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Boucher RD, Wittig RM, Lemoine SRT, Maro A, Wang X, Koch PL, Oelze VM. Strontium isotopes track female dispersal in Taï chimpanzees. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2024; 184:e24981. [PMID: 38828504 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24981] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are patrilocal, with males remaining in their natal community and females dispersing when they reach sexual maturity. However, the details of female chimpanzee dispersal, such as their possible origin, are difficult to assess, even in habituated communities. This study investigates the utility of 87Sr/86Sr analysis for (1) assessing Sr baseline differences between chimpanzee territories and (2) identifying the status (immigrant or natal) of females of unknown origin within the territories of five neighboring communities in Taï National Park (Côte d'Ivoire). MATERIALS AND METHODS To create a local Sr isoscape for the Taï Chimpanzee Project (TCP) study area, we sampled environmental samples from TCP-established territories (n = 35). To assess dispersal patterns, 34 tooth enamel samples (one per individual) were selected from the Taï chimpanzee skeletal collection. 87Sr/86Sr analysis was performed on all 69 samples at the W.M. Keck Lab. The theoretical density and overlap of chimpanzee communities as well as generalized linear mixed models (GLMMs) were used to test each question. RESULTS 87Sr/86Sr ratios for natal male chimpanzees ranged from 0.71662 to 0.72187, which is well within the corresponding environmental baseline range of 0.70774-0.73460. The local Sr isoscapes fit was estimated with the root-mean-square error value, which was 0.0048 (22% of the whole 87Sr/86Sr data range). GLMMs identified significant differences in 87Sr/86Sr ratios between natal and unknown North community origin groups, suggesting that after 1980, females of unknown origin could be immigrants to North community (n = 7, z-ratio = -4.08, p = 0.0001, power = 0.94). DISCUSSION This study indicates that 87Sr/86This study indicates that 87Sr/86Sr analysis can successfully identify immigrant females in skeletal collections obtained from wild chimpanzee communities, enabling the tracking of female dispersal patterns historically. There are, however, significant limitations within the scope of this study, such as (1) the absence of reliable maps for the TCP study area, (2) limited capacity for environmental sampling, (3) small sample sizes, and (4) tooth formation in wild chimpanzees.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renee D Boucher
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - Roman M Wittig
- Institute for Cognitive Sciences, UMR5229 CNRS, University of Lyon 1, Bron cedex, France
- Taï Chimpanzee Project, CSRS, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | | | - Aleksey Maro
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Xueye Wang
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
- Center for Archaeological Science, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Paul L Koch
- Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - Vicky M Oelze
- Department of Anthropology, University of California, Santa Cruz, California, USA
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2
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Oelze VM, O'Neal I, Wittig RM, Kupczik K, Schulz-Kornas E, Hohmann G. A skew in poo: Biases in primate fecal isotope analysis and recommendations for standardized sample preparation. Am J Primatol 2023; 85:e23436. [PMID: 36239010 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23436] [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: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Feces are a treasure trove in the study of animal behavior and ecology. Stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis allows to assess the dietary niches of elusive primate species and primate breastfeeding behavior. However, some fecal isotope data may unwillingly be biased toward the isotope ratios of undigested plant matter, requiring more consistent sample preparation protocols. We assess the impact of this potential data skew in 114 fecal samples of wild bonobos (Pan paniscus) by measuring the isotope differences (Δ13 C, Δ15 N) between bulk fecal samples containing larger particles (>1 mm) and filtered samples containing only small particles (<1 mm). We assess the influence of fecal carbon and nitrogen content (ΔC:N) and sample donor age (subadult, adult) on the resulting Δ13 C, Δ15 N values (n = 228). Additionally, we measure the isotope ratios in three systematically sieved fecal samples of chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus), with particle sizes ranging from 20 μm to 8 mm (n = 30). We found differences in fecal carbon and nitrogen content, with the smaller fecal fraction containing more nitrogen on average. While the Δ13 C values were small and not affected by age or ΔC:N, the Δ15 N values were significantly influenced by fecal ΔC:N, possibly resulting from the differing proportions of undigested plant macroparticles. Significant relationships between carbon stable isotope ratios (δ13 C) values and %C in large fecal fractions of both age groups corroborated this assessment. Δ15 N values were significantly larger in adults than subadults, which should be of concern in isotope studies comparing adult females with infants to assess breastfeeding. We found a random variation of up to 3.0‰ in δ13 C and 2.0‰ in nitrogen stable isotope ratios within the chimpanzee fecal samples separated by particle sizes. We show that particle size influences isotope ratios and propose a simple, cost-effective filtration method for primate feces to exclude larger undigested food particles from the analysis, which can easily be adopted by labs worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicky M Oelze
