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Laliberté J, Rioux È, Lesmerises R, St-Laurent MH. Linking sexual size dimorphism to trophic niche partitioning in a generalist predator. CAN J ZOOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2022-0007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Sexual size dimorphism is a common phenomenon in mammals, and researchers have been trying to demonstrate the evolutionary causes leading to sexual dimorphism. Two main hypotheses emerged: (1) the sexual selection hypothesis and (2) the sexual competition hypothesis (also called resource partitioning hypothesis). Here, we attempted to link sexual dimorphism in fishers ( Pekania pennanti (Erxleben, 1777)) with their fall diet using stable isotope profiling and body and skull measurements. We used the carcasses of 39 fishers which were caught in eastern Québec during fall 2014 by volunteer trappers as well as several potential prey items ranging from small rodents to cervids. We expected minimal niche overlap between sexes, as males should be able to exploit different prey species than females. We also expected to observe an effect of age class (adults vs. juveniles) on trophic niche. As expected, we found great evidence of sexual dimorphism in both body mass and skull measurements: males were heavier and longer than females and had a larger zygomatic and intracanine width and a longer skull. While proportions of prey in diet according to sex and age did not vary greatly, we found some evidence of niche partitioning using Layman's metrics. Indeed, females tended to have a less diversified and more similar diet compared to one another, whereas males showed more diversified and contrasted diets. Despite our limited sample size, our findings provide partial support to the sexual competition hypothesis, as the difference in body and skull size based on sex could have evolved to lessen intraspecific competition in fishers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jérôme Laliberté
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Centre for Forest Research, 300 Allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, QC G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - Ève Rioux
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Centre for Forest Research, 300 Allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, QC G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - Rémi Lesmerises
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Centre for Forest Research, 300 Allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, QC G5L 3A1, Canada
| | - Martin-Hugues St-Laurent
- Département de Biologie, Chimie et Géographie, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Centre for Forest Research, 300 Allée des Ursulines, Rimouski, QC G5L 3A1, Canada
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2
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Wright E, Eckardt W, Refisch J, Bitariho R, Grueter CC, Ganas-Swaray J, Stoinski TS, Robbins MM. Higher Maximum Temperature Increases the Frequency of Water Drinking in Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei). FRONTIERS IN CONSERVATION SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fcosc.2022.738820] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Water plays a vital role in many aspects of sustaining life, including thermoregulation. Given that increasing temperatures and more extreme weather events due to climate change are predicted to influence water availability, understanding how species obtain and use water is critical. This is especially true for endangered species in small isolated populations which are vulnerable to drought and the risk of extinction. We examined the relationship between the frequency of water drinking and maximum temperature and rainfall in 21 groups of wild gorillas from the two mountain gorilla populations (Bwindi and Virunga), between 2010 and 2020. In both populations, we found that the frequency of water drinking significantly increased at higher maximum temperatures than cooler ones, but we found no consistent relationship between water drinking and rainfall. We also found that Virunga gorillas relied more on foods with higher water content than Bwindi gorillas, which in part likely explains why they drink water much less frequently. These findings highlight that even in rainforest mammals that gain most of their water requirements from food, access to free-standing water may be important because it likely facilitates evaporative cooling in response to thermoregulatory stress. These results have important implications for conservation and behavior of mountain gorillas in the face of continued increases in temperature and frequency of extreme weather events associated with climate change.
