Chancellor R, Nyandwi S, Johnston A. Factors Influencing Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) Crop Foraging in Farmland Outside of Gishwati Forest, Rwanda. INT J PRIMATOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-022-00291-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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Abstract
Abstract
Habitat loss and fragmentation are major threats to primate populations globally. The Endangered golden monkey Cercopithecus mitis kandti is only found in two small forest fragments: the Virunga massif in Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the Gishwati Forest in Rwanda. Little is known about the abundance and distribution of this subspecies, or threats to its survival. During 2007–2018, we collected data along 893.7 km of line transects and 354.2 km of recce trails in Volcanoes National Park and in Gishwati–Mukura National Park to estimate golden monkey density and examine any threats. In Volcanoes National Park, golden monkeys were found almost exclusively in the bamboo zone, and in Gishwati–Mukura National Park they occurred only in the remnant tropical montane Gishwati Forest. In Volcanoes National Park, density was estimated to be 7.89 (95% CI: 3.85–16.19), 5.41 (2.64–11.08), and 5.47 (3.68–8.14) groups per km2 in 2007, 2011 and 2017–2018, respectively. This corresponds to a total of 4,331 individuals (95% CI: 2,723–5,938) in 2007, 4,487 (2,903–6,071) in 2011 and 4,626 (4,165–5,088) in 2017–2018. In Gishwati Forest, group density averaged 1.98 (95% CI: 1.27–3.16) per km2, corresponding to 172 (95% CI: 154–190) individuals in 2017–2018. Survey results from Volcanoes National Park suggest that the golden monkey population has been stable during 2007–2018. Limited habitat, illegal activities such as harvesting of bamboo and firewood, and the presence of feral dogs, threaten the golden monkey in Rwanda and require continued monitoring. The development of a conservation action plan is a priority to protect this species.
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Soil-litter ant (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) community response to reforested lands of Gishwati tropical montane forest, northern-western part of Rwanda. JOURNAL OF TROPICAL ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1017/s0266467421000237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
AbstractRecently, human activities have impacted biodiversity-rich forest in western Rwanda, creating a need to enhance restoration activities of degraded lands in the region. To evaluate the effects of reforestation activities on the community composition of soil-litter ants, research was conducted in Gishwati tropical montane forest, located in northern-western part of Rwanda. The ant fauna was studied in reforested lands dominated by regenerated native species and exotic tree species. Further, a primary forest made of native trees served as a reference. In each forest type, nine sampling points were used to sample ants. Ant specimens were collected using pitfalls, hand sampling and Winkler extractor. They were identified to subfamilies, genus and species levels using dichotomous keys, and also statistically analysed for species richness, diversity, evenness and community composition. We collected a total of 2,481 individuals from 5 subfamilies, 18 genera and 35 species. Higher abundance, diversity and species richness were found in soil-litter under natural primary and secondary forests dominated by regenerated native plant species compared to exotic tree forest. The ant community composition analysis indicated higher similarities in ant species sampled under primary native forest and secondary forest dominated by regenerated native species. Reforestation by regenerating native species may be given priority in restoration of degraded lands due to their importance in species richness and species diversity.
