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Westworth SOA, Chalmers C, Fergus P, Longmore SN, Piel AK, Wich SA. Understanding External Influences on Target Detection and Classification Using Camera Trap Images and Machine Learning. SENSORS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 22:5386. [PMID: 35891075 PMCID: PMC9319727 DOI: 10.3390/s22145386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Using machine learning (ML) to automate camera trap (CT) image processing is advantageous for time-sensitive applications. However, little is currently known about the factors influencing such processing. Here, we evaluate the influence of occlusion, distance, vegetation type, size class, height, subject orientation towards the CT, species, time-of-day, colour, and analyst performance on wildlife/human detection and classification in CT images from western Tanzania. Additionally, we compared the detection and classification performance of analyst and ML approaches. We obtained wildlife data through pre-existing CT images and human data using voluntary participants for CT experiments. We evaluated the analyst and ML approaches at the detection and classification level. Factors such as distance and occlusion, coupled with increased vegetation density, present the most significant effect on DP and CC. Overall, the results indicate a significantly higher detection probability (DP), 81.1%, and correct classification (CC) of 76.6% for the analyst approach when compared to ML which detected 41.1% and classified 47.5% of wildlife within CT images. However, both methods presented similar probabilities for daylight CT images, 69.4% (ML) and 71.8% (analysts), and dusk CT images, 17.6% (ML) and 16.2% (analysts), when detecting humans. Given that users carefully follow provided recommendations, we expect DP and CC to increase. In turn, the ML approach to CT image processing would be an excellent provision to support time-sensitive threat monitoring for biodiversity conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sally O. A. Westworth
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK;
| | - Carl Chalmers
- School of Computer Science and Mathematics, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK; (C.C.); (P.F.)
| | - Paul Fergus
- School of Computer Science and Mathematics, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK; (C.C.); (P.F.)
| | - Steven N. Longmore
- Astrophysics Research Institute, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK;
| | - Alex K. Piel
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, Taviton Street, London WC1H OBW, UK;
| | - Serge A. Wich
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK;
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Kisingo A, Wilfred P, Magige FJ, Kayeye H, Nahonyo CL, Milner‐Gulland EJ. Resource managers' and users' perspectives on factors contributing to unauthorised hunting in western Tanzania. Afr J Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alex Kisingo
- College of African Wildlife Management Moshi Tanzania
| | - Paulo Wilfred
- Department of Life Sciences Open University of Tanzania Dar es Salaam Tanzania
| | | | - Heri Kayeye
- Sokoine University of Agriculture Morogoro Tanzania
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Fedurek P, Akankwasa JW, Danel DP, Fensome S, Zuberbühler K, Muhanguzi G, Crockford C, Asiimwe C. The effect of warning signs on the presence of snare traps in a Ugandan rainforest. Biotropica 2022; 54:721-728. [PMID: 35915833 PMCID: PMC9314064 DOI: 10.1111/btp.13088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Since chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) conservation often involves local human populations, conservation strategies must consider psychological factors that impact their behavior. In Budongo Forest, Uganda, for example, local communities commonly engage in snare trap (hereafter: snare) setting for wild meat. This illegal activity posits a substantial threat to wild chimpanzees, causing permanent wounds or death for those who are snared. Despite various schemes previously implemented to address snare setting—an activity that is fueled by poverty, the problem and its detrimental impact on chimpanzees persists. Here, we experimentally tested a novel intervention, a systematic display of specially designed warning signs aimed at local poachers. We monitored the presence of snares before and after introducing these signs over a total period of two years and compared it with that of a similar sized control area with no intervention. Results show that snares were less likely to be present during the “sign” period than during the “non‐sign” period in the experimental but not in the control area. We discuss the potential of this cost‐effective intervention for limiting illegal activities that pose a severe threat to chimpanzees and other species inhabiting tropical forests.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pawel Fedurek
- Division of Psychology Faculty of Natural Sciences University of Stirling Stirling UK
- Budongo Conservation Field Station Masindi Uganda
| | | | - Dariusz P. Danel
- Department of Anthropology Ludwik Hirszfeld Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy Polish Academy of Sciences Wroclaw Poland
| | - Samuel Fensome
- Division of Psychology Faculty of Natural Sciences University of Stirling Stirling UK
| | - Klaus Zuberbühler
- Budongo Conservation Field Station Masindi Uganda
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience University of St Andrews St Andrews UK
- Department of Comparative Cognition University of Neuchâtel Neuchâtel Switzerland
| | | | - Catherine Crockford
- Department of Human Behavior, Ecology & Culture Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Leipzig Germany
- Institut des Sciences Cognitives CNRS Lyon France
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Giuliano C, Stewart FA, Piel AK. Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) grouping patterns in an open and dry savanna landscape, Issa Valley, western Tanzania. J Hum Evol 2022; 163:103137. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2021.103137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Revised: 12/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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5
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Kuhlmann K, Fontaine A, Brisson‐Curadeau É, Bird DM, Elliott KH. Miniaturization eliminates detectable impacts of drones on bat activity. Methods Ecol Evol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kayla Kuhlmann
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences McGill University Montréal Canada
| | - Amélie Fontaine
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences McGill University Montréal Canada
| | | | - David M. Bird
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences McGill University Montréal Canada
| | - Kyle H. Elliott
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences McGill University Montréal Canada
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6