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Graham KE, Badihi G, Safryghin A, Grund C, Hobaiter C. A socio-ecological perspective on the gestural communication of great ape species, individuals, and social units. ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2022; 34:235-259. [PMID: 35529671 PMCID: PMC9067943 DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2021.1988722] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Over the last 30 years, most research on non-human primate gestural communication has been produced by psychologists, which has shaped the questions asked and the methods used. These researchers have drawn on concepts from philosophy, linguistics, anthropology, and ethology, but despite these broad influences the field has neglected to situate gestures into the socio-ecological context in which the diverse species, individuals, and social-units exist. In this review, we present current knowledge about great ape gestural communication in terms of repertoires, meanings, and development. We fold this into a conversation about variation in other types of ape social behaviour to identify areas for future research on variation in gestural communication. Given the large variation in socio-ecological factors across species and social-units (and the individuals within these groups), we may expect to find different preferences for specific gesture types; different needs for communicating specific meanings; and different rates of encountering specific contexts. New tools, such as machine-learning based automated movement tracking, may allow us to uncover potential variation in the speed and form of gesture actions or parts of gesture actions. New multi-group multi-generational datasets provide the opportunity to apply analyses, such as Bayesian modelling, which allows us to examine these rich behavioural landscapes. Together, by expanding our questions and our methods, researchers may finally be able to study great ape gestures from the perspective of the apes themselves and explore what this gestural communication system reveals about apes’ thinking and experience of their world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty E. Graham
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary’s Quad, South St, St Andrews KY16 9JP, Scotland, UK
| | - Gal Badihi
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary’s Quad, South St, St Andrews KY16 9JP, Scotland, UK
| | - Alexandra Safryghin
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary’s Quad, South St, St Andrews KY16 9JP, Scotland, UK
| | - Charlotte Grund
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary’s Quad, South St, St Andrews KY16 9JP, Scotland, UK
| | - Catherine Hobaiter
- School of Psychology & Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Mary’s Quad, South St, St Andrews KY16 9JP, Scotland, UK
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Dissecting the two mechanisms of scramble competition among the Virunga mountain gorillas. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021; 75:82. [PMID: 34776593 PMCID: PMC8550613 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03016-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Two mechanisms have been proposed to explain why scramble competition can increase the travel requirements of individuals within larger groups. Firstly, individuals in larger groups may be more likely to encounter food sites where other group members have already eaten, leading to greater asynchronous “individual” travel to find fresh sites. Secondly, when food sites are aggregated into patches, larger groups may need to visit more patches to obtain the same amount of food per capita, leading to greater synchronous “group” travel between patches. If the first mechanism can be mitigated by increasing group spread, then we expect the second mechanism to be more sensitive to group size. Here, we examine the individual travel and group travel of the Virunga mountain gorillas, along with potential implications for the two mechanisms of scramble competition. Asynchronous individual travel accounted for 67% of the total travel time, and the remainder arose from group travel. Group spread increased significantly for larger groups, but not enough to prevent an increase in individual travel. Contrary to expectations, group travel decreased with size among most groups, and we found only limited evidence of patch depletion that would cause the second mechanism of scramble competition. Collectively, our results illustrate how the influence of group size can differ for individual travel versus group travel, just as it differs among species for overall travel. Studies that distinguish between the two mechanisms of scramble competition may enhance our understanding of ecological constraints upon group size, including potential differences between frugivores and folivores. Significance statement Feeding competition provides insight into how group size can influence the foraging patterns of social animals, but two key mechanisms are not typically compared. Firstly, larger groups may visit more patches to access the same amount of food per capita (group travel). Secondly, their individuals may also need to move past more spots where another member has already eaten (individual travel). Contrary to expectations, we found that group travel decreased with size for most groups of mountain gorillas, which may reflect extra travel by smaller groups to avoid larger groups. Individual travel increased with size in most groups, even though gorillas in larger groups compensated by spreading out over a broader area. The two mechanisms revealed patterns that were not apparent in our previous study of overall travel. Our approach may help to explain potential differences between folivores and frugivores.
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Xia W, Grueter CC, Ren B, Zhang D, Yuan X, Li D. Determinants of Harem Size in a Polygynous Primate: Reproductive Success and Social Benefits. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11102915. [PMID: 34679936 PMCID: PMC8532613 DOI: 10.3390/ani11102915] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
We used long-term data on the variation in harem size in Yunnan snub-nosed monkeys to research the effects of harem size on reproductive success and the ratio of grooming received to given (RGRG). The results suggest that harem holders derive reproductive benefits commensurate with harem size, whereas the females' reproductive success is unaffected by harem size. Males of larger harems groomed less and had higher RGRG than males of smaller harems. In the case of females, grooming given increased, and RGRG decreased with an increase in harem size. The males' reproductive success seems to be a driver of harem size maximization. From the females' perspective, dwindling social benefits appear to set the upper limit for harem enlargement. We also showed that males of monogamous units ('single-female harems') invested more into grooming their female, presumably to prevent unit disintegration and loss of mating privileges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wancai Xia
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong 637009, China;
- Institute of Rare Animals and Plants, China West Normal University, Nanchong 637009, China
| | - Cyril C. Grueter
- School of Human Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia;
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA 6009, Australia
- International Centre of Biodiversity and Primate Conservation, Dali University, Dali 671003, China
| | - Baoping Ren
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China;
| | - Dejun Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637000, China; (D.Z.); (X.Y.)