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Lester JD, Vigilant L, Gratton P, McCarthy MS, Barratt CD, Dieguez P, Agbor A, Álvarez-Varona P, Angedakin S, Ayimisin EA, Bailey E, Bessone M, Brazzola G, Chancellor R, Cohen H, Danquah E, Deschner T, Egbe VE, Eno-Nku M, Goedmakers A, Granjon AC, Head J, Hedwig D, Hernandez-Aguilar RA, Jeffery KJ, Jones S, Junker J, Kadam P, Kaiser M, Kalan AK, Kehoe L, Kienast I, Langergraber KE, Lapuente J, Laudisoit A, Lee K, Marrocoli S, Mihindou V, Morgan D, Muhanguzi G, Neil E, Nicholl S, Orbell C, Ormsby LJ, Pacheco L, Piel A, Robbins MM, Rundus A, Sanz C, Sciaky L, Siaka AM, Städele V, Stewart F, Tagg N, Ton E, van Schijndel J, Vyalengerera MK, Wessling EG, Willie J, Wittig RM, Yuh YG, Yurkiw K, Zuberbuehler K, Boesch C, Kühl HS, Arandjelovic M. Recent genetic connectivity and clinal variation in chimpanzees. Commun Biol 2021; 4:283. [PMID: 33674780 PMCID: PMC7935964 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01806-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Much like humans, chimpanzees occupy diverse habitats and exhibit extensive behavioural variability. However, chimpanzees are recognized as a discontinuous species, with four subspecies separated by historical geographic barriers. Nevertheless, their range-wide degree of genetic connectivity remains poorly resolved, mainly due to sampling limitations. By analyzing a geographically comprehensive sample set amplified at microsatellite markers that inform recent population history, we found that isolation by distance explains most of the range-wide genetic structure of chimpanzees. Furthermore, we did not identify spatial discontinuities corresponding with the recognized subspecies, suggesting that some of the subspecies-delineating geographic barriers were recently permeable to gene flow. Substantial range-wide genetic connectivity is consistent with the hypothesis that behavioural flexibility is a salient driver of chimpanzee responses to changing environmental conditions. Finally, our observation of strong local differentiation associated with recent anthropogenic pressures portends future loss of critical genetic diversity if habitat fragmentation and population isolation continue unabated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jack D Lester
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Linda Vigilant
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Paolo Gratton
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Maureen S McCarthy
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christopher D Barratt
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Paula Dieguez
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Anthony Agbor
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Paula Álvarez-Varona
- Jane Goodall Institute Spain and Senegal, Dindefelo Biological Station, Dindefelo, Kedougou, Senegal
| | - Samuel Angedakin
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Emma Bailey
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mattia Bessone
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gregory Brazzola
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Rebecca Chancellor
- West Chester University, Depts of Anthropology & Sociology and Psychology, West Chester, PA, USA
| | - Heather Cohen
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Emmanuel Danquah
- Department of Wildlife and Range Management, Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Tobias Deschner
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Villard Ebot Egbe
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | | | | | - Anne-Céline Granjon
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Josephine Head
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Daniela Hedwig
- Elephant Listening Project, Center for Conservation Bioacoustics, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - R Adriana Hernandez-Aguilar
- Jane Goodall Institute Spain and Senegal, Dindefelo Biological Station, Dindefelo, Kedougou, Senegal
- Department of Social Psychology and Quantitative Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Kathryn J Jeffery
- Biological and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Sorrel Jones
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Jessica Junker
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Michael Kaiser
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ammie K Kalan
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Laura Kehoe
- Wild Chimpanzee Foundation (WCF), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ivonne Kienast
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kevin E Langergraber
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, 900 Cady Mall, Tempe, AZ 85287 Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Juan Lapuente
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
- Comoé Chimpanzee Conservation Project, Comoé National Park, Kakpin, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Anne Laudisoit
- Ecohealth Alliance, New York, NY, USA
- University of Antwerp, Campus Drie Eiken, lokaal D.133, Universiteitsplein 1 - 2610, Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Kevin Lee
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sergio Marrocoli
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Vianet Mihindou
- Agence National des Parcs Nationaux (ANPN) Batterie 4, Libreville, Gabon
- Ministère des Eaux, des Forêts, de la Mer, de l'Environnement, Chargé du Plan Climat, des Objectifs de Développement Durable et du Plan d'Affectation des Terres, Libreville, Gabon
| | - David Morgan
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL, USA
| | | | - Emily Neil
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sonia Nicholl
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | | | - Lucy Jayne Ormsby
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Liliana Pacheco
- Jane Goodall Institute Spain and Senegal, Dindefelo Biological Station, Dindefelo, Kedougou, Senegal
| | - Alex Piel
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Martha M Robbins
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Aaron Rundus
- West Chester University, Department of Psychology, West Chester, PA, USA
| | - Crickette Sanz
- Washington University in Saint Louis, Department of Anthropology, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO, USA
- Wildlife Conservation Society, Congo Program, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo
| | - Lilah Sciaky
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alhaji M Siaka
- National Protected Area Authority, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Veronika Städele
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Fiona Stewart
- School of Biological & Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Nikki Tagg
- KMDA, Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Els Ton
- Chimbo Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | | | | | - Erin G Wessling
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jacob Willie
- KMDA, Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Roman M Wittig
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Yisa Ginath Yuh
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kyle Yurkiw
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
- Pan Verus Project Outamba-Kilimi National Park, Freetown, Sierra Leone
| | - Klaus Zuberbuehler
- Budongo Conservation Field Station, Masindi, Uganda
- Université de Neuchâtel, Institut de Biologie, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Christophe Boesch
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hjalmar S Kühl
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mimi Arandjelovic
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology (MPI EVAN), Leipzig, Germany.
