1
|
Ahmed AS, Chala D, Kufa CA, Atickem A, Bekele A, Svenning JC, Zinner D. Potential changes in the extent of suitable habitats for geladas (Theropithecus gelada) in the Anthropocene. BMC Ecol Evol 2023; 23:65. [PMID: 37919657 PMCID: PMC10623689 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-023-02173-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Climate change coupled with other anthropogenic pressures may affect the extent of suitable habitat for species and thus their distributions. This is particularly true for species occupying high-altitude habitats such as the gelada (Theropithecus gelada) of the Ethiopian highlands. To explore the impact of climate change on species distributions, Species Distribution Modelling (SDM) has been extensively used. Here we model the current and future extent of sutibale habitat for geladas. Our modelling was based on 285 presence locations of geladas, covering their complete current distribution. We used different techniques to generate pseudoabsence datasets, MaxEnt model complexities, and cut-off thresholds to map the potential distribution of gelada under current and future climates (2050 and 2070). We assembled maps from these techniques to produce a final composite map. We also evaluated the change in the topographic features of gelada over the past 200 years by comparing the topography in current and historical settings. RESULTS All model runs had high performances, AUC = 0.87-0.96. Under the current climate, the suitable habitat predicted with high certainty was 90,891 km2, but it decreased remarkably under future climates, -36% by 2050 and - 52% by 2070. However, since the habitats of geladas already extend to mountaintop grasslands, no remarkable range shifts across elevation gradients were predicted under future climates. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicated that climate change most likely results in a loss of suitable habitat for geladas, particularly south of the Rift Valley. Currently geladas are confined to higher altitudes and steep slopes compared to historical sightings, probably qualifying geladas as refugee species. The difference in topography is potentially associated with anthropogenic pressures that drove niche truncation to higher altitudes, undermining the climatic and topographic niche our models predicted. We recommend protecting the current habitats of geladas even when they are forecasted to become climatically unsuitable in the future, in particular for the population south of the Rift Valley.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed Seid Ahmed
- Department of Biology, Hawassa University, P. O. Box 05, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
- Department of Zoological Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P. O. Box. 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
| | - Desalegn Chala
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, P. O. Box 1172, Blindern, Oslo, NO-0318, Norway
| | - Chala Adugna Kufa
- Department of Zoological Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P. O. Box. 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Department of Biology, Woldia University, P. O. Box 400, Woldia, Ethiopia
| | - Anagaw Atickem
- Department of Zoological Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P. O. Box. 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Afework Bekele
- Department of Zoological Sciences, Addis Ababa University, P. O. Box. 1176, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Jens-Christian Svenning
- Center for Ecological Dynamics in a Novel Biosphere (ECONOVO), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, Aarhus C, DK-8000, Denmark
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE), Department of Biology, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, Aarhus C, DK-8000, Denmark
| | - Dietmar Zinner
- Cognitive Ecology Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Primate Cognition, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
- Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, 37077, Göttingen, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Haileselasie TH, Mulualem G, Welegerima K. The first large-scale record of gelada's spatial distribution and population size in Mountain chains of Tigray, Northern Ethiopia. Heliyon 2023; 9:e19346. [PMID: 37674850 PMCID: PMC10477480 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e19346] [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: 02/09/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Gelada (Theropithecus gelada) is an Ethiopian endemic mammal whose range was previously believed to be limited to the Bale and Simien Mountain national parks. However, knowledge of the range of the species is still not satisfactory. This study was designed to investigate the distribution and population size of the gelada in selected highlands in Tigray. To achieve this, study areas were divided into census tracts identified for a direct field assessment using habitat-based counting approaches. Moreover, informal interviews were conducted parallel to the direct field assessment in different villages. Our large spatial scale survey, the first of its kind for the region, confirmed the presence of T. gelada in three mountain clusters in Tigray for the first time. A total of 223 individual geladas were recorded in Ganta Afeshum, Hawzen and Welkait escarpments. The highest number of individuals (35.7 ± 3.8) was recorded in Hawzen (with 6.99 individuals/km2), followed by Ganta Afeshum (with 4.3 individuals/km2). Agricultural expansion, settlement and a lack of community awareness are the key threats operating against the conservation of the gelada in its current range in Tigray. Further research on the overall ecology, feeding, and spatial distribution of the species should be projected.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tsegazeabe Hadush Haileselasie