- Anthropology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - Isabella O'Neal
- Anthropology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA
| | - Roman M Wittig
- Department of Human Behavior, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Ecology and Culture, Leipzig, Germany.,Institute for Cognitive Sciences, CNRS UMR5229 University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Bron, France
| | - Kornelius Kupczik
- Department of Anthropology, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Chile, Ñuñoa, Santiago de Chile, Chile.,Department of Human Evolution, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ellen Schulz-Kornas
- Department of Cariology, Endodontology and Periodontology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Gottfried Hohmann
- Department of Human Behavior, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Ecology and Culture, Leipzig, Germany.,Max-Planck-Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany
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3
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Carboni S, Dezeure J, Cowlishaw G, Huchard E, Marshall HH. Stable isotopes reveal the effects of maternal rank and infant age on weaning dynamics in wild chacma baboons. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.08.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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4
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Bădescu I, Watts DP, Katzenberg MA, Sellen DW. Maternal lactational investment is higher for sons in chimpanzees. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-022-03153-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Maternal lactational investment can affect female reproductive rates and offspring survival in mammals and can be biased towards infants of one sex. We compared estimates of lactation effort among mothers, assessed as their potential milk contribution to age-specific infant diets (mother-infant differences in fecal stable nitrogen isotopes, δ15N), to the timing of weaning (infant age at last nursing bout) and to maternal inter-birth interval lengths for male and female infant chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) at Ngogo, Uganda. Infant males had greater proportions of milk in their age-specific diets, indicated by higher mother-infant differences in δ15N (Generalized Estimating Equation, GEE: p < 0.01). This may mean that mothers of sons showed greater lactation effort than mothers of daughters. Infant males stopped nursing at older ages than infant females (Kaplan–Meier product limit estimate, Breslow estimator: p < 0.05). Mothers of sons showed longer interbirth intervals than mothers of daughters (GEE: p < 0.01). All three measures indicated maternal lactational investment was higher for sons. Male infants may cost mothers more to ensure infant survival than female infants because males are more vulnerable and/or because maternal genetic returns on investment are greater for sons than daughters, as male philopatry means that chimpanzee mothers can have more influence on the reproductive success of sons. Chimpanzee females may trade off growth-related benefits of high lactational investment in male offspring against reduced reproductive rates.
Significance statement
Maternal investment via lactation affects the reproductive success of female mammals and their offspring and can be biased towards infants of one sex. We investigated lactational variation among wild chimpanzees in relation to infant sex using three proxies for maternal lactational investment: fecal stable nitrogen isotopes, a physiological biomarker that may provide an estimate of lactation effort; observations of nursing, which we used to establish weaning ages; and the lengths of intervals between births of surviving infants. Chimpanzee mothers biased lactational investment toward sons on all three indicators and showed reduced fecundity due to longer inter-birth intervals for mothers of sons than for mothers of daughters. These results would be expected if greater maternal investment toward sons leads to better condition and higher reproductive success for sons later in life, thus to greater inclusive fitness for mothers.
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5
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Mychajliw AM, Almonte JN, Martinez PA, Hadly EA. Stable isotopes reveal seasonal dietary responses to agroforestry in a venomous mammal, the Hispaniolan solenodon ( Solenodon paradoxus). Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8761. [PMID: 35356572 PMCID: PMC8948124 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 03/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