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Chancellor R, Rundus A, Nyiratuza M, Nyandwi S, Aimable T. Community-based conservation and chimpanzee research in Gishwati forest, Rwanda. Am J Primatol 2020; 83:e23195. [PMID: 33016499 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
As great ape populations around the world continue to decline, largely due to anthropogenic activities, conservation programs aimed at supporting these efforts have had mixed success. Here, we evaluate our community-based conservation program in Gishwati forest, Rwanda, aimed at helping to restore biodiversity and ecosystem services using chimpanzees as a flagship species. We examine the effectiveness of this program on reducing one of the ongoing threats to Gishwati's population of chimpanzees, illegal cattle grazing as well as the program's influence on the size of the chimpanzee population. We monitored illegal cattle grazing during several study periods between 2009 and 2019 in Gishwati forest following the implementation of our conservation program in 2008 that included law enforcement, community engagement, and research components. We found that when our conservation program was active, illegal cattle grazing was reduced to low levels. We also observed an increase in the chimpanzee population size during the 11 years since we started our conservation program. We examine how this reduction in cattle grazing and increase in chimpanzee population size may have been influenced by our community-centered approach and discuss the future of our conservation work in Gishwati.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca Chancellor
- Department of Anthropology and Sociology, West Chester University, West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA.,Department of Psychology, West Chester University, West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Aaron Rundus
- Department of Psychology, West Chester University, West Chester, Pennsylvania, USA
| | | | - Sylvain Nyandwi
- Forest of Hope Association, Gisenyi, Rwanda.,Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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Classifying Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) Landscapes Across Large-Scale Environmental Gradients in Africa. INT J PRIMATOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-020-00164-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
AbstractPrimates are sometimes categorized in terms of their habitat. Although such categorization can be oversimplistic, there are scientific benefits from the clarity and consistency that habitat categorization can bring. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) inhabit various environments, but researchers often refer to “forest” or “savanna” chimpanzees. Despite the wide use of this forest–savanna distinction, clear definitions of these landscapes for chimpanzees, based on environmental variables at study sites or determined in relation to existing bioclimatic classifications, are lacking. The robustness of the forest–savanna distinction thus remains to be assessed. We review 43 chimpanzee study sites to assess how the landscape classifications of researchers fit with the environmental characteristics of study sites and with three bioclimatic classifications. We use scatterplots and principal components analysis to assess the distribution of chimpanzee field sites along gradients of environmental variables (temperature, rainfall, precipitation seasonality, forest cover, and satellite-derived Hansen tree cover). This revealed an environmental continuum of chimpanzee study sites from savanna to dense forest, with a rarely acknowledged forest mosaic category in between, but with no natural separation into these three classes and inconsistencies with the bioclimatic classifications assessed. The current forest–savanna dichotomy therefore masks a progression of environmental adaptation for chimpanzees, and we propose that recognizing an additional, intermediate “forest mosaic” category is more meaningful than focusing on the ends of this environmental gradient only. Future studies should acknowledge this habitat continuum, place their study sites on the forest–savanna gradient, and include detailed environmental data to support further attempts at quantification.