- Mekelle University, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Department of Biology, Mekelle, Ethiopia
- Tigray Biological and Biodiversity Association (TBA), Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia
| | - Getachew Mulualem
- Tigray Biological and Biodiversity Association (TBA), Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia
- Mekelle Biodiversity Center, Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia
- Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Vertebrate Biology, 603 65, Brno, Czech Republic
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, Department of Botany and Zoology, 611 37, Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kiros Welegerima
- Mekelle University, College of Natural and Computational Sciences, Department of Biology, Mekelle, Ethiopia
- Tigray Biological and Biodiversity Association (TBA), Mekelle, Tigray, Ethiopia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Bogdanova R, Youlatos D, Spassov N. Terrestriality as reflected in the humerus of Mesopithecus delsoni (Cercopithecidae, Colobinae) from Hadjidimovo, Bulgaria. J Hum Evol 2023; 180:103383. [PMID: 37244094 DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2023.103383] [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: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The fossil colobine genus Mesopithecus is the oldest European monkey, ranging from the Late Miocene to the earliest Pleistocene. It is one of the most successful genera of Old World monkeys since the late Neogene. Its ecology, as an indicator of Late Miocene environments, is of particular interest. Several investigations have clarified the locomotor adaptations of the middle and late Turolian Balkan Mesopithecus pentelicus, but such studies are virtually absent for the earliest known taxon, the early Turolian Mesopithecus delsoni, due to the lack of fossil material. However, a large collection of postcranial material of M. delsoni from the Bulgarian Early Turolian locality of Hadjidimovo provides the first opportunity for such an analysis. The present study examines the functional morphology of the fossil humeri of M. delsoni from Hadjidimovo, Bulgaria, and of M. pentelicus from Bulgarian and Greek fossil localities. We provide detailed comparative qualitative descriptions and use univariate and multivariate quantitative analyses of one angular and 12 linear measurements in comparison with 149 extant Cercopithecidae, representing 14 genera and 34 species. Our analyses demonstrate that the humeral elements from Hadjidimovo show important morphological differences from those of M. pentelicus from Pikermi, Kalimantsi, and Gorna Sushitsa, suggesting strong terrestrial tendencies for M. delsoni. This finding, when considered together with the paleobiologial inference of semiterrestriality for the early cercopithecoid Victoriapithecidae, might indicate that the first colobines (still unknown) were also semiterrestrial. Finally, the morphological features related to terrestriality in M. delsoni, which differ from those of the later M. pentelicus, provide additional data in support of the idea that the older taxon represents a separate species.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ralitsa Bogdanova
- Department of Paleontology and Mineralogy, National Museum of Natural History, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, BG-1000, Sofia, Bulgaria.
| | - Dionisios Youlatos
- Department of Zoology, School of Biology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, GR-54124, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Nikolai Spassov
- Department of Paleontology and Mineralogy, National Museum of Natural History, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, BG-1000, Sofia, Bulgaria
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Daily Activity Pattern of Geladas (Theropithecus gelada, Ruppell 1835) in Kotu Forest, Northern Ethiopia. ScientificWorldJournal 2022; 2022:7302240. [PMID: 36199438 PMCID: PMC9529442 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7302240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Gelada (Theropithecus gelada) is one of the endemic primates of Ethiopia. The ecology of meta populations of geladas outside protected areas is less studied, and their population status is uncertain. As a result, we conducted a study to investigate the daily activity pattern of gelada in Kotu forest and associated grasslands in northern Ethiopia from August 2017 to February 2018 covering both wet and dry seasons. The instantaneous scan sampling method was employed to collect behavioral data. The activity pattern of three selected focal groups of geladas was studied, and predominant behavioral activities were scanned in 15 minutes intervals from dawn 7:00 h to dusk at 18:00 h. Feeding comprised 61.65% of the total scan, followed by moving 18.49%. Feeding activity was more frequent during the dry season (about 65%) than in the wet season (58.20%). On the other hand, moving activity was more frequent during the dry season (about 22%) than in the wet season (about 14%). The daily activity pattern of gelada showed a feeding peak early in the morning and in the late afternoon. The time allocated by geladas for feeding and moving in the study area is higher than other activities. Therefore, there is a need for further in-depth research on diet availability and quality to justify why geladas allocate more time for feeding and moving nexus for conservation interventions.
