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Zinner D, Paciência FMD, Roos C. Host-Parasite Coevolution in Primates. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:life13030823. [PMID: 36983978 PMCID: PMC10058613 DOI: 10.3390/life13030823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Organisms adapt to their environment through evolutionary processes. Environments consist of abiotic factors, but also of other organisms. In many cases, two or more species interact over generations and adapt in a reciprocal way to evolutionary changes in the respective other species. Such coevolutionary processes are found in mutualistic and antagonistic systems, such as predator-prey and host-parasite (including pathogens) relationships. Coevolution often results in an "arms race" between pathogens and hosts and can significantly affect the virulence of pathogens and thus the severity of infectious diseases, a process that we are currently witnessing with SARS-CoV-2. Furthermore, it can lead to co-speciation, resulting in congruent phylogenies of, e.g., the host and parasite. Monkeys and other primates are no exception. They are hosts to a large number of pathogens that have shaped not only the primate immune system but also various ecological and behavioral adaptions. These pathogens can cause severe diseases and most likely also infect multiple primate species, including humans. Here, we briefly review general aspects of the coevolutionary process in its strict sense and highlight the value of cophylogenetic analyses as an indicator for coevolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dietmar Zinner
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Primate Cognition, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | | | - Christian Roos
- Gene Bank of Primates and Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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2
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Sarabian C, Wilkinson A, Sigaud M, Kano F, Tobajas J, Darmaillacq AS, Kalema-Zikusoka G, Plotnik JM, MacIntosh AJJ. Disgust in animals and the application of disease avoidance to wildlife management and conservation. J Anim Ecol 2023. [PMID: 36914973 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13903] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Disgust is an adaptive system hypothesized to have evolved to reduce the risk of becoming sick. It is associated with behavioural, cognitive and physiological responses tuned to allow animals to avoid and/or get rid of parasites, pathogens and toxins. Little is known about the mechanisms and outcomes of disease avoidance in wild animals. Furthermore, given the escalation of negative human-wildlife interactions, the translation of such knowledge into the design of evolutionarily relevant conservation and wildlife management strategies is becoming urgent. Contemporary methods in animal ecology and related fields, using direct (sensory cues) or indirect (remote sensing technologies and machine learning) means, provide a flexible toolbox for testing and applying disgust at individual and collective levels. In this review/perspective paper, we provide an empirical framework for testing the adaptive function of disgust and its associated disease avoidance behaviours across species, from the least to the most social, in different habitats. We predict various trade-offs to be at play depending on the social system and ecology of the species. We propose five contexts in which disgust-related avoidance behaviours could be applied, including endangered species rehabilitation, invasive species, crop-raiding, urban pests and animal tourism. We highlight some of the perspectives and current challenges of testing disgust in the wild. In particular, we recommend future studies to consider together disease, predation and competition risks. We discuss the ethics associated with disgust experiments in the above contexts. Finally, we promote the creation of a database gathering disease avoidance evidence in animals and its applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cécile Sarabian
- School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China
| | - Anna Wilkinson
- School of Life Sciences, University of Lincoln, Lincoln, UK
| | - Marie Sigaud
- Centre d'Écologie et des Sciences de la Conservation, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, Paris, France
| | - Fumihiro Kano
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour, University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Jorge Tobajas
- Departamento de Botánica, Ecología y Fisiología Vegetal, Universidad de Córdoba, Córdoba, Spain
| | | | | | - Joshua M Plotnik
- Department of Psychology, Hunter College and the Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York, USA
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3