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11
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Zhang M, Wei M, Dong Z, Duan H, Mao S, Feng S, Li W, Sun Z, Li J, Yan K, Liu H, Meng X, Ge H. Fecal DNA isolation and degradation in clam Cyclina sinensis: noninvasive DNA isolation for conservation and genetic assessment. BMC Biotechnol 2019; 19:99. [PMID: 31856784 PMCID: PMC6923993 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-019-0595-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 12/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background To avoid destructive sampling for conservation and genetic assessment, we isolated the DNA of clam Cyclina sinensis from their feces. DNA electrophoresis and PCR amplification were used to determine the quality of fecal DNA. And we analyzed the effects of different conditions on the degradation of feces and fecal DNA. Results The clear fecal DNA bands were detected by electrophoresis, and PCR amplification using clam fecal DNA as template was effective and reliable, suggesting that clam feces can be used as an ideal material for noninvasive DNA isolation. In addition, by analyzing the effects of different environmental temperatures and soaking times on the degradation of feces and fecal DNA, we found that the optimum temperature was 4 °C. In 15 days, the feces maintained good texture, and the quality of fecal DNA was good. At 28 °C, the feces degraded in 5 days, and the quality of fecal DNA was poor. Conclusions The clam feces can be used as an ideal material for noninvasive DNA isolation. Moreover, the quality of fecal DNA is negatively correlated with environmental temperature and soaking time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, 222005, Jiangsu, China
| | - Min Wei
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, 222005, Jiangsu, China.,Co-Innovation Center of Jiangsu Marine Bio-industry Technology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, 222005, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zhiguo Dong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, 222005, Jiangsu, China. .,Co-Innovation Center of Jiangsu Marine Bio-industry Technology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, 222005, Jiangsu, China.
| | - Haibao Duan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, 222005, Jiangsu, China
| | - Shuang Mao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, 222005, Jiangsu, China
| | - Senlei Feng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, 222005, Jiangsu, China
| | - Wenqian Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, 222005, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zepeng Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, 222005, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jiawei Li
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, 222005, Jiangsu, China
| | - Kanglu Yan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, 222005, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hao Liu
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, 222005, Jiangsu, China
| | - Xueping Meng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, 222005, Jiangsu, China
| | - Hongxing Ge
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, 222005, Jiangsu, China.,Co-Innovation Center of Jiangsu Marine Bio-industry Technology, Jiangsu Ocean University, Lianyungang, 222005, Jiangsu, China
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Clay N. Fixing the ecosystem: Conservation, crisis and capital in Rwanda's Gishwati Forest. ENVIRONMENT AND PLANNING. E, NATURE AND SPACE 2019; 2:23-46. [PMID: 32656493 PMCID: PMC7324153 DOI: 10.1177/2514848619826576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Conservation-development projects are increasingly enacted across large expanses of land where human livelihoods hang in the balance. Recent initiatives-often called 'landscape approaches' or 'ecosystem-based' conservation-aim to achieve economic development and conservation goals through managing hybrid spaces. I argue that the landscape/ecosystem approach is a socioecological fix: an effort to resolve social-environmental crises through sinking capital (financial, natural, and social) into an imagined ecosystem. Rwanda's Gishwati Forest has been the locus of diverse crises and fixes over the past 40 years, including an industrial forestry and dairy project, a refugee settlement, a privately managed chimpanzee sanctuary, a carbon sequestration platform, and, most recently, an "integrated silvo-pastoral conservation landscape." This paper considers how these governance schemes have intersected with broader processes of agrarian change to generate crises that subsequent conservation/development projects then attempt to resolve. I demonstrate how visions for ecosystems privilege certain forms of governance around which imagined socioecological histories are mobilized to frame problems and legitimize certain solutions, technologies, and actors. The Gishwati ecosystem and its fixes are repeatedly defined through an imaginary of crisis and degradation that engenders large-scale landscape modification while foreclosing reflection about root causes of crises or how these might be addressed. Thus, even while conservation/development paradigms have shifted over the past 40 years (from separating people and nature to integrating them in conservation landscapes), this crisis-fix metabolism has consistently generated livelihood insecurity for the tens of thousands of people living in and around Gishwati. Imagining and enacting more just and inclusive social-environmental landscapes will require making space for diverse voices to define ecosystem form and function as well as addressing deeply rooted power imbalances that are at the heart of recurrent crises.