| | - Xiaoxia Yuan
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, North Sichuan Medical College, Nanchong 637000, China; (D.Z.); (X.Y.)
| | - Dayong Li
- Key Laboratory of Southwest China Wildlife Resources Conservation (Ministry of Education), China West Normal University, Nanchong 637009, China;
- Institute of Rare Animals and Plants, China West Normal University, Nanchong 637009, China
- Correspondence:
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Houle A, Wrangham RW. Contest competition for fruit and space among wild chimpanzees in relation to the vertical stratification of metabolizable energy. Anim Behav 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
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7
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Guo ST, He SJ, Zhang H, Bai RF, Zhang SM, Hou R, Grueter CC, Chapman CA, Dunn DW, Li BG. Male social rank and food competition in a primate multi-level society. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 173:630-642. [PMID: 32918292 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Social animals often have dominance hierarchies, with high rank conferring preferential access to resources. In primates, competition among males is often assumed to occur predominantly over reproductive opportunities. However, competition for food may occur during food shortages, such as in temperate species during winter. Higher-ranked males may thus gain preferential access to high-profitability food, which would enable them to spend longer engaged in activities other than feeding. MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed a field experiment with a breeding band of golden snub-nosed monkeys, a species that lives in a multi-level society in high-altitude forests in central China. We provisioned monkey's high-profitability food during winter when natural foods are limited, and then recorded the times individual adult males spent engaged in different behaviors. RESULTS Higher-ranking males spent less time feeding overall and fed on provisioned foods at a higher rate than lower-ranking males. Higher-ranking males therefore had more time to spend on alternative behaviors. We found no significant difference according to rank in times spent moving or resting. However, high-ranking males spend significantly longer on affiliative behaviors with other members of their social sub-units, especially grooming and being groomed, behaviors known to promote social cohesion in primates. DISCUSSION We show that preferential access to high-profitability foods likely relaxes time-budget constraints to higher-ranking males. High-ranking males thus spend more time on non-feeding activities, especially grooming, which may enhance social cohesion within their social sub-unit. We discuss the potential direct and indirect benefits to high-ranking males associated with preferential access to high-value food during winter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song-Tao Guo
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Shu-Jun He
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - He Zhang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Rui-Feng Bai
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Si-Meng Zhang
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Rong Hou
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Cyril C Grueter
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.,Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.,International Centre of Biodiversity and Primate Conservation, Dali University, Dali, China
| | - Colin A Chapman
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.,International Centre of Biodiversity and Primate Conservation, Dali University, Dali, China.,Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA.,School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
| | - Derek W Dunn
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi'an, China
| | - Bao-Guo Li
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory for Animal Conservation, Northwest University, Xi'an, China.,Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, China
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8
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Miller A, Judge D, Uwingeneye G, Ndayishimiye D, Kaplin B, Grueter C. Feeding competition inferred from patch depletion in a supergroup of Rwenzori black-and-white colobus monkeys (Colobus angolensis ruwenzorii) in Rwanda. BEHAVIOUR 2020. [DOI: 10.1163/1568539x-bja10022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Competition for food is often a cost associated with living in a group, and can occur in an indirect (scramble) or direct (contest) form. We investigated feeding competition in a supergroup of Rwenzori black-and-white colobus monkeys (Colobus angolensis ruwenzorii) in Rwanda, with the aim of establishing whether freedom from scramble competition allows these monkeys to form supergroups. We used the patch depletion method, measuring intake rate coupled with movement rate, to assess if food patches become depleted over the occupancy period. Resource depletion was evident when the colobus fed on young leaves, but not when feeding on mature leaves. Scramble competition was inferred from a negative correlation between group size and change in intake rate over patch occupancy. Between-group contest competition was inferred from displacement from patches. Although feeding competition exists for select resources, limited competition for mature leaves may enable Rwenzori colobus to live in a supergroup of hundreds of individuals in this montane forest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alex Miller
- aSchool of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Debra S. Judge
- aSchool of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA, Australia
| | - Grace Uwingeneye
- bCenter of Excellence in Biodiversity & Natural Resource Management, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Dieudonne Ndayishimiye
- bCenter of Excellence in Biodiversity & Natural Resource Management, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
| | - Beth A. Kaplin
- bCenter of Excellence in Biodiversity & Natural Resource Management, University of Rwanda, Kigali, Rwanda
- cSchool for the Environment, University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Cyril C. Grueter
- aSchool of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Perth, WA, Australia