Collapse
|
5
|
Ortega-Ballesteros L, Amezcua-Valmala N, Mera-Cordero S, Hernández-Lloreda MV, Colmenares F. Activity time budgets of ecologically relaxed groups of geladas (Theropithecus gelada) and mandrills ( Mandrillus sphinx): what happens when time is no longer a constraint? ETHOL ECOL EVOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/03949370.2021.1941270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Leticia Ortega-Ballesteros
- Grupo UCM de Psicobiología Social, Evolutiva y Comparada, Departamento de Psicobiología y Metodología en Ciencias del Comportamiento, Facultad de Psicología, Campus de Somosaguas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28223 Madrid, Spain
| | - Nerea Amezcua-Valmala
- Grupo UCM de Psicobiología Social, Evolutiva y Comparada, Departamento de Psicobiología y Metodología en Ciencias del Comportamiento, Facultad de Psicología, Campus de Somosaguas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28223 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sheila Mera-Cordero
- Grupo UCM de Psicobiología Social, Evolutiva y Comparada, Departamento de Psicobiología y Metodología en Ciencias del Comportamiento, Facultad de Psicología, Campus de Somosaguas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28223 Madrid, Spain
| | - María V. Hernández-Lloreda
- Grupo UCM de Psicobiología Social, Evolutiva y Comparada, Departamento de Psicobiología y Metodología en Ciencias del Comportamiento, Facultad de Psicología, Campus de Somosaguas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28223 Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando Colmenares
- Grupo UCM de Psicobiología Social, Evolutiva y Comparada, Departamento de Psicobiología y Metodología en Ciencias del Comportamiento, Facultad de Psicología, Campus de Somosaguas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 28223 Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Dietary ecology of the southern gelada (Theropithecus gelada obscurus) living in an Afroalpine ecosystem of the Borena Sayint National Park, Wollo, Ethiopia. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
|
7
|
Teressa H, Ersino W, Alemayo T. Distribution, diet, and trophic level of Arvicanthis abyssinicus and Tachyoryctes splendens around the area of recently extinct Ethiopian Wolf Canis simiensis on Mount Guna, northwestern Ethiopia. JOURNAL OF THREATENED TAXA 2022. [DOI: 10.11609/jott.6786.14.2.20539-20549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Abyssinian Grass Rats Arvicanthis abyssinicus and Common Mole Rats Tachyoryctes splendens are preyed upon by the Ethiopian Wolf Canis simiensis. The aim of this study was to assess distribution, diet and trophic level of Arvicanthis abyssinicus and Tachyoryctes splendens on Mount Guna, where wolves have recently become extinct. Rodents were captured with Sherman trap and identified, and samples were taken to Debre Tabor University for dissection and diet analysis via microscopy examination of stomach contents. 110 A. abyssinicus and 52 T. splendens were captured from the study area, and the estimated population sizes of A. abyssinicus and T. splendens in Mt. Guna computed by Peterson-Lincoln Index were 1,364 and 416, respectively. In addition, 379 burrows (203 of A. abyssinicus and 176 of T. splendens) were counted. Both species were observed to consume plants and arthropods, with plants predominant. We recommend that intensive studies should be carried out to determine the effects of rodent communities upon Mt. Guna afroalpine and subafroalpine ecosystems.
