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Andres‐Bray TC, Smith J, Nichols I, Abwe EE, Gonder MK. Ecological correlates of chimpanzee termite fishing behavior in Mbam & Djerem National Park, Cameroon. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e70080. [PMID: 39050659 PMCID: PMC11268952 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.70080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Chimpanzee insectivory is seasonally variable, with pronounced peaks or set seasonal periods of consumption observed in most chimpanzee communities. This variation is interesting given that chimpanzees invest considerable effort into complex tool-using behaviors to acquire insect prey. Evidence suggests this seasonal variation is related to insect behavior, but few studies have been done to empirically examine this relationship. In this study, we assessed whether a seasonal pattern of termite fishing by Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes ellioti) in Mbam & Djerem National Park, Cameroon was driven by termite behavior. We measured termite presence and termite foraging activity monthly at seven termite mounds near Ganga Research Station from April 2022 to April 2023. Macroscopic fecal analysis and camera traps placed at each mound demonstrated termite fishing in this community occurred from March to June, with a rare smaller period of termite fishing in October 2021. Average monthly rainfall, average monthly temperature, and average monthly fruit availability were used to examine potential environmental factors that could impact termite fishing seasonality. Termite presence was significantly different between months with and without chimpanzee termite fishing (t-test, -6.569, p < .001). Termite presence was also significantly associated with average monthly rainfall (ANOVA, F = 13.9, p = .002, R 2 = .775). Termites in this region appear to respond to the transition from dry to wet seasons by moving closer to the soil surface. This corresponds with greater chimpanzee termite fishing, suggesting that termite accessibility may be driving seasonal variation in this behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler C. Andres‐Bray
- Department of BiologyDrexel UniversityPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
- Cameroon Biodiversity Protection PlanYaoundéCameroon
| | - Jeffrey Smith
- Department of BiologyDrexel UniversityPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Ian Nichols
- Department of Forest Resources and Environmental ConservationVirginia TechBlacksburgVirginiaUSA
| | - Ekwoge E. Abwe
- Cameroon Biodiversity AssociationDoualaCameroon
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife AllianceSan DiegoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Mary Katherine Gonder
- Cameroon Biodiversity Protection PlanYaoundéCameroon
- Department of Ecology and Conservation BiologyTexas A&M UniversityCollege StationTexasUSA
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Shimwa AK, Murray CM, Nelson RS, Nockerts RS, Power ML, O'Malley RC. Sodium content in plant and insect food resources consumed by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) in Gombe National Park, Tanzania. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024:e24989. [PMID: 38884277 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/03/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Many nonhuman primate diets are dominated by plant foods, yet plant tissues are often poor sources of sodium-a necessary mineral for metabolism and health. Among primates, chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), which are ripe fruit specialists, consume diverse animal, and plant resources. Insects have been proposed as a source of dietary sodium for chimpanzees, yet published data on sodium values for specific foods are limited. We assayed plants and insects commonly eaten by chimpanzees to assess their relative value as sodium sources. MATERIALS AND METHODS We used atomic absorption spectroscopy to determine sodium content of key plant foods and insects consumed by chimpanzees of Gombe National Park, Tanzania. Dietary contributions of plant and insect foods were calculated using feeding observational data. RESULTS On a dry matter basis, mean sodium value of plant foods (n = 83 samples; mean = 86 ppm, SD = 92 ppm) was significantly lower than insects (n = 12; mean = 1549 ppm, SD = 807 ppm) (Wilcoxon rank sum test: W = 975, p < 0.001). All plant values were below the suggested sodium requirement (2000 ppm) for captive primates. While values of assayed insects were variable, sodium content of two commonly consumed insect prey for Gombe chimpanzees (Macrotermes soldiers and Dorylus ants) were four to five times greater than the highest plant values and likely meet requirements. DISCUSSION We conclude that plant foods available to Gombe chimpanzees are generally poor sources of sodium while insects are important, perhaps critical, sources of sodium for this population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Axelle Kamanzi Shimwa
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Carson M Murray
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Rachel S Nelson
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Rebecca S Nockerts
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Michael L Power
- Center for Species Survival, Nutrition Laboratory, Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Robert C O'Malley
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
- Personal Genetics Education Project, Department of Genetics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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3
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Pascual-Garrido A, Carvalho S, Almeida-Warren K. Primate archaeology 3.0. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024; 183:e24835. [PMID: 37671610 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023]
Abstract
The new field of primate archaeology investigates the technological behavior and material record of nonhuman primates, providing valuable comparative data on our understanding of human technological evolution. Yet, paralleling hominin archaeology, the field is largely biased toward the analysis of lithic artifacts. While valuable comparative data have been gained through an examination of extant nonhuman primate tool use and its archaeological record, focusing on this one single aspect provides limited insights. It is therefore necessary to explore to what extent other non-technological activities, such as non-tool aided feeding, traveling, social behaviors or ritual displays, leave traces that could be detected in the archaeological record. Here we propose four new areas of investigation which we believe have been largely overlooked by primate archaeology and that are crucial to uncovering the full archaeological potential of the primate behavioral repertoire, including that of our own: (1) Plant technology; (2) Archaeology beyond technology; (3) Landscape archaeology; and (4) Primate cultural heritage. We discuss each theme in the context of the latest developments and challenges, as well as propose future directions. Developing a more "inclusive" primate archaeology will not only benefit the study of primate evolution in its own right but will aid conservation efforts by increasing our understanding of changes in primate-environment interactions over time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Pascual-Garrido
- Primate Models for Behavioural Evolution Lab, Institute of Human Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Susana Carvalho