While trends in tropical deforestation are alarming, conservation biologists are increasingly recognizing the potential for species survival in human-modified landscapes. Identifying the factors underlying such persistence, however, requires basic ecological knowledge of a species' resource use. Here, we generate such data to guide conservation of an understudied venomous mammal, the Hispaniolan solenodon (Solenodon paradoxus), that occupies a mosaic landscape of agriculture and forest fragments in the western Dominican Republic. Using feces collected in both wet and dry seasons, we found significant differences in the stable isotope values of carbon (δ13C) between pasture (-24.63 ± 2.31‰, Las Mercedes) and agroforestry (-28.07 ± 2.10‰, Mencia). Solenodon populations in agricultural areas occupied wider isotopic niche spaces, which may be explained by more diverse resource within these patches or individuals combining resources across habitats. We detected elevated δ15N values in the dry season of pasture areas (8.22 ± 2.30‰) as compared to the wet season (5.26 ± 2.44‰) and overall narrower isotopic niche widths in the dry season, suggestive of the impacts of aridity on foraging behavior. Our work highlights the importance of considering a more nuanced view of variations in 'modified' or "agricultural" landscapes as compared with strictly protected national parks. We suggest that seasonal differences in foraging should be considered as they intersect with landscape modification by landowners for maintaining resources for focal consumers. This work adds to a growing body of literature highlighting that fecal stable isotopes are a non-invasive and cost-effective monitoring tool that is particularly well-suited for cryptic small mammal species, ensuring actionable and evidenced-based conservation practices in the tropic's rapidly changing landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis M. Mychajliw
- Departments of Biology and Environmental StudiesMiddlebury CollegeMiddleburyVermontUSA
- Department of BiologyStanford UniversityStanfordCaliforniaUSA
| | - Juan N. Almonte
- Museo Nacional de Historia Natural “Prof. Eugenio de Jesús Marcano”Santo DomingoDominican Republic
| | - Pedro A. Martinez
- Escuela de BiologíaUniversidad Autónoma de Santo DomingoSanto DomingoDominican Republic
| | - Elizabeth A. Hadly
- Department of BiologyStanford UniversityStanfordCaliforniaUSA
- Woods Institute of the EnvironmentStanford UniversityStanfordCaliforniaUSA
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6
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Abstract
Stable isotope analysis of teeth and bones is regularly applied by archeologists and paleoanthropologists seeking to reconstruct diets, ecologies, and environments of past hominin populations. Moving beyond the now prevalent study of stable isotope ratios from bulk materials, researchers are increasingly turning to stable isotope ratios of individual amino acids to obtain more detailed and robust insights into trophic level and resource use. In the present article, we provide a guide on how to best use amino acid stable isotope ratios to determine hominin dietary behaviors and ecologies, past and present. We highlight existing uncertainties of interpretation and the methodological developments required to ensure good practice. In doing so, we hope to make this promising approach more broadly accessible to researchers at a variety of career stages and from a variety of methodological and academic backgrounds who seek to delve into new depths in the study of dietary composition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ricardo Fernandes
- University of Oxford, Oxford, England, United Kingdom, and with the Faculty of Arts at Masaryk University, Czech Republic
| | - Yiming V Wang
- Department of Archaeology, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, Jena, Germany
| | - Patrick Roberts
- School of Social Sciences, University of Queensland, in St Lucia, Queensland, Australia
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7
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Tsutaya T, Ogawa NO, Nomura T, Shimizu M, Ohkouchi N, Kuze N. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopic offsets between diet and hair/feces in captive orangutans. Primates 2021; 62:945-954. [PMID: 34415484 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-021-00940-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Estimating stable isotopic offset values is crucial for dietary reconstructions. Although research into stable isotope ecology of wild nonhuman primates is increasing overall, only a minority of studies involve laboratory experiments. This study is the first to report the carbon and nitrogen stable isotopic offset values in hair and feces of orangutans. During an experiment lasting 1 week, the weight of each consumed food item was recorded for each of six captive Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) individuals. The food, hair, and fecal samples were collected for a few days, and their stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios were measured using an elemental analyzer/isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Subsamples of feces were treated with ethanol during the preservation process. Monte Carlo analyses showed that the 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of the carbon and nitrogen offset values between hair and diet were +0.9‰ to +3.9‰ and +2.3‰ to +4.5‰, respectively. The 95% CIs of the carbon and nitrogen offset values between feces and diet were -3.7‰ to -0.9‰ and +0.3‰ to +2.7‰, respectively. The effect of ethanol treatment on the stable isotope ratios of feces was unclear and inconclusive. The computed offset values of hair in captive orangutans are similar to those reported in other nonhuman primates, although those of feces showed greater interspecies variations. The offset values estimated in this study contribute to isotopic studies into the feeding ecology of free-ranging orangutans who are critically endangered in most wild settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takumi Tsutaya
- Department of Evolutionary Studies of Biosystems, the Graduate University for Advanced Studies, Shonan Village, Hayama, Kanagawa, 240-0193, Japan. .,Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Biogeochemistry Research Center, Research Institute for Marine Resources Utilization, Natsushima 2-15, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, 237-0061, Japan.