Collapse
|
8
|
Kifle Z, Bekele A. Time budgets and activity patterns of the southern gelada (
Theropithecus gelada obscurus
) in a human‐modified landscape, Wollo, Ethiopia. Afr J Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.12962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zewdu Kifle
- Department of Biology Bahir Dar University Bahir Dar Ethiopia
- Department of Zoological Sciences Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa Ethiopia
| | - Afework Bekele
- Department of Zoological Sciences Addis Ababa University Addis Ababa Ethiopia
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Gelada (Theropithecus Gelada) in Yegof National Forest Priority Area, Northern Ethiopia: Population Structure, Activity Budget and Local Community’s Perception Towards its Conservation. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02041] [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] Open
|
10
|
Abraham GT, Mammo DY, Teferedegn GD. Diurnal activity patterns and feeding ecology of geladas (Theropithecus gelada) in Ankober District at Kundi, North Shewa, Ethiopia. TROPICAL ZOOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.4081/tz.2021.79] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Theropithecus gelada is the primate species endemic to the central and northwestern highlands of Ethiopia and is the only extant species of the genus Theropithecus. Diurnal activity patterns and feeding behavior of geladas were studied at Kundi, Ankober district, Ethiopia from August 2017 to March 2018 to cover both wet and dry seasons. Scan sampling method was employed to study the activity patterns and feeding behavior of geladas in the study area. Activity scans were collected at 15-minutes intervals for up to 5 minutes duration from 0700 to 1730h. During each scan, individuals were recorded as performing one of the following behaviors: feeding, moving, resting, playing, aggression, grooming, sexual activity and others. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square test were used in data analysis. During the wet season geladas spent grooming 20%, playing 19%, 14% resting, feeding 12%, other activity 11%, moving 9% and 3% in aggression. Geladas spent 27% feeding, 21% moving, 13% other activities, 12% aggression, 7% grooming, 7% playing and 4% resting during the dry season. There were significant differences in all activity time budgets between seasons except other activities. The total time spent feeding on grass blades and cereals were 25.5% and 23.5% in the study area, respectively. There was a significant difference between the age and sex classes of geladas in their activity time budgets. Eleven species of plants were recorded as the food of geladas in this study area. This study provides baseline information on the behavioral ecology of geladas outside protected areas.
Collapse
|
11
|
Kifle Z, Bekele A. Feeding ecology and diet of the southern geladas ( Theropithecus gelada obscurus) in human-modified landscape, Wollo, Ethiopia. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:11373-11386. [PMID: 34429926 PMCID: PMC8366867 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.7927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2020] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Studying the dietary flexibility of primates that live in human-modified environments is crucial for understanding their ecological adaptations as well as developing management and conservation plans. Southern gelada (Theropithecus gelada obscurus) is an endemic little-known subspecies of gelada that inhabits human-modified landscapes in the northern central highlands of Ethiopia. During an 18-month period, we conducted this intensive study in an unprotected area of a human-modified landscape at Kosheme in Wollo to investigate the feeding ecology of southern geladas and their dietary responses to seasonal variations. We quantified the monthly and seasonal diet data from a band of southern geladas using instantaneous scan sampling method at 15-min intervals, and green grass phenology and availability using visual inspection from the randomly selected permanent plots. The overall average diet of southern geladas at Kosheme constituted grass blades 55.4%, grass undergrounds 13.2%, grass bulbs 5.6%, grass seeds 5.4%, herb leaves 4.0, fruits 7.3%, and cereal crops 5.6%. Grass blade consumption increased with increasing green grass availability, while underground food consumption increased with decreasing green grass availability, and vice versa. Southern geladas spent significantly more time feeding on the grass blades and herb leaves and significantly less time on bulbs during the wet season than the dry season. Underground grass items (rhizomes and corms) were not consumed during the wet season, but made up 22.3% of the dry season diet. Thus, although grass blades are staple diet items for geladas, underground diet items are important "fallback foods" at Kosheme. Our result shows insights into the dietary flexibility southern geladas adopt to cope with human-modified landscapes of the north-central Ethiopian Highlands. Thus, the study contributes to a better understanding of how changing environments shape primate ecology and evolution.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zewdu Kifle
- Department of BiologyBahir Dar UniversityBahir DarEthiopia