- Primate Models for Behavioural Evolution Lab, Institute of Human Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Archaeology and the Evolution of Human Behaviour, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
- Gorongosa National Park, Sofala, Mozambique
| | - Katarina Almeida-Warren
- Primate Models for Behavioural Evolution Lab, Institute of Human Sciences, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Interdisciplinary Centre for Archaeology and the Evolution of Human Behaviour, University of Algarve, Faro, Portugal
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Van Mulders L, Locquet L, Kaandorp C, Janssens GPJ. An overview of nutritional factors in the aetiopathogenesis of myocardial fibrosis in great apes. Nutr Res Rev 2024:1-16. [PMID: 38343129 DOI: 10.1017/s0954422424000076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
The main cause of mortality in great apes in zoological settings is cardiovascular disease (CVD), affecting all four taxa: chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), bonobo (Pan paniscus), gorilla (Gorilla spp.) and orangutan (Pongo spp.). Myocardial fibrosis, the most typical histological characterisation of CVD in great apes, is non-specific, making it challenging to understand the aetiopathogenesis. A multifactorial origin of disease is assumed whereby many potential causative factors are directly or indirectly related to the diet, which in wild-living great apes mainly consists of high-fibre, low-carbohydrate and very low-sodium components. Diets of great apes housed in zoological settings are often different compared with the situation in the wild. Moreover, low circulating vitamin D levels have recently been recognised in great apes housed in more northern regions. Evaluation of current supplementation guidelines shows that, despite implementation of different dietary strategies, animals stay vitamin D insufficient. Therefore, recent hypotheses designate vitamin D deficiency as a potential underlying factor in the pathogenesis of myocardial fibrosis. The aim of this literature review is to: (i) examine important differences in nutritional factors between zoological and wild great ape populations; (ii) explain the potential detrimental effects of the highlighted dietary discrepancies on cardiovascular function in great apes; and (iii) elucidate specific nutrition-related pathophysiological mechanisms that may underlie the development of myocardial fibrosis. This information may contribute to understanding the aetiopathogenesis of myocardial fibrosis in great apes and pave the way for future clinical studies and a more preventive approach to great ape CVD management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laurens Van Mulders
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
- Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp (KMDA), Antwerpen, Belgium
| | - Laurent Locquet
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Sciences, University of Notingham, Nottingham, UK
- Dick White Referrals, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Christine Kaandorp
- Safari Park Beekse Bergen, Hilvarenbeek, The Netherlands
- Gaia zoo, Kerkrade, The Netherlands
- Zooparc Overloon, Overloon, The Netherlands
- Dierenrijk, Mierlo, The Netherlands
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Barnett AA, Stone AI, Shaw P, Ronchi‐Teles B, dos Santos‐Barnett T, Pimenta NC, Kinap NM, Spironello WR, Bitencourt A, Penhorwood G, Umeed RN, de Oliveira TG, Bezerra BM, Boyle SA, Ross C, Wenzel JW. When food fights back: Cebid primate strategies of larval paper wasp predation and the high‐energy yield of high‐risk foraging. AUSTRAL ECOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1111/aec.13287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Adrian A. Barnett
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary & Environmental Anthropology Roehampton University London UK
- Department of Zoology Pernambuco Federal University Recife Brazil
- Amazonian Mammal Research Group Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia Manaus Brazil
- Animal and Agricultural Sciences Hartpury University Gloucester UK
| | - Anita I. Stone
- Biology Department California Lutheran Univ. Thousand Oaks California USA
| | - Peter Shaw
- Department of Life Sciences, Centre for Research in Ecology, Evolution, and Behaviour, Whitelands College University of Roehampton London UK
| | - Beatriz Ronchi‐Teles
- Entomology Research Group Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia Manaus Brazil
| | | | - Natalia C. Pimenta
- Amazonian Mammal Research Group Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia Manaus Brazil
- Instituto Socioambiental, Programa Rio Negro Manaus Brazil
| | - Natalia M. Kinap
- Amazonian Mammal Research Group Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia Manaus Brazil
| | - Wilson R. Spironello
- Amazonian Mammal Research Group Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia Manaus Brazil
| | - Aparecida Bitencourt
- Food Chemistry & Physics Laboratory, Food Technology Department Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia Manaus Brazil
| | - Gemma Penhorwood
- Animal and Agricultural Sciences Hartpury University Gloucester UK
| | - Rebecca N. Umeed
- Department of Zoology Pernambuco Federal University Recife Brazil
| | | | - Bruna M. Bezerra
- Department of Zoology Pernambuco Federal University Recife Brazil
| | - Sarah A. Boyle
- Department of Biology and Environmental Studies and Sciences Program Rhodes College Memphis Tennessee USA
| | - Caroline Ross
- Centre for Research in Evolutionary & Environmental Anthropology Roehampton University London UK
| | - John W. Wenzel
- Carnegie Museum of Natural History Pittsburgh Pennsylvania USA
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Gerstner KF, Pruetz JD. Wild Chimpanzee Welfare: A Focus on Nutrition, Foraging and Health to Inform Great Ape Welfare in the Wild and in Captivity. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12233370. [PMID: 36496890 PMCID: PMC9735707 DOI: 10.3390/ani12233370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 11/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Adequate nutrition is essential for individual well-being, survival and reproductive fitness. Yet, in wild animals, including great apes, scoring nutrition or health comes with many challenges. Here, we have two aims: first, broadly review the scientific literature regarding nutritional data on wild chimpanzee foods to get a better understanding what nutrients foods comprise of, and second, highlight important findings on wild chimpanzee nutrition and welfare pertaining to diet. We discuss variation in macro and micronutrients in food items consumed and their role in chimpanzee health across chimpanzee subspecies from multiple study sites. We found a lack of information pertaining to nutritional consumption rates of daily diets. Second, we call for a fresh, in-depth discussion on wild chimpanzee welfare issues is of foremost importance to inform conservation projects and particularly settings where humans and chimpanzees may interact, because such conversation can reveal how specific or general welfare measures can (a) inform our knowledge of an individual's, group's, and population's welfare, (b) provide additional measures from the study of wild chimpanzee ecology that can guide the welfare of captive chimpanzees, and (c) can enable comparative study of welfare across wild populations. A summary of the current literature on approaches to measuring wild chimpanzee health and welfare status, to our knowledge, has yet to be done.