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Wu T, Ge M, Wu M, Duan F, Liang J, Chen M, Gracida X, Liu H, Yang W, Dar AR, Li C, Butcher RA, Saltzman AL, Zhang Y. Pathogenic bacteria modulate pheromone response to promote mating. Nature 2023; 613:324-331. [PMID: 36599989 PMCID: PMC10732163 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-022-05561-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Pathogens generate ubiquitous selective pressures and host-pathogen interactions alter social behaviours in many animals1-4. However, very little is known about the neuronal mechanisms underlying pathogen-induced changes in social behaviour. Here we show that in adult Caenorhabditis elegans hermaphrodites, exposure to a bacterial pathogen (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) modulates sensory responses to pheromones by inducing the expression of the chemoreceptor STR-44 to promote mating. Under standard conditions, C. elegans hermaphrodites avoid a mixture of ascaroside pheromones to facilitate dispersal5-13. We find that exposure to the pathogenic Pseudomonas bacteria enables pheromone responses in AWA sensory neurons, which mediate attractive chemotaxis, to suppress the avoidance. Pathogen exposure induces str-44 expression in AWA neurons, a process regulated by a transcription factor zip-5 that also displays a pathogen-induced increase in expression in AWA. STR-44 acts as a pheromone receptor and its function in AWA neurons is required for pathogen-induced AWA pheromone response and suppression of pheromone avoidance. Furthermore, we show that C. elegans hermaphrodites, which reproduce mainly through self-fertilization, increase the rate of mating with males after pathogen exposure and that this increase requires str-44 in AWA neurons. Thus, our results uncover a causal mechanism for pathogen-induced social behaviour plasticity, which can promote genetic diversity and facilitate adaptation of the host animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taihong Wu
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Minghai Ge
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Min Wu
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Fengyun Duan
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jingting Liang
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Maoting Chen
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Xicotencatl Gracida
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - He Liu
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Wenxing Yang
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Abdul Rouf Dar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Chengyin Li
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Rebecca A Butcher
- Department of Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Arneet L Saltzman
- Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Yun Zhang
- Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Mathematical modelling Treponema infection in free-ranging Olive baboons (Papio anubis) in Tanzania. Epidemics 2022; 41:100638. [PMID: 36283270 DOI: 10.1016/j.epidem.2022.100638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Yaws is a chronic infection caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum susp. pertenue (TPE) that was thought to be an exclusive human pathogen but was recently found and confirmed in nonhuman primates. In this paper, we develop the first compartmental ODE model for TPE infection with treatment of wild olive baboons. We solve for disease-free and endemic equilibria and give conditions on local and global stability of the disease-free equilibrium. We calibrate the model based on the data from Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania. We use the model to help the park managers devise an effective strategy for treatment. We show that an increasing treatment rate yields a decrease in disease prevalence. This indicates that TPE can be eliminated through intense management in closed population. Specifically, we show that if the whole population is treated at least once every 5-6 years, a disease-free equilibrium can be reached. Furthermore, we demonstrate that to see a substantial decrease of TPE infection to near-elimination levels within 15 years, the whole population needs to be treated every 2-3 years.
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Gibson AK, Amoroso CR. Evolution and Ecology of Parasite Avoidance. ANNUAL REVIEW OF ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, AND SYSTEMATICS 2022; 53:47-67. [PMID: 36479162 PMCID: PMC9724790 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-ecolsys-102220-020636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Parasite avoidance is a host defense that reduces the contact rate with parasites. We investigate avoidance as a primary driver of variation among individuals in the risk of parasitism and the evolution of host-parasite interactions. To bridge mechanistic and taxonomic divides, we define and categorize avoidance by its function and position in the sequence of host defenses. We also examine the role of avoidance in limiting epidemics and evaluate evidence for the processes that drive its evolution. Throughout, we highlight important directions to advance our conceptual and theoretical understanding of the role of avoidance in host-parasite interactions. We emphasize the need to test assumptions and quantify the effect of avoidance independent of other defenses. Importantly, many open questions may be most tractable in host systems that have not been the focus of traditional behavioral avoidance research, such as plants and invertebrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda K Gibson
- Department of Biology; University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903
| | - Caroline R Amoroso
- Department of Biology; University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903