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Crunchant AS, Stewart FA, Piel AK. Vocal communication in wild chimpanzees: a call rate study. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12326. [PMID: 34721995 PMCID: PMC8532989 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patterns of vocal communication have implications for species conservation: a change in calling behaviour can, for instance, reflect a disturbed habitat. More importantly, call rate is a parameter that allows conservation planners to convert call density into animal density, when detecting calls with a passive acoustic monitoring system (PAM). METHODS We investigated chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) call rate during the late dry season in the Issa Valley, western Tanzania by conducting focal follows. We examined the socio-ecological factors that influence call production rate of savanna woodland chimpanzees. RESULTS We found that sex, proportion of time spent in a vegetation type, proportion of time spent travelling, time of the day, party size and swollen parous female presence had a significant effect on the call rate. Call rate differed among the different demographic classes with subadult and adult males vocalising twice as often as the subadult and adult females and three times as often as the juveniles. APPLICATIONS The use of PAM and recent statistical developments to estimate animal density is promising but relies on our knowing individual call rate, often not available for many species. With the improvement in automatic call detection, we anticipate that PAM will increasingly be broadly applied to primates but also across taxa, for conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Sophie Crunchant
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Fiona A. Stewart
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alex K. Piel
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Carrillo-Bilbao G, Martin-Solano S, Saegerman C. Zoonotic Blood-Borne Pathogens in Non-Human Primates in the Neotropical Region: A Systematic Review. Pathogens 2021; 10:1009. [PMID: 34451473 PMCID: PMC8400055 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10081009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Understanding which non-human primates (NHPs) act as a wild reservoir for blood-borne pathogens will allow us to better understand the ecology of diseases and the role of NHPs in the emergence of human diseases in Ecuador, a small country in South America that lacks information on most of these pathogens. Methods and principal findings: A systematic review was carried out using PRISMA guidelines from 1927 until 2019 about blood-borne pathogens present in NHPs of the Neotropical region (i.e., South America and Middle America). Results: A total of 127 publications were found in several databases. We found in 25 genera (132 species) of NHPs a total of 56 blood-borne pathogens in 197 records where Protozoa has the highest number of records in neotropical NHPs (n = 128) compared to bacteria (n = 12) and viruses (n = 57). Plasmodium brasilianum and Trypanosoma cruzi are the most recorded protozoa in NHP. The neotropical primate genus with the highest number of blood-borne pathogens recorded is Alouatta sp. (n = 32). The use of non-invasive samples for neotropical NHPs remains poor in a group where several species are endangered or threatened. A combination of serological and molecular techniques is common when detecting blood-borne pathogens. Socioecological and ecological risk factors facilitate the transmission of these parasites. Finally, a large number of countries remain unsurveyed, such as Ecuador, which can be of public health importance. Conclusions and significance: NHPs are potential reservoirs of a large number of blood-borne pathogens. In Ecuador, research activities should be focused on bacteria and viruses, where there is a gap of information for neotropical NHPs, in order to implement surveillance programs with regular and effective monitoring protocols adapted to NHPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Carrillo-Bilbao
- Research Unit of Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Applied to Veterinary Sciences (UREAR-ULiège), Fundamental and Applied Research for Animal and Health (FARAH) Center, Department of Infections and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium;
- Facultad de Filosofía y Letras y Ciencias de la Educación, Universidad Central del Ecuador, 170521 Quito, Ecuador
- Instituto de Investigación en Zoonosis (CIZ), Universidad Central del Ecuador, 170521 Quito, Ecuador;
| | - Sarah Martin-Solano
- Instituto de Investigación en Zoonosis (CIZ), Universidad Central del Ecuador, 170521 Quito, Ecuador;
- Grupo de Investigación en Sanidad Animal y Humana (GISAH), Carrera Ingeniería en Biotecnología, Departamento de Ciencias de la Vida y la Agricultura, Universidad de las Fuerzas Armadas—ESPE, 171103 Sangolquí, Ecuador
| | - Claude Saegerman
- Research Unit of Epidemiology and Risk Analysis Applied to Veterinary Sciences (UREAR-ULiège), Fundamental and Applied Research for Animal and Health (FARAH) Center, Department of Infections and Parasitic Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium;
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Sumasgutner P, Buij R, McClure CJW, Shaw P, Dykstra CR, Kumar N, Rutz C. Raptor research during the COVID-19 pandemic provides invaluable opportunities for conservation biology. BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION 2021; 260:109149. [PMID: 35722248 PMCID: PMC9188743 DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2021.109149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Research is underway to examine how a wide range of animal species have responded to reduced levels of human activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this perspective article, we argue that raptors (i.e., the orders Accipitriformes, Cariamiformes, Cathartiformes, Falconiformes, and Strigiformes) are particularly well-suited for investigating potential 'anthropause' effects: they are sensitive to environmental perturbation, affected by various human activities, and include many locally and globally threatened species. Lockdowns likely alter extrinsic factors that normally limit raptor populations. These environmental changes are in turn expected to influence - mediated by behavioral and physiological responses - the intrinsic (demographic) factors that ultimately determine raptor population levels and distributions. Using this population-limitation framework, we identify a range of research opportunities and conservation challenges that have arisen during the pandemic, related to changes in human disturbance, light and noise pollution, collision risk, road-kill availability, supplementary feeding, and persecution levels. Importantly, raptors attract intense research interest, with many professional and amateur researchers running long-term monitoring programs, often incorporating community-science components, advanced tracking technology and field-methodological approaches that allow flexible timing, enabling continued data collection before, during, and after COVID-19 lockdowns. To facilitate and coordinate global collaboration, we are hereby launching the 'Global Anthropause Raptor Research Network' (GARRN). We invite the international raptor research community to join this inclusive and diverse group, to tackle ambitious analyses across geographic regions, ecosystems, species, and gradients of lockdown perturbation. Under the most tragic of circumstances, the COVID-19 anthropause has afforded an invaluable opportunity to significantly boost global raptor conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Petra Sumasgutner
- Department of Behavioral & Cognitive Biology, University of Vienna, Althanstraße 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ralph Buij
- The Peregrine Fund, 5668 West Flying Hawk Lane, Boise, ID 83709, USA
- Animal Ecology Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | | | - Phil Shaw
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9TH, UK
| | | | - Nishant Kumar
- Edward Grey Institute of Field Ornithology, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
- Mansfield College, University of Oxford, Mansfield Road, UK
- Wildlife Institute of India, Uttarakhand 248001, India
| | - Christian Rutz