- dCentre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- eUWA Africa Research & Engagement Centre, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
- fInternational Centre of Biodiversity and Primate Conservation, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, China
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9
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Wright E, Galbany J, McFarlin SC, Ndayishimiye E, Stoinski TS, Robbins MM. Dominance rank but not body size influences female reproductive success in mountain gorillas. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0233235. [PMID: 32492071 PMCID: PMC7269200 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
According to life history theory, natural selection has shaped trade-offs for allocating energy among growth, reproduction and maintenance to maximize individual fitness. In social mammals body size and dominance rank are two key variables believed to influence female reproductive success. However, few studies have examined these variables together, particularly in long-lived species. Previous studies found that female dominance rank correlates with reproductive success in mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei), which is surprising given they have weak dominance relationships and experience seemingly low levels of feeding competition. It is not currently known whether this relationship is primarily driven by a positive correlation between rank and body size. We used the non-invasive parallel laser method to measure two body size variables (back breadth and body length) of 34 wild adult female mountain gorillas, together with long-term dominance and demography data to investigate the interrelationships among body size, dominance rank and two measures of female reproductive success (inter-birth interval N = 29 and infant mortality N = 64). Using linear mixed models, we found no support for body size to be significantly correlated with dominance rank or female reproductive success. Higher-ranking females had significantly shorter inter-birth intervals than lower-ranking ones, but dominance rank was not significantly correlated with infant mortality. Our results suggest that female dominance rank is primarily determined by factors other than linear body dimensions and that high rank provides benefits even in species with weak dominance relationships and abundant year-round food resources. Future studies should focus on the mechanisms behind heterogeneity in female body size in relation to trade-offs in allocating energy to growth, maintenance and lifetime reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward Wright
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
- * E-mail:
| | - Jordi Galbany
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
- Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Shannon C. McFarlin
- Department of Anthropology, Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America
| | - Eric Ndayishimiye
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Tara S. Stoinski
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Atlanta, Georgia, United States of America
| | - Martha M. Robbins
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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10
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Mirville MO, Ridley AR, Samedi JPM, Vecellio V, Ndagijimana F, Stoinski TS, Grueter CC. Intragroup Behavioral Changes Following Intergroup Conflict in Mountain Gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei). INT J PRIMATOL 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-020-00130-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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11
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Cui Z, Wang Z, Zhang S, Wang B, Lu J, Raubenheimer D. Living near the limits: Effects of interannual variation in food availability on diet and reproduction in a temperate primate, the Taihangshan macaque (Macaca mulatta tcheliensis). Am J Primatol 2019; 82:e23080. [PMID: 31858636 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 11/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Nutrient intake of animals is influenced by an interplay of external and internal factors, such as food availability and reproductive state, respectively. We used the nutritional geometry framework to analyze individual-based data on energy and nutrient intake in relation to reproductive state in a population of rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta tcheliensis), which live in a harsh high-latitude habitat, the Taihangshan mountains of China, and exhibit strong reproductive seasonality. We combined data over a 3-year period on food availability, diets, reproductive output, and components of maternal investment to understand how Taihangshan macaques respond to variation in food availability and nutrition in reproduction. Our results show there was high interannual variation in availability of an important staple source of fat and carbohydrates (nonprotein energy), seeds of oak (Quercus spp). Despite this variability in seed availability skewing the dietary macronutrient ratios considerably (from 12.96% to 30.12% dietary energy from protein), total metabolizable energy intake was maintained across years during pregnancy. Lactating females had higher mean daily energy intakes than pregnant females. As in pregnant females, energy intake was maintained constant across years, but only when seed availability enabled the contribution of available protein to energy intake to be maintained between 15.32% (2013) and 17.97% (2015). In 2014, when seeds were scarce, lactating females had a shortfall in energy intake compared with 2013 and 2015. This corresponded with a reduction in the number of females giving birth (11 out of 23), but there was no interannual difference in survival rates. Compared to 2013 and 2015, in 2014 females had greater weight loss (drew on body reserves), moved less, and spent more time nursing their offspring. We discuss implications of these results for range limitation in Taihangshan macaques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenwei Cui
- School of Life Sciences, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,School of Physical Education (main campus), Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China.,School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Zhenlong Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Shiqiang Zhang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Baishi Wang