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Lindshield S, Rothman JM, Ortmann S, Pruetz JD. Western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) access a nutritionally balanced, high energy, and abundant food, baobab (Adansonia digitata) fruit, with extractive foraging and reingestion. Am J Primatol 2021; 83:e23307. [PMID: 34293210 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 06/01/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Intrinsic to several hypotheses explaining the evolution of foraging behavior complexity, such as proto-tool use, is the assumption that more complex ingestive behaviors are adaptations allowing individuals to access difficult to procure but nutritionally or energetically rewarding foods. However, nutritional approaches to understanding this complexity have been underutilized. The goal of this study was to evaluate potential nutritional determinants of two unusual foraging behaviors, fruit cracking with anvils and seed reingestion, by adult male western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) at Fongoli, Senegal during the baobab (Adansonia digitata) fruit season. We examined these behaviors in relation to nutrient and energy intake, and compared macronutrient and energy concentrations found in baobab fruits to other plant foods. Adult males ingested at least 31 distinct foods from 23 plant species. Baobab fruit comprised the majority of daily energy intake (68 ± 34%, range: 0%-98%). The energetic concentration of baobab fruit varied by phenophase and part ingested, with ripe and semi-ripe fruit ranking high in energy return rate. Males preferred ripe and semi-ripe baobab fruit but unripe fruit intake was higher overall. The seed kernels were high in protein and fat relative to fruit pulp, and these kernels were easier to access during the unripe stage. During the ripe stage, seed kernels were accessible by reingestion, after the seed coat was softened during gut passage. In addition to providing macronutrients and energy, baobab fruit was a relatively abundant food source. We conclude that baobab pulp and seed are high quality foods at Fongoli during the baobab season because they are nutritionally balanced, high in energy, and relatively abundant in the environment. These nutritional and abundance characteristics may explain, in part, why these chimpanzees use anvils and reingestion to access a mechanically challenging food.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacy Lindshield
- Department of Anthropology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana, USA
| | - Jessica M Rothman
- Department of Anthropology, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York, New York, USA.,New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, USA
| | - Sylvia Ortmann
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany
| | - Jill D Pruetz
- Department of Anthropology, Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas, USA
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8
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Abstract
Understanding variation in host-associated microbial communities is important given the relevance of microbiomes to host physiology and health. Using 560 fecal samples collected from wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) across their range, we assessed how geography, genetics, climate, vegetation, and diet relate to gut microbial community structure (prokaryotes, eukaryotic parasites) at multiple spatial scales. We observed a high degree of regional specificity in the microbiome composition, which was associated with host genetics, available plant foods, and potentially with cultural differences in tool use, which affect diet. Genetic differences drove community composition at large scales, while vegetation and potentially tool use drove within-region differences, likely due to their influence on diet. Unlike industrialized human populations in the United States, where regional differences in the gut microbiome are undetectable, chimpanzee gut microbiomes are far more variable across space, suggesting that technological developments have decoupled humans from their local environments, obscuring regional differences that could have been important during human evolution. IMPORTANCE Gut microbial communities are drivers of primate physiology and health, but the factors that influence the gut microbiome in wild primate populations remain largely undetermined. We report data from a continent-wide survey of wild chimpanzee gut microbiota and highlight the effects of genetics, vegetation, and potentially even tool use at different spatial scales on the chimpanzee gut microbiome, including bacteria, archaea, and eukaryotic parasites. Microbial community dissimilarity was strongly correlated with chimpanzee population genetic dissimilarity, and vegetation composition and consumption of algae, honey, nuts, and termites were potentially associated with additional divergence in microbial communities between sampling sites. Our results suggest that host genetics, geography, and climate play a far stronger role in structuring the gut microbiome in chimpanzees than in humans.