- Centre for Biological Diversity, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, St Andrews KY16 9TH, UK
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Zhang L, Turvey ST, Chapman C, Fan P. Effects of protected areas on survival of threatened gibbons in China. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:1288-1298. [PMID: 33146430 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 09/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Establishing protected areas (PAs) is an essential strategy to reduce biodiversity loss. However, many PAs do not provide adequate protection due to poor funding, inadequate staffing and equipment, and ineffective management. As part of China's recent economic growth, the Chinese government has significantly increased investment in nature reserves over the past 20 years, providing a unique opportunity to evaluate whether PAs can protect threatened species effectively. We compiled data from published literature on populations of gibbons (Hylobatidae), a threatened taxon with cultural significance, that occurred in Chinese reserves after 1980. We evaluated the ability of these PAs to maintain gibbon habitat and populations by comparing forest cover and human disturbance between reserves and their surrounding areas and modeling the impact of reserve characteristics on gibbon population trends. We also assessed the perspective of reserve staff concerning PA management effectiveness through an online survey. Reserves effectively protected gibbon habitat by reducing forest loss and human disturbance; however, half the reserves lost their gibbon populations since being established. Gibbons were more likely to survive in reserves established more recently, at higher elevation, with less forest loss and lower human impact, and that have been relatively well studied. A larger initial population size in the 1980s was positively associated with gibbon persistence. Although staff of all reserves reported increased investment and improved management over the past 20-30 years, no relationship was found between management effectiveness and gibbon population trends. We suggest early and emphatic intervention is critical to stop population decline and prevent extinction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Samuel T Turvey
- Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London, NW1 4RY, U.K
| | - Colin Chapman
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC, 20037, U.S.A
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Scottsville, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| | - Pengfei Fan
- School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
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Chitayat AB, Wich SA, Lewis M, Stewart FA, Piel AK. Ecological correlates of chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) density in Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0246628. [PMID: 33577598 PMCID: PMC7880473 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0246628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the ecological factors that drive animal density patterns in time and space is key to devising effective conservation strategies. In Tanzania, most chimpanzees (~75%) live outside national parks where human activities threaten their habitat's integrity and connectivity. Mahale Mountains National Park (MMNP), therefore, is a critical area for chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in the region due to its location and protective status. Yet, despite its importance and long history of chimpanzee research (>50 years), a park-wide census of the species has never been conducted. The park is categorized as a savanna-woodland mosaic, interspersed with riparian forest, wooded grassland, and bamboo thicket. This heterogeneous landscape offers an excellent opportunity to assess the ecological characteristics associated with chimpanzee density, a topic still disputed, which could improve conservation plans that protect crucial chimpanzee habitat outside the park. We examined the influence of fine-scale vegetative characteristics and topographical features on chimpanzee nest density, modeling nest counts using hierarchical distance sampling. We counted 335 nests in forest and woodland habitats across 102 transects in 13 survey sites. Nests were disproportionately found more in or near evergreen forests, on steep slopes, and in feeding tree species. We calculated chimpanzee density in MMNP to be 0.23 ind/km2, although density varied substantially among sites (0.09-3.43 ind/km2). Density was associated with factors related to the availability of food and nesting trees, with topographic heterogeneity and the total basal area of feeding tree species identified as significant positive predictors. Species-rich habitats and floristic diversity likely play a principal role in shaping chimpanzee density within a predominately open landscape with low food abundance. Our results provide valuable baseline data for future monitoring efforts in MMNP and enhance our understanding of this endangered species' density and distribution across Tanzania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrienne B. Chitayat
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Serge A. Wich
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew Lewis
- Loango Gorilla Project (Gabon), Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Fiona A. Stewart
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alex K. Piel
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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11
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Marchant LF, Wessling EG, Lindshield SM. Introduction to the Special Issue on Savanna Chimpanzees. INT J PRIMATOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-020-00188-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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12
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Maijo SP, Piel AK, Treydte AC. Anthropogenic disturbance and chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) habitat use in the Masito-Ugalla Ecosystem, Tanzania. J Mammal 2020. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyaa101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The habitat quality of chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), including the availability of plant food and nesting species, is important to ensure the long-term survival of this endangered species. Botanical composition of vegetation is spatially variable and depends on soil characteristics, weather, topography, and numerous other biotic and abiotic factors. There are few data regarding the availability of chimpanzee plant food and nesting species in the Masito-Ugalla Ecosystem (MUE), a vast area that lies outside national park boundaries in Tanzania, and how the availability of these resources varies with human disturbance. We hypothesized that chimpanzee plant food species richness, diversity, and abundance decline with increasing human disturbance. Further, we predicted that chimpanzee abundance and habitat use is influenced negatively by human disturbance. Published literature from Issa Valley, Gombe, and Mahale Mountains National Parks, in Tanzania, was used to document plant species consumed by chimpanzees, and quantify their richness, diversity, and abundance, along 32 transects totaling 63.8 km in length across four sites of varying human disturbance in MUE. We documented 102 chimpanzee plant food species and found a significant differences in their species richness (H = 55.09, P < 0.001) and diversity (H = 36.81, P < 0.001) across disturbance levels, with the moderately disturbed site exhibiting the highest species richness and diversity. Chimpanzees built nests in 17 different tree species. The abundance of nesting tree species did not vary across survey sites (H = 0.279, P > 0.964). The least disturbed site exhibited the highest encounter rate of chimpanzee nests/km, with rates declining toward the highly disturbed sites. Our results show that severe anthropogenic disturbance in MUE is associated with the loss of chimpanzee plant food species and negatively influences chimpanzee habitat use, a relationship that threatens the future of all chimpanzee populations outside national parks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simula P Maijo