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Kiffner C, Kioko J, Butynski TM, de Jong YA, Zinner D. Population dynamics of the Manyara monkey ( Cercopithecus mitis manyaraensis) and vervet monkey ( Chlorocebus pygerythrus) in Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania. Primate Biol 2022; 9:33-43. [PMID: 36267696 PMCID: PMC9562685 DOI: 10.5194/pb-9-33-2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 08/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Estimating population densities and their trends over time is essential for understanding primate ecology and for guiding conservation efforts. From 2011 through to 2019, we counted two guenon species during seasonal road transect surveys in Lake Manyara National Park: the Tanzania-endemic Manyara monkey Cercopithecus mitis manyaraensis (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, IUCN, Red List category of "endangered") and the vervet monkey Chlorocebus pygerythrus (Red List category of "least concern"). To account for imperfect detectability, we analysed the data in a line distance sampling framework, fitted species-specific detection functions, and subsequently estimated seasonal densities. To test for seasonal differences and yearly trends in the species-specific density estimates, we fitted generalized additive models. Seasonal point density estimates fluctuated considerably during the 9 years (2011-2019) of our study, ranging from 3 to 29 individuals km - 2 for Manyara monkeys and from 19 to 83 individuals km - 2 for vervet monkeys. Densities of both taxa did not differ seasonally, and we did not detect marked directional population trends. Our study illustrates the utility and limitations of line distance sampling for long-term primate monitoring. Beyond informing primate ecology and management, our results highlight the conservation importance of Lake Manyara National Park for primate conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Kiffner
- Center for Wildlife Management Studies, The School for Field Studies, 23601, Karatu, Tanzania,Department of Human Behavior, Ecology and Culture, Max Planck
Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, 04103 Leipzig, Germany,Human–Wildlife Conflict & Coexistence in Agricultural Landscapes Group,
Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), 15374 Müncheberg, Germany
| | - John Kioko
- Center for Wildlife Management Studies, The School for Field Studies, 23601, Karatu, Tanzania
| | - Thomas M. Butynski
- Eastern Africa Primate Diversity and Conservation Program, Nanyuki
10400, Kenya
| | - Yvonne A. de Jong
- Eastern Africa Primate Diversity and Conservation Program, Nanyuki
10400, Kenya
| | - Dietmar Zinner
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077 Göttingen, Germany,Department of Primate Cognition, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37083
Göttingen, Germany,Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
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7
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Khan MK, Herberstein ME. Parasite‐mediated sexual selection in a damselfly. Ethology 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/eth.13315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Md Kawsar Khan
- School of Natural Sciences Macquarie University Macquarie Park New South Wales Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Shahjalal University of Science and Technology Sylhet Bangladesh
| | - Marie E. Herberstein
- School of Natural Sciences Macquarie University Macquarie Park New South Wales Australia
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8
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Kiffner C, Paciência FMD, Henrich G, Kaitila R, Chuma IS, Mbaryo P, Knauf S, Kioko J, Zinner D. Road-based line distance surveys overestimate densities of olive baboons. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0263314. [PMID: 35108346 PMCID: PMC8809570 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Estimating population density and population dynamics is essential for understanding primate ecology and relies on robust methods. While distance sampling theory provides a robust framework for estimating animal abundance, implementing a constrained, non-systematic transect design could bias density estimates. Here, we assessed potential bias associated with line distance sampling surveys along roads based on a case study with olive baboons (Papio anubis) in Lake Manyara National Park (Tanzania). This was achieved by comparing density estimates of olive baboons derived from road transect surveys with density estimates derived from estimating the maximum number of social groups (via sleeping site counts) and multiplying this metric with the estimated average size of social groups. From 2011 to 2019, we counted olive baboons along road transects, estimated survey-specific densities in a distance sampling framework, and assessed temporal population trends. Based on the fitted half-normal detection function, the mean density was 132.5 baboons km-2 (95% CI: 110.4–159.2), however, detection models did not fit well due to heaping of sightings on and near the transects. Density estimates were associated with relatively wide confidence intervals that were mostly caused by encounter rate variance. Based on a generalized additive model, baboon densities were greater during the rainy seasons compared to the dry seasons but did not show marked annual trends. Compared to estimates derived from the alternative method (sleeping site survey), distance sampling along road transects overestimated the abundance of baboons more than threefold. Possibly, this overestimation was caused by the preferred use of roads by baboons. While being a frequently used technique (due to its relative ease of implementation compared to spatially randomized survey techniques), inferring population density of baboons (and possibly other species) based on road transects should be treated with caution. Beyond these methodological concerns and considering only the most conservative estimates, baboon densities in LMNP are among the highest across their geographic distribution range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Kiffner