- Department of Zoological SciencesAddis Ababa UniversityAddis AbabaEthiopia
| | - Afework Bekele
- Department of Zoological SciencesAddis Ababa UniversityAddis AbabaEthiopia
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Caselli M, Zanoli A, Dagradi C, Gallo A, Yazezew D, Tadesse A, Capasso M, Ianniello D, Rinaldi L, Palagi E, Norscia I. Wild geladas (Theropithecus gelada) in crops-more than in pasture areas-reduce aggression and affiliation. Primates 2021; 62:571-584. [PMID: 34061281 PMCID: PMC8225520 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-021-00916-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Human-primate interfaces are expanding and, despite recent studies on primates from peri-urban environments, little research exists on the impact of agriculture and/or pasture areas on primate social behavior and health. We assessed how crop/pasture areas potentially alter social behavior and health of wild geladas (Theropithecus gelada) frequenting the unprotected area of Kundi (Ethiopia). We predicted that compared to pasture areas, crop areas (i) would be more challenging for geladas (prediction 1) and (ii) would have a greater impact on both aggressive and affiliative behavior, by reducing grooming time and enhancing competition (prediction 2). During January-May 2019 and December 2019-February 2020, we collected data (via scan, focal animal sampling, and video analyses) on direct human disturbance, external signs of pathologies and social behavior of 140 individuals from 14 one-male units and two all-male units. Animals experienced the highest level of human disturbance in crop areas (in line with prediction 1). Individuals from the groups preferentially frequenting crop areas showed the highest prevalence of external signs of pathologies consistent with chemical and biological contamination (alopecia/abnormally swollen parts). We collected 48 fecal samples. Samples from frequent crop users contained the highest rates of parasitic elements/gram (egg/larva/oocyst/cyst) from Entamoeba histolytica/dispar, a parasite common in human settlements of the Amhara region. In crop areas, subjects spent less time grooming but engaged in lower rates of intense aggression (in partial agreement with prediction 2). We speculate that the reduction in social behavior may be a tactic adopted by geladas to minimize the likelihood of detection and maximize food intake while foraging in crops.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marta Caselli
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123, Torino, Italy
| | - Anna Zanoli
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123, Torino, Italy
| | - Carlo Dagradi
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123, Torino, Italy
| | - Alessandro Gallo
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123, Torino, Italy
| | - Dereje Yazezew
- Department of Biology, Debre Behran University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
| | - Abebe Tadesse
- Department of Biology, Debre Behran University, Debre Berhan, Ethiopia
| | - Michele Capasso
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Davide Ianniello
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Laura Rinaldi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Palagi
- Unit of Ethology, Department of Biology, University of Pisa, via Volta 6, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
- University of Pisa, Natural History Museum, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Ivan Norscia
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, via Accademia Albertina 13, 10123, Torino, Italy.
- University of Pisa, Natural History Museum, Pisa, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Activity Budget and Feeding Ecology of Geladas ( Theropithecus gelada obscurus) around Abogedam Church West of Debre Berhan Town, Ethiopia. ScientificWorldJournal 2020; 2020:9829834. [PMID: 32952457 PMCID: PMC7482005 DOI: 10.1155/2020/9829834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Geladas are the most distinctive of Ethiopian endemic mammals, representing the last extant species of primate genus that have a very restricted distribution in the northern Ethiopian plateau. The activity budget and feeding ecology of geladas (Theropithecus gelada obscurus) were studied around Abogedam Church, Ethiopia, from May to October 2014, encompassing dry and wet seasons. The scan sampling method was applied to collect behavioural data on the identified band. Activity scans were collected at 15-minute intervals for up to five minutes duration from 0700 to 1730 h. The activity recorded for each individual was the first activity that lasts for five seconds. During each scan, individuals were recorded as performing activities: feeding, moving, resting, playing, aggression, grooming, sexual activity, and others. On average, geladas devoted 57.19% feeding, 14.82% resting, 14.92% moving, 4.83% playing, 2.53% aggression, 4.14% grooming, 1.23% sexual activity, and 0.34% other activities such as vocalization, defecation, and urination. Forty-one plant species were consumed by geladas that belonged to 18 families of which 53.66% were grasses. This study provides basic information on further studies and motivates conservationists to plan the management of unprotected areas at the vicinity of agricultural lands where such endemic animals dwell.