- Tanzania Wildlife Research Institute, Arusha, Tanzania
- School of Life Sciences and Bio-engineering, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Tengeru, Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Alex K Piel
- Department of Anthropology, University College of London, Bloomsbury, London, United Kingdom
- GMERC, LTD, Kigoma, Tanzania
| | - Anna C Treydte
- School of Life Sciences and Bio-engineering, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Tengeru, Arusha, Tanzania
- Agroecology in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
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13
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Trivedy C. Is 2020 the year when primatologists should cancel fieldwork? A reply. Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23173. [PMID: 32662075 PMCID: PMC7404521 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this article is to explore the impact of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic on primate-related conservation work. The withdrawal of primatologists and conservation staff from field research can lead to a number of detrimental effects not just on conservation but also on local communities in low- and middle-income countries. Inequalities in access to health and financial insecurities may be drivers for the illegal wildlife trade and the lack of tourism and research activity may allow poachers to work with greater ease. The paper also looks at how conservation organizations and research bodies should modify their field protocols by developing robust occupational health policies that will not only make field work safer but also support local staff as they are likely to face the greatest threats to their physical health, psychological health, and economic loss from COVID-19. By adopting a One Health approach that considers the complex interactions between human and primate health, researchers will be able to find new ways of working not only to protect primates but understand how they adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chet Trivedy
- Department of Neuroscience and Trauma, Blizard Institute, Barts and the London School of Medicine and DentistryQueen Mary University of LondonLondonUK
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14
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Mayengo G, Piel AK, Treydte AC. The importance of nutrient hotspots for grazing ungulates in a Miombo ecosystem, Tanzania. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0230192. [PMID: 32226036 PMCID: PMC7105114 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0230192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
While movement patterns of grazing ungulates are strongly dependent on forage quality their use of nutrient hotspots such as termite mounds or grazing lawns has rarely been quantified, especially in savanna ecosystems where soil-nutrient quality is low. Additionally, few experiments have been conducted to determine the role of termite mound- and grazing lawn-derived soils in improving forage quality in the field. We studied wild ungulate grazing activities around ten termite mounds, six grazing lawns and their respective control sites in a Miombo system of Issa Valley, western Tanzania, in the same system. We used indirect observations (i.e., dung, tracks) to identify seasonal and spatial variations in habitat use of various wild mammalian grazers. Grazer visitation rates were nine and three times higher on termite mounds and grazing lawns, respectively, compared to control sites. During the rainy season, termite mounds were more frequently used than grazing lawns while the latter were used more often during the dry season. In an additional pot experiment with soils derived from different areas, we found that Cynodon dactylon in termite mound-derived soils had twice as high Nitrogen and Phosphorous contents and biomass compared to grasses planted in grazing lawn soils and control site soils. We highlight that both termite mounds and grazing lawns play a significant role in influencing seasonal nutrient dynamics, forage nutrient quality, habitat selectivity, and, hence, grazing activities and movement patterns of wild ungulate grazers in savannas. We conclude that termite mounds and grazing lawns are important for habitat heterogeneity in otherwise nutrient–poor savanna systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Mayengo
- Department of Sustainable Agriculture, Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystems Management, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania
- Department of Wildlife Management, College of African Wildlife Management, Mweka, Moshi, Tanzania
- * E-mail: ,
| | - Alex K. Piel
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Anna C. Treydte
- Department of Sustainable Agriculture, Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystems Management, The Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha, Tanzania
- Agroecology in the Tropics and Subtropics, Hans Ruthenberg Institute, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany
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Cercopithecine and Colobine Abundance Across Protected and Unprotected Land in the Greater Mahale Ecosystem, Western Tanzania. INT J PRIMATOL 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-019-00118-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
AbstractMost primates live in unprotected land where abundances and threats may differ from those in protected areas. We therefore need to establish population densities in both unprotected and protected areas to effectively inform conservation planning. The Greater Mahale Ecosystem in western Tanzania is a region of mixed protected status with seven cercopithecine and colobine species: blue (Cercopithecus mitis doggetti), red-tailed (C. ascanius schmidi), and vervet (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) monkeys; ashy red colobus (Piliocolobus tephrosceles); black-and-white colobus (Colobus angolensis); and olive (Papio anubis) and yellow (P. cynocephalus) baboons. These species may be threatened by increasing human activity; however, except for ashy red colobus, no data on local abundances are available. We walked over 350 km of line transects in legally protected (Village Forest Reserves) and unprotected general land between August 2011 and October 2012 to estimate densities of primates and human activity. Primate densities were consistently low across the Greater Mahale Ecosystem. Blue and red-tailed monkey and ashy red colobus densities were especially low compared to populations in predominantly forested landscapes. Primate and human activity densities did not differ significantly inside and outside of reserves. Low primate densities could be natural responses to the lower proportions and quality of riparian forest habitat in the region. High levels of human activity and the absence of significantly higher primate densities in reserves suggest unprotected land could provide important refuges for primates in the Greater Mahale Ecosystem. This result further reinforces a broad need to include unprotected areas in primate conservation strategies.