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Arandjelovic M, Vigilant L. Non-invasive genetic censusing and monitoring of primate populations. Am J Primatol 2018; 80:e22743. [PMID: 29457631 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2017] [Revised: 12/16/2017] [Accepted: 01/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Knowing the density or abundance of primate populations is essential for their conservation management and contextualizing socio-demographic and behavioral observations. When direct counts of animals are not possible, genetic analysis of non-invasive samples collected from wildlife populations allows estimates of population size with higher accuracy and precision than is possible using indirect signs. Furthermore, in contrast to traditional indirect survey methods, prolonged or periodic genetic sampling across months or years enables inference of group membership, movement, dynamics, and some kin relationships. Data may also be used to estimate sex ratios, sex differences in dispersal distances, and detect gene flow among locations. Recent advances in capture-recapture models have further improved the precision of population estimates derived from non-invasive samples. Simulations using these methods have shown that the confidence interval of point estimates includes the true population size when assumptions of the models are met, and therefore this range of population size minima and maxima should be emphasized in population monitoring studies. Innovations such as the use of sniffer dogs or anti-poaching patrols for sample collection are important to ensure adequate sampling, and the expected development of efficient and cost-effective genotyping by sequencing methods for DNAs derived from non-invasive samples will automate and speed analyses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mimi Arandjelovic
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Linda Vigilant
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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Genetic Mark–Recapture Improves Estimates of Maternity Colony Size for Indiana Bats. JOURNAL OF FISH AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 2017. [DOI: 10.3996/122016-jfwm-093] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Genetic mark–recapture methods are increasingly being used to estimate demographic parameters in species where traditional techniques are problematic or imprecise. The federally endangered Indiana bat Myotis sodalis has declined dramatically and threats such as white-nose syndrome continue to afflict this species. To date, important demographic information for Indiana bats has been difficult to estimate precisely using traditional techniques such as emergence counts. Successful management and protection of Indiana bats requires better methods to estimate population sizes and survival rates throughout the year, particularly during summer when these bats reproduce and are widely dispersed away from their winter hibernacula. In addition, the familial makeup of maternity colonies is unknown, yet important for understanding local and regional population dynamics. We had four objectives in this study. For the first two objectives we investigated the potential use of DNA from fecal samples (fecal DNA) collected at roosts to obtain genetically based mark–recapture estimates of 1) colony size and 2) survival rates, for an Indiana bat maternity colony in Indianapolis, Indiana. The third objective was to compare our genetically based colony-size estimates with emergence counts conducted at the same roost tree to evaluate the genetic mark–recapture method. Our fourth objective was to use fecal DNA to estimate levels of relatedness among individuals sampled at the roost. In the summer of 2008, we collected fecal pellets and conducted emergence counts at a prominent roost tree during three time periods each lasting 7 or 8 d. We genotyped fecal DNA using five highly polymorphic microsatellite loci to identify individuals and used a robust-design mark–recapture approach to estimate survival rates as well as colony size at the roost tree. Emergence count estimates at the roost tree ranged from 100 to 215, whereas genetic mark–recapture estimates were higher, ranging from 122 to 266 and more precise. Apparent survival was 0.994 (SE = 0.04) between sampling periods suggesting that few bats died or permanently emigrated during the course of the study. Relatedness estimates, r, between all pairs of individuals averaged 0.055 ranging from 0 to 0.779, indicating that most individuals were not closely related. We demonstrate here the promise of using fecal DNA to estimate demographic information for Indiana bats and potentially other bat species.