- The School For Field Studies, Center For Wildlife Management Studies, Karatu, Tanzania
- Department of Human Behavior, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Ecology and Culture, Leipzig, Germany
- Junior Research Group Human‐Wildlife Conflict & Coexistence, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF), Müncheberg, Germany
| | - Filipa M. D. Paciência
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, Germany Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Grace Henrich
- Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York State, United States of America
| | - Rehema Kaitila
- Tanzania National Parks, Conservation Science Unit (Veterinary), Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Idrissa S. Chuma
- Tanzania National Parks, Conservation Science Unit (Veterinary), Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Pay Mbaryo
- Tanzania National Parks, Conservation Science Unit (Veterinary), Arusha, Tanzania
| | - Sascha Knauf
- Institute of International Animal Health / One Health, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald, Insel Riems, Germany
- Infection Biology Unit, Germany Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - John Kioko
- The School For Field Studies, Center For Wildlife Management Studies, Karatu, Tanzania
| | - Dietmar Zinner
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, Germany Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Primate Cognition, Georg-August-University of Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
- * E-mail:
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9
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Boughman JW, Servedio MR. The ecological stage maintains preference differentiation and promotes speciation. Ecol Lett 2022; 25:926-938. [DOI: 10.1111/ele.13970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Janette W. Boughman
- Department of Integrative Biology; Ecology, Evolution & Behavior Program Michigan State University East Lansing Michigan USA
| | - Maria R. Servedio
- Department of Biology University of North Carolina Chapel Hill North Carolina USA
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10
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Paciência FMD, Chuma IS, Lipende IF, Knauf S, Zinner D. Female post-copulatory behavior in a group of olive baboons (Papio anubis) infected by Treponema pallidum. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0261894. [PMID: 35051197 PMCID: PMC8775205 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0261894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogens exert a profound and pervasive cost on various aspects of primate sociality and reproduction. In olive baboons (Papio anubis) at Lake Manyara National Park, Tanzania, genital skin ulcers, caused by the bacterium Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue, are associated with increased female mating avoidance and altered male mating patterns at a pre-copulatory and copulatory level. Beyond this, mating is also comprised of post-copulatory interactions among sexual partners (i.e., copulation calls, darting [post-copulatory sprint away from the male], and post-copulatory grooming). In baboons, female post-copulatory behavior is hypothesized to incite male-male competition, promote subsequent copulations, and/or strengthen the bonds between the mating pairs. Due to a higher reproductive burden (i.e. pregnancy, lactation, infant rearing), females should avoid proceptive behavior after mating to decrease further exposure to potential pathogens. To investigate whether the presence of genital skin ulcers has an impact at the post-copulatory level, we analyzed 517 copulation events of 33 cycling females and 29 males with and without genital skin ulcers. The occurrence of female post-copulatory behaviors was not altered by genital skin ulcerations in males. Similar to other baboon populations, females in our study group were more likely to utter copulation calls after an ejaculatory copulation. The likelihood of darting was higher after ejaculatory copulations and with the presence of copulation calls. Post-copulatory grooming (i.e., occurring within 15 seconds after a copulation) was not frequently observed. Our results indicate that despite the presence of conspicuous signs of disease, female post-copulatory behavior was not affected by the genital health status of the males. This indicates that in our study group, infection cues caused by T. pallidum subsp. pertenue play a major role before and during mating, but not after mating. The post-copulatory behavior of females is most likely affected by physiological or evolutionary constraints other than sexually transmitted infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa M. D. Paciência