- Institute of Forensic Science, Ministry of Public Security, Beijing, China
| | - Jiqi Lu
- School of Life Sciences, Institute of Biodiversity and Ecology, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - David Raubenheimer
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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12
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Cui Z, Shao Q, Grueter CC, Wang Z, Lu J, Raubenheimer D. Dietary diversity of an ecological and macronutritional generalist primate in a harsh high‐latitude habitat, the Taihangshan macaque (
Macaca mulatta tcheliensis
). Am J Primatol 2019; 81:e22965. [DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Revised: 11/09/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhenwei Cui
- School of Life Sciences Zhengzhou University Zhengzhou China
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecology, Zhengzhou University Zhengzhou China
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
| | - Qi Shao
- School of Life Sciences Zhengzhou University Zhengzhou China
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecology, Zhengzhou University Zhengzhou China
| | - Cyril C. Grueter
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia Perth Western Australia Australia
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia Perth Western Australia Australia
| | - Zhenlong Wang
- School of Life Sciences Zhengzhou University Zhengzhou China
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecology, Zhengzhou University Zhengzhou China
| | - Jiqi Lu
- School of Life Sciences Zhengzhou University Zhengzhou China
- Institute of Biodiversity and Ecology, Zhengzhou University Zhengzhou China
| | - David Raubenheimer
- Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
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13
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Grueter CC, Robbins AM, Abavandimwe D, Vecellio V, Ndagijimana F, Stoinski TS, Robbins MM. Quadratic relationships between group size and foraging efficiency in a herbivorous primate. Sci Rep 2018; 8:16718. [PMID: 30425319 PMCID: PMC6233200 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-35255-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The effect of feeding competition on foraging efficiency is an important link between ecological factors and the social organization of gregarious species. We examined the effects of group size on daily travel distances, activity budgets, and energy intake of mountain gorillas in Rwanda. We measured daily travel distances of five groups, activity budgets of 79 gorillas in nine groups, and energy intake data for 23 adult females in three groups over a 16-month period. Travel distances and the proportion of time spent traveling increased with size for most groups, which would be expected if their foraging efficiency is limited by intragroup feeding competition. However, travel distances and times decreased for the largest group, which also had higher energy intake rates than intermediate sized groups. The improved foraging efficiency of the largest group may be explained by advantages in intergroup contest competition. The largest group had much lower home range overlap than the other study groups which may be due to groups avoiding one another as a result of male mating competition. Collectively, our results indicate that intermediate sized groups had the lowest foraging efficiency and provide a new twist on the growing evidence of non-linear relationships between group size and foraging efficiency in primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cyril C Grueter
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany.
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Atlanta, USA.
- School of Human Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia.
| | - Andrew M Robbins
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | | | | | | | - Tara S Stoinski
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International, Atlanta, USA
- Zoo Atlanta, Atlanta, USA
| | - Martha M Robbins
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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Robbins MM, Robbins AM. Variation in the social organization of gorillas: Life history and socioecological perspectives. Evol Anthropol 2018; 27:218-233. [PMID: 30325554 DOI: 10.1002/evan.21721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Revised: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
A focus of socioecological research is to understand how ecological, social, and life history factors influence the variability of social organization within and between species. The genus Gorilla exhibits variability in social organization with western gorilla groups being almost exclusively one-male, yet approximately 40% of mountain gorilla groups are multimale. We review five ultimate causes for the variability in social organization within and among gorilla populations: human disturbance, ecological constraints on group size, risk of infanticide, life history patterns, and population density. We find the most evidence for the ecological constraints and life history hypotheses, but an over-riding explanation remains elusive. The variability may hinge on variation in female dispersal patterns, as females seek a group of optimal size and with a good protector male. Our review illustrates the challenges of understanding why the social organization of closely related species may deviate from predictions based on socioecological and life history theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martha M Robbins
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Andrew M Robbins
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
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15
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L Canington
- Center for Functional Anatomy and Evolution, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
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16
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Grueter CC, Wright E, Abavandimwe D, Ortmann S, Mudakikwa A, Musana A, Uwingeli P, Ndagijimana F, Vecellio V, Stoinski TS, Robbins MM. Going to extremes for sodium acquisition: use of community land and high-altitude areas by mountain gorillas Gorilla beringei
in Rwanda. Biotropica 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Cyril C. Grueter
- School of Human Sciences; The University of Western Australia; Perth WA 6009 Australia