Collapse
|
14
|
Lin B, Foxfoot IR, Miller CM, Venkatamaran VV, Kerby JT, Bechtold EK, Kellogg BS, Nguyen N, Fashing PJ. Leopard predation on gelada monkeys at Guassa, Ethiopia. Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23098. [PMID: 31994756 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23098] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2019] [Revised: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Predation is widely believed to exert strong selective pressure on primate behavior and ecology but is difficult to study and rarely observed. In this study, we describe seven encounters between lone wild leopards (Panthera pardus) and herds of geladas (Theropithecus gelada) over a 6-year period in an intact Afroalpine grassland ecosystem at the Guassa Community Conservation Area, Ethiopia. Three encounters consisted of attempted predation on geladas by leopards, one of which was successful. All three attacks occurred in low-visibility microhabitats (dominated by tussock graminoids, mima mounds, or tall shrubs) that provided leopards with hidden viewsheds from which to ambush geladas. An additional four encounters did not result in an attempted attack but still document the consistently fearful responses of geladas to leopards. In encounters with leopards, geladas typically gave alarm calls (n = 7 of 7 encounters), reduced interindividual distances (n = 5), and collectively fled towards or remained at their sleeping cliffs (n = 7), the only significant refugia in the open-country habitat at Guassa. Geladas did not engage in mobbing behavior towards leopards. Encounters with leopards tended to occur on days when gelada herd sizes were small, raising the possibility that leopards, as ambush hunters, might stalk geladas on days when fewer eyes and ears make them less likely to be detected. We compare the behavioral responses of geladas to leopards at Guassa with those previously reported at Arsi and the Simien Mountains and discuss how gelada vulnerability and responses to leopards compare with those of other primate species living in habitats containing more refugia. Lastly, we briefly consider how living in multilevel societies may represent an adaptive response by geladas and other open-country primates to predation pressure from leopards and other large carnivores.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bing Lin
- Woodrow Wilson School of Public & International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey
| | | | - Carrie M Miller
- Department of Anthropology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | | | - Jeffrey T Kerby
- Neukom Institute for Computational Science, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire
| | - Emily K Bechtold
- Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts
| | - Bryce S Kellogg
- Forest Restoration Program, The Nature Conservancy, Bend, Oregon
| | - Nga Nguyen
- Department of Anthropology and Environmental Studies Program, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, California
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Peter J Fashing
- Department of Anthropology and Environmental Studies Program, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, California
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Martin F, Plastiras CA, Merceron G, Souron A, Boisserie JR. Dietary niches of terrestrial cercopithecines from the Plio-Pleistocene Shungura Formation, Ethiopia: evidence from Dental Microwear Texture Analysis. Sci Rep 2018; 8:14052. [PMID: 30232366 PMCID: PMC6145942 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-32092-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 08/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aims to explore the feeding ecology of two terrestrial papionins, Papio and Theropithecus from the Shungura Formation in Ethiopia, the most complete stratigraphic and paleontological record of the African Plio-Pleistocene. Two aspects were evaluated using Dental Microwear Texture Analysis: differences in diet between the extinct genera and their extant relatives, and any potential dietary fluctuations over time. Amongst more than 2,500 cercopithecid dental remains, 154 Theropithecus molars and 60 Papio molars were considered. Thirty-nine extant wild baboons and 20 wild geladas were also considered. The results show that diets of extinct monkeys from Member G already differed between genera as it is the case for their extant representatives. The shearing facets on the Theropithecus molars display significant variations in microwear textures, suggesting several dietary shifts over time. Two events point to higher intakes of herbaceous monocots (tougher than dicots foliages), at about 2.91 Ma (between members B and C) and at 2.32 Ma (between members E and F). These two events are separated by an inverse trend at about 2.53 Ma (between members C and D). Some of these variations, such as between members E and F are supported by the enamel carbon isotopic composition of herbivorous mammals and with paleovegetation evidence.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Florian Martin
- Laboratory Paleontology Evolution Paleoecosystems Paleoprimatology (PALEVOPRIM) - UMR CNRS-INEE/University of Poitiers, 86073, POITIERS CEDEX 9, France
| | | | - Gildas Merceron
- Laboratory Paleontology Evolution Paleoecosystems Paleoprimatology (PALEVOPRIM) - UMR CNRS-INEE/University of Poitiers, 86073, POITIERS CEDEX 9, France.