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, Deutsches Primatenzentrum, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Work Group Neglected Tropical Diseases, Infection Biology Unit, Deutsches Primatenzentrum, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Idrissa S. Chuma
- Sokoine University of Agriculture, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | - Iddi F. Lipende
- Sokoine University of Agriculture, Chuo Kikuu, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | - Sascha Knauf
- Work Group Neglected Tropical Diseases, Infection Biology Unit, Deutsches Primatenzentrum, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Institute of International Animal Health, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institute, Federal Research Institute for Animal Health, Greifswald, Isle of Riems, Germany
- Department for Animal Sciences, Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Dietmar Zinner
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, Deutsches Primatenzentrum, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Primate Cognition, Georg-August-University, Göttingen, Germany
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11
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van Sluijs L, Liu J, Schrama M, van Hamond S, Vromans SPJM, Scholten MH, Žibrat N, Riksen JAG, Pijlman GP, Sterken MG, Kammenga JE. Virus infection modulates male sexual behaviour in Caenorhabditis elegans. Mol Ecol 2021; 30:6776-6790. [PMID: 34534386 PMCID: PMC9291463 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2020] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Mating dynamics follow from natural selection on mate choice and individuals maximizing their reproductive success. Mate discrimination reveals itself by a plethora of behaviours and morphological characteristics, each of which can be affected by pathogens. A key question is how pathogens affect mate choice and outcrossing behaviour. Here we investigated the effect of Orsay virus on the mating dynamics of the androdiecious (male and hermaphrodite) nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We tested genetically distinct strains and found that viral susceptibility differed between sexes in a genotype-dependent manner with males of reference strain N2 being more resistant than hermaphrodites. Males displayed a constitutively higher expression of intracellular pathogen response (IPR) genes, whereas the antiviral RNAi response did not have increased activity in males. Subsequent monitoring of sex ratios over 10 generations revealed that viral presence can change mating dynamics in isogenic populations. Sexual attraction assays showed that males preferred mating with uninfected rather than infected hermaphrodites. Together our results illustrate for the first time that viral infection can significantly affect male mating choice and suggest altered mating dynamics as a novel cause benefitting outcrossing under pathogenic stress conditions in C. elegans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lisa van Sluijs
- Laboratory of NematologyWageningen University and ResearchWageningenthe Netherlands
- Laboratory of VirologyWageningen University and ResearchWageningenthe Netherlands
| | - Jie Liu
- Laboratory of NematologyWageningen University and ResearchWageningenthe Netherlands
| | - Mels Schrama
- Laboratory of NematologyWageningen University and ResearchWageningenthe Netherlands
| | - Sanne van Hamond
- Laboratory of NematologyWageningen University and ResearchWageningenthe Netherlands
| | | | - Marèl H. Scholten
- Laboratory of NematologyWageningen University and ResearchWageningenthe Netherlands
| | - Nika Žibrat
- Laboratory of NematologyWageningen University and ResearchWageningenthe Netherlands
| | - Joost A. G. Riksen
- Laboratory of NematologyWageningen University and ResearchWageningenthe Netherlands
| | - Gorben P. Pijlman
- Laboratory of VirologyWageningen University and ResearchWageningenthe Netherlands
| | - Mark G. Sterken
- Laboratory of NematologyWageningen University and ResearchWageningenthe Netherlands
| | - Jan E. Kammenga
- Laboratory of NematologyWageningen University and ResearchWageningenthe Netherlands
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12
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Social and sexual behaviors predict immune system activation, but not adrenocortical activation, in male rhesus macaques. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2021. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-021-03083-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
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13
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Philippon J, Serrano-Martínez E, Poirotte C. Environmental and individual determinants of fecal avoidance in semi-free ranging woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii). AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2021; 176:614-624. [PMID: 34169505 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Parasite selection pressures have driven the evolution of numerous behavioral defenses in host species, but recent studies revealed individual variation in their expression. As little is known about the factors causing heterogeneity among individuals in infection-avoidance behaviors, we investigated in woolly monkeys (Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii) the influence of several environmental and individual characteristics on the tendency to avoid food contaminated by soil and by their own and