- Centre for Evolutionary Biology; School of Biological Sciences; The University of Western Australia; Perth WA 6009 Australia
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Deutscher Platz 6 04103 Leipzig Germany
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International; 800 Cherokee Avenue SE Atlanta GA 30315 USA
| | - Edward Wright
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Deutscher Platz 6 04103 Leipzig Germany
| | - Didier Abavandimwe
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International; 800 Cherokee Avenue SE Atlanta GA 30315 USA
| | - Sylvia Ortmann
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology; Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research; Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17 10315 Berlin Germany
| | - Antoine Mudakikwa
- Tourism and Conservation; Rwanda Development Board (RDB); P.O. Box 6239 Kigali Rwanda
| | - Abel Musana
- Tourism and Conservation; Rwanda Development Board (RDB); P.O. Box 6239 Kigali Rwanda
| | - Propser Uwingeli
- Tourism and Conservation; Rwanda Development Board (RDB); P.O. Box 6239 Kigali Rwanda
| | - Felix Ndagijimana
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International; 800 Cherokee Avenue SE Atlanta GA 30315 USA
| | - Veronica Vecellio
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International; 800 Cherokee Avenue SE Atlanta GA 30315 USA
| | - Tara S. Stoinski
- The Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International; 800 Cherokee Avenue SE Atlanta GA 30315 USA
| | - Martha M. Robbins
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Deutscher Platz 6 04103 Leipzig Germany
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17
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Nurmi NO, Hohmann G, Goldstone LG, Deschner T, Schülke O. The “tolerant chimpanzee”—towards the costs and benefits of sociality in female bonobos. Behav Ecol 2018. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/ary118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Niina O Nurmi
- Department of Behavioral Ecology, JFB Institute for Zoology/Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Germany
| | - Gottfried Hohmann
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Germany
| | - Lucas G Goldstone
- Graduate School of Systemic Neurosciences, Ludwig Maximilians University, Germany
| | - Tobias Deschner
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Germany
| | - Oliver Schülke
- Department of Behavioral Ecology, JFB Institute for Zoology/Anthropology, University of Göttingen, Germany
- Research Group Social Evolution in Primates, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
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18
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Kraai M, Shrader AM. How do free-ranging domestic herbivores reduce competition within owner-determined herds? Appl Anim Behav Sci 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.applanim.2018.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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19
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Schino G, Lasio F. Competition for grooming partners and interference in affiliation among female mandrills. Ethology 2018. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.12763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Schino
- Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie della Cognizione; Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche; Rome Italy
| | - Francesca Lasio
- Dipartimento di Biologia Ambientale; Sapienza Università di Roma; Rome Italy
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20
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Cordoni G, Norscia I, Bobbio M, Palagi E. Differences in play can illuminate differences in affiliation: A comparative study on chimpanzees and gorillas. PLoS One 2018. [PMID: 29513696 PMCID: PMC5841745 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Play behaviour reinforces social affiliation in several primate species, including humans. Via a comparative approach, we tested the hypothesis that play dynamics in a group of lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) are different from those in a group of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) as a reflection of their difference in social affiliation and agonistic support. We selected one group of lowland gorillas and one of chimpanzees, hosted at the ZooParc de Beauval (France), managed in a similar way and living in similar enclosures. The same observers video-collected and analysed data on play behaviour in both groups, by applying identical methodological procedures. Data showed that adult play was less frequent in the group of gorillas compare to chimpanzees. Polyadic play, which involves more than two players and is characterised by the most uncertain outcome, was also less frequent in gorillas than chimpanzees. Play sessions were more unbalanced (more unidirectional patterns by one of the player towards the other) in chimpanzees than in gorillas but in the latter play escalated more frequently into serious aggression. Play asymmetry in the gorilla group increased as the number of players increased, which explains why gorillas limited their polyadic playful interactions. In conclusion, our findings on the study groups of apes can be a valuable starting point to expand the study of social play in the great apes to evaluate if inter-individual affiliative relationships really account for the differences in play distribution and dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giada Cordoni
- Museo di Storia Naturale, Università di Pisa, Calci (Pisa), Italy
| | - Ivan Norscia
- Museo di Storia Naturale, Università di Pisa, Calci (Pisa), Italy
- Department of Life Sciences and System Biology, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | - Maria Bobbio
- Museo di Storia Naturale, Università di Pisa, Calci (Pisa), Italy
| | - Elisabetta Palagi
- Museo di Storia Naturale, Università di Pisa, Calci (Pisa), Italy
- * E-mail:
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21
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Comparison of energy balance between two different-sized groups of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata yakui). Primates 2017; 58:413-422. [DOI: 10.1007/s10329-017-0607-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Accepted: 04/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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