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10
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Phillips S, Scheffrahn RH, Piel A, Stewart F, Agbor A, Brazzola G, Tickle A, Sommer V, Dieguez P, Wessling EG, Arandjelovic M, Kühl H, Boesch C, Oelze VM. Limited evidence of C4 plant consumption in mound building Macrotermes termites from savanna woodland chimpanzee sites. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0244685. [PMID: 33566803 PMCID: PMC7875366 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0244685] [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: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Stable isotope analysis is an increasingly used molecular tool to reconstruct the diet and ecology of elusive primates such as unhabituated chimpanzees. The consumption of C4 plant feeding termites by chimpanzees may partly explain the relatively high carbon isotope values reported for some chimpanzee communities. However, the modest availability of termite isotope data as well as the diversity and cryptic ecology of termites potentially consumed by chimpanzees obscures our ability to assess the plausibility of these termites as a C4 resource. Here we report the carbon and nitrogen isotope values from 79 Macrotermes termite samples from six savanna woodland chimpanzee research sites across equatorial Africa. Using mixing models, we estimated the proportion of Macrotermes C4 plant consumption across savanna woodland sites. Additionally, we tested for isotopic differences between termite colonies in different vegetation types and between the social castes within the same colony in a subset of 47 samples from 12 mounds. We found that Macrotermes carbon isotope values were indistinguishable from those of C3 plants. Only 5 to 15% of Macrotermes diets were comprised of C4 plants across sites, suggesting that they cannot be considered a C4 food resource substantially influencing the isotope signatures of consumers. In the Macrotermes subsample, vegetation type and caste were significantly correlated with termite carbon values, but not with nitrogen isotope values. Large Macrotermes soldiers, preferentially consumed by chimpanzees, had comparably low carbon isotope values relative to other termite castes. We conclude that Macrotermes consumption is unlikely to result in high carbon isotope values in either extant chimpanzees or fossil hominins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seth Phillips
- Anthropology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
| | - Rudolf H. Scheffrahn
- Fort Lauderdale Research & Education Center, Davie, Florida, United States of America
| | - Alex Piel
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fiona Stewart
- School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony Agbor
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gregory Brazzola
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alexander Tickle
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Volker Sommer
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- Gashaka Primate Project, Serti, Taraba, Nigeria
| | - Paula Dieguez
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Erin G. Wessling
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Mimi Arandjelovic
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hjalmar Kühl
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christophe Boesch
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Vicky M. Oelze
- Anthropology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States of America
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Wilson ML. Insights into human evolution from 60 years of research on chimpanzees at Gombe. EVOLUTIONARY HUMAN SCIENCES 2021; 3:e8. [PMID: 33604500 PMCID: PMC7886264 DOI: 10.1017/ehs.2021.2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Sixty years of research on chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) at Gombe National Park, Tanzania have revealed many similarities with human behaviour, including hunting, tool use, and coalitionary killing. The close phylogenetic relationship between chimpanzees and humans suggests that these traits were present in the last common ancestor of Pan and Homo (LCAPH). However, findings emerging from studies of our other closest living relative, the bonobo (Pan paniscus), indicate that either bonobos are derived in these respects, or the many similarities between chimpanzees and humans evolved convergently. In either case, field studies provide opportunities to test hypotheses for how and why our lineage has followed its peculiar path through the adaptive landscape. Evidence from primate field studies suggests that the hominin path depends on our heritage as apes: inefficient quadrupeds with grasping hands, orthograde posture, and digestive systems that require high quality foods. Key steps along this path include: (1) changes in diet; (2) increased use of tools; (3) bipedal gait; (4) multilevel societies; (5) collective foraging, including a sexual division of labor and extensive food transfers; and (6) language. Here I consider some possible explanations for these transitions, with an emphasis on contributions from Gombe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Lawrence Wilson
- Department of Anthropology, University of Minnesota, 395 Humphrey Center, 301 19th Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN55455, USA
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, University of Minnesota, 140 Gortner Laboratory, 1479 Gortner Avenue, Saint Paul, MN55108, USA
- Institute on the Environment, University of Minnesota, 1954 Buford Avenue, Saint Paul, MN55108, USA
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12
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Meat eating by nonhuman primates: A review and synthesis. J Hum Evol 2020; 149:102882. [PMID: 33137551 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2020.102882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2020] [Revised: 08/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Most nonhuman primates prey on vertebrates. Meat-eating, defined as ingestion of vertebrate tissue, occurs in 12 families, ≥39 genera, and ≥89 species. It is most common in capuchins (Cebus and Sapajus spp.), baboons (Papio spp.), bonobos (Pan paniscus), and chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) and modestly common in blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis), callitrichids (Callithrix spp. and Saguinus spp.), and squirrel monkeys (Saimiri spp.). It is uncommon in other cercopithecines, rare in other haplorhines and in lemurs, and virtually absent in colobines. Birds are the prey class eaten by the most species (≥53), followed by reptiles (≥48), amphibians (≥38), mammals (≥35), and fish (≥7). Major hypotheses for the importance of meat eating are that it is (1) mainly an energy source, especially (1a) when plant-source foods (PSFs) with high energy return rates are scarce (energy shortfall hypothesis); (2) mainly a protein source; and (3) mainly a source of micronutrients scarce in PSFs. Meat eating bouts sometimes provide substantial energy and protein, and some chimpanzees gain substantial protein from meat monthly or annually. However, meat typically accounts for only small proportions of feeding time and of total energy and protein intake, and quantitative data are inconsistent with the energy shortfall hypothesis. PSFs and/or invertebrates are presumably the main protein sources, even for chimpanzees. Support is strongest for the micronutrient hypothesis. Most chimpanzees eat far less meat than recorded for hunter-gatherers, but the highest chimpanzee estimates approach the lowest for African hunter-gatherers. In fundamental contrast to the human predatory pattern, other primates only eat vertebrates much smaller than they are, tool-assisted predation is rare except in some capuchins and chimpanzees, and tool use in carcass processing is virtually absent. However, harvesting of small prey deserves more attention with reference to the archaeological and ethnographic record.