conspecifics' feces. MATERIALS AND METHODS We conducted feeding tests on 40 semi-free ranging individuals rescued from the pet trade. Using generalized linear mixed models, we investigated the effect of season, sex, age, dominance rank, and exposure to non-natural living conditions on feeding decisions. RESULTS Woolly monkeys did not avoid soil-contaminated food and equally avoided food contaminated by their own and conspecifics' feces. Individuals varied greatly in their level of fecal avoidance. Only females exhibited strong avoidance of fecally contaminated food, but adapted their behavior to food availability, highlighting the trade-off between nutritional intake and parasite avoidance. Additionally, low-ranking females, less competitive over food resources, exhibited lower avoidance than dominant ones. Juveniles were more cautious than adults, possibly to compensate for a higher parasite susceptibility. Finally, we reported an unknown effect of exposure to non-natural living conditions on behavioral defenses, as animals kept as household pets for an extended period apparently lost their ability to avoid fecally contaminated food. CONCLUSION We argue that striving to understand variation in infection-avoidance behaviors in natural populations is crucial to predict disease spread and inform conservation policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine Philippon
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Cayetano Heredia Peruvian University, Lima, Peru
| | - Enrique Serrano-Martínez
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, Cayetano Heredia Peruvian University, Lima, Peru
| | - Clémence Poirotte
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Göttingen, Germany
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Sarabian C, Belais R, MacIntosh AJJ. Avoidance of Contaminated Food Correlates With Low Protozoan Infection in Bonobos. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.651159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Intense selection pressure from parasites on free-living animals has resulted in behavioral adaptations that help potential hosts avoid sources of infection. In primates, such “behavioral immunity” is expressed in different contexts and may vary according to the ecology of the host, the nature of the infectious agent, and the individual itself. In this study, we investigated whether avoidance of contaminated food was associated with reduced parasite infection in sanctuary-housed bonobos. To do this, we used bonobos’ responses to soil- and fecally-contaminated food in behavioral experiments, and then compared the results with an estimate of protozoan infection across individuals. We found that avoidance of contaminated food correlated negatively with Balantioides coli infection, a potentially pathogenic protozoan transmitted through the fecal-oral route. The association between avoidance responses and parasitism were most evident in experiments in which subjects were offered a choice of food items falling along a gradient of fecal contamination. In the case of experiments with more limited options and a high degree of contamination, most subjects were averse to the presented food item and this may have mitigated any relationship between feeding decisions and infection. In experiments with low perceived levels of contamination, most subjects consumed previously contaminated food items, which may also have obscured such a relationship. The behavioral immunity observed may be a consequence of the direct effects of parasites (infection), reflecting the first scale of a landscape of disgust: individual responses. Indirect effects of parasites, such as modulation of feeding decisions and reduced social interactions—and their potential trade-offs with physiological immunity—are also discussed in light of individual fitness and primate evolution. This study builds on previous work by showing that avoidance behaviors may be effective in limiting exposure to a wide diversity of oro-fecally transmitted parasites.
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Abstract
Conceptual parallels between physiological and behavioral forms of resistance to parasites have led to the development of terminology like "the behavioral immune system" to refer to behaviors that combat parasites. I extend this metaphor by applying findings from research on physiological resistance to generate predictions for the ecology and evolution of behavioral resistance (here, synonymous with avoidance). In certain cases, behavioral resistance may follow similar evolutionary dynamics to physiological resistance. However, more research on the nature of the costs of behavioral resistance is needed, including how parasite transmission mode may be a key determinant of these costs. In addition, "acquiring" behavioral resistance may require specific mechanisms separate from classical forms of conditioning, due to constraints on timing of host learning processes and parasite incubation periods. Given existing literature, behavioral resistance to infectious disease seems more likely to be innate than acquired within the lifetime of an individual, raising new questions about how individual experience could shape anti-parasite behaviors. This review provides a framework for using existing literature on physiological resistance to generate predictions for behavioral resistance, and highlights several important directions for future research based on this comparison.