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Caro T, Berger J. Can behavioural ecologists help establish protected areas? Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20180062. [PMID: 31352878 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Protecting wild places is conservation's most pressing task given rapid contemporary declines in biodiversity and massive land use changes. We suggest that behavioural ecology has a valuable, albeit limited, role to play in this agenda. Behaviourally based empiricism and modelling, especially of animal movements and habitat preferences have enjoyed wide applicability in delineating reserve boundaries. In protected areas that sanction exploitation, it may also be important to understand individuals' behavioural and life-history responses to management decisions. We also argue, however, that the in-depth studies of behavioural ecologists may have an important role in conservation by elevating species' status from mundane to charismatic and often sparking public empathy, and their mere presence in field generates local (or broader) intrigue. More generally behavioural ecologists will only be listened to, and their contributions considered of conservation importance, if they become more involved in decision-making processes as witnessed by several prominent examples that have supported the establishment of protected areas. This article is part of the theme issue 'Linking behaviour to dynamics of populations and communities: application of novel approaches in behavioural ecology to conservation'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim Caro
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.,Center for Population Biology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Joel Berger
- Department of FWC Biology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.,Wildlife Conservation Society, Bronx, NY 10460, USA
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Known unknowns: Filling the gaps in scientific knowledge production in the Caatinga. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0219359. [PMID: 31269071 PMCID: PMC6608954 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0219359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2018] [Accepted: 06/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The Caatinga is an ecologically unique semi-arid region of northeast Brazil characterized by high levels of endemism and severe anthropogenic threats from agricultural development and climate change. It is also one of the least known biomes in Brazil due to a combination of inadequate investment, low regional research capacity and difficult working conditions. However, while the lack of scientific knowledge of the Caatinga is well known, the spatial and temporal distribution of knowledge production has not been investigated. This is important because such biases undermine the development of effective conservation policy and practice and increase the uncertainty associated with conservation actions. Here, we map the geography of conservation knowledge production in the Caatinga and use an innovative hurdle model to identify the presumptive factors driving these patterns. Our analysis revealed strong geographic patterns, with research sites concentrated in the east of the region and in areas close to roads and research centres. There was also a positive association between conservation knowledge production and risk of desertification, indicating that conservation scientists are responding to conservation challenges faced by Caatinga’s fauna and flora arising from climate change. Our results also highlight the pivotal role of pioneer scientists (those who develop research sites in previously unstudied/understudied areas) in determining the future geographic patterns of knowledge production. We conclude our article with a brief discussion of potential policies for increasing the spatial representativeness of conservation research in this remarkable ecosystem.
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McLester E, Sweeney K, Stewart FA, Piel AK. Leopard (Panthera pardus) predation on a red-tailed monkey (Cercopithecus ascanius) in the Issa Valley, western Tanzania. Primates 2019; 60:15-19. [PMID: 30448971 PMCID: PMC6331503 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-018-0700-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 11/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Predation is predicted to be an important selection pressure for primates. Evidence for this hypothesis is rare, however, due to the scarcity of direct observations of primate predation. We describe an observation of leopard (Panthera pardus) predation on a red-tailed monkey (Cercopithecus ascanius schmidti) at the Issa Valley, a savanna-woodland mosaic landscape in western Tanzania. We compare rates of evidence of leopard presence between Issa and other primate study sites in sub-Saharan Africa. An increase in direct observations of leopards at Issa in recent years suggests that leopards may be habituating to researcher presence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward McLester
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L33AF, UK.
| | - Kyle Sweeney
- Greater Mahale Ecosystem Research and Conservation Project, Box 60118, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Fiona A Stewart
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L33AF, UK
- Greater Mahale Ecosystem Research and Conservation Project, Box 60118, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Alex K Piel
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L33AF, UK
- Greater Mahale Ecosystem Research and Conservation Project, Box 60118, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
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Piel AK, Bonnin N, RamirezAmaya S, Wondra E, Stewart FA. Chimpanzees and their mammalian sympatriates in the Issa Valley, Tanzania. Afr J Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alex K. Piel
- Department of Biological Anthropology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- Greater Mahale Ecosystem Research and Conservation Project Dar es Salaam Tanzania
| | - Noemie Bonnin
- Greater Mahale Ecosystem Research and Conservation Project Dar es Salaam Tanzania
| | | | - Eden Wondra
- Greater Mahale Ecosystem Research and Conservation Project Dar es Salaam Tanzania
| | - Fiona A. Stewart
- Department of Biological Anthropology University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- Greater Mahale Ecosystem Research and Conservation Project Dar es Salaam Tanzania
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20
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van Casteren A, Oelze VM, Angedakin S, Kalan AK, Kambi M, Boesch C, Kühl HS, Langergraber KE, Piel AK, Stewart FA, Kupczik K. Food mechanical properties and isotopic signatures in forest versus savannah dwelling eastern chimpanzees. Commun Biol 2018; 1:109. [PMID: 30271989 PMCID: PMC6123729 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-018-0115-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimpanzees are traditionally described as ripe fruit specialists with large incisors but relatively small postcanine teeth, adhering to a somewhat narrow dietary niche. Field observations and isotopic analyses suggest that environmental conditions greatly affect habitat resource utilisation by chimpanzee populations. Here we combine measures of dietary mechanics with stable isotope signatures from eastern chimpanzees living in tropical forest (Ngogo, Uganda) and savannah woodland (Issa Valley, Tanzania). We show that foods at Issa can present a considerable mechanical challenge, most saliently in the external tissues of savannah woodland plants compared to their tropical forest equivalents. This pattern is concurrent with different isotopic signatures between sites. These findings demonstrate that chimpanzee foods in some habitats are mechanically more demanding than previously thought, elucidating the broader evolutionary constraints acting on chimpanzee dental morphology. Similarly, these data can help clarify the dietary mechanical landscape of extinct hominins often overlooked by broad C3/C4 isotopic categories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam van Casteren