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Musgrave S, Lonsdorf E, Morgan D, Sanz C. The ontogeny of termite gathering among chimpanzees in the Goualougo Triangle, Republic of Congo. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 174:187-200. [PMID: 33247844 PMCID: PMC7818130 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Objectives Acquiring tool‐assisted foraging skills can potentially improve dietary quality and increase fitness for wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). In contrast to chimpanzees in East and West Africa, chimpanzees in the Congo Basin use tool sets and brush‐tipped fishing probes to gather termites. We investigated the ontogeny of these tool skills in chimpanzees of the Goualougo Triangle, Republic of Congo, and compared it to that for chimpanzees at Gombe, Tanzania. We assessed whether chimpanzees acquired simple tool behaviors and single tool use before more complex actions and sequential use of multiple tool types. Materials and Methods Using a longitudinal approach, we scored remote video footage to document the acquisition of termite‐gathering critical elements for 25 immature chimpanzees at Goualougo. Results All chimpanzees termite fished by 2.9 years but did not manufacture brush‐tipped probes until an average of 4.3 years. Acquisition of sequential tool use extended into juvenility and adolescence. While we did not detect significant sex differences, most critical elements except tool manufacture were acquired slightly earlier by females. Discussion These findings contrast with Gombe, where chimpanzees learn to both use and make fishing probes between ages 1.5–3.5 and acquire the complete task by age 5.5. Differences between sites could reflect tool material selectivity and design complexity, the challenge of sequential tool behaviors, and strength requirements of puncturing subterranean termite nests at Goualougo. These results illustrate how task complexity may influence the timing and sequence of skill acquisition, improving models of the ontogeny of tool behavior among early hominins who likely used complex, perishable technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Musgrave
- Department of Anthropology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, USA
| | - Elizabeth Lonsdorf
- Department of Psychology, Franklin and Marshall College, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - David Morgan
- Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Crickette Sanz
- Congo Program, Wildlife Conservation Society, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.,Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.,Kyoto University Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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14
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Bryson-Morrison N, Beer A, Gaspard Soumah A, Matsuzawa T, Humle T. The macronutrient composition of wild and cultivated plant foods of West African chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) inhabiting an anthropogenic landscape. Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23102. [PMID: 32003053 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2019] [Revised: 01/17/2020] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Agricultural expansion encroaches on tropical forests and primates in such landscapes frequently incorporate crops into their diet. Understanding the nutritional drivers behind crop-foraging can help inform conservation efforts to improve human-primate coexistence. This study builds on existing knowledge of primate diets in anthropogenic landscapes by estimating the macronutrient content of 24 wild and 11 cultivated foods (90.5% of food intake) consumed by chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) at Bossou, Guinea, West Africa. We also compared the macronutrient composition of Bossou crops to published macronutrient measures of crops from Bulindi, Uganda, East Africa. The composition of wild fruits, leaves, and pith were consistent with previous reports for primate diets. Cultivated fruits were higher in carbohydrates and lower in insoluble fiber than wild fruits, while wild fruits were higher in protein. Macronutrient content of cultivated pith fell within the ranges of consumed wild pith. Oil palm food parts were relatively rich in carbohydrates, protein, lipids, and/or fermentable fiber, adding support for the nutritional importance of the oil palm for West African chimpanzees. We found no differences in the composition of cultivated fruits between Bossou and Bulindi, suggesting that macronutrient content alone does not explain differences in crop selection. Our results build on the current understanding of chimpanzee feeding ecology within forest-agricultural mosaics and provide additional support for the assumption that crops offer primates energetic benefits over wild foods.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andy Beer
- Royal Zoological Society Scotland (RZSS), Edinburgh Zoo, Edinburgh, UK.,Sparsholt College, Hampshire, UK
| | - Aly Gaspard Soumah
- Institut de Recherche Environmentale de Bossou (IREB), Bossou, Republic of Guinea
| | | | - Tatyana Humle
- Durrell Institute of Conservation and Ecology (DICE), School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
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15
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Reynolds V, Pascual-Garrido A, Lloyd AW, Lyons P, Hobaiter C. Possible mineral contributions to the diet and health of wild chimpanzees in three East African forests. Am J Primatol 2019; 81:e22978. [PMID: 31090097 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22978] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2018] [Revised: 02/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
We present new data on the ingestion of minerals from termite mound soil by East African chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) living in the Budongo Forest Reserve, Uganda, the Gombe National Park and the Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania. Termite mound soil is here shown to be a rich source of minerals, containing high concentrations of iron and aluminum. Termite mound soil is not, however, a source of sodium. The concentrations of iron and aluminum are the highest yet found in any of the mineral sources consumed. Levels of manganese and copper, though not so high as for iron and aluminum, are also higher than in other dietary sources. We focus on the contribution of termite mound soil to other known sources of mineral elements consumed by these apes, and compare the mineral content of termite soil with that of control forest soil, decaying wood, clay, and the normal plant-based chimpanzee diet at Budongo. Samples obtained from Mahale Mountains National Park and Gombe National Park, both in Tanzania, show similar mineral distribution across sources. We suggest three distinct but related mechanisms by which minerals may come to be concentrated in the above-mentioned sources, serving as potentially important sources of essential minerals in the chimpanzee diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vernon Reynolds
- School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, Oxford University, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Budongo Conservation Field Station, Masindi, Uganda
| | - Alejandra Pascual-Garrido
- Primate Models for Behavioural Evolution Lab, Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology, School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,School of Archaeology, University of Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew W Lloyd
- School of Environment & Technology, University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Peter Lyons
- School of Environment & Technology, University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom
| | - Catherine Hobaiter
- Budongo Conservation Field Station, Masindi, Uganda.,School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Marys College, South Street, St Andrews, Scotland
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16