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Philopatry at the frontier: A demographically driven scenario for the evolution of multilevel societies in baboons (Papio). J Hum Evol 2020; 146:102819. [PMID: 32736063 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2020.102819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2019] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The baboons (Papio sp.) exhibit marked interspecies variation in social behavior. The thesis presented here argues, first, that male philopatry is a crucial factor, arguably the crucial factor, underlying the other distinctive features (one-male units, multilevel society) shared by hamadryas and Guinea baboons, but not other species of Papio. The second suggestion is that male philopatry as a population norm was not an adaptation to a particular habitat or set of ecological circumstances but evolved in the common ancestor of hamadryas and Guinea baboons as a response to natural selection in the demographic context peculiar to the frontier of a rapidly expanding population. Other derived features of social structure (male-male tolerance, some facultative female dispersal) subsequently evolved to accommodate male philopatry. The mitochondrial genetic population structure of extant baboons preserves a footprint of the initial expansion of 'modern' Papio. Immediately after the expansion, male-philopatric, multilevel populations with a general physical and behavioral resemblance to Guinea baboons occupied the whole northern hemisphere range of the genus. Behavioral and physical autapomorphies of hamadryas baboons evolved in a subpopulation of this ancestral northern base, in response to a less productive habitat of the Horn of Africa. Subsequently, ancestral olive baboons 'reinvented' male dispersal. They and yellow baboons, another male-dispersing species, then replaced most of the male-philopatric northern populations, by male-driven introgression and nuclear swamping.
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Poirotte C, Charpentier MJE. Unconditional care from close maternal kin in the face of parasites. Biol Lett 2020; 16:20190869. [PMID: 32097598 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2019.0869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Several species mitigate relationships according to their conspecifics' parasite status. Yet, this defence strategy comes with the costs of depriving individuals from valuable social bonds. Animals therefore face a trade-off between the costs of pathogen exposure and the benefits of social relationships. According to the models of social evolution, social bonds are highly kin-biased. However, whether kinship mitigates social avoidance of contagious individuals has never been tested so far. Here, we build on previous research to demonstrate that mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) modulate social avoidance of contagious individuals according to kinship: individuals do not avoid grooming their close maternal kin when contagious (parasitized with oro-faecally transmitted protozoa), although they do for more distant or non-kin. While individuals' parasite status has seldom been considered as a trait impacting social relationships in animals, this study goes a step beyond by showing that kinship balances the effect of health status on social behaviour in a non-human primate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clémence Poirotte
- Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology Unit, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.,Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier (ISEM), UMR 5554, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Marie J E Charpentier
- Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution de Montpellier (ISEM), UMR 5554, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095 Montpellier Cedex 5, France
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Fischer J, Higham JP, Alberts SC, Barrett L, Beehner JC, Bergman TJ, Carter AJ, Collins A, Elton S, Fagot J, Ferreira da Silva MJ, Hammerschmidt K, Henzi P, Jolly CJ, Knauf S, Kopp GH, Rogers J, Roos C, Ross C, Seyfarth RM, Silk J, Snyder-Mackler N, Staedele V, Swedell L, Wilson ML, Zinner D. Insights into the evolution of social systems and species from baboon studies. eLife 2019; 8:e50989. [PMID: 31711570 PMCID: PMC6850771 DOI: 10.7554/elife.50989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2019] [Accepted: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Baboons, members of the genus Papio, comprise six closely related species distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa and southwest Arabia. The species exhibit more ecological flexibility and a wider range of social systems than many other primates. This article summarizes our current knowledge of the natural history of baboons and highlights directions for future research. We suggest that baboons can serve as a valuable model for complex evolutionary processes, such as speciation and hybridization. The evolution of baboons has been heavily shaped by climatic changes and population expansion and fragmentation in the African savanna environment, similar to the processes that acted during human evolution. With accumulating long-term data, and new data from previously understudied species, baboons are ideally suited for investigating the links between sociality, health, longevity and reproductive success. To achieve these aims, we propose a closer integration of studies at the proximate level, including functional genomics, with behavioral and ecological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Fischer