- Max Planck Weizmann Center for Integrative Archaeology and Anthropology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Vicky M Oelze
- Anthropology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Samuel Angedakin
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ammie K Kalan
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mohamed Kambi
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christophe Boesch
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hjalmar S Kühl
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kevin E Langergraber
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change and Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85281, USA
| | - Alexander K Piel
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
| | - Fiona A Stewart
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
| | - Kornelius Kupczik
- Max Planck Weizmann Center for Integrative Archaeology and Anthropology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
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21
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Piel AK. Temporal patterns of chimpanzee loud calls in the Issa Valley, Tanzania: Evidence of nocturnal acoustic behavior in wild chimpanzees. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 166:530-540. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23609] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2017] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/28/2018] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alex K. Piel
- School of Natural Sciences and PsychologyLiverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpool United Kingdom
- Greater Mahale Ecosystem Research and Conservation (Project) Tanzania
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23
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Breuer T, Manguette M, Groenenberg M. Gorilla
Gorilla
spp conservation – from zoos to the field and back: examples from the Mbeli Bai Study. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/izy.12181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- T. Breuer
- Global Conservation Program Wildlife Conservation Society 2300 Southern Boulevard Bronx New York 10460 USA
| | - M. Manguette
- Department of Primatology Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology Deutscher Platz 6 04103 Leipzig Germany
- Mbeli Bai Study Nouabalé‐Ndoki National Park Wildlife Conservation Society B.P. 14537 Brazzaville Congo
| | - M. Groenenberg
- Mbeli Bai Study Nouabalé‐Ndoki National Park Wildlife Conservation Society B.P. 14537 Brazzaville Congo
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Abstract
Most of our knowledge of wild chimpanzee behaviour stems from fewer than 10 long-term field sites. This bias limits studies to a potentially unrepresentative set of communities known to show great behavioural diversity on small geographic scales. Here, we introduce a new genetic approach to bridge the gap between behavioural material evidence in unhabituated chimpanzees and genetic advances in the field of primatology. The use of DNA analyses has revolutionised archaeological and primatological fields, whereby extraction of DNA from non-invasively collected samples allows researchers to reconstruct behaviour without ever directly observing individuals. We used commercially available forensic DNA kits to show that termite-fishing by wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) leaves behind detectable chimpanzee DNA evidence on tools. We then quantified the recovered DNA, compared the yield to that from faecal samples, and performed an initial assessment of mitochondrial and microsatellite markers to identify individuals. From 49 termite-fishing tools from the Issa Valley research site in western Tanzania, we recovered an average of 52 pg/μl chimpanzee DNA, compared to 376.2 pg/μl in faecal DNA extracts. Mitochondrial DNA haplotypes could be assigned to 41 of 49 tools (84%). Twenty-six tool DNA extracts yielded >25 pg/μl DNA and were selected for microsatellite analyses; genotypes were determined with confidence for 18 tools. These tools were used by a minimum of 11 individuals across the study period and termite mounds. These results demonstrate the utility of bio-molecular techniques and a primate archaeology approach in non-invasive monitoring and behavioural reconstruction of unhabituated primate populations.
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Widness J, Aronsen GP. Camera trap data on mammal presence, behaviour and poaching: A case study from Mainaro, Kibale National Park, Uganda. Afr J Ecol 2017. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jane Widness
- Department of Anthropology; Yale University; New Haven CT USA
| | - Gary P. Aronsen
- Department of Anthropology; Yale University; New Haven CT USA
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26
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Dadáková E, Brožová K, Piel AK, Stewart FA, Modrý D, Celer V, Hrazdilová K. Adenovirus infection in savanna chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in the Issa Valley, Tanzania. Arch Virol 2017; 163:191-196. [PMID: 28980083 DOI: 10.1007/s00705-017-3576-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2017] [Accepted: 09/07/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Adenoviruses are a widespread cause of diverse human infections with recently confirmed zoonotic roots in African great apes. We focused on savanna-dwelling chimpanzees in the Issa Valley (Tanzania), which differ from those from forested sites in many aspects of behavior and ecology. PCR targeting the DNA polymerase gene detected AdV in 36.7% (69/188) of fecal samples. We detected five groups of strains belonging to the species Human mastadenovirus E and two distinct groups within the species Human mastadenovirus C based on partial hexon sequence. All detected AdVs from the Issa Valley are related to those from nearby Mahale and Gombe National Parks, suggesting chimpanzee movements and pathogen transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Dadáková
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kristýna Brožová
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Alex K Piel
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrum Street, Liverpool, L33AF, UK.,Ugalla Primate Project, Uvinza, Tanzania
| | - Fiona A Stewart
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Byrum Street, Liverpool, L33AF, UK.,Ugalla Primate Project, Uvinza, Tanzania
| | - David Modrý
- Department of Pathological Morphology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic.,Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.,CEITEC-VFU, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Celer
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic.,CEITEC-VFU, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kristýna Hrazdilová
- CEITEC-VFU, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, Palackého tř. 1946/1, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic. .,Department of Virology, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 296/70, 621 00, Brno, Czech Republic.