| | - Nanako O Ogawa
- Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Biogeochemistry Research Center, Research Institute for Marine Resources Utilization, Natsushima 2-15, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, 237-0061, Japan
| | - Toshiya Nomura
- Tama Zoological Park, Hodokubo 7-1-1, Hino, Tokyo, 191-0042, Japan
| | - Mika Shimizu
- Tama Zoological Park, Hodokubo 7-1-1, Hino, Tokyo, 191-0042, Japan.,Present address: Ikimonosha, Maya 714, Akaiwa, Okayama, 709-0825, Japan
| | - Naohiko Ohkouchi
- Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Biogeochemistry Research Center, Research Institute for Marine Resources Utilization, Natsushima 2-15, Yokosuka, Kanagawa, 237-0061, Japan
| | - Noko Kuze
- Department of Anthropology, National Museum of Nature and Science, Amakubo 4-1-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0005, Japan
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8
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Behringer V, Krumbholz A, Stevens JMG, Keiler AM, Zierau O, Hohmann G. Exploring the Utility of Hair Endocannabinoids for Monitoring Homeostasis in Bonobos. Physiol Biochem Zool 2021; 94:83-98. [PMID: 33434116 DOI: 10.1086/712658] [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] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
AbstractQuantifying physiological challenges has gained increasing importance in evolutionary biology, behavioral physiology, and conservation. One matrix that is particularly useful for obtaining long-term records of physiological changes in mammals is hair. Potential markers are components of the endocannabinoid (EC) system, which regulates homeostasis of the brain as well as the endocrine and immune systems. Here, we present results from the first study to measure ECs (anandamide [AEA], 2-archidonyl glycerol [2-AG]) and EC-like compounds (N-palmitoylethanolamine [PEA], N-oleoylethanolamine [OEA], N-stearoylethanolamine [SEA]) in the hair of a nonhuman primate. We found that AEA, SEA, PEA, and OEA can be reliably measured in hair samples. When comparing the measurements of hair from different body parts, we found that variations of some analytes suggest that hair location is likely to affect results. For changes in health status, measurements of ECs and EC-like compounds reflected differences at both intra- and interindividual levels. We concluded that the EC system potentially provides novel tools to assess well-being, health status, and metabolic stress-not only in the hair of humans but also in that of domestic and wild animals. Measuring changes in ECs and EC-like compounds may improve the long-term monitoring of health status in captive and wild primates and may serve as a useful measure in animal welfare programs.
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9
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Oelze VM, Percher AM, Nsi Akoué G, El Ksabi N, Willaume E, Charpentier MJE. Seasonality and interindividual variation in mandrill feeding ecology revealed by stable isotope analyses of hair and blood. Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23206. [PMID: 33075182 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23206] [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: 04/25/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 10/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Mandrills are large-bodied terrestrial forest primates living in particularly large social groups of several hundred individuals. Following these groups in the wild to assess differences in diet over time as well as among individuals is demanding. We here use isotope analyses in blood and hair obtained during repeated captures of 43 identified free-ranging mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) from Southern Gabon, to test how dietary variation relates to the season as well as an individual's age and sex. We measured the stable carbon (δ13 C‰) and nitrogen (δ15 N‰) isotope ratios in 46 blood and 214 hair section samples as well as from a small selection of mandrill foods (n = 24). We found some seasonal isotopic effects, with lower δ13 C values but higher δ15 N values observed during the highly competitive long dry season compared to the fruit-rich long rainy season. Variation in δ13 C was further predicted by individual age, with higher δ13 C values generally found in younger individuals suggesting that they may consume more high canopy fruit than older individuals, or that older individuals consume more low canopy foliage. The best predictor for δ15 N values was the interaction between age and sex, with mature and reproductively active males revealing the highest δ15 N values, despite the observation that males consume substantially less animal food items than females. We interpret high δ15 N values in these mature male mandrill blood and hair sections to be the result of nutritional stress associated with intense male-male competition, particularly during mating season. This is the first study showing isotopic evidence for nutritional stress in a free-ranging primate species and may spark further investigations into male mandrill diet and energy balance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicky M Oelze
- Department of Anthropology, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA.,Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Alice M Percher
- Equipe Biologie Evolutive Humaine, Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution de Montpellier UMR5554, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Gontran Nsi Akoué
- Département de Biologie, Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku, Franceville, Gabon
| | | | | | - Marie J E Charpentier
- Equipe Biologie Evolutive Humaine, Institut des Sciences de l'Évolution de Montpellier UMR5554, CNRS, IRD, EPHE, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
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10
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Oelze VM, Wittig RM, Lemoine S, Kühl HS, Boesch C. How isotopic signatures relate to meat consumption in wild chimpanzees: A critical reference study from Taï National Park, Côte d'Ivoire. J Hum Evol 2020; 146:102817. [PMID: 32683168 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2020.102817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2019] [Revised: 04/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The roots of human hunting and meat eating lie deep in our evolutionary past shared with chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). From the few habituated wild populations, we know that there is considerable variation in the extent to which chimpanzees consume meat. Expanding our knowledge of meat eating frequencies to more, yet unhabituated, populations requires noninvasive, indirect quantitative techniques. We here evaluate the use of stable isotopes to reconstruct meat-eating behavior in wild chimpanzees. We present hair isotope data (n = 260) of two western chimpanzee (P. troglodytes verus) groups from Taï forest (Côte d'Ivoire) and relate them to directly observed amounts of meat consumed, sex/female reproductive state, and group, while controlling for differences between individuals, seasons, and observation efforts. Succeeding seven months of hunting observations, we collected hair of 25 individuals for sequential analysis of δ15N and δ13C. Hunting success in the 7-month study period varied between the groups, with 25 successful hunts in the East group and only 8 in the North group. However, our models only found a direct relationship between amounts of meat consumed and variation within individual hair δ15N values in the East group, but not in the North group and not when comparing between individuals or groups. Although on average East group individuals consumed more than double the amount of meat than North group individuals, their δ15N values were significantly lower, suggesting that differences in microhabitat are substantial between group territories. The effect of sex/female reproductive state was significant in δ15N and δ13C, suggesting it related to access to food or feeding preferences. We conclude that several factors additional to diet are influencing and thus obscuring the isotope ratios in wild chimpanzee hair, particularly when comparing between sexes and social groups.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicky M Oelze
- Anthropology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA; Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig, 04103, Germany.