- Cognitive Ethology LaboratoryGerman Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
- Department of Primate CognitionGeorg-August-University of GöttingenGöttingenGermany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus for Primate CognitionGöttingenGermany
| | - James P Higham
- Department of AnthropologyNew York UniversityNew YorkUnited States
| | - Susan C Alberts
- Department of BiologyDuke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Department of Evolutionary AnthropologyDuke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Institute of Primate ResearchNairobiKenya
| | - Louise Barrett
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of LethbridgeLethbridgeCanada
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystems Research UnitUniversity of South AfricaPretoriaSouth Africa
| | - Jacinta C Beehner
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Thore J Bergman
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborUnited States
| | - Alecia J Carter
- Institut des Sciences de l’Evolution de MontpellierMontpellierFrance
- Université de Montpellier, CNRS, IRD, EPHEMontpellierFrance
| | - Anthony Collins
- Gombe Stream Research CentreJane Goodall InstituteKigomaUnited Republic of Tanzania
| | - Sarah Elton
- Department of AnthropologyDurham UniversityDurhamUnited Kingdom
| | - Joël Fagot
- Aix Marseille UniversitéMarseilleFrance
- Centre National de la Recherche ScientifiqueMontpellierFrance
| | - Maria Joana Ferreira da Silva
- Organisms and Environment Division, School of BiosciencesCardiff UniversityCardiffUnited Kingdom
- Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos GenéticosUniversidade do PortoPortoPortugal
- Centro de Administração e Políticas Públicas, School of Social and PoliticalSciencesUniversity of LisbonLisbonPortugal
| | - Kurt Hammerschmidt
- Cognitive Ethology LaboratoryGerman Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
| | - Peter Henzi
- Applied Behavioural Ecology and Ecosystems Research UnitUniversity of South AfricaPretoriaSouth Africa
| | - Clifford J Jolly
- Department of AnthropologyNew York UniversityNew YorkUnited States
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary PrimatologyNew YorkUnited States
| | - Sascha Knauf
- Work Group Neglected Tropical Diseases, Infection Biology UnitGerman Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
- Division of Microbiology and Animal HygieneGeorg-August-UniversityGöttingenGermany
| | - Gisela H Kopp
- ZukunftskollegUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
- Department of BiologyUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
- Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective BehaviourUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
- Department of MigrationMax Planck Institute for Animal BehaviourKonstanzGermany
| | - Jeffrey Rogers
- Human Genome Sequencing CenterHoustonUnited States
- Department of Molecular and Human GeneticsBaylor College of MedicineHoustonUnited States
| | - Christian Roos
- Gene Bank of PrimatesGerman Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
- Primate Genetics LaboratoryGerman Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
| | - Caroline Ross
- Department of Life SciencesRoehampton UniversityLondonUnited Kingdom
| | - Robert M Seyfarth
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaUnited States
| | - Joan Silk
- School of Human Evolution and Social ChangeArizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
- Institute for Human OriginsArizona State UniversityTempeUnited States
| | - Noah Snyder-Mackler
- Department of PsychologyUniversity of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
- Center for Studies in Demography and EcologyUniversity of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
- National Primate Research CenteUniversity of WashingtonSeattleUnited States
| | - Veronika Staedele
- Department of BiologyDuke UniversityDurhamUnited States
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
| | - Larissa Swedell
- New York Consortium in Evolutionary PrimatologyNew YorkUnited States
- Department of AnthropologyQueens College, City University of New YorkNew YorkUnited States
- Department of ArchaeologyUniversity of Cape TownCape TownSouth Africa
| | - Michael L Wilson
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and BehaviorUniversity of MinnesotaMinneapolisUnited States
- Institute on the EnvironmentUniversity of MinnesotaSaint PaulUnited States
| | - Dietmar Zinner
- Cognitive Ethology LaboratoryGerman Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
- Leibniz ScienceCampus for Primate CognitionGöttingenGermany
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