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Phillips CA, Wrangham RW, McGrew WC. Non-dietary analytical features of chimpanzee scats. Primates 2017; 58:393-402. [PMID: 28378197 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-017-0606-y] [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: 01/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Non-dietary aspects of ape scats such as scat weight and diameter are correlated with age and sex of defaecator for gorillas and orangutans. Defaecation rates of primates, including apes, illuminate their role as primary seed dispersers. We assess if non-dietary features of scats for East African chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) reveal such insights for members of the Kanyawara community in Kibale National Park, Uganda. Our objective is to see if such data yield useful perspectives for future census work on unhabituated chimpanzees, that is, what can scats tell us about a wild study population, beyond diet? We followed ten adults from this community, as well as travelling parties, comparing observed vs. unobserved defaecations, and collected data on scat weight and dimensions, defaecation rate, scat encounter rate, and interval between defaecations. Few non-dietary features of chimpanzee scats significantly differentiated sex or age of the defaecator, but total scat length and height distinguished adults from juveniles/infants. Defaecation rates and distance travelled were similar for adult males and females, indicating the importance of both sexes as potential primary seed dispersers. Observed travelling parties vs. non-observed travelling parties yielded similar data, indicating the potential to assess party size from scat encounter rates over a set distance. We provide detailed measurements of scat dimensions for this ape taxon which previously have been lacking. This research builds upon prior work by recording more in-depth data for focal subjects and travelling parties on defaecation and scat encounter rates. The findings presented should assist in the interpretation of scat data when censusing unhabituated chimpanzees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline A Phillips
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits, 2050, South Africa. .,Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge, 13A Fitzwilliam Street, Cambridge, CB2 1QH, UK.
| | - Richard W Wrangham
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Peabody Museum, Harvard University, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - William C McGrew
- Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge, 13A Fitzwilliam Street, Cambridge, CB2 1QH, UK.,School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, KY16 9JU, UK
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Chancellor RL, Rundus AS, Nyandwi S. Chimpanzee seed dispersal in a montane forest fragment in Rwanda. Am J Primatol 2016; 79:1-8. [PMID: 27900783 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Revised: 11/05/2016] [Accepted: 11/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Primate seed dispersal plays an important role in forest regeneration. It may be particularly important to anthropogenically disturbed habitats such as forest fragments. However, few studies have examined primate seed dispersal in these types of environments. Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are frugivorous and large-bodied, and are therefore able to disperse both large and small seeds, making them an important seed dispersal species. We examined chimpanzee seed dispersal in Gishwati forest, a 14 km2 montane rainforest fragment in Rwanda. We systematically collected ≤24-hr-old fecal samples and counted the number of seeds of each fruit species. We also recorded observations of seeds found in wadges. We found that chimpanzees dispersed at least 18 fruit species in 14 families in their feces. Ninety-five percent of feces had seeds, the most common of which were Ficus spp., Myrianthus holstii, and Maesa lanceolata. We estimated that the Gishwati chimpanzee community with a density of 1.7 individuals per km2 dispersed an average of 592 (>2 mm) seeds km-2 day-1 . We also found that chimpanzees dispersed the seeds of at least two fruit species, Ficus spp. and Chrysophyllum gorungosanum, in their wadges. In addition, 17% of the tree species recorded in our vegetation plots were chimpanzee-dispersed. This study emphasizes the importance of chimpanzees as large seed dispersers in regenerating forest fragments. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS Chimpanzees in Gishwati disperse a significant number of large seeds. Large-bodied seed dispersers, like chimpanzees, are particularly important in regenerating forest fragments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L Chancellor
- Department of Anthropology and Sociology, West Chester University, West Chester, Pennsylvania.,Department of Psychology, West Chester University, West Chester, Pennsylvania
| | - Aaron S Rundus
- Department of Psychology, West Chester University, West Chester, Pennsylvania
| | - Sylvain Nyandwi
- Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana
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Granjon AC, Rowney C, Vigilant L, Langergraber KE. Evaluating genetic capture-recapture using a chimpanzee population of known size. J Wildl Manage 2016. [DOI: 10.1002/jwmg.21190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Céline Granjon
- Department of Primatology; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Deutscher Platz 6 04103 Leipzig Germany
| | - Carolyn Rowney
- Department of Primatology; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Deutscher Platz 6 04103 Leipzig Germany
| | - Linda Vigilant