| | - Roman M Wittig
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig, 04103, Germany; Taï Chimpanzee Project, CSRS, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
| | - Sylvain Lemoine
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig, 04103, Germany; Taï Chimpanzee Project, CSRS, Abidjan, Ivory Coast
| | - Hjalmar S Kühl
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
| | - Christophe Boesch
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, Leipzig, 04103, Germany
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11
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Inter-individual variation in the diet within a group of Japanese macaques and its relationship with social structure investigated by stable isotope and DNA analyses. Primates 2020; 62:103-112. [PMID: 32617910 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-020-00840-3] [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: 12/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/22/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
We investigated individual variation in diet in relation to age-sex class and kin relationship in 28 of 40 members of a small group of wild Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). We used stable isotope ratios from hair as an index of individual dietary profiles, genetic relatedness as an index of kin relationship, and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotype as a marker of being an immigrant or native member of the group. The range of carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios from hair of individual macaques (δ13C: -24.1‰ to -22.6‰, δ15N:3.8-5.5‰), which reflected their diet over a period of ~ 6 months, implied small individual variation in diet. The results of PERMANOVA implied that there were no significant effects of age class, sex, or mtDNA haplotype on hair stable isotope ratios between individuals, or on the variation in individual diet. However, the isotope values of males with mtDNA haplotypes that differed from those of the native females appeared to differ from those of other group members, which implies that immigrant males might have had a different diet profile from that of native group members. Furthermore, there was a weak correlation trend between genetic relatedness and differences in stable isotope ratios between pairs of individuals. Differences in stable isotope values were more marked in pairs with a more distant genetic relationship. This implies that within the group, closely related kin tended to forage together to avoid competing for food. However, this effect might have been weak because the size of the group was small relative to the size of the food patches, thereby reducing competition.
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Mangipane LS, Lafferty DJR, Joly K, Sorum MS, Cameron MD, Belant JL, Hilderbrand GV, Gustine DD. Dietary plasticity and the importance of salmon to brown bear (Ursus arctos) body size and condition in a low Arctic ecosystem. Polar Biol 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-020-02690-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
AbstractEcological flexibility within animal populations can allow for variation in resource use and foraging decisions. We estimated brown bear (Ursus arctos) diet composition in Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve, Alaska from 2013 to 2015 to evaluate how variation in foraging behavior influences body condition and size. We used stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analyses of sectioned brown bear hair samples to evaluate assimilated diet. We then developed a set of a priori linear models to evaluate differences in the diet composition of brown bears (n = 80) in relation to body fat (%) and mass. The proportion of meat (salmon [Oncorhynchus keta] and terrestrial meat combined) in the diet from July through late September varied between male and female bears, with males ($$\stackrel{-}{x}$$
x
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= 62%, SD = 30) assimilating significantly more meat than females ($$\stackrel{-}{x}$$
x
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= 40%, SD = 29). Most of the meat consumed came from marine-derived resources for males (53% of the total diet or 86% of the meat) and females (31% of the total diet or 77% of the meat). As we found the range of observed diets was unrelated to physiological outcomes (i.e., percentage body fat), we suggest that ecological flexibility within populations may provide an adaptive advantage by allowing individuals to reduce competition with conspecifics by foraging on alternate food resources. Identifying variable foraging behaviors within a population can allow for a better understanding of complex behaviors and, ultimately, lead to more informed management decisions related to habitat use, development, and harvest.
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Flores-Escobar E, Sanpera C, Jover L, Cortés-Ortiz L, Rangel-Negrín A, Canales-Espinosa D, Dias PAD. Isotopic niche partitioning in two sympatric howler monkey species. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2020; 172:438-446. [PMID: 32091131 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Ecological similarity between species can lead to interspecific trophic competition. However, when ecologically similar species coexist, they may differ in foraging strategies and habitat use, which can lead to niche partitioning. As the body tissues of consumers contain a stable isotope signature that reflects the isotopic composition of their diet, stable isotope analysis is a useful tool to study feeding behavior. We measured the isotopic niche width, which is a proxy for trophic niche width, of mantled (Alouatta palliata) and black (A. pigra) howler monkeys. Specifically, studied populations in allopatry and sympatry to assess whether these species showed niche partitioning. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between 2008 and 2012, we collected hair samples from 200 subjects (113 black and 87 mantled howler monkeys) and used continuous flow isotope ratio mass spectrometry to estimate δ13 C and δ15 N. We described the isotopic niche width of each species in allopatry and sympatry with the Bayesian estimation of the standard ellipse areas. RESULTS In allopatry, isotopic niche width and isotopic variation were similar in both species. In sympatry, black howler monkeys had a significantly broader isotopic niche, which was mainly determined by high δ15 N values, and included the majority of mantled howler monkeys' isotopic niche. The isotopic niche of mantled howler monkeys did not differ between sympatry and allopatry. CONCLUSIONS The coexistence of these ecologically similar species may be linked to trophic niche adjustments by one species, although the particular features of such adjustments (e.g., dietary, spatial, or sensory partitioning) remain to be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth Flores-Escobar
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Primate Behavioral Ecology Lab, Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
| | - Carolina Sanpera
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lluís Jover
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Liliana Cortés-Ortiz
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
| | - Ariadna Rangel-Negrín
- Primate Behavioral Ecology Lab, Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
| | - Domingo Canales-Espinosa
- Primate Behavioral Ecology Lab, Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
| | - Pedro Américo D Dias
- Primate Behavioral Ecology Lab, Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Mexico
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14
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van Casteren A, Oelze VM, Angedakin S, Kalan AK, Kambi M, Boesch C, Kühl HS, Langergraber KE, Piel AK, Stewart FA, Kupczik K. Food mechanical properties and isotopic signatures in forest versus savannah dwelling eastern chimpanzees. Commun Biol 2018; 1:109. [PMID: 30271989 PMCID: PMC6123729 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-018-0115-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Chimpanzees are traditionally described as ripe fruit specialists with large incisors but relatively small postcanine teeth, adhering to a somewhat narrow dietary niche. Field observations and isotopic analyses suggest that environmental conditions greatly affect habitat resource utilisation by chimpanzee populations. Here we combine measures of dietary mechanics with stable isotope signatures from eastern chimpanzees living in tropical forest (Ngogo, Uganda) and savannah woodland (Issa Valley, Tanzania). We show that foods at Issa can present a considerable mechanical challenge, most saliently in the external tissues of savannah woodland plants compared to their tropical forest equivalents. This pattern is concurrent with different isotopic signatures between sites. These findings demonstrate that chimpanzee foods in some habitats are mechanically more demanding than previously thought, elucidating the broader evolutionary constraints acting on chimpanzee dental morphology. Similarly, these data can help clarify the dietary mechanical landscape of extinct hominins often overlooked by broad C3/C4 isotopic categories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam van Casteren
- Max Planck Weizmann Center for Integrative Archaeology and Anthropology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Vicky M Oelze
- Anthropology Department, University of California Santa Cruz, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Samuel Angedakin
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Ammie K Kalan
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Mohamed Kambi
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christophe Boesch
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hjalmar S Kühl
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kevin E Langergraber
- School of Human Evolution and Social Change and Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85281, USA
| | - Alexander K Piel
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
| | - Fiona A Stewart
- School of Natural Sciences and Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, L3 3AF, UK
| | - Kornelius Kupczik
- Max Planck Weizmann Center for Integrative Archaeology and Anthropology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
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15
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Mangipane LS, Belant JL, Lafferty DJR, Gustine DD, Hiller TL, Colvin ME, Mangipane BA, Hilderbrand GV. Dietary plasticity in a nutrient-rich system does not influence brown bear (Ursus arctos) body condition or denning. Polar Biol 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-017-2237-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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16
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Reimchen TE, Klinka DR. Niche differentiation between coat colour morphs in the Kermode bear (Ursidae) of coastal British Columbia. Biol J Linn Soc Lond 2017. [DOI: 10.1093/biolinnean/blx079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
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17
