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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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DePasquale AN, Webb SE, Williamson RE, Fedigan LM, Melin AD. Testing the niche differentiation hypothesis in wild capuchin monkeys with polymorphic color vision. Behav Ecol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arab001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The polymorphic color vision system present in most North, Central, and South American monkeys is a textbook case of balancing selection, yet the mechanism behind it remains poorly understood. Previous work has established task-specific foraging advantages to different color vision phenotypes: dichromats (red-green colorblind) are more efficient foraging for invertebrates, while trichromats (color “normal” relative to humans) are more efficient foraging for “reddish” ripe fruit, suggesting that niche differentiation may underlie the maintenance of color vision variation. We explore a prediction of the niche differentiation hypothesis by asking whether dichromatic and trichromatic capuchin monkeys (Cebus imitator) diverge in their foraging activity budget, specifically testing whether dichromats forage more frequently for invertebrates and trichromats forage more frequently for “reddish” ripe fruit. To assess this, we analyze a large data set of behavioral scan samples (n = 21 984) from 48 wild adult female capuchins of known color vision genotype, dominance rank, and reproductive status, together with models of food conspicuity. We find no significant differences between dichromats and trichromats in the frequency of scans spent foraging for different food types but do find that nursing females forage less overall than cycling females. Our results suggest that the potential for color-vision-based niche differentiation in foraging time may be curtailed by the energetic requirements of reproduction, behavioral synchrony caused by group living, and/or individual preferences. While niche differentiation in activity budgets by color vision type is not apparent, fine-scale niche differentiation may be occurring. This research enhances our understanding of the evolutionary processes maintaining sensory polymorphisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allegra N DePasquale
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Shasta E Webb
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Rachel E Williamson
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Linda M Fedigan
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Amanda D Melin
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Dr NW, Calgary, AB T2N 1N4, Canada
- Department of Medical Genetics, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Dr NW, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
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3
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Developing individual differences in primate behavior: the role of genes, environment, and their interplay. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s00265-019-2633-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
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Gutleb DR, Ostner J, Schülke O, Wajjwalku W, Sukmak M, Roos C, Noll A. Non-invasive genotyping with a massively parallel sequencing panel for the detection of SNPs in HPA-axis genes. Sci Rep 2018; 8:15944. [PMID: 30374157 PMCID: PMC6206064 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-34223-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
We designed a genotyping panel for the investigation of the genetic underpinnings of inter-individual differences in aggression and the physiological stress response. The panel builds on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in genes involved in the three subsystems of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis: the catecholamine, serotonin and corticoid metabolism. To promote the pipeline for use with wild animal populations, we used non-invasively collected faecal samples from a wild population of Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis). We targeted loci of 46 previously reported SNPs in 21 candidate genes coding for elements of the HPA-axis and amplified and sequenced them using next-generation Illumina sequencing technology. We compared multiple bioinformatics pipelines for variant calling and variant effect prediction. Based on this strategy and the application of different quality thresholds, we identified up to 159 SNPs with different types of predicted functional effects among our natural study population. This study provides a massively parallel sequencing panel that will facilitate integrating large-scale SNP data into behavioural and physiological studies. Such a multi-faceