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Stranks J, Heistermann M, Sangmaneedet S, Schülke O, Ostner J. The dynamics of sociality and glucocorticoids in wild male Assamese macaques. Horm Behav 2024; 164:105604. [PMID: 39013354 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/18/2024]
Abstract
For males of gregarious species, dominance status and the strength of affiliative relationships can have major fitness consequences. Social dynamics also impose costs by affecting glucocorticoids, mediators of homeostasis and indicators of the physiological response to challenges and within-group competition. We investigated the relationships between dominance, social bonds, seasonal challenges, and faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGC) measures in wild Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis) at Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailand, combining behavioural data with 4129 samples from 62 adult males over 15 years. Our previous work on this population suggested that increased competition during the mating season was associated with elevated fGC levels and that, unusually for male primates, lower rank position correlated with higher fGC levels. With a much larger dataset and dynamic measures of sociality, we re-examined these relationships and additionally tested the potentially fGC-attenuating effect of social support. Contrary to our previous study, yet consistent with the majority of work on male primates, dominance rank had a positive relationship with fGC levels, as high status correlated with elevated glucocorticoid measures. fGC levels were increased at the onset of the mating season. We demonstrated an fGC-reducing effect of supportive relationships in males and showed that dynamics in affiliation can correlate with dynamics in physiological responses. Our results suggest that in a system with intermediate contest potential, high dominance status can impose physiological costs on males that may potentially be moderated by social relationships. We highlight the need to consider the dynamics of sociality and competition that influence hormonal processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Stranks
- Behavioral Ecology Department, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Primate Social Evolution Group, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany; Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany.
| | - Michael Heistermann
- Endocrinology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Somboon Sangmaneedet
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand
| | - Oliver Schülke
- Behavioral Ecology Department, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Primate Social Evolution Group, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany; Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Julia Ostner
- Behavioral Ecology Department, University of Goettingen, Goettingen, Germany; Primate Social Evolution Group, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany; Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany
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2
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Hending D, Randrianarison H, Andriamavosoloarisoa NNM, Ranohatra-Hending C, McCabe G, Cotton S, Holderied M. Forest fragmentation and edge effects impact body condition, fur condition and ectoparasite prevalence in a nocturnal lemur community. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 12:coae042. [PMID: 38957844 PMCID: PMC11217907 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coae042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Forest fragmentation and edge effects are two major threats to primate populations. Primates inhabiting fragmented landscapes must survive in a more degraded environment, often with lower food availability compared to continuous forests. Such conditions can have deleterious effects on animal physiological health, yet some primates thrive in these habitats. Here, we assessed how forest fragmentation and associated edge effects impact three different components of physiological health in a nocturnal primate community in the Sahamalaza-Iles Radama National Park, northwest Madagascar. Over two periods, 6 March 2019-30 October 2019 and 10 January 2022-17 May 2022, we collected data on body condition, fur condition scores and ectoparasite prevalence for 125 Mirza zaza, 51 Lepilemur sahamalaza, 27 Cheirogaleus medius and 22 Microcebus sambiranensis individuals, and we compared these metrics between core and edge areas of continuous forest and fragmented forest. Body condition scores for all species varied between areas, with a positive response to fragmentation and edge effects observed for M. zaza and L. sahamalaza and a negative response for C. medius and M. sambiranensis. Fur condition scores and ectoparasite prevalence were less variable, although M. zaza and L. sahamalaza had a significantly negative response to fragmentation and edge effects for these two variables. Interestingly, the impacts of fragmentation and edge effects on physiological health were variable-specific. Our results suggest that lemur physiological responses to fragmentation and edge effects are species-specific, and body condition, fur condition and ectoparasite prevalence are impacted in different ways between species. As other ecological factors, including food availability and inter/intraspecific competition, likely also influence physiological health, additional work is required to determine why certain aspects of lemur physiology are affected by environmental stressors while others remain unaffected. Although many nocturnal lemurs demonstrate resilience to fragmented and degraded habitats, urgent conservation action is needed to safeguard the survival of their forest habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Hending
- Department of Biology, University of Oxford, 11A Mansfield Road, Oxford OX1 3SZ, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TH, UK
- Institute of Conservation Science & Learning, Bristol Zoological Society, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3HA, UK
| | | | | | - Christina Ranohatra-Hending
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TH, UK
- Institute of Conservation Science & Learning, Bristol Zoological Society, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3HA, UK
| | - Grainne McCabe
- Institute of Conservation Science & Learning, Bristol Zoological Society, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3HA, UK
- Wilder Institute, Calgary Zoo, 1300 Zoo Road NE, Calgary, AB T2E 7V6, Canada
| | - Sam Cotton
- Institute of Conservation Science & Learning, Bristol Zoological Society, Clifton, Bristol BS8 3HA, UK
| | - Marc Holderied
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, 24 Tyndall Avenue, Bristol BS8 1TH, UK
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3
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Damm J, Aureli F, Rangel-Negrín A, Barradas-Moctezuma M, Dias PAD. Analytical and biological validation of a noninvasive measurement of glucocorticoid metabolites in feces of Geoffroy's spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). Am J Primatol 2024; 86:e23598. [PMID: 38258612 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23598] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 01/06/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
We report on an analytical and biological validation of a commercial cortisol enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to measure glucocorticoids (GC) in feces of Geoffroy's spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). Validation of endocrinological methods for each sample matrix and study species is crucial to establish that the methods produce reliable results. For the analytical validation of the EIA, we assessed parallelism, accuracy, and precision. We carried out a biological validation based on three well-studied GC patterns with the following predictions: (1) increased fecal GC metabolite (fGCM) concentrations after veterinary intervention; (2) increased fGCM concentrations during early morning hours; and (3) higher fGCM concentrations during gestation than in other female reproductive states. For the first prediction, we sampled feces of two zoo-housed females 2 days before, the day of, and 2 days after a veterinary intervention. For the second prediction, we analyzed 284 fecal samples collected from 12 wild males using a linear mixed model (LMM). For the third prediction, we analyzed 269 fecal samples of eight wild females using an LMM. Analytical validation revealed that the EIA showed parallelism, was accurate, and precise within each assay. However, there was elevated variation in between-assay precision. The biological validation supported all predictions: (1) the two zoo-housed females showed a substantial increase in fGCM concentrations 2.5 and 11 h after veterinary intervention; (2) there was a negative effect of sample collection time on fGCM concentrations (i.e., higher concentrations during early morning); (3) gestating females had significantly higher fGCM concentrations than lactating females. Thus, we analytically validated the commercial EIA and, despite between-assay variation, we were able to find three biologically relevant GC signals in captive and wild settings, and in males and females. We are therefore confident that the method can be used to noninvasively address behavioral endocrinology questions in Geoffroy's spider monkeys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliane Damm
- Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
| | - Filippo Aureli
- Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
- Research Centre in Evolutionary Anthropology and Palaeoecology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK
| | - Ariadna Rangel-Negrín
- Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
- Primate Behavioral Ecology Lab, Instituto de Neuro-etología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
| | | | - Pedro A D Dias
- Primate Behavioral Ecology Lab, Instituto de Neuro-etología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
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4
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Pérez-Ortega B, Hendry AP. A meta-analysis of human disturbance effects on glucocorticoid hormones in free-ranging wild vertebrates. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2023; 98:1459-1471. [PMID: 37095625 DOI: 10.1111/brv.12962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Free-ranging wild vertebrates need to cope with natural and anthropogenic stressors that cause short and/or long-term behavioural and physiological responses. In areas of high human disturbance, the use of glucocorticoid (GC) hormones as biomarkers to measure stress responses is an increasingly common tool for understanding how animals cope with human disturbance. We conducted a meta-analysis to investigate how human disturbances such as habitat conversion, habitat degradation, and ecotourism influence baseline GC hormones of free-ranging wild vertebrates, and we further test the role of protected areas in reducing the impact of such disturbances on these hormones. A total of 58 studies met the inclusion criteria, providing 152 data points for comparing levels of GC hormones under disturbed and undisturbed conditions. The overall effect size suggests that human disturbance does not cause a consistent increase in levels of GC hormones (Hedges' g = 0.307, 95% CI = -0.062 to 0.677). However, when the data were analysed by disturbance type, living in unprotected areas or in areas with habitat conversion were found to increase GC hormone levels compared to living in protected or undisturbed areas. By contrast, we found no evidence that ecotourism or habitat degradation generates a consistent increase in baseline GC hormone levels. Among taxonomic groups, mammals appeared more sensitive to human disturbance than birds. We advocate the use of GC hormones for inferring major human-caused contributors to the stress levels of free-ranging wild vertebrates - although such information needs to be combined with other measures of stress and interpreted in the context of an organism's life history, behaviour, and history of interactions with human disturbance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Betzi Pérez-Ortega
- McGill University, Redpath Museum and Department of Biology, 859 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0C4, Canada
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, PO Box 0843-03092, Panama, Republic of Panama
| | - Andrew P Hendry
- McGill University, Redpath Museum and Department of Biology, 859 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, Quebec, H3A 0C4, Canada
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Rangel-Negrín A, Gómez-Espinosa EE, Chavira-Ramírez DR, Dias PAD. Dog barks influence the physiological stress and behavior of a wild primate. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 882:163585. [PMID: 37088396 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.163585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2022] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Non-lethal impacts of dogs on primates have seldom been assessed. We used an experimental approach to determine if mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) perceive dog barks as an aversive stimulus and thus display physiological and behavioral responses toward simulated barks. For one year (1754 h of observations) we studied 16 adult males belonging to five groups in Los Tuxtlas (Mexico), and recorded the occurrence of naturally occurring dog barks, their sound pressure level (SPL), and the behavioral responses of howler monkeys to barks. We then exposed males to bark playbacks at two SPL treatments, 40 and 80 dB in a total of 50 experiments. We assayed glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in fecal samples (fGCM) as a marker of the physiological stress response of males. We also recorded the duration of vigilance, vocalizations, and flight in relation to playbacks. Naturally occurring barks were frequent and usually elicited behavioral responses by males. fGCM concentrations increased after bark playbacks and with stimuli intensity. Time spent vigilant increased following playbacks independently of stimuli intensity but both vocalizations and flight were linked to stimuli intensity: vocalizations were the longest after barks played-back at 80 dB, but males spent more time fleeing in response to 40 dB bark playbacks. These results provide evidence that dog barks are pervasive in the habitat of mantled howler monkeys living at Los Tuxtlas and disturb males, both physiologically and behaviorally. Although the potential costs of physiological and behavioral responses could not be determined, there is sufficient evidence to assume that they do have negative impacts on individuals. Therefore, our study provides avenues for future research on dog-wildlife interactions and valuable information for the design of conservation actions aimed at mitigating the impact of dogs on mantled howler monkeys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariadna Rangel-Negrín
- Primate Behavioral Ecology Lab, Instituto de Neuro-etología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico.
| | | | - David Roberto Chavira-Ramírez
- Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Pedro A D Dias
- Primate Behavioral Ecology Lab, Instituto de Neuro-etología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico.
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McManus N, Holmes SM, Louis EE, Johnson SE, Baden AL, Amato KR. The gut microbiome as an indicator of habitat disturbance in a Critically Endangered lemur. BMC Ecol Evol 2021; 21:222. [PMID: 34915861 PMCID: PMC8680155 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-021-01945-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Habitat disturbance affects the biology and health of animals globally. Understanding the factors that contribute to the differential responses of animals to habitat disturbance is critical for conservation. The gut microbiota represents a potential pathway through which host responses to habitat disturbance might be mediated. However, a lack of quantitative environmental data in many gut microbiome (GM) studies of wild animals limits our ability to pinpoint mechanisms through which habitat disturbance affects the GM. Here, we examine the impact of anthropogenic habitat disturbance on the diet and GM of the Critically Endangered black-and-white ruffed lemur (Varecia variegata editorum). We collected fecal samples and behavioral data from Varecia occupying habitats qualitatively categorized as primary forest, moderately disturbed forest, and heavily disturbed forest. RESULTS Varecia diet and GM composition differed substantially across sites. Dietary richness predicted GM richness across sites, and overall GM composition was strongly correlated to diet composition. Additionally, the consumption of three specific food items positively correlated to the relative abundances of five microbial strains and one microbial genus across sites. However, diet did not explain all of the GM variation in our dataset, and differences in the GM were detected that were not correlated with diet, as measured. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that diet is an important influence on the Varecia GM across habitats and thus could be leveraged in novel conservation efforts in the future. However, other factors such as contact with humans should also be accounted for. Overall, we demonstrate that quantitative data describing host habitats must be paired with GM data to better target the specific mechanisms through which environmental change affects the GM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolette McManus
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - Sheila M Holmes
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
- Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, 90183, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Edward E Louis
- Grewcock Center for Conservation and Research, Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo, Omaha, NE, 68107, USA
| | - Steig E Johnson
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Andrea L Baden
- Department of Anthropology, Hunter College of the City University of New York, New York, NY, 10065, USA.
- Department of Anthropology, The Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, NY, USA.
- The New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP), New York, USA.
| | - Katherine R Amato
- Department of Anthropology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
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Guevara EE, Greene LK, Blanco MB, Farmer C, Ranaivonasy J, Ratsirarson J, Mahefarisoa KL, Rajaonarivelo T, Rakotondrainibe HH, Junge RE, Williams CV, Rambeloson E, Rasoanaivo HA, Rahalinarivo V, Andrianandrianina LH, Clayton JB, Rothman RS, Lawler RR, Bradley BJ, Yoder AD. Molecular Adaptation to Folivory and the Conservation Implications for Madagascar’s Lemurs. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.736741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The lemurs of Madagascar include numerous species characterized by folivory across several families. Many extant lemuriform folivores exist in sympatry in Madagascar’s remaining forests. These species avoid feeding competition by adopting different dietary strategies within folivory, reflected in behavioral, morphological, and microbiota diversity across species. These conditions make lemurs an ideal study system for understanding adaptation to leaf-eating. Most folivorous lemurs are also highly endangered. The significance of folivory for conservation outlook is complex. Though generalist folivores may be relatively well equipped to survive habitat disturbance, specialist folivores occupying narrow dietary niches may be less resilient. Characterizing the genetic bases of adaptation to folivory across species and lineages can provide insights into their differential physiology and potential to resist habitat change. We recently reported accelerated genetic change in RNASE1, a gene encoding an enzyme (RNase 1) involved in molecular adaptation in mammalian folivores, including various monkeys and sifakas (genus Propithecus; family Indriidae). Here, we sought to assess whether other lemurs, including phylogenetically and ecologically diverse folivores, might show parallel adaptive change in RNASE1 that could underlie a capacity for efficient folivory. We characterized RNASE1 in 21 lemur species representing all five families and members of the three extant folivorous lineages: (1) bamboo lemurs (family Lemuridae), (2) sportive lemurs (family Lepilemuridae), and (3) indriids (family Indriidae). We found pervasive sequence change in RNASE1 across all indriids, a dN/dS value > 3 in this clade, and evidence for shared change in isoelectric point, indicating altered enzymatic function. Sportive and bamboo lemurs, in contrast, showed more modest sequence change. The greater change in indriids may reflect a shared strategy emphasizing complex gut morphology and microbiota to facilitate folivory. This case study illustrates how genetic analysis may reveal differences in functional traits that could influence species’ ecology and, in turn, their resilience to habitat change. Moreover, our results support the body of work demonstrating that not all primate folivores are built the same and reiterate the need to avoid generalizations about dietary guild in considering conservation outlook, particularly in lemurs where such diversity in folivory has probably led to extensive specialization via niche partitioning.
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8
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Solórzano‐García B, Zubillaga D, Piñero D, Vázquez‐Domínguez E. Conservation implications of living in forest remnants: Inbreeding and genetic structure of the northernmost mantled howler monkeys. Biotropica 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/btp.12958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Diego Zubillaga
- Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad. Instituto de Ecología UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria CDMX Mexico City Mexico
| | - Daniel Piñero
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva Instituto de Ecología UNAM CDMX Mexico City Mexico
| | - Ella Vázquez‐Domínguez
- Departamento de Ecología de la Biodiversidad. Instituto de Ecología UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria CDMX Mexico City Mexico
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9
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Guevara EE, Webster TH, Lawler RR, Bradley BJ, Greene LK, Ranaivonasy J, Ratsirarson J, Harris RA, Liu Y, Murali S, Raveendran M, Hughes DST, Muzny DM, Yoder AD, Worley KC, Rogers J. Comparative genomic analysis of sifakas ( Propithecus) reveals selection for folivory and high heterozygosity despite endangered status. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/17/eabd2274. [PMID: 33893095 PMCID: PMC8064638 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd2274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Sifakas (genus Propithecus) are critically endangered, large-bodied diurnal lemurs that eat leaf-based diets and show corresponding anatomical and microbial adaptations to folivory. We report on the genome assembly of Coquerel's sifaka (P. coquereli) and the resequenced genomes of Verreaux's (P. verreauxi), the golden-crowned (P. tattersalli), and the diademed (P. diadema) sifakas. We find high heterozygosity in all sifakas compared with other primates and endangered mammals. Demographic reconstructions nevertheless suggest declines in effective population size beginning before human arrival on Madagascar. Comparative genomic analyses indicate pervasive accelerated evolution in the ancestral sifaka lineage affecting genes in several complementary pathways relevant to folivory, including nutrient absorption and xenobiotic and fatty acid metabolism. Sifakas show convergent evolution at the level of the pathway, gene family, gene, and amino acid substitution with other folivores. Although sifakas have relatively generalized diets, the physiological challenges of habitual folivory likely led to strong selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elaine E Guevara
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708, USA.
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Timothy H Webster
- Department of Anthropology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA
| | - Richard R Lawler
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807, USA
| | - Brenda J Bradley
- Center for the Advanced Study of Human Paleobiology, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA
| | - Lydia K Greene
- Duke Lemur Center, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705, USA
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0338, USA
| | - Jeannin Ranaivonasy
- Département Agroécologie, Biodiversité et Changement Climatique, ESSA, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - Joelisoa Ratsirarson
- Département Agroécologie, Biodiversité et Changement Climatique, ESSA, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
| | - R Alan Harris
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yue Liu
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Shwetha Murali
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Muthuswamy Raveendran
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Donna M Muzny
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Anne D Yoder
- Department of Biology, Duke University, Durham, NC 27708-0338, USA
| | - Kim C Worley
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Jeffrey Rogers
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53715, USA
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10
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Dinter K, Heistermann M, Kappeler P, Fichtel C. Life on the edge: behavioural and physiological responses of Verreaux's sifakas ( Propithecus verreauxi) to forest edges. Primate Biol 2021; 8:1-13. [PMID: 34084892 PMCID: PMC8129909 DOI: 10.5194/pb-8-1-2021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Forest edges change micro-environmental conditions, thereby affecting the ecology of many forest-dwelling species. Understanding such edge effects is particularly important for Malagasy primates because many of them live in highly fragmented forests today. The aim of our study was to assess the influence of forest edge effects on activity budgets, feeding ecology, and stress hormone output (measured as faecal glucocorticoid metabolite - fGCM - levels) in wild Verreaux's sifakas (Propithecus verreauxi), a group living, arboreal lemur. We observed five habituated groups: three living in the forest interior and two at an established forest edge. There was no difference in average daily temperatures between edge and interior habitats; however, within the edge site, the average daily temperature incrementally increased over 450 m from the forest edge towards the interior forest of the edge habitat, and the population density was lower at the edge site. Activity budgets differed between groups living in the two microhabitats, with individuals living near the edge spending more time travelling and less time feeding. Groups living near the edge also tended to have smaller home ranges and core areas than groups in the forest interior. In addition, edge groups had elevated average fGCM concentrations, and birth rates were lower for females living in the edge habitat. Combined with lower levels of fruit consumption at the edge, these results suggest that nutritional stress might be a limiting factor for Verreaux's sifakas when living near a forest edge. Hence, Verreaux's sifakas appear to be sensitive to microhabitat characteristics linked to forest edges; a result with implications for the conservation of this critically endangered lemurid species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Klara Dinter
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center,
Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Michael Heistermann
- Endocrinology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077
Göttingen, Germany
| | - Peter M. Kappeler
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center,
Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Sociobiology and Anthropology,
Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology,
Georg-August University, Kellnerweg 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Claudia Fichtel
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center,
Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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11
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Boyle SA, de la Sancha NU, Pérez P, Kabelik D. Small mammal glucocorticoid concentrations vary with forest fragment size, trap type, and mammal taxa in the Interior Atlantic Forest. Sci Rep 2021; 11:2111. [PMID: 33542277 PMCID: PMC7862606 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-81073-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Species that live in degraded habitats often show signs of physiological stress. Glucocorticoid hormones (e.g., corticosterone and cortisol) are often assessed as a proxy of the extent of physiological stress an animal has experienced. Our goal was to quantify glucocorticoids in free-ranging small mammals in fragments of Interior Atlantic Forest. We extracted glucocorticoids from fur samples of 106 small mammals (rodent genera Akodon and Oligoryzomys, and marsupial genera Gracilinanus and Marmosa) from six forest fragments (2–1200 ha) in the Reserva Natural Tapytá, Caazapá Department, Paraguay. To our knowledge, this is the first publication of corticosterone and cortisol levels for three of the four sampled genera (Akodon, Oligoryzomys, and Marmosa) in this forest system. We discovered three notable results. First, as predicted, glucocorticoid levels were higher in individuals living withing small forest fragments. Second, animals captured live using restraint trapping methods (Sherman traps) had higher glucocorticoid levels than those animals captured using kill traps (Victor traps), suggesting that hair glucocorticoid measures can reflect acute stress levels in addition to long-term glucocorticoid incorporation. These acute levels are likely due to urinary steroids diffusing into the hair shaft. This finding raises a concern about the use of certain trapping techniques in association with fur hormone analysis. Finally, as expected, we also detected genus-specific differences in glucocorticoid levels, as well as cortisol/corticosterone ratios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A Boyle
- Department of Biology and Program in Environmental Studies and Sciences, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN, USA.
| | - Noé U de la Sancha
- Department of Biological Sciences, Chicago State University, Chicago, IL, USA.,The Field Museum, Integrative Research Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Pastor Pérez
- Facultad Politécnica, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Asunción, Paraguay
| | - David Kabelik
- Department of Biology and Program in Neuroscience, Rhodes College, Memphis, TN, USA
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Kaisin O, Fuzessy L, Poncin P, Brotcorne F, Culot L. A meta-analysis of anthropogenic impacts on physiological stress in wild primates. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:101-114. [PMID: 33037677 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
As humanity continues to alter the environment extensively, comprehending the effect of anthropogenic disturbances on the health, survival, and fitness of wildlife is a crucial question for conservation science. Many primate populations occupy suboptimal habitats prone to diverse anthropogenic disturbances that may be sources of acute and chronic stress. Quantification of glucocorticoid (GC) concentrations has repeatedly been used to explore the impact of disturbances on physiological stress. Although it is still debated, prolonged elevation of GC levels may impair reproduction, growth, and immune system activity of individuals. We quantified the effect of anthropogenic disturbances on physiological stress in primates with a global meta-analysis based on data from 26 articles, covering 24 distinct species in 13 different countries. Anthropogenic disturbances were classified into 6 distinct categories: habitat loss, habitat degradation, ongoing logging, hunting, tourism, and other human activities. We calculated effect sizes (Hedges' g) with the standardized mean difference in GC concentrations between primates affected by human activity and their undisturbed conspecifics. We ran random-effects models and subgroup analyses to estimate the overall effect as well as a cumulative effect size for each disturbance category. Overall, primates inhabiting sites subject to anthropogenic disturbances exhibited significantly higher GC levels (g = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.28-0.93). Habitat loss and hunting were overall associated with increased GC concentrations, whereas the cumulative effects of the other disturbances were not statistically significant. Biologically, high GC levels may increase fitness by enabling individuals to overcome the challenges linked to anthropogenic disturbances. However, primates in disturbed environments may have sustained elevated GC levels. To strengthen future research, it is necessary to control confounding factors systematically (e.g., diet, reproductive status, predatory pressure, and resource availability) and improve understanding of the link between GC levels and the health, fitness, and survival of animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Kaisin
- Research Unit SPHERES, University of Liège, Avenue de Longwy 185, Arlon, 6700, Belgium
- Laboratório de Primatologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Avenida 24A, 1515, Rio Claro, Sao Paulo, 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Lisieux Fuzessy
- Laboratório de Primatologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Avenida 24A, 1515, Rio Claro, Sao Paulo, 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Pascal Poncin
- Research Unit FOCUS, University of Liège, Allée du six Août 11, Liège, 4000, Belgium
| | - Fany Brotcorne
- Research Unit SPHERES, University of Liège, Avenue de Longwy 185, Arlon, 6700, Belgium
| | - Laurence Culot
- Laboratório de Primatologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Avenida 24A, 1515, Rio Claro, Sao Paulo, 13506-900, Brazil
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13
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Hernani Lineros LM, Chimènes A, Maille A, Dingess K, Rumiz DI, Adret P. Response of Bolivian gray titi monkeys ( Plecturocebus donacophilus) to an anthropogenic noise gradient: behavioral and hormonal correlates. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10417. [PMID: 33240684 PMCID: PMC7682439 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Worldwide urban expansion and deforestation have caused a rapid decline of non-human primates in recent decades. Yet, little is known to what extent these animals can tolerate anthropogenic noise arising from roadway traffic and human presence in their habitat. We studied six family groups of titis residing at increasing distances from a busy highway, in a park promoting ecotourism near Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia. We mapped group movements, sampled the titis’ behavior, collected fecal samples from each study group and conducted experiments in which we used a mannequin simulating a human intrusion in their home range. We hypothesized that groups of titi monkeys exposed to higher levels of anthropogenic noise and human presence would react weakly to the mannequin and show higher concentrations of fecal cortisol compared with groups in least perturbed areas. Sound pressure measurements and systematic monitoring of soundscape inside the titis’ home ranges confirmed the presence of a noise gradient, best characterized by the root-mean-square (RMS) and median amplitude (M) acoustic indices; importantly, both anthropogenic noise and human presence co-varied. Study groups resided in small, overlapping home ranges and they spent most of their time resting and preferentially used the lower forest stratum for traveling and the higher levels for foraging. Focal sampling analysis revealed that the time spent moving by adult pairs was inversely correlated with noise, the behavioral change occurring within a gradient of minimum sound pressures ranging from 44 dB(A) to 52 dB(A). Validated enzyme-immunoassays of fecal samples however detected surprisingly low cortisol concentrations, unrelated to the changes observed in the RMS and M indices. Finally, titis’ response to the mannequin varied according to our expectation, with alarm calling being greater in distant groups relative to highway. Our study thus indicates reduced alarm calling through habituation to human presence and suggests a titis’ resilience to anthropogenic noise with little evidence of physiological stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucero M Hernani Lineros
- Zoología Vertebrados, Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.,Carrera de Biología, Universidad Mayor de San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia
| | - Amélie Chimènes
- Unité Eco-anthropologie UMR 7206, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | - Audrey Maille
- Unité Eco-anthropologie UMR 7206, Museum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Université de Paris, Paris, France
| | | | - Damián I Rumiz
- Zoología Vertebrados, Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia.,Fundación Simón I. Patiño, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
| | - Patrice Adret
- Zoología Vertebrados, Museo de Historia Natural Noel Kempff Mercado, Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia
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14
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Influence of cereal harvest on adrenocortical activity in European hares (Lepus europaeus). EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-020-01430-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
AbstractAnthropogenic disturbances, such as habitat modifications and machines, are associated with increased levels of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCMs) in mammals, an indicator of a stress response. One human-caused process provoking incisive habitat alterations is harvesting arable crops. We investigated the effect of cereal harvest on fGCM concentrations in European hares (Lepus europaeus) in arable landscapes in lower Austria during the year 2018 by collecting 591 faecal samples before, during and after cereal harvest. fGCMs were analysed using an enzyme immunoassay, and data were analysed using linear mixed-effects models. We found that neither cereal harvest nor farming practice (organic vs. conventional) caused an overall increase in the hares’ stress level. Lower vegetation density and higher proportions of bare ground were negatively correlated with fGCM concentrations, whereas the proportion of stubble fields was significantly positively correlated with fGCM concentrations in European hares. A change to more open landscapes might decrease time spent avoiding predation, and fallen grains may provide a beneficial additional food source for the hares. This indicates that European hares are well adapted to an opening up of the landscape and short-term disturbances such as cereal harvesting. In conclusion, cereal harvest had no large impact on European hares’ adrenocortical activity in an arable landscape with small average field size and enough available non-farmed areas.
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15
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Silvestre SM, Setchell JM, Calle-Rendón BR, de Toledo JJ, Hilário RR. The occurrence of the red-handed howler monkey (Alouatta belzebul) in amazonian savannas is related to forest patch area and density of flooded area palms. Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23210. [PMID: 33124052 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Revised: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 10/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
All Neotropical primates are arboreal and thus depend on forests for their survival. Arboreality puts many Neotropical primates at risk of extinction due to the high rates of deforestation in the tropics. We assessed the influence of vegetation structure and forest patch attributes on the occurrence of the threatened red-handed howler monkey (Alouatta belzebul) in an Amazonian savanna. Using a sample of 38 forest patches in a region of approximately 2000 km2 in the state of Amapá, northern Brazil, we used logistic regression to find the best predictors of the occurrence of A. belzebul. We assessed patch area, patch isolation, the proportion of seasonally flooded forest in the patch, the density of flooded area palms, forest height, canopy cover, and diameter at breast height of trees. Patch area and palm density were the best predictors of the occurrence of A. belzebul in forest patches, both having a positive effect on the probability of occurrence. Our results indicate that areas of flooded forest in forest patches may be keystone habitats for A. belzebul living in Amazonian savannas. The observed effect of palm density on A. belzebul suggests that this variable is useful for planning conservation actions, including the selection of areas for protection and management strategies for areas inhabited by this primate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saulo M Silvestre
- Postgraduate Program in Tropical Biodiversity, Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Brazil
| | | | - Bayron R Calle-Rendón
- Postgraduate Program in Tropical Biodiversity, Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Brazil
| | - José J de Toledo
- Postgraduate Program in Tropical Biodiversity, Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Brazil
| | - Renato R Hilário
- Postgraduate Program in Tropical Biodiversity, Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Brazil.,Postgraduate Program in Environmental Sciences, Department of Environment and Development, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Brazil.,Faculty of Sciences, Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, University of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal
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16
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Wilson AE, Kearney S, Wismer D, Macbeth B, Stenhouse G, Coops NC, Janz DM. Population‐level monitoring of stress in grizzly bears between 2004 and 2014. Ecosphere 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ecs2.3181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Abbey E. Wilson
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences University of Saskatchewan 44 Campus Drive Saskatoon SaskatchewanS7N 5B3Canada
| | - Sean Kearney
- Department of Forest Resource Management University of British Columbia 2424 Main Mall Vancouver British ColumbiaV6T 1Z4Canada
| | - Dan Wismer
- Grizzly Bear Program Foothills Research Institute 1176 Switzer Drive Hinton AlbertaT7V 1V3Canada
| | - Bryan Macbeth
- British Columbia Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations, and Rural Development 2080 Labieux Road Nanaimo British ColumbiaV9T 6J9Canada
| | - Gordon Stenhouse
- Grizzly Bear Program Foothills Research Institute 1176 Switzer Drive Hinton AlbertaT7V 1V3Canada
| | - Nicholas C. Coops
- Department of Forest Resource Management University of British Columbia 2424 Main Mall Vancouver British ColumbiaV6T 1Z4Canada
| | - David M. Janz
- Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences University of Saskatchewan 44 Campus Drive Saskatoon SaskatchewanS7N 5B3Canada
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17
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Dias PAD, Montero Domínguez IL, Rangel Negrín A. Factors influencing infant sex ratio in howler monkeys (Alouatta spp.): A literature review and analysis. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 172:48-57. [PMID: 32141069 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 02/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Frequency-dependent selection is expected to maintain infant sex ratios around parity over evolutionary time. However, over ecological time periods, infant sex ratios vary, and it has been proposed that this variation may reflect adaptive processes. In primates, there are consistent patterns of variation in infant sex ratios, although their adaptive significance remains contentious. In addition to design issues, contrasting results could have derived across primates from variation in the fitness benefits accrued through sons or daughters associated with the specific social, ecological, and demographic context of populations. Thus, different sex allocation tactics could occur within species over time and space. METHODS We reviewed the literature to describe variation in infant sex ratio in howler monkeys (genus Alouatta) and to examine whether such a variation could be associated with adaptive sex allocation. We found 26 studies that provided data for this review. These studies yielded 96 infant sex reports, corresponding to 1,477 sexed infants. RESULTS Infant sex ratio across howler monkey species tends to parity, but females produce more sons under high group densities and more daughters when rainfall increases. DISCUSSION Based on these results, as well as on information on howler monkey dispersal patterns, demography, and within-group genetic relatedness, we speculate that, depending on population growth stage, sex allocation is explained by (a) local resource enhancement, that is, more cooperative philopatric daughters are produced when populations are growing; and (b) local resource competition, that is, more dispersing sons are produced when populations are saturated. Thus, there is evidence suggestive of adaptive variation in infant sex ratios in howler monkeys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro A D Dias
- Primate Behavioral Ecology Lab, Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Irma L Montero Domínguez
- Primate Behavioral Ecology Lab, Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Ariadna Rangel Negrín
- Primate Behavioral Ecology Lab, Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
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18
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Chowdhury S, Brown J, Swedell L. Anthropogenic effects on the physiology and behaviour of chacma baboons in the Cape Peninsula of South Africa. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coaa066. [PMID: 34336216 PMCID: PMC7428446 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Revised: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 07/22/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
As animals increasingly occupy habitats in proximity to humans, with home ranges a mosaic of natural and anthropogenic landscapes, it becomes imperative from a conservation perspective to understand the impacts of human activities on wildlife. Many non-human primates share habitats with humans, an ability stemming largely from shared ecological needs due to our close evolutionary relationship. Such proximity, however, is often accompanied by direct conflict between humans and wildlife, leading to higher stress levels, injuries, mortality and behavioural changes, with detrimental effects on long-term health and fitness. Glucocorticoid (GC) hormones, which are released in response to ecological and social challenges, are increasingly employed to understand responses to anthropogenic disturbance. Here we investigate physiological and behavioural responses of female chacma baboons (Papio ursinus) to variation in spatial overlap and conflict with humans in their natural home range. The baboons resided in the Tokai Section of Table Mountain National Park in the Cape Peninsula of South Africa, where their home range included four types of habitats: protected, suburban, agricultural and mosaic areas. We studied the largest group of baboons in Tokai (70 individuals) and examined the effects of ranging in these different habitats on the faecal GCs and behaviour of all adult females in the troop (N = 16). We found time spent ranging in more anthropogenic habitats to be associated with higher levels of GCs, more aggression, less time socializing and shorter grooming bouts. Self-directed behaviour, however, varied and did not necessarily reflect physiological measures of stress. Taken together, the results of this study highlight the risks associated with ranging in anthropogenic environments and point to the need for a multifaceted approach to studying the negative impacts of human activities on animals so as to better inform conservation practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahrina Chowdhury
- Department of Anthropology, Brooklyn College, CUNY, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11210, USA
- Anthropology Program, Graduate Center, CUNY, New York, NY 10016, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP), New York, NY 10016, USA
- Corresponding author: Department of Anthropology, Brooklyn College—CUNY, 2900 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11210, USA. Tel: 1-718-951-5000 x.2136.
| | - Janine Brown
- Endocrinology Laboratory, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
| | - Larissa Swedell
- Anthropology Program, Graduate Center, CUNY, New York, NY 10016, USA
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP), New York, NY 10016, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Queens College, CUNY, Flushing, NY 11367, USA
- Department of Archaeology, University of Cape Town, Cape Town 7700, South Africa
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19
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Chaves ÓM, Fernandes FA, Oliveira GT, Bicca-Marques JC. Assessing the influence of biotic, abiotic, and social factors on the physiological stress of a large Neotropical primate in Atlantic forest fragments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 690:705-716. [PMID: 31301510 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Revised: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Wildlife physiological responses to environmental and human-related stressors provide useful clues on animal welfare. Non-invasive biomarkers, such as fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCM), allow researchers to assess whether variations in habitat quality, behavior, and climate influence the animals' physiological stress. We examined the role of fragment size, ambient temperature, ripe fruit availability and consumption, percentage of records moving, sex, female reproductive state, and group composition as predictors of the level of fGCM in adult brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba clamitans) inhabiting three small (<10 ha) and three large (>90 ha) Atlantic Forest fragments in southern Brazil. We collected bimonthly behavioral data and fecal samples from adult individuals over three years, and used a multimodel inference framework to identify the main predictors of fGCM. We found that the mean (±SD) fGCM in the study groups ranged from 57 ± 49 ng/g to 93 ± 58 ng/g, which were within the known range for howler monkeys. We found 10 best models including five of the 17 tested variables. Sex and reproductive state were the only variables included in all these models. We found that fGCM was higher in nursing females (mean ± SD = 104 ± 73 ng/g) than in non-nursing females (64 ± 55 ng/g) and males (53 ± 40 ng/g, P < 0.05) and that it decreased with increasing ripe fruit consumption and minimum temperature. However, fragment size did not predict fGCM concentration (groups in small fragments = 71 ± 58 ng/g vs. groups in large fragments = 63 ± 54 ng/g, P > 0.05). We conclude that factors related to the energetic balance of individuals play major roles in modulating the physiological stress of brown howler monkeys. Future studies should investigate the consequences of higher levels of stress hormones on howler monkey health and demography.
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Affiliation(s)
- Óscar M Chaves
- Laboratório de Primatologia, Escola de Ciências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, 2060 San Pedro de Montes de Oca, San José, Costa Rica.
| | - Felipe Amorim Fernandes
- Laboratório de Fisiologia da Conservação, Escola de Ciências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Laboratório de Piscicultura, Instituto Federal Farroupilha, Campus São Vicente do Sul, São Vicente do Sul, Brazil
| | - Guendalina Turcato Oliveira
- Laboratório de Fisiologia da Conservação, Escola de Ciências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Júlio César Bicca-Marques
- Laboratório de Primatologia, Escola de Ciências, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
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20
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Hammond TT, Vo M, Burton CT, Surber LL, Lacey EA, Smith JE. Physiological and behavioral responses to anthropogenic stressors in a human-tolerant mammal. J Mammal 2019. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyz134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
As humans continue to alter natural habitats, many wild animals are facing novel suites of environmental stimuli. These changes, including increased human–wildlife interactions, may exert sublethal impacts on wildlife such as alterations in stress physiology and behavior. California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi) occur in human-modified as well as more pristine environments, where they face a variety of anthropogenic and naturally occurring threats. This makes this species a valuable model for examining the effects of diverse challenges on the physiology and behavior of free-living mammals. To explore potential sublethal effects of habitat modification on O. beecheyi, we compared body masses, behaviors, and fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) levels for free-living squirrels in human-disturbed versus undisturbed habitats. Prior to these analyses, we validated the use of FGMs in this species by exposing captive O. beecheyi to pharmacological and handling challenges; both challenges produced significant increases in FGMs in the study animals. While FGM responses were repeatable within captive individuals, responses by free-living animals were more variable, perhaps reflecting a greater range of life-history traits and environmental conditions within natural populations of squirrels. Animals from our human-disturbed study site had significantly higher FGMs, significantly lower body masses, and were significantly less behaviorally reactive to humans than those from our more pristine study site. Thus, despite frequent exposure of California ground squirrels to human impacts, anthropogenic stressors appear to influence stress physiology and other phenotypic traits in this species. These findings suggest that even human-tolerant mammalian species may experience important sublethal consequences due to human modifications of natural habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Talisin T Hammond
- San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research, Escondido, CA, USA
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Minnie Vo
- Biology Department, Mills College, Oakland, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Eileen A Lacey
- Museum of Vertebrate Zoology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA
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Rondón S, León C, Link A, González C. Prevalence of Plasmodium parasites in non-human primates and mosquitoes in areas with different degrees of fragmentation in Colombia. Malar J 2019; 18:276. [PMID: 31426810 PMCID: PMC6700793 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-019-2910-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 08/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Parasites from the genus Plasmodium, the aetiological agent of malaria in humans, can also infect non-human primates (NHP), increasing the potential risk of zoonotic transmission with its associated global public health concerns. In Colombia, there are no recent studies on Plasmodium spp. infecting free-ranging NHP. Thus, this study aimed to determine the diversity of Plasmodium species circulating in fragmented forests in central Colombia, both in Anopheles mosquitoes and in the four sympatric NHP in the region (Ateles hybridus, Cebus versicolor, Alouatta seniculus and Aotus griseimembra), in order to evaluate the risk of infection to humans associated with the presence of sylvatic hosts and vectors infected with Plasmodium spp. METHODS Overall, there were collected 166 fecal samples and 25 blood samples from NHP, and 442 individuals of Anopheles spp. DNA extraction, nested PCR using mitochondrial (cox3 gene) and ribosomal (18S rDNA) primers, electrophoresis and sequencing were conducted in order to identify Plasmodium spp. from the samples. RESULTS Plasmodium falciparum was detected in two fecal samples of Alouatta seniculus, while Plasmodium vivax/simium infected Ateles hybridus, Cebus versicolor and Alouatta seniculus. Co-infections with P. vivax/simium and Plasmodium malariae/brasilianum were found in three individuals. The highest prevalence from blood samples was found for Plasmodium malariae/brasilianum in two Alouatta seniculus while Plasmodium vivax/simium was most prevalent in fecal samples, infecting four individuals of Alouatta seniculus. Seven Anopheles species were identified in the study site: Anopheles (Anopheles) punctimacula, Anopheles (An.) malefactor, Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) oswaldoi, Anopheles (Nys.) triannulatus, Anopheles (An.) neomaculipalpus, Anopheles (Nys.) braziliensis and Anopheles (Nys.) nuneztovari. Infection with P. vivax/simium was found in An. nuneztovari, An. neomaculipalpus, and An. triannulatus. Furthermore, An. oswaldoi and An. triannulatus were found infected with P. malariae/brasilianum. The effect of fragmentation and distance to the nearest town measured in five forests with different degrees of fragmentation was not statistically significant on the prevalence of Plasmodium in NHP, but forest fragmentation did have an effect on the Minimum Infection Rate (MIR) in Anopheles mosquitoes. CONCLUSIONS The presence of Plasmodium spp. in NHP and Anopheles spp. in fragmented forests in Colombia has important epidemiological implications in the human-NHP interface and the associated risk of malaria transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Rondón
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Tropical, CIMPAT, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Cra. 1 N° 18ª-12, Bogotá, Colombia.
| | - Cielo León
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Tropical, CIMPAT, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Cra. 1 N° 18ª-12, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Andrés Link
- Laboratorio de Ecología de Bosques Tropicales y Primatología, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Los Andes, Cra. 1 N° 18ª-12, Bogotá, Colombia
- Fundación Proyecto Primates, Cra. 11a N° 91-55, Apartamento 202, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Camila González
- Centro de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Tropical, CIMPAT, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Cra. 1 N° 18ª-12, Bogotá, Colombia
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Irwin MT, Samonds KE, Raharison JL, Junge RE, Mahefarisoa KL, Rasambainarivo F, Godfrey LR, Glander KE. Morphometric signals of population decline in diademed sifakas occupying degraded rainforest habitat in Madagascar. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8776. [PMID: 31217457 PMCID: PMC6584568 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-45426-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Anthropogenic habitat change can have varied impacts on primates, including both negative and positive outcomes. Even when behavioural shifts are seen, they may reflect decreased health, or simply behavioural flexibility; understanding this distinction is important for conservation efforts. This study examines habitat-related variation in adult and immature morphometrics among diademed sifakas (Propithecus diadema). We collected morphometric data from sifakas at Tsinjoarivo, Madagascar (19 years, 188 captures, 113 individuals). Captures spanned 12 groups, five within continuous forest ("CONT"), and seven in degraded fragments ("FRAG") where sifakas have lower nutritional intakes. Few consistent differences were found between CONT and FRAG groups. However, using home range quality as a covariate rather than a CONT/FRAG dichotomy revealed a threshold: the two FRAG groups in the lowest-quality habitat showed low adult mass and condition (wasting), and low immature mass and length (stunting). Though less-disturbed fragments apparently provide viable habitat, we suggest the sifakas in the most challenging habitats cannot evolve fast enough to keep up with such rapid habitat change. We suggest other long-lived organisms will show similar morphometric "warning signs" (wasting in adults, stunting in immatures); selected morphometric variables can thus be useful at gauging vulnerability of populations in the face of anthropogenic change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitchell T Irwin
- Department of Anthropology, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, 60115, USA.
| | - Karen E Samonds
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL, 60115, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Laurie R Godfrey
- Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA, 01003, USA
| | - Kenneth E Glander
- Department of Evolutionary Anthropology, Duke University, Durham, NC, 27708, USA
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Tecot SR, Irwin MT, Raharison JL. Faecal glucocorticoid metabolite profiles in diademed sifakas increase during seasonal fruit scarcity with interactive effects of age/sex class and habitat degradation. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 7:coz001. [PMID: 30746150 PMCID: PMC6364291 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2018] [Revised: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Glucocorticoids are metabolic byproducts of animals' physiological responses to ecological or social challenges and are thought to represent an adaptive response allowing beneficial responses to short-term challenges. Glucocorticoid metabolites (GCs) can be assayed non-invasively through faeces and therefore can be a useful tool to gauge the health of populations experiencing natural and/or anthropogenic stressors. However, the response of GCs to anthropogenic stressors varies, with both higher and lower GC levels reported. Here, we describe variation in GC secretion within eight diademed sifaka (Propithecus diadema) groups across 1 year. These groups span a gradient of anthropogenic habitat disturbance, including groups in continuous forest ('CONT') and disturbed fragments ('FRAG'), and indicators of health suggest that FRAG groups are negatively impacted by habitat disturbance. We monitored phenology, used focal animal follows to quantify diet and collected faeces (n = 547) from which we quantified GC content using enzyme immunoassay. All groups showed elevated lean-season GCs, but with a single, brief peak. GCs were inversely correlated with feeding time. No overall effect of habitat (CONT vs. FRAG) was found, but the lean-season peak was significantly higher in CONT groups. There was a significant season*age-sex interaction; adult females had an attenuated lean-season response compared with groupmates. The observed lean-season 'challenge' is consistent with previous lemur studies, as well as mammals in general. Low and largely invariable GC levels in FRAG, within the context of observed health and nutritional declines, suggest that FRAG groups employ a strategy whereby the adrenal response to stressors is downregulated. More research is needed to contextualize our observations of GC variation and health on an individual level, both in terms of corroborating evidence for ecological and social stressors, and longer-term quantification of reproductive success and fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacey R Tecot
- School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ, USA
- Laboratory for the Evolutionary Endocrinology of Primates, School of Anthropology, University of Arizona, Tucson AZ, USA
- Co-first authors
| | - Mitchell T Irwin
- Department of Anthropology, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb IL, USA
- Co-first authors
| | - Jean-Luc Raharison
- NGO Sadabe, Lot AB64bis, Ankadindravola, Ivato Firaisana, 105 Antananarivo, Madagascar
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24
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Edwards KL, Edes AN, Brown JL. Stress, Well-Being and Reproductive Success. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2019; 1200:91-162. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-23633-5_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
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25
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Takeshita RSC, Bercovitch FB, Kinoshita K, Huffman MA. Beneficial effect of hot spring bathing on stress levels in Japanese macaques. Primates 2018; 59:215-225. [DOI: 10.1007/s10329-018-0655-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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Sarmah J, Hazarika CR, Berkeley EV, Ganswindt SB, Ganswindt A. Non-invasive assessment of adrenocortical function as a measure of stress in the endangered golden langur. Zoo Biol 2017; 36:278-283. [DOI: 10.1002/zoo.21369] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2016] [Revised: 04/21/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Elizabeth V. Berkeley
- Biology and Earth Science; Otterbein University School of Arts and Sciences; Westerville Ohio
| | - Stefanie B. Ganswindt
- Endocrine Research Laboratory; Department of Anatomy and Physiology; Faculty of Veterinary Science; University of Pretoria; South Africa
| | - Andre Ganswindt
- Endocrine Research Laboratory; Department of Anatomy and Physiology; Faculty of Veterinary Science; University of Pretoria; South Africa
- Mammal Research Institute; Department of Zoology and Entomology; NAS; University of Pretoria; South Africa
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Dias PAD, Coyohua-Fuentes A, Canales-Espinosa D, Chavira-Ramírez R, Rangel-Negrín A. Hormonal correlates of energetic condition in mantled howler monkeys. Horm Behav 2017; 94:13-20. [PMID: 28602941 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2017] [Revised: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Hormones have a key role in energy allocation, so their study allows understanding individual metabolic strategies. Because different hormones convey different information on the responses of individuals to energetic demands, a simultaneous analysis of variation in multiple hormones may offer a more reliable picture of metabolic strategies than single hormone assessments. In this study we focused on determining which factors were related to variation in fecal glucocorticoid and thyroid hormone metabolites in wild mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata). Over 12months, we determined fecal glucocorticoid and thyroid hormone metabolite levels of 11 adults belonging to two groups, and examined the relationship between hormone metabolites and a variety of behavioral, physiological, and ecological factors (e.g., food intake, sex/reproductive state, activity, participation in agonistic interactions). We found that glucocorticoids were elevated in gestating and lactating females compared to males and cycling females, and were also higher when individuals were more active and participated in agonistic interactions. Thyroid hormone levels were also related to sex/reproductive state and activity, but were additionally positively related to fruit intake and negatively related to young leaf intake. Our study demonstrates that the non-invasive measurement of glucocorticoid and thyroid hormones of howler monkeys allows assessing different underlying physiological processes. By combining different biomarkers, which has seldom been done with wildlife, we could also parse the influence of psychological vs. metabolic challenges for individual energetic condition, which may be instrumental for deciding which factors should be accounted for when studying different hormone-behavior interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Américo D Dias
- Primate Behavioral Ecology Lab, Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
| | - Alejandro Coyohua-Fuentes
- Primate Behavioral Ecology Lab, Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Domingo Canales-Espinosa
- Primate Behavioral Ecology Lab, Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | | | - Ariadna Rangel-Negrín
- Primate Behavioral Ecology Lab, Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
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29
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García-Feria LM, Chapman CA, Pastor-Nieto R, Serio-Silva JC. Biochemical and hematological evaluations of black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) in highly degraded landscapes in Mexico. J Med Primatol 2017; 46:304-310. [DOI: 10.1111/jmp.12286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Luis M. García-Feria
- Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados; Instituto de Ecología AC; El Haya Xalapa Veracruz México
| | - Colin A. Chapman
- Department of Anthropology & McGill School of Environment; McGill University; Montreal Quebec Canada
| | - Rosalía Pastor-Nieto
- Facultad de Ciencias; Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México; Coyoacán Ciudad de México México
| | - Juan Carlos Serio-Silva
- Red de Biología y Conservación de Vertebrados; Instituto de Ecología AC; El Haya Xalapa Veracruz México
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Emery Thompson M. Energetics of feeding, social behavior, and life history in non-human primates. Horm Behav 2017; 91:84-96. [PMID: 27594442 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 08/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Energy is a variable of key importance to a wide range of research in primate behavioral ecology, life history, and conservation. However, obtaining detailed data on variation in energetic condition, and its biological consequences, has been a considerable challenge. In the past 20years, tremendous strides have been made towards non-invasive methods for monitoring the physiology of animals in their natural environment. These methods provide detailed, individualized data about energetic condition, as well as energy allocations to growth, reproduction, and somatic health. In doing so, they add much-needed resolution by which to move beyond correlative studies to research programs that can discriminate causes from effects and disaggregate multiple correlated features of the social and physical environment. In this review, I describe the conceptual and methodological approaches for studying primate energetics. I then discuss the core questions about primate feeding ecology, social behavior, and life history that can benefit from physiological studies, highlighting the ways in which recent research has done so. Among these are studies that test, and often refute, common assumptions about how feeding ecology shapes primate biology, and those that reveal proximate associations between energetics and reproductive strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Emery Thompson
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, MSC01-1040, 500 University Blvd NE, Albuquerque 87131, Mexico.
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31
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Procházka A, Mikita T, Jelínek P. The Relationship between some Forest Stand Properties and the Occurrence of Orchids in the Central Part of the Moravian Karst Protected Landscape Area. ACTA UNIVERSITATIS AGRICULTURAE ET SILVICULTURAE MENDELIANAE BRUNENSIS 2017. [DOI: 10.11118/actaun201765030919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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32
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Emery Thompson M. Energetics of feeding, social behavior, and life history in non-human primates. Horm Behav 2017; 91:84-96. [PMID: 27594442 DOI: 10.10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 08/29/2016] [Accepted: 08/30/2016] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Energy is a variable of key importance to a wide range of research in primate behavioral ecology, life history, and conservation. However, obtaining detailed data on variation in energetic condition, and its biological consequences, has been a considerable challenge. In the past 20years, tremendous strides have been made towards non-invasive methods for monitoring the physiology of animals in their natural environment. These methods provide detailed, individualized data about energetic condition, as well as energy allocations to growth, reproduction, and somatic health. In doing so, they add much-needed resolution by which to move beyond correlative studies to research programs that can discriminate causes from effects and disaggregate multiple correlated features of the social and physical environment. In this review, I describe the conceptual and methodological approaches for studying primate energetics. I then discuss the core questions about primate feeding ecology, social behavior, and life history that can benefit from physiological studies, highlighting the ways in which recent research has done so. Among these are studies that test, and often refute, common assumptions about how feeding ecology shapes primate biology, and those that reveal proximate associations between energetics and reproductive strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Emery Thompson
- Department of Anthropology, University of New Mexico, MSC01-1040, 500 University Blvd NE, Albuquerque 87131, Mexico.
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33
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Phillips CA, Wrangham RW, McGrew WC. Non-dietary analytical features of chimpanzee scats. Primates 2017; 58:393-402. [PMID: 28378197 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-017-0606-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Non-dietary aspects of ape scats such as scat weight and diameter are correlated with age and sex of defaecator for gorillas and orangutans. Defaecation rates of primates, including apes, illuminate their role as primary seed dispersers. We assess if non-dietary features of scats for East African chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) reveal such insights for members of the Kanyawara community in Kibale National Park, Uganda. Our objective is to see if such data yield useful perspectives for future census work on unhabituated chimpanzees, that is, what can scats tell us about a wild study population, beyond diet? We followed ten adults from this community, as well as travelling parties, comparing observed vs. unobserved defaecations, and collected data on scat weight and dimensions, defaecation rate, scat encounter rate, and interval between defaecations. Few non-dietary features of chimpanzee scats significantly differentiated sex or age of the defaecator, but total scat length and height distinguished adults from juveniles/infants. Defaecation rates and distance travelled were similar for adult males and females, indicating the importance of both sexes as potential primary seed dispersers. Observed travelling parties vs. non-observed travelling parties yielded similar data, indicating the potential to assess party size from scat encounter rates over a set distance. We provide detailed measurements of scat dimensions for this ape taxon which previously have been lacking. This research builds upon prior work by recording more in-depth data for focal subjects and travelling parties on defaecation and scat encounter rates. The findings presented should assist in the interpretation of scat data when censusing unhabituated chimpanzees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline A Phillips
- Evolutionary Studies Institute, University of the Witwatersrand, Private Bag 3, Wits, 2050, South Africa. .,Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge, 13A Fitzwilliam Street, Cambridge, CB2 1QH, UK.
| | - Richard W Wrangham
- Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Peabody Museum, Harvard University, 11 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - William C McGrew
- Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Cambridge, 13A Fitzwilliam Street, Cambridge, CB2 1QH, UK.,School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, KY16 9JU, UK
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França F, Barlow J, Araújo B, Louzada J. Does selective logging stress tropical forest invertebrates? Using fat stores to examine sublethal responses in dung beetles. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:8526-8533. [PMID: 28031804 PMCID: PMC5167030 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2016] [Revised: 08/25/2016] [Accepted: 08/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The increased global demand for tropical timber has driven vast expanses of tropical forests to be selectively logged worldwide. While logging impacts on wildlife are predicted to change species distribution and abundance, the underlying physiological responses are poorly understood. Although there is a growing consensus that selective logging impacts on natural populations start with individual stress-induced sublethal responses, this literature is dominated by investigations conducted with vertebrates from temperate zones. Moreover, the sublethal effects of human-induced forest disturbance on tropical invertebrates have never been examined. To help address this knowledge gap, we examined the body fat content and relative abundance of three dung beetle species (Coleoptera: Scarabaeinae) with minimum abundance of 40 individuals within each examined treatment level. These were sampled across 34 plots in a before-after control-impact design (BACI) in a timber concession area of the Brazilian Amazon. For the first time, we present evidence of logging-induced physiological stress responses in tropical invertebrates. Selective logging increased the individual levels of fat storage and reduced the relative abundance of two dung beetle species. Given this qualitative similarity, we support the measurement of body fat content as reliable biomarker to assess stress-induced sublethal effects on dung beetles. Understanding how environmental modification impacts the wildlife has never been more important. Our novel approach provides new insights into the mechanisms through which forest disturbances impose population-level impacts on tropical invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipe França
- Lancaster Environment CentreLancaster UniversityBailriggLancasterUK
- Departamento de BiologiaUniversidade Federal de LavrasLavras‐MGBrazil
| | - Jos Barlow
- Lancaster Environment CentreLancaster UniversityBailriggLancasterUK
- Departamento de BiologiaUniversidade Federal de LavrasLavras‐MGBrazil
- Museu Paraense Emilio GoeldiBelém‐PABrazil
| | - Bárbara Araújo
- Laboratório de plantas oleaginosas, óleos, gorduras e biodiesel, Departamento de AgriculturaUniversidade Federal de LavrasLavras‐MGBrazil
| | - Julio Louzada
- Lancaster Environment CentreLancaster UniversityBailriggLancasterUK
- Departamento de BiologiaUniversidade Federal de LavrasLavras‐MGBrazil
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Rakotoniaina JH, Kappeler PM, Ravoniarimbinina P, Pechouskova E, Hämäläinen AM, Grass J, Kirschbaum C, Kraus C. Does habitat disturbance affect stress, body condition and parasitism in two sympatric lemurs? CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2016; 4:cow034. [PMID: 27656285 PMCID: PMC5020880 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cow034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2016] [Revised: 07/20/2016] [Accepted: 07/23/2016] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how animals react to human-induced changes in their environment is a key question in conservation biology. Owing to their potential correlation with fitness, several physiological parameters are commonly used to assess the effect of habitat disturbance on animals' general health status. Here, we studied how two lemur species, the fat-tailed dwarf lemur (Cheirogaleus medius) and the grey mouse lemur (Microcebus murinus), respond to changing environmental conditions by comparing their stress levels (measured as hair cortisol concentration), parasitism and general body condition across four habitats ordered along a gradient of human disturbance at Kirindy Forest, Western Madagascar. These two species previously revealed contrasting responses to human disturbance; whereas M. murinus is known as a resilient species, C. medius is rarely encountered in highly disturbed habitats. However, neither hair cortisol concentrations nor parasitism patterns (prevalence, parasite species richness and rate of multiple infections) and body condition varied across the gradient of anthropogenic disturbance. Our results indicate that the effect of anthropogenic activities at Kirindy Forest is not reflected in the general health status of both species, which may have developed a range of behavioural adaptations to deal with suboptimal conditions. Nonetheless, a difference in relative density among sites suggests that the carrying capacity of disturbed habitat is lower, and both species respond differently to environmental changes, with C. medius being more negatively affected. Thus, even for behaviourally flexible species, extended habitat deterioration could hamper long-term viability of populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Josué H Rakotoniaina
- Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Kellnerweg 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, Deutsches Primatenzentrum, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Peter M Kappeler
- Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Kellnerweg 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, Deutsches Primatenzentrum, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Eva Pechouskova
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, Deutsches Primatenzentrum, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Anni M Hämäläinen
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
T6G 2E9
| | - Juliane Grass
- Department of Psychology, TU Dresden, Andreas-Schubert-Bau, Zellescher Weg 19, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Clemens Kirschbaum
- Department of Psychology, TU Dresden, Andreas-Schubert-Bau, Zellescher Weg 19, 01069 Dresden, Germany
| | - Cornelia Kraus
- Department of Sociobiology/Anthropology, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Kellnerweg 6, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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Carlitz EHD, Miller R, Kirschbaum C, Gao W, Hänni DC, van Schaik CP. Measuring Hair Cortisol Concentrations to Assess the Effect of Anthropogenic Impacts on Wild Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). PLoS One 2016; 11:e0151870. [PMID: 27050418 PMCID: PMC4822880 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0151870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2015] [Accepted: 03/04/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Non-human primates face major environmental changes due to increased human impacts all over the world. Although some species are able to survive in certain landscapes with anthropogenic impact, their long-term viability and fitness may be decreased due to chronic stress. Here we assessed long-term stress levels through cortisol analysis in chimpanzee hair obtained from sleeping nests in northwestern Uganda, in order to estimate welfare in the context of ecotourism, forest fragmentation with human-wildlife conflicts, and illegal logging with hunting activity (albeit not of primates), compared with a control without human contact or conflict. Concerning methodological issues, season [F(2,129) = 37.4, p < 0.0001, r2 = 0.18] and the age of nests [F(2,178) = 20.3, p < 0.0001, r2 = 0.11] significantly predicted hair cortisol concentrations (HCC). With regard to effects of anthropogenic impacts, our results neither showed elevation of HCC due to ecotourism, nor due to illegal logging compared to their control groups. We did, however, find significantly increased HCC in the fragment group compared to chimpanzees living in a nearby intact forest [F(1,88) = 5.0, p = 0.03, r2 = 0.20]. In conclusion, our results suggest that hair cortisol analysis is a powerful tool that can help understanding the impact of anthropogenic disturbances on chimpanzee well-being and could be applied to other great ape species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esther H. D. Carlitz
- Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- Department of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
- The Jane Goodall Institute Switzerland, Zurich, Switzerland
- * E-mail:
| | - Robert Miller
- Department of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Clemens Kirschbaum
- Department of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Wei Gao
- Department of Psychology, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Daniel C. Hänni
- Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
- The Jane Goodall Institute Switzerland, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Carel P. van Schaik
- Anthropological Institute and Museum, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
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Ordóñez-Gómez JD, Cristóbal-Azkarate J, Arroyo-Rodríguez V, Santillán-Doherty AM, Valdez RA, Romano MC. Proximal and Distal Predictors of the Spider Monkey's Stress Levels in Fragmented Landscapes. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0149671. [PMID: 26901767 PMCID: PMC4762682 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0149671] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2015] [Accepted: 02/02/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid loss, fragmentation and degradation of tropical forests threaten the survival of many animal species. However, the way in which these phenomena affect animal health has been poorly explored, thus limiting the design of appropriate conservation strategies. To address this, here we identified using linear mixed models the effect of proximal (diet, activity pattern, hunting and logging) and distal (sum of the basal areas of fruiting-tree species [SBAFS], landscape forest cover and degree of forest fragmentation) variables over fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) levels-hormones associated with animal health and fitness-of six groups of spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) inhabiting six landscapes with different spatial structures in Mexico. Proximal variables showed a stronger predictive power over fGCMs than distal. In this sense, increases in travel time, the occurrence of hunting, and reductions in rest time and fruit consumption resulted in higher fGCM levels. Regarding distal variables, increases in SBAFS were negatively related to fGCM levels, thus suggesting that food scarcity increases stress hormone levels. Nevertheless, contrary to theoretical expectations, spider monkeys living in smaller tracts of forest spent less time travelling, but the same time feeding on fruit as those in more forested areas. The lower net energy return associated with this combination of factors would explain why, contrary to theoretical expectations, increased forest cover was associated with increased levels of fGCMs in these groups. Our study shows that, at least in the short term, spider monkeys in fragmented landscapes do not always present higher levels of stress hormones compared to those inhabiting continuous forest, and the importance of preserving fruit sources and controlling hunting for reducing the levels of stress hormones in free ranging spider monkeys.
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Affiliation(s)
- José D. Ordóñez-Gómez
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Víctor Arroyo-Rodríguez
- Instituto de Investigaciones en Ecosistemas y Sustentabilidad, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Morelia, Michoacán, Mexico
| | | | - Ricardo A. Valdez
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Marta C. Romano
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados, Mexico City, Mexico
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Logging Activity Adversely Impacts Primate Diversity and Density in the Kwabre Rainforest of Ghana. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ECOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1155/2016/7497326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Knowledge on the impacts of logging activity on inhabitant primate species in Kwabre Rainforest, Ghana, is vital for the development of a comprehensive conservation and management plan. With this background, primate density and diversity were recorded along line transects in logged and unlogged areas (strata) to assess the impact of logging activity on these parameters. Six distinct primate species were confirmed including Roloway monkey (Cercopithecus roloway, listed as endangered in the IUCN List of Threatened Species), white-naped mangabey (Cercocebus lunulatus, vulnerable), and Geoffroy’s black-and-white colobus (Colobus vellerosus, vulnerable). There was a significant difference (Mann-WhitneyUtest:U=36.0,p<0.01) in primate encounter rates between the logged and unlogged strata with higher species diversity in unlogged stratum (H=2.91) compared to the logged stratum (H=1.44). Regression analysis indicated a significant effect (r2=0.945,p<0.01) of logging on primate encounter rates. Our results suggest that logging activity can alter composition of primate communities. One option to forestall further forest degradation and its adverse effects on primates would be to grant the Kwabre Rainforest protected area status under Ghanaian law and manage it under an integrated conservation plan that includes neighbouring Ankasa Conservation Area in Ghana and Tanoé Forest in Cote d’Ivoire.