- Department of Primatology; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Deutscher Platz 6 04103 Leipzig Germany
| | - Kevin E. Langergraber
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change and Institute of Human Origins; Arizona State University; 900 Cady Mall Tempe AZ 85287 USA
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McCarthy MS, Lester JD, Howe EJ, Arandjelovic M, Stanford CB, Vigilant L. Genetic censusing identifies an unexpectedly sizeable population of an endangered large mammal in a fragmented forest landscape. BMC Ecol 2015; 15:21. [PMID: 26303656 PMCID: PMC4549125 DOI: 10.1186/s12898-015-0052-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2015] [Accepted: 07/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background As habitat degradation and fragmentation continue to impact wildlife populations around the world, it is critical to understand the behavioral flexibility of species in these environments. In Uganda, the mostly unprotected forest fragment landscape between the Budongo and Bugoma Forests is a potential corridor for chimpanzees, yet little is known about the status of chimpanzee populations in these fragments. Results From 2011 through 2013, we noninvasively collected 865 chimpanzee fecal samples across 633 km2 and successfully genotyped 662 (77%) at up to 14 microsatellite loci. These genotypes corresponded to 182 chimpanzees, with a mean of 3.5 captures per individual. We obtained population size estimates of 256 (95% confidence interval 246–321) and 319 (288–357) chimpanzees using capture-with-replacement and spatially explicit capture–recapture models, respectively. The spatial clustering of associated genotypes suggests the presence of at least nine communities containing a minimum of 8–33 individuals each. Putative community distributions defined by the locations of associated genotypes correspond well with the distribution of 14 Y-chromosome haplotypes. Conclusions These census figures are more than three times greater than a previous estimate based on an extrapolation from small-scale nest count surveys that tend to underestimate population size. The distribution of genotype clusters and Y-chromosome haplotypes together indicate the presence of numerous male philopatric chimpanzee communities throughout the corridor habitat. Our findings demonstrate that, despite extensive habitat loss and fragmentation, chimpanzees remain widely distributed and exhibit distinct community home ranges. Our results further imply that elusive and rare species may adapt to degraded habitats more successfully than previously believed. Their long-term persistence is unlikely, however, if protection is not afforded to them and habitat loss continues unabated. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12898-015-0052-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maureen S McCarthy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Southern California, 3616 Trousdale Parkway, AHF 107, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-0371, USA. .,Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Jack D Lester
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Eric J Howe
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, The Observatory, Buchanan Gardens, University of St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9LZ, UK.
| | - Mimi Arandjelovic
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Craig B Stanford
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dana and David Dornsife College of Letters, Arts, and Sciences, University of Southern California, 3616 Trousdale Parkway, AHF 107, Los Angeles, CA, 90089-0371, USA.
| | - Linda Vigilant
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
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Basabose AK, Inoue E, Kamungu S, Murhabale B, Akomo-Okoue EF, Yamagiwa J. Estimation of chimpanzee community size and genetic diversity in Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo. Am J Primatol 2015; 77:1015-1025. [PMID: 26118671 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2014] [Revised: 05/17/2015] [Accepted: 05/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
A small chimpanzee habitat in the montane forest of Kahuzi-Biega National Park, Democratic Republic of Congo, is connected with the lowland forest of this park through a corridor, which is affected by human encroachment. To assess the conservation status of the chimpanzee population in this small habitat, we estimated the size of the community and evaluated its genetic diversity by using 279 fecal samples collected in the montane forest of Kahuzi. Using autosomal microsatellite (or short tandem repeat, STR) loci, we identified 32 individuals, comprising 19 females and 13 males. Samples from 24 individuals were collected at least twice and a genetic mark-recapture analysis estimated that the community size was 36 (range: 32-42). Data on nest site sharing confirmed that all the samples belonged to the same community. Nest site sharing information may be useful in population studies of unhabituated chimpanzees. The genetic structure and diversity of the 32 genotyped individuals was assessed using Y-chromosomal short tandem repeat (Y-STR) loci and mitochondrial D-loops. One dominant Y-STR haplotype was found, whereas there was no dominant haplotype in the mitochondrial region, reflecting a female-biased dispersal pattern, which is typical of chimpanzees. The genetic diversity for three markers in Kahuzi chimpanzees was comparable to that in other eastern chimpanzee populations. A relatively high heterozygosity and negative inbreeding coefficient (FIS ) for STR loci suggests that the study community belongs to an outbreeding chimpanzee population. These findings suggest that individuals of the study community may have reproductive contact with other chimpanzee individuals from neighboring communities in Kahuzi-Biega National Park, at least in the recent past. Am. J. Primatol. 77:1015-1025, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Augustin K Basabose