| | - Antoine Souron
- De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel: Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie (PACEA) - UMR 5199 CNRS/Université de Bordeaux/Ministère de la Culture et de la Communication, 33615, PESSAC CEDEX, France
| | - Jean-Renaud Boisserie
- Laboratory Paleontology Evolution Paleoecosystems Paleoprimatology (PALEVOPRIM) - UMR CNRS-INEE/University of Poitiers, 86073, POITIERS CEDEX 9, France.,Centre Français des Etudes Ethiopiennes (CFEE) - USR 3137 CNRS/Ministère de l'Europe et des Affaires Etrangères, Ambassade de France en Ethiopie, ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Zinner D, Atickem A, Beehner JC, Bekele A, Bergman TJ, Burke R, Dolotovskaya S, Fashing PJ, Gippoliti S, Knauf S, Knauf Y, Mekonnen A, Moges A, Nguyen N, Stenseth NC, Roos C. Phylogeography, mitochondrial DNA diversity, and demographic history of geladas (Theropithecus gelada). PLoS One 2018; 13:e0202303. [PMID: 30138418 PMCID: PMC6107150 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The large-bodied, terrestrial primates in the tribe Papionini are among the most intensely studied animals in the world, yet for some members of this tribe we know comparatively little about their evolutionary history and phylogeography. Geladas (Theropithecus gelada Rüppell, 1835), endemic primates of the Ethiopian highlands, are largely unstudied both in genetic diversity and intrageneric phylogeny. Currently, a northern and central subspecies and one isolated southern population are recognized, of which the central is classified as Least Concern, the northern as Vulnerable, and the southern is not yet assessed. The distribution and taxonomy of the subspecies remain poorly defined. Here, we estimate the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) diversity and phylogenetic relationships among gelada mtDNA lineages based on samples across the entire species range. We analysed 1.7 kb-long sequences of the mtDNA genome, spanning the cytochrome b gene and the hypervariable region I of the D-loop, derived from 162 faecal samples. We detected five major haplogroups or clades (south, central-1, central-2, north-1, north-2) which diverged between 0.67 and 0.43 million years ago, thus suggesting a rapid radiation, resulting in largely unresolved intrageneric phylogenetic relationships. Both, the northern and central demes contain two similarly valid haplogroups, each with little or no geographic segregation among respective haplogroups. Effective population sizes of the northern and central demes decreased during and after the last glacial maximum but remained stable for the southern deme, although on a very low level. The distribution of haplogroups within the geographic ranges of the putative gelada subspecies indicates that mtDNA sequence information does not allow reliable taxonomic inferences and thus is not sufficient for solving the taxonomic rank of the three demic populations, with the possible exception of the southern population. Nevertheless, due to the genetic differences all three populations deserve conservation efforts, in particular the smallest southern population.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dietmar Zinner
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center (DPZ), Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen, Germany
- * E-mail: (DZ); (CR)
| | - Anagaw Atickem
- Cognitive Ethology Laboratory, German Primate Center (DPZ), Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen, Germany
- Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center (DPZ), Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Jacinta C. Beehner
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
- Department of Anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
| | - Afework Bekele
- Department of Zoological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Thore J. Bergman
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States of America
| | - Ryan Burke
- Long-Term Ecology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Sofya Dolotovskaya
- Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center (DPZ), Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Peter J. Fashing
- Department of Anthropology & Environmental Studies Program, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, United States of America
| | - Spartaco Gippoliti
- Società Italiana per la Storia della Fauna “G. Altobello”, Viale Liegi 48A, Roma, Italy
| | - Sascha Knauf
- Work Group Neglected Tropical Diseases, Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Yvonne Knauf
- Work Group Neglected Tropical Diseases, Infection Biology Unit, German Primate Center, Leibniz-Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen, Germany
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Göttingen, Burckhardtweg 2, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Addisu Mekonnen
- Department of Zoological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway
| | - Amera Moges
- Department of Biology, College of Natural Sciences, Bahir Dar University, Bahir Dar, Ethiopia
| | - Nga Nguyen
- Department of Anthropology & Environmental Studies Program, California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, United States of America
| | - Nils Chr. Stenseth
- Department of Zoological Sciences, College of Natural Sciences, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
- Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Blindern, Oslo, Norway
| | - Christian Roos
- Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center (DPZ), Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen, Germany
- Gene Bank of Primates, German Primate Center (DPZ), Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen, Germany
- * E-mail: (DZ); (CR)
| |
Collapse
|