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Piel AK, Strampelli P, Greathead E, Hernandez-Aguilar RA, Moore J, Stewart FA. The diet of open-habitat chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in the Issa valley, western Tanzania. J Hum Evol 2017; 112:57-69. [PMID: 29037416 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2015] [Revised: 08/11/2017] [Accepted: 08/15/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Comparative data on the diets of extant primates inform hypotheses about hominin resource use. Historically, data describing chimpanzee diets stem primarily from forest-dwelling communities, and we lack comparative data from chimpanzees that live in mosaic habitats that more closely resemble those reconstructed for Plio-Pleistocene hominins. We present data on the diet of a partially-habituated community of open habitat chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) from the Issa valley, western Tanzania, collected over a four-year period. Based mostly on macroscopic faecal analysis, Issa chimpanzees consumed a minimum of 69 plant species. There was no relationship between plant consumption and either fruit availability or feeding tree density; the most frequently consumed plant species were found in riverine forests, with woodland species consumed more frequently during the late dry season. We conclude by contextualising these findings with those of other open-habitat chimpanzee sites, and also by discussing how our results contribute towards reconstructions of early hominin exploitation of mosaic landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex K Piel
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom; Ugalla Primate Project, Box 108, Uvinza, Tanzania.
| | - Paolo Strampelli
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, United Kingdom
| | - Emily Greathead
- Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - R Adriana Hernandez-Aguilar
- Ugalla Primate Project, Box 108, Uvinza, Tanzania; Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0316, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jim Moore
- Ugalla Primate Project, Box 108, Uvinza, Tanzania; Department of Anthropology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Fiona A Stewart
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom; Ugalla Primate Project, Box 108, Uvinza, Tanzania; Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge, United Kingdom
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28
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Moore J, Black J, Hernandez-Aguilar RA, Idani G, Piel A, Stewart F. Chimpanzee vertebrate consumption: Savanna and forest chimpanzees compared. J Hum Evol 2017; 112:30-40. [PMID: 29037414 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2017.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Revised: 08/30/2017] [Accepted: 09/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
There is broad consensus among paleoanthropologists that meat-eating played a key role in the evolution of Homo, but the details of where, when, and why are hotly debated. It has been argued that increased faunivory was causally connected with hominin adaptation to open, savanna habitats. If savanna-dwelling chimpanzees eat meat more frequently than do forest chimpanzees, it would support the notion that open, dry, seasonal habitats promote hunting or scavenging by hominoids. Here we present observational and fecal analysis data on vertebrate consumption from several localities within the dry, open Ugalla region of Tanzania. Combining these with published fecal analyses, we summarize chimpanzee vertebrate consumption rates, showing quantitatively that savanna chimpanzee populations do not differ significantly from forest populations. Compared with forest populations, savanna chimpanzees consume smaller vertebrates that are less likely to be shared, and they do so more seasonally. Analyses of chimpanzee hunting that focus exclusively on capture of forest monkeys are thus difficult to apply to chimpanzee faunivory in open-country habitats and may be misleading when used to model early hominin behavior. These findings bear on discussions of why chimpanzees hunt and suggest that increases in hominin faunivory were related to differences between hominins and chimpanzees and/or differences between modern and Pliocene savanna woodland environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jim Moore
- Anthropology Dept., University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA.
| | - Jessica Black
- Department of Psychology, University of Oklahoma, Dale Hall Tower, Room 705, 455 W. Lindsey, Norman, OK 73071, USA
| | - R Adriana Hernandez-Aguilar
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, P.O. Box 1066, Blindern, N-0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Gen'ichi Idani
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, 2-24 Sekiden-cho, Tanaka, Sakyo, 606-8203, Japan
| | - Alex Piel
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, James Parsons Building, Rm653, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
| | - Fiona Stewart
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
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Mapua MI, Petrželková KJ, Burgunder J, Dadáková E, Brožová K, Hrazdilová K, Stewart FA, Piel AK, Vallo P, Fuehrer HP, Hashimoto C, Modrý D, Qablan MA. A comparative molecular survey of malaria prevalence among Eastern chimpanzee populations in Issa Valley (Tanzania) and Kalinzu (Uganda). Malar J 2016; 15:423. [PMID: 27543045 PMCID: PMC4992209 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1476-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2016] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Habitat types can affect vector and pathogen distribution and transmission dynamics. The prevalence and genetic diversity of Plasmodium spp. in two eastern chimpanzee populations-Kalinzu Forest Reserve, Uganda and Issa Valley, Tanzania-inhabiting different habitat types was investigated. As a follow up study the effect of host sex and age on infections patterns in Kalinzu Forest Reserve chimpanzees was determined. METHODS Molecular methods were employed to detect Plasmodium DNA from faecal samples collected from savanna-woodland (Issa Valley) and forest (Kalinzu Forest Reserve) chimpanzee populations. RESULTS Based on a Cytochrome-b PCR assay, 32 out of 160 Kalinzu chimpanzee faecal samples were positive for Plasmodium DNA, whilst no positive sample was detected in 171 Issa Valley chimpanzee faecal samples. Sequence analysis revealed that previously known Laverania species (Plasmodium reichenowi, Plasmodium billbrayi and Plasmodium billcollinsi) are circulating in the Kalinzu chimpanzees. A significantly higher proportion of young individuals were tested positive for infections, and switching of Plasmodium spp. was reported in one individual. Amongst the positive individuals sampled more than once, the success of amplification of Plasmodium DNA from faeces varied over sampling time. CONCLUSION The study showed marked differences in the prevalence of malaria parasites among free ranging chimpanzee populations living in different habitats. In addition, a clear pattern of Plasmodium infections with respect to host age was found. The results presented in this study contribute to understanding the ecological aspects underlying the malaria infections in the wild. Nevertheless, integrative long-term studies on vector abundance, Plasmodium diversity during different seasons between sites would provide more insight on the occurrence, distribution and ecology of these pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mwanahamisi I Mapua
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Klára J Petrželková
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 603 00, Brno, Czech Republic.,Liberec Zoo, 460 01, Liberec, Czech Republic.,Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech of the Academy of Sciences, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jade Burgunder
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic.,Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, 611 37, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Eva Dadáková
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kristýna Brožová