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Moscovice LR, Douglas PH, Martinez-Iñigo L, Surbeck M, Vigilant L, Hohmann G. Stable and fluctuating social preferences and implications for cooperation among female bonobos at LuiKotale, Salonga National Park, DRC. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2017; 163:158-172. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2016] [Revised: 02/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/10/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Liza R. Moscovice
- Department of Primatology; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig 04133 Germany
| | - Pamela Heidi Douglas
- Department of Primatology; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig 04133 Germany
| | - Laura Martinez-Iñigo
- School of Psychology, College of Social Science; University of Lincoln; Lincolnshire United Kingdom
| | - Martin Surbeck
- Department of Primatology; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig 04133 Germany
| | - Linda Vigilant
- Department of Primatology; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig 04133 Germany
| | - Gottfried Hohmann
- Department of Primatology; Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology; Leipzig 04133 Germany
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18
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Bădescu I, Katzenberg MA, Watts DP, Sellen DW. A novel fecal stable isotope approach to determine the timing of age-related feeding transitions in wild infant chimpanzees. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2016; 162:285-299. [PMID: 27768227 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2016] [Revised: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 09/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Determining nutritional development in wild primates is difficult through observations because confirming dietary intake is challenging. Physiological measures are needed to determine the relative contributions of maternal milk and other foods at different ages, and time of weaning. We used fecal stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ13 C, δ15 N) and fecal nitrogen concentrations (%N) from wild chimpanzees at Ngogo, Uganda, to derive physiological dietary indicators during the transition from total reliance on maternal milk to adult foods after weaning. MATERIALS AND METHODS We analyzed 560 fecal samples collected non-invasively from 48 infants, their mothers, and 6 juvenile siblings. Most infant and juvenile samples (90%) were matched to samples collected from mothers on the same day. Isotopic assessments were compared with observations of nursing and feeding. RESULTS Infants ≤1 year old showed average δ15 N, δ13 C and %N ratios that were 2.0‰, 0.8‰ and 1.3% greater than their mothers, respectively, interpreted as trophic level effects. Although data collected on newborns were few, results suggest that solid foods were consumed within 2-5 months after birth. Trophic level differences decreased steadily after 1 year, which indicates a decreasing relative contribution of milk to the diet. Isotopic results indicated infants were weaned by 4.5 years old-more than a year earlier than observations of nipple contacts ceased, which revealed the occurrence of "comfort nursing." Juvenile isotopic signatures indicate no nursing overlap between siblings. DISCUSSION Our results resemble the stable isotope differences of human babies. This study contributes to a model of chimpanzee nutritional development required to understand early life history patterns in hominins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iulia Bădescu
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 2S2
| | - M Anne Katzenberg
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2N 1N4
| | - David P Watts
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, 0511
| | - Daniel W Sellen
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5S 2S2
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19
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Oelze VM, Fahy G, Hohmann G, Robbins MM, Leinert V, Lee K, Eshuis H, Seiler N, Wessling EG, Head J, Boesch C, Kühl HS. Comparative isotope ecology of African great apes. J Hum Evol 2016; 101:1-16. [PMID: 27886808 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2016.08.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2015] [Revised: 03/01/2016] [Accepted: 08/27/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The isotope ecology of great apes is a useful reference for palaeodietary reconstructions in fossil hominins. As extant apes live in C3-dominated habitats, variation in isotope signatures is assumed to be low compared to hominoids exploiting C4-plant resources. However, isotopic differences between sites and between and within individuals are poorly understood due to the lack of vegetation baseline data. In this comparative study, we included all species of free-ranging African great apes (Pan troglodytes, Pan paniscus, Gorilla sp.). First, we explore differences in isotope baselines across different habitats and whether isotopic signatures in apes can be related to feeding niches (faunivory and folivory). Secondly, we illustrate how stable isotopic variations within African ape populations compare to other extant and extinct primates and discuss possible implications for dietary flexibility. Using 701 carbon and nitrogen isotope data points resulting from 148 sectioned hair samples and an additional collection of 189 fruit samples, we compare six different great ape sites. We investigate the relationship between vegetation baselines and climatic variables, and subsequently correct great ape isotope data to a standardized plant baseline from the respective sites. We obtained temporal isotopic profiles of individual animals by sectioning hair along its growth trajectory. Isotopic signatures of great apes differed between sites, mainly as vegetation isotope baselines were correlated with site-specific climatic conditions. We show that controlling for plant isotopic characteristics at a given site is essential for faunal data interpretation. While accounting for plant baseline effects, we found distinct isotopic profiles for each great ape population. Based on evidence from habituated groups and sympatric great ape species, these differences could possibly be related to faunivory and folivory. Dietary flexibility in apes varied, but temporal variation was overall lower than in fossil hominins and extant baboons, shifting from C3 to C4-resources, providing new perspectives on comparisons between extinct and extant primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicky M Oelze
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Primatology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany.