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Heymann EW, Ganzhorn JU. History of primate behavioural and ecological field research at the German Primate Center. Primate Biol 2015. [DOI: 10.5194/pb-2-73-2015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract. This paper describes the background of the first behavioural and ecological field studies on primates conducted by German primatologists in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Field research by scientists from DPZ started in the middle 1980s at a time when this was not yet considered a major task for DPZ. Establishment of field research became possible due to recommendations from institutional and departmental evaluations and the formation of a working group "Ethology and Ecology", which was later transformed into a department in the 1990s. Since then, field research has gained momentum, and has become part of the research program of other DPZ departments. The DPZ is now unique, as it runs field sites in all major areas of primate distribution. The foresight and support of Hans-Jürg Kuhn during his period as scientific director was seminal and essential for the evolution of primate field research at DPZ.
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Barelli C, Rovero F, Hodges K, Araldi A, Heistermann M. Physiological stress levels in the endemic and endangered Udzungwa red colobus vary with elevation. AFRICAN ZOOLOGY 2015. [DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2015.1021163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
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Aronsen GP, Beuerlein MM, Watts DP, Bribiescas RG. Redtail and red colobus monkeys show intersite urinary cortisol concentration variation in Kibale National Park, Uganda. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2015; 3:cov006. [PMID: 27293691 PMCID: PMC4778450 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cov006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2014] [Revised: 01/27/2015] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Non-invasive measurement of urinary cortisol is a proven method of evaluating the impact of environmental stressors on wild primates. Variation in cortisol concentrations can reflect physiological stress, and prolonged elevation of circulating cortisol can significantly affect individual and population-level health. In a previous study, we found that urinary cortisol concentrations in grey-cheeked mangabeys (Lophocebus albigena) were higher at a highly disturbed site (Mainaro) in Kibale National Park, Uganda compared with a minimally disturbed site (Ngogo) in the same habitat. Here, we expand on this research, reporting on cortisol concentrations in two other cercopithecid monkeys (Cercopithecus ascanius and Piliocolobus rufomitratus) at the same two sites. We hypothesized that C. ascanius would show no difference between sites, given its preference for secondary forests, while P. rufomitratus would have higher cortisol concentrations at the disturbed site. Contrary to expectations, both species exhibited significantly higher cortisol concentrations at Ngogo (minimally disturbed) compared with Mainaro (disturbed). We suggest that these results may be caused by inter- or intragroup social dynamics, intersite differences in predation rate, fruit/food availability and chemistry, or a combination of these factors. These initial evaluations of urinary cortisol concentrations provide testable hypotheses on habitat disturbance and Kibale primate ecophysiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary P. Aronsen
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | | | - David P. Watts
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
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Rangel-Negrín A, Coyohua-Fuentes A, Chavira R, Canales-Espinosa D, Dias PAD. Primates living outside protected habitats are more stressed: the case of black howler monkeys in the Yucatán Peninsula. PLoS One 2014; 9:e112329. [PMID: 25375243 PMCID: PMC4223037 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0112329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2014] [Accepted: 10/10/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The non-invasive monitoring of glucocorticoid hormones allows for the assessment of the physiological effects of anthropogenic disturbances on wildlife. Variation in glucocorticoid levels of the same species between protected and unprotect areas seldom has been measured, and the available evidence suggests that this relationship may depend on species-specific habitat requirements and biology. In the present study we focused on black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra), a canopy-dwelling primate species, as a case study to evaluate the physiological consequences of living in unprotected areas, and relate them with intragroup competition and competition with extragroup individuals. From February 2006 to September 2007 we collected 371 fecal samples from 21 adults belonging to five groups (two from protected and three from unprotected areas) in Campeche, Mexico. We recorded agonistic interactions within groups and encounters with other groups (1,200 h of behavioral observations), and determined fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations with radioimmunoassays. We used linear mixed models and Akaike's information criterion to choose the best model explaining variation in FGM concentrations between protected and unprotected areas calculated from five categorical variables: habitat type (protected vs. unprotected), participation in agonistic interactions, intergroup encounters, sex and female reproductive state, and season. The best model included habitat type, the interaction between habitat type and agonism, and the interaction between habitat type and season. FGM concentrations were higher in unprotected habitats, particularly when individuals were involved in agonistic interactions; seasonal variation in FGM concentrations was only detected in protected habitats. High FGM concentrations in black howler monkeys living in unprotected habitats are associated with increased within-group food competition and probably associated with exposure to anthropogenic stressors and overall food scarcity. Because persistent high GC levels can be detrimental to health and fitness, populations living in disturbed unprotected areas may not be viable in the long-term.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Roberto Chavira
- Instituto de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, México D.F., Mexico
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Coristine LE, Robillard CM, Kerr JT, O'Connor CM, Lapointe D, Cooke SJ. A conceptual framework for the emerging discipline of conservation physiology. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2014; 2:cou033. [PMID: 27293654 PMCID: PMC4806729 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cou033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2014] [Revised: 06/24/2014] [Accepted: 07/14/2014] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Current rates of biodiversity decline are unprecedented and largely attributed to anthropogenic influences. Given the scope and magnitude of conservation issues, policy and management interventions must maximize efficiency and efficacy. The relatively new field of conservation physiology reveals the physiological mechanisms associated with population declines, animal-environment relationships and population or species tolerance thresholds, particularly where these relate to anthropogenic factors that necessitate conservation action. We propose a framework that demonstrates an integrative approach between physiology, conservation and policy, where each can inform the design, conduct and implementation of the other. Each junction of the conservation physiology process has the capacity to foster dialogue that contributes to effective implementation, monitoring, assessment and evaluation. This approach enables effective evaluation and implementation of evidence-based conservation policy and management decisions through a process of ongoing refinement, but may require that scientists (from the disciplines of both physiology and conservation) and policy-makers bridge interdisciplinary knowledge gaps. Here, we outline a conceptual framework that can guide and lead developments in conservation physiology, as well as promote innovative research that fosters conservation-motivated policy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura E. Coristine
- Canadian Facility for Ecoinformatics Research, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie-Curie, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N 6N5
| | - Cassandra M. Robillard
- Canadian Facility for Ecoinformatics Research, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie-Curie, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N 6N5
| | - Jeremy T. Kerr
- Canadian Facility for Ecoinformatics Research, Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie-Curie, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1N 6N5
| | - Constance M. O'Connor
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behaviour, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, Canada L8S 4L8
| | - Dominique Lapointe
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - Steven J. Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1S 5B6
- Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada K1S 5B6
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Balestri M, Barresi M, Campera M, Serra V, Ramanamanjato JB, Heistermann M, Donati G. Habitat degradation and seasonality affect physiological stress levels of Eulemur collaris in littoral forest fragments. PLoS One 2014; 9:e107698. [PMID: 25229944 PMCID: PMC4168001 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0107698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2014] [Accepted: 08/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The littoral forest on sandy soil is among the most threatened habitats in Madagascar and, as such, it represents a hot-spot within a conservation hot-spot. Assessing the health of the resident lemur fauna is not only critical for the long-term viability of these populations, but also necessary for the future re-habilitation of this unique habitat. Since the Endangered collared brown lemur, Eulemur collaris, is the largest seed disperser of the Malagasy south-eastern littoral forest its survival in this habitat is crucial. In this study we compared fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) levels, a measure of physiological stress and potential early indicator of population health, between groups of collared brown lemurs living in a degraded forest fragment and groups occurring in a more preserved area. For this, we analysed 279 fecal samples collected year-round from 4 groups of collared brown lemurs using a validated 11-oxoetiocholanolone enzyme immunoassay and tested if fGCM levels were influenced by reproductive stages, phenological seasons, sex, and habitat degradation. The lemurs living in the degraded forest had significantly higher fGCM levels than those living in the more preserved area. In particular, the highest fGCM levels were found during the mating season in all animals and in females during gestation in the degraded forest. Since mating and gestation are both occurring during the lean season in the littoral forest, these results likely reflect a combination of ecological and reproductive pressures. Our findings provide a clear indication that habitat degradation has additive effects to the challenges found in the natural habitat. Since increased stress hormone output may have long-term negative effects on population health and reproduction, our data emphasize the need for and may add to the development of effective conservation plans for the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michela Balestri
- Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Marta Barresi
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Marco Campera
- Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Department of Biology, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | | | | | - Michael Heistermann
- Endocrinology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Goettingen, Germany
| | - Giuseppe Donati
- Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Kersey DC, Dehnhard M. The use of noninvasive and minimally invasive methods in endocrinology for threatened mammalian species conservation. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2014; 203:296-306. [PMID: 24798579 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2014.04.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2014] [Revised: 04/14/2014] [Accepted: 04/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Endocrinology is an indispensable tool in threatened species research. The study of endocrinology in threatened species not only advances knowledge of endocrine mechanism but also contributes to conservation efforts of studied species. To this end, endocrinology has been traditionally used to understand reproductive and adrenocortical endocrine axes by quantifying excreted steroid metabolites. From these studies a large body of knowledge was created that contributed to the field of endocrinology, aided conservation efforts, and created a template by which to validate and conduct this research for other species. In this regard noninvasive hormone monitoring has become a favored approach to study the basic endocrinology of wildlife species. Due to the increased understanding of endocrine physiology of threatened species, breeding rates of captive population have improved to levels allowing for reintroduction of species to restored natural ecosystems. Although these approaches are still employed, advances in biochemical, molecular, and genomic technologies are providing inroads to describe lesser known endocrine activity in threatened species. These new avenues of research will allow for growth of the field with greater depth and breadth. However, for all approaches to endocrinology, limitations on resources and access to animals will require innovation of current methodologies to permit broad application for use in threatened species research.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Kersey
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91768, United States.
| | - Martin Dehnhard
- Department of Reproduction Biology, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Berlin, Germany.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven J Cooke
- Editor-in-Chief, Conservation Physiology Canada Research Chair, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
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