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kristýna Hrazdilová
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Virology, Veterinary Research Institute, 621 00, Brno, Czech Republic.,CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Fiona A Stewart
- Division of Biological Anthropology, Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3QG, UK
| | - Alex K Piel
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L33AF, UK
| | - Peter Vallo
- Institute of Vertebrate Biology, Czech Academy of Sciences, 603 00, Brno, Czech Republic.,Institute of Evolutionary Ecology and Conservation Genomics, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein Allee 11, 89069, Ulm, Germany
| | - Hans-Peter Fuehrer
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Pathobiology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Veterinaerplatz 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | - Chie Hashimoto
- Primate Research Institute, Kyoto University, Kanrin, Inuyama, Aichi, 484-8506, Japan
| | - David Modrý
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic.,Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech of the Academy of Sciences, 370 05, České Budějovice, Czech Republic.,CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Moneeb A Qablan
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic.,CEITEC-Central European Institute of Technology, University of Veterinary and Pharmaceutical Sciences Brno, 612 42, Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Food and Agriculture, United Arab Emirates University, PO Box 15551, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
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Kalan AK, Piel AK, Mundry R, Wittig RM, Boesch C, Kühl HS. Passive acoustic monitoring reveals group ranging and territory use: a case study of wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Front Zool 2016; 13:34. [PMID: 27507999 PMCID: PMC4977853 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-016-0167-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2016] [Accepted: 08/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Assessing the range and territories of wild mammals traditionally requires years of data collection and often involves directly following individuals or using tracking devices. Indirect and non-invasive methods of monitoring wildlife have therefore emerged as attractive alternatives due to their ability to collect data at large spatiotemporal scales using standardized remote sensing technologies. Here, we investigate the use of two novel passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) systems used to capture long-distance sounds produced by the same species, wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), living in two different habitats: forest (Taï, Côte d'Ivoire) and savanna-woodland (Issa valley, Tanzania). RESULTS Using data collected independently at two field sites, we show that detections of chimpanzee sounds on autonomous recording devices were predicted by direct and indirect indices of chimpanzee presence. At Taï, the number of chimpanzee buttress drums detected on recording devices was positively influenced by the number of hours chimpanzees were seen ranging within a 1 km radius of a device. We observed a similar but weaker relationship within a 500 m radius. At Issa, the number of indirect chimpanzee observations positively predicted detections of chimpanzee loud calls on a recording device within a 500 m but not a 1 km radius. Moreover, using just seven months of PAM data, we could locate two known chimpanzee communities in Taï and observed monthly spatial variation in the center of activity for each group. CONCLUSIONS Our work shows PAM is a promising new tool for gathering information about the ranging behavior and habitat use of chimpanzees and can be easily adopted for other large territorial mammals, provided they produce long-distance acoustic signals that can be captured by autonomous recording devices (e.g., lions and wolves). With this study we hope to promote more interdisciplinary research in PAM to help overcome its challenges, particularly in data processing, to improve its wider application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ammie K. Kalan
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alex K. Piel
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, James Parsons Building, Rm 653, Byrom Street, Liverpool, L3 3AF UK
- Ugalla Primate Project, Kigoma, Tanzania
| | - Roger Mundry
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Department of Developmental and Comparative Psychology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Roman M. Wittig
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques, BP 1301, Abidjan 1, Côte d’Ivoire
| | - Christophe Boesch
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hjalmar S. Kühl
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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Molecular identification of Entamoeba species in savanna woodland chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii). Parasitology 2016; 143:741-8. [PMID: 26935395 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182016000263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
To address the molecular diversity and occurrence of pathogenic species of the genus Entamoeba spp. in wild non-human primates (NHP) we conducted molecular-phylogenetic analyses on Entamoeba from wild chimpanzees living in the Issa Valley, Tanzania. We compared the sensitivity of molecular [using a genus-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR)] and coproscopic detection (merthiolate-iodine-formaldehyde concentration) of Entamoeba spp. We identified Entamoeba spp. in 72 chimpanzee fecal samples (79%) subjected to species-specific PCRs for six Entamoeba species/groups (Entamoeba histolytica, Entamoeba nuttalli, Entamoeba dispar, Entamoeba moshkovskii, Entamoeba coli and Entamoeba polecki ST2). We recorded three Entamoeba species: E. coli (47%), E. dispar (16%), Entamoeba hartmanni (51%). Coproscopically, we could only distinguish the cysts of complex E. histolytica/dispar/moshkovskii/nuttalli and E. coli. Molecular prevalence of entamoebas was higher than the prevalence based on the coproscopic examination. Our molecular phylogenies showed that sequences of E. dispar and E. coli from Issa chimpanzees are closely related to sequences from humans and other NHP from GenBank. The results showed that wild chimpanzees harbour Entamoeba species similar to those occurring in humans; however, no pathogenic species were detected. Molecular-phylogenetic methods are critical to improve diagnostics of entamoebas in wild NHP and for determining an accurate prevalence of Entamoeba species.
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Tagg N, Willie J, Duarte J, Petre CA, Fa JE. Conservation research presence protects: a case study of great ape abundance in the Dja region, Cameroon. Anim Conserv 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/acv.12212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- N. Tagg
- Centre for Research and Conservation; Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp; Antwerp Belgium
| | - J. Willie
- Centre for Research and Conservation; Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp; Antwerp Belgium
- Terrestrial Ecology Unit; Ghent University; Ghent Belgium
| | - J. Duarte
- Grupo de Biogeografía; Diversidad y Conservación; Departamento de Biología Animal; Facultad de Ciencias; University of Málaga; Málaga Spain
- Ofitecma; Málaga Spain
| | - C.-A. Petre
- Centre for Research and Conservation; Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp; Antwerp Belgium
- Forest Resources Management; BIOSE Department; Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech; University of Liège; Gembloux Belgium
- Conservation Biology Unit; Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences; Brussels Belgium
| | - J. E. Fa
- ICCS; Imperial College London; Ascot UK
- School of Science and the Environment; Manchester Metropolitan University; Manchester UK
- Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research; CIFOR Headquarters; Bogor Indonesia
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