| | - Geraldine Fahy
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Human Evolution, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; University of Kent, School of Anthropology and Conservation, Marlowe Building, CT2 7NR Canterbury, UK
| | - Gottfried Hohmann
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Primatology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martha M Robbins
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Primatology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Vera Leinert
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Primatology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kevin Lee
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Primatology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Henk Eshuis
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Primatology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Nicole Seiler
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Primatology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Erin G Wessling
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Primatology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Josephine Head
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Human Evolution, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Christophe Boesch
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Primatology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Hjalmar S Kühl
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Primatology, Deutscher Platz 6, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig, Deutscher Platz 5e, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
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20
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Oelze VM, Douglas PH, Stephens CR, Surbeck M, Behringer V, Richards MP, Fruth B, Hohmann G. The Steady State Great Ape? Long Term Isotopic Records Reveal the Effects of Season, Social Rank and Reproductive Status on Bonobo Feeding Behavior. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0162091. [PMID: 27626279 PMCID: PMC5023189 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2016] [Accepted: 08/17/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Dietary ecology of extant great apes is known to respond to environmental conditions such as climate and food availability, but also to vary depending on social status and life history characteristics. Bonobos (Pan paniscus) live under comparatively steady ecological conditions in the evergreen rainforests of the Congo Basin. Bonobos are an ideal species for investigating influences of sociodemographic and physiological factors, such as female reproductive status, on diet. We investigate the long term dietary pattern in wild but fully habituated bonobos by stable isotope analysis in hair and integrating a variety of long-term sociodemographic information obtained through observations. We analyzed carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in 432 hair sections obtained from 101 non-invasively collected hair samples. These samples represented the dietary behavior of 23 adult bonobos from 2008 through 2010. By including isotope and crude protein data from plants we could establish an isotope baseline and interpret the results of several general linear mixed models using the predictors climate, sex, social rank, reproductive state of females, adult age and age of infants. We found that low canopy foliage is a useful isotopic tracer for tropical rainforest settings, and consumption of terrestrial herbs best explains the temporal isotope patterns we found in carbon isotope values of bonobo hair. Only the diet of male bonobos was affected by social rank, with lower nitrogen isotope values in low-ranking young males. Female isotope values mainly differed between different stages of reproduction (cycling, pregnancy, lactation). These isotopic differences appear to be related to changes in dietary preference during pregnancy (high protein diet) and lactation (high energy diet), which allow to compensate for different nutritional needs during maternal investment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicky M. Oelze
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Primatology, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
- iDiv – German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
| | - Pamela Heidi Douglas
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Primatology, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
| | - Colleen R. Stephens
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Primatology, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
| | - Martin Surbeck
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Primatology, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
| | - Verena Behringer
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Primatology, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
| | - Michael P. Richards
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Human Evolution, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
- Department of Anthropology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Barbara Fruth
- Division of Neurobiology, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Bavaria, Germany
- Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp, Antwerp, Flanders, Belgium
| | - Gottfried Hohmann
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Department of Primatology, Leipzig, Saxony, Germany
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21
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Crowley BE, Reitsema LJ, Oelze VM, Sponheimer M. Advances in primate stable isotope ecology-Achievements and future prospects. Am J Primatol 2015; 78:995-1003. [PMID: 26683892 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22510] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2015] [Revised: 11/24/2015] [Accepted: 11/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Stable isotope biogeochemistry has been used to investigate foraging ecology in non-human primates for nearly 30 years. Whereas early studies focused on diet, more recently, isotopic analysis has been used to address a diversity of ecological questions ranging from niche partitioning to nutritional status to variability in life history traits. With this increasing array of applications, stable isotope analysis stands to make major contributions to our understanding of primate behavior and biology. Most notably, isotopic data provide novel insights into primate feeding behaviors that may not otherwise be detectable. This special issue brings together some of the recent advances in this relatively new field. In this introduction to the special issue, we review the state of isotopic applications in primatology and its origins and describe some developing methodological issues, including techniques for analyzing different tissue types, statistical approaches, and isotopic baselines. We then discuss the future directions we envision for the field of primate isotope ecology. Am. J. Primatol. 78:995-1003, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brooke E Crowley
- Departments of Geology and Anthropology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio.
| | | | - Vicky M Oelze
- Department of Primatology, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Matt Sponheimer
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado
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