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Mattison CP, Khurana T, Tarver MR, Florane CB, Grimm CC, Pakala SB, Cottone CB, Riegel C, Bren-Mattison Y, Slater JE. Cross-reaction between Formosan termite (Coptotermes formosanus) proteins and cockroach allergens. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0182260. [PMID: 28767688 PMCID: PMC5540505 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [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: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/14/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Cockroach allergens can lead to serious allergy and asthma symptoms. Termites are evolutionarily related to cockroaches, cohabitate in human dwellings, and represent an increasing pest problem in the United States. The Formosan subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus) is one of the most common species in the southern United States. Several assays were used to determine if C. formosanus termite proteins cross-react with cockroach allergens. Expressed sequence tag and genomic sequencing results were searched for homology to cockroach allergens using BLAST 2.2.21 software. Whole termite extracts were analyzed by mass-spectrometry, immunoassay with IgG and scFv antibodies to cockroach allergens, and human IgE from serum samples of cockroach allergic patients. Expressed sequence tag and genomic sequencing results indicate greater than 60% similarity between predicted termite proteins and German and American cockroach allergens, including Bla g 2/Per a 2, Bla g 3/Per a 3, Bla g 5, Bla g 6/Per a 6, Bla g 7/Per a 7, Bla g 8, Per a 9, and Per a 10. Peptides from whole termite extract were matched to those of the tropomyosin (Bla g 7), arginine kinase (Per a 9), and myosin (Bla g 8) cockroach allergens by mass-spectrometry. Immunoblot and ELISA testing revealed cross-reaction between several proteins with IgG and IgE antibodies to cockroach allergens. Several termite proteins, including the hemocyanin and tropomyosin orthologs of Blag 3 and Bla g 7, were shown to crossreact with cockroach allergens. This work presents support for the hypothesis that termite proteins may act as allergens and the findings could be applied to future allergen characterization, epitope analysis, and clinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher P. Mattison
- Southern Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Taruna Khurana
- Division of Vaccines and Related Products Applications, United States Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Matthew R. Tarver
- Southern Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Christopher B. Florane
- Southern Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Casey C. Grimm
- Southern Regional Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Suman B. Pakala
- J. Craig Venter Institute, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Carrie B. Cottone
- New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Claudia Riegel
- New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America
| | | | - Jay E. Slater
- Division of Bacterial, Parasitic and Allergenic Products, United States Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
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17
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Almeida-Warren K, Sommer V, Piel AK, Pascual-Garrido A. Raw material procurement for termite fishing tools by wild chimpanzees in the Issa valley, Western Tanzania. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2017. [PMID: 28621823 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Chimpanzee termite fishing has been studied for decades, yet the selective processes preceding the manufacture of fishing tools remain largely unexplored. We investigate raw material selection and potential evidence of forward planning in the chimpanzees of Issa valley, western Tanzania. MATERIALS AND METHODS Using traditional archaeological methods, we surveyed the location of plants from where chimpanzees sourced raw material to manufacture termite fishing tools, relative to targeted mounds. We measured raw material abundance to test for availability and selection. Statistics included Chi-Squared, two-tailed Wilcoxon, and Kruskall-Wallace tests. RESULTS Issa chimpanzees manufactured extraction tools only from bark, despite availability of other suitable materials (e.g., twigs), and selected particular plant species as raw material sources, which they often also exploit for food. Most plants were sourced 1-16 m away from the mound, with a maximum of 33 m. The line of sight from the targeted mound was obscured for a quarter of these plants. DISCUSSION The exclusive use of bark tools despite availability of other suitable materials indicates a possible cultural preference. The fact that Issa chimpanzees select specific plant species and travel some distance to source them suggests some degree of selectivity and, potentially, forward planning. Our results have implications for the reconstruction of early hominin behaviors, particularly with regard to the use of perishable tools, which remain archaeologically invisible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Almeida-Warren
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, WC1 E6BT, United Kingdom
- Institute of Cognitive and Evolutionary Anthropology, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX2 6PN, United Kingdom
| | - Volker Sommer
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, WC1 E6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Alex K Piel
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L3 3AF, United Kingdom
- Ugalla Primate Project, PO Box 108, Uvinza, Tanzania
| | - Alejandra Pascual-Garrido
- RLAHA, School of Archaeology, Leverhulme Trust Early Career Fellow, University of Oxford, Oxford, OX1 3QY, United Kingdom
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18
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O'Malley RC, Stanton MA, Gilby IC, Lonsdorf EV, Pusey A, Markham AC, Murray CM. Reproductive state and rank influence patterns of meat consumption in wild female chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii). J Hum Evol 2016; 90:16-28. [PMID: 26767956 PMCID: PMC4715263 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.09.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2015] [Revised: 09/12/2015] [Accepted: 09/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
An increase in faunivory is a consistent component of human evolutionary models. Animal matter is energy- and nutrient-dense and can provide macronutrients, minerals, and vitamins that are limited or absent in plant foods. For female humans and other omnivorous primates, faunivory may be of particular importance during the costly periods of pregnancy and early lactation. Yet, because animal prey is often monopolizable, access to fauna among group-living primates may be mediated by social factors such as rank. Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) across Africa habitually consume insects and/or vertebrates. However, no published studies have examined patterns of female chimpanzee faunivory during pregnancy and early lactation relative to non-reproductive periods, or by females of different rank. In this study, we assessed the influence of reproductive state and dominance rank on the consumption of fauna (meat and insects) by female chimpanzees of Gombe National Park, Tanzania. Using observational data collected over 38 years, we tested (a) whether faunivory varied by reproductive state, and (b) if high-ranking females spent more time consuming fauna than lower-ranking females. In single-factor models, pregnant females consumed more meat than lactating and baseline (meaning not pregnant and not in early lactation) females, and high-ranking females consumed more meat than lower-ranking females. A two-factor analysis of a subset of well-sampled females identified an interaction between rank and reproductive state: lower-ranking females consumed more meat during pregnancy than lower-ranking lactating and baseline females did. High-ranking females did not significantly differ in meat consumption between reproductive states. We found no relationships between rank or reproductive state with insectivory. We conclude that, unlike insectivory, meat consumption by female chimpanzees is mediated by both reproductive state and social rank. We outline possible mechanisms for these patterns, relate our findings to meat-eating patterns in women from well-studied hunter-gatherer societies, and discuss potential avenues for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert C O'Malley
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, the George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.