- Laboratoire de Primatologie, Centre de Recherche en Science Naturelles de Lwiro, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Eiji Inoue
- Graduate School of Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Sebulimbwa Kamungu
- Laboratoire de Primatologie, Centre de Recherche en Science Naturelles de Lwiro, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Bertin Murhabale
- Laboratoire de Primatologie, Centre de Recherche en Science Naturelles de Lwiro, Democratic Republic of Congo
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Species identification and molecular sexing from feces of Kashmir stag (Cervus elaphus hanglu). CONSERV GENET RESOUR 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s12686-015-0475-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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Genetic Analyses Suggest Male Philopatry and Territoriality in Savanna-Woodland Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) of Ugalla, Tanzania. INT J PRIMATOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-015-9830-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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Genetic diversity at the edge: comparative assessment of Y-chromosome and autosomal diversity in eastern chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) of Ugalla, Tanzania. CONSERV GENET 2013. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-013-0556-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Moore DL, Vigilant L. A population estimate of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in the Ugalla region using standard and spatially explicit genetic capture-recapture methods. Am J Primatol 2013; 76:335-46. [PMID: 24357255 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2013] [Revised: 10/07/2013] [Accepted: 10/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Population parameters such as size, density, and distribution of a species across a landscape are important metrics that inform conservation science and are key to management strategies. In this study, we used genetic capture-recapture methods to estimate the population size and density of the little-studied chimpanzees in the Ugalla region of western Tanzania. From 237 fecal samples collected non-invasively over a 10-month period, we identified a minimum of 113 individuals. Based on the two-innate rate method (TIRM) modeled in the software capwire, we obtained a maximum-likelihood estimate of 322 (CI 227-373) individuals over the 624 km(2) area surveyed. Using a spatially explicit capture-recapture (SECR) method, we estimated a population density of 0.25 (CI 0.16-0.38) individuals/km(2) . Observations of nests and search effort data revealed areas of more intense usage. The findings of this study are an important step in the characterization of the Ugalla chimpanzees, and substantially improve our understanding of the number of chimpanzees that occupy this savanna-woodland region at the easternmost extent of the geographic range of this endangered subspecies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deborah L Moore
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas; Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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Eastern chimpanzees, but not bonobos, represent a simian immunodeficiency virus reservoir. J Virol 2012; 86:10776-91. [PMID: 22837215 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.01498-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Chimpanzees in west central Africa (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) are endemically infected with simian immunodeficiency viruses (SIVcpzPtt) that have crossed the species barrier to humans and gorillas on at least five occasions, generating pandemic and nonpandemic forms of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) as well as gorilla SIV (SIVgor). Chimpanzees in east Africa (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) are also infected with SIVcpz; however, their viruses (SIVcpzPts) have never been found in humans. To examine whether this is due to a paucity of natural infections, we used noninvasive methods to screen wild-living eastern chimpanzees in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Uganda, and Rwanda. We also screened bonobos (Pan paniscus) in the DRC, a species not previously tested for SIV in the wild. Fecal samples (n = 3,108) were collected at 50 field sites, tested for species and subspecies origin, and screened for SIVcpz antibodies and nucleic acids. Of 2,565 samples from eastern chimpanzees, 323 were antibody positive and 92 contained viral RNA. The antibody-positive samples represented 76 individuals from 19 field sites, all sampled north of the Congo River in an area spanning 250,000 km(2). In this region, SIVcpzPts was common and widespread, with seven field sites exhibiting infection rates of 30% or greater. The overall prevalence of SIVcpzPts infection was 13.4% (95% confidence interval, 10.7% to 16.5%). In contrast, none of the 543 bonobo samples from six sites was antibody positive. All newly identified SIVcpzPts strains clustered in strict accordance to their subspecies origin; however, they exhibited considerable genetic diversity, especially in protein domains known to be under strong host selection pressure. Thus, the absence of SIVcpzPts zoonoses cannot be explained by an insufficient primate reservoir. Instead, greater adaptive hurdles may have prevented the successful colonization of humans by P. t. schweinfurthii viruses.
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