| | - Margaret A Stanton
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, the George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.
| | - Ian C Gilby
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287, USA.
| | - Elizabeth V Lonsdorf
- Department of Psychology and Biological Foundations of Behavior Program, Franklin & Marshall College, Lancaster, PA 17603, USA; Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo, Chicago, IL 60614, USA.
| | - Anne Pusey
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
| | - A Catherine Markham
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, the George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA; Department of Anthropology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA.
| | - Carson M Murray
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, the George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA.
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19
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Vogel ER, Harrison ME, Zulfa A, Bransford TD, Alavi SE, Husson S, Morrogh-Bernard H, Santiano, Firtsman T, Utami-Atmoko SS, van Noordwijk MA, Farida WR. Nutritional Differences between Two Orangutan Habitats: Implications for Population Density. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0138612. [PMID: 26466370 PMCID: PMC4605688 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0138612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2015] [Accepted: 08/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Bottom-up regulatory factors have been proposed to exert a strong influence on mammalian population density. Studies relating habitat quality to population density have typically made comparisons among distant species or communities without considering variation in food quality among localities. We compared dietary nutritional quality of two Bornean orangutan populations with differing population densities in peatland habitats, Tuanan and Sabangau, separated by 63 km. We hypothesized that because Tuanan is alluvial, the plant species included in the orangutan diet would be of higher nutritional quality compared to Sabangau, resulting in higher daily caloric intake in Tuanan. We also predicted that forest productivity would be greater in Tuanan compared to Sabangau. In support of these hypotheses, the overall quality of the diet and the quality of matched dietary items were higher in Tuanan, resulting in higher daily caloric intake compared to Sabangau. These differences in dietary nutritional quality may provide insights into why orangutan population density is almost two times greater in Tuanan compared to Sabangau, in agreement with a potentially important influence of diet quality on primate population density.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin R. Vogel
- Department of Anthropology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Mark E. Harrison
- Department of Geography, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
- The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project, Palangka Raya, Indonesia
| | - Astri Zulfa
- Fakultas Biologi, Universitas Nasional Jakarta, Jakarta, Indonesia
| | - Timothy D. Bransford
- Department of Anthropology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Shauhin E. Alavi
- Department of Anthropology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Simon Husson
- The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project, Palangka Raya, Indonesia
| | | | - Santiano
- The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project, Palangka Raya, Indonesia
- Centre for the International Cooperation in Sustainable Management of Tropical Peatlands, Palangka Raya, Indonesia
| | - Twentinolosa Firtsman
- The Orangutan Tropical Peatland Project, Palangka Raya, Indonesia
- Centre for the International Cooperation in Sustainable Management of Tropical Peatlands, Palangka Raya, Indonesia
| | | | | | - Wartika Rosa Farida
- Research Center for Biology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Cibinong-Bogor, Indonesia
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20
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Bryer MAH, Chapman CA, Raubenheimer D, Lambert JE, Rothman JM. Macronutrient and Energy Contributions of Insects to the Diet of a Frugivorous Monkey (Cercopithecus ascanius). INT J PRIMATOL 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-015-9857-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
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21
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Mosdossy KN, Melin AD, Fedigan LM. Quantifying seasonal fallback on invertebrates, pith, and bromeliad leaves by white-faced capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus) in a tropical dry forest. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2015; 158:67-77. [PMID: 26010158 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2014] [Revised: 04/29/2015] [Accepted: 05/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Fallback foods (FBFs) are hypothesized to shape the ecology, morphology, and behavior of primates, including hominins. Identifying FBFs is therefore critical for revealing past and present foraging adaptations. Recent research suggests invertebrates act as seasonal FBFs for many primate species and human populations. Yet, studies measuring the consumption of invertebrates relative to ecological variation are widely lacking. We address this gap by examining food abundance and entomophagy by primates in a seasonal forest. MATERIALS AND METHODS We study foraging behavior of white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus)-a species renowned for its intelligence and propensity for extractive foraging-along with the abundance of invertebrates, dietary ripe fruits, pith, and bromeliads. Consumption events and processing time are recorded during focal animal samples. We determine abundance of vegetative foods through phenological and density records. Invertebrates are collected in malaise, pan, and terrestrial traps; caterpillar abundance is inferred from frass traps. RESULTS Invertebrates are abundant throughout the year and capuchins consume invertebrates-including caterpillars-frequently when fruit is abundant. However, capuchins spend significantly more time processing protected invertebrates when fruit and caterpillars are low in abundance. DISCUSSION Invertebrate foraging patterns are not uniform. Caterpillar consumption is consistent with a preferred strategy, whereas capuchins appear to fallback on invertebrates requiring high handling time. Capuchins are convergent with hominins in possessing large brains and high levels of sensorimotor intelligence, thus our research has broad implications for primate evolution, including factors shaping cognitive innovations, brain size, and the role of entomophagy in the human diet.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krisztina N Mosdossy
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Amanda D Melin
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO, 63130
| | - Linda M Fedigan
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
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22
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de Figueirêdo RECR, Vasconcellos A, Policarpo IS, Alves RRN. Edible and medicinal termites: a global overview. JOURNAL OF ETHNOBIOLOGY AND ETHNOMEDICINE 2015; 11:29. [PMID: 25925503 PMCID: PMC4427943 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-015-0016-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 03/14/2015] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Termites are mainly known for damage caused to human beings, both in urban and rural areas. However, these insects play an important role in the decomposition of organic matter in tropical regions and are important natural resources, which are widely used in traditional medicine and are also consumed by human populations in several parts of the world. This study aimed to catalogue termite species used worldwide through a literature review, characterizing them by its human populations' use. The results showed that at least 45 species of termites, belonging to four families, are used in the world, with 43 species used in human diet and/or in livestock feeding. Nine termite species are used as a therapeutic resource. There is an overlapping use of seven species. The use of termites was registered in 29 countries over three continents. Africa is the continent with the highest number of records, followed by America and Asia. The results suggest that, in addition to their ecological importance, termites are a source of medicinal and food resources to various human populations in various locations of the world, showing their potential for being used as an alternative protein source in human or livestock diets, as well as a source for new medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexandre Vasconcellos
- Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, CCEN, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Laboratório de Termitologia, 58051-900, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil.
| | - Iamara Silva Policarpo
- Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, CCEN, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Laboratório de Termitologia, 58051-900, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil.
| | - Rômulo Romeu Nóbrega Alves
- Departamento de Sistemática e Ecologia, CCEN, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Laboratório de Termitologia, 58051-900, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil.
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Laboratório de Termitologia, 58051-900, João Pessoa, PB, Brazil.
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23
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Cancelliere EC, DeAngelis N, Nkurunungi JB, Raubenheimer D, Rothman JM. Minerals in the foods eaten by mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei). PLoS One 2014; 9:e112117. [PMID: 25372712 PMCID: PMC4221279 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2014] [Accepted: 10/12/2014] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Minerals are critical to an individual's health and fitness, and yet little is known about mineral nutrition and requirements in free-ranging primates. We estimated the mineral content of foods consumed by mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. Mountain gorillas acquire the majority of their minerals from herbaceous leaves, which constitute the bulk of their diet. However, less commonly eaten foods were sometimes found to be higher in specific minerals, suggesting their potential importance. A principal component analysis demonstrated little correlation among minerals in food items, which further suggests that mountain gorillas might increase dietary diversity to obtain a full complement of minerals in their diet. Future work is needed to examine the bioavailability of minerals to mountain gorillas in order to better understand their intake in relation to estimated needs and the consequences of suboptimal mineral balance in gorilla foods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C. Cancelliere
- Department of Anthropology, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York, United States of America
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, United States of America
| | - Nicole DeAngelis
- Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States of America
| | - John Bosco Nkurunungi
- Department of Biology, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
| | - David Raubenheimer
- Charles Perkins Centre, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Jessica M. Rothman
- Department of Anthropology, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York, United States of America
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology, New York, New York, United States of America
- Department of Anthropology, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York City, New York, United States of America
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24
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Melin AD, Young HC, Mosdossy KN, Fedigan LM. Seasonality, extractive foraging and the evolution of primate sensorimotor intelligence. J Hum Evol 2014; 71:77-86. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2014.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2012] [Revised: 02/18/2014] [Accepted: 02/18/2014] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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25
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Tennie C, O'Malley RC, Gilby IC. Why do chimpanzees hunt? Considering the benefits and costs of acquiring and consuming vertebrate versus invertebrate prey. J Hum Evol 2014; 71:38-45. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2014.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2012] [Revised: 02/16/2014] [Accepted: 02/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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26
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McGrew WC. The 'other faunivory' revisited: Insectivory in human and non-human primates and the evolution of human diet. J Hum Evol 2014; 71:4-11. [PMID: 24560030 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2013.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2012] [Revised: 01/26/2013] [Accepted: 07/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The role of invertebrates in the evolution of human diet has been under-studied by comparison with vertebrates and plants. This persists despite substantial knowledge of the importance of the 'other faunivory', especially insect-eating, in the daily lives of non-human primates and traditional human societies, especially hunters and gatherers. Most primates concentrate on two phyla, Mollusca and Arthropoda, but of the latter's classes, insects (especially five orders: Coleoptera, Hymenoptera, Isoptera, Lepidoptera, Orthoptera) are paramount. An insect product, bees' honey, is particularly important, and its collection shows a reversal of the usual sexual division of labor. Human entomophagy involves advanced technology (fire, containers) and sometimes domestication. Insectivory provides comparable calorific and nutritional benefits to carnivory, but with different costs. Much insectivory in hominoids entails elementary technology used in extractive foraging, such as termite fishing by chimpanzees. Elucidating insectivory in the fossil and paleontological record is challenging, but at least nine avenues are available: remains, lithics, residues, DNA, coprolites, dental microwear, stable isotopes, osteology, and depictions. All are in play, but some have been more successful so far than others.
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Affiliation(s)
- William C McGrew
- Division of Biological Anthropology, Department of Archaeology & Anthropology, University of Cambridge, Fitzwilliam St., Cambridge CB21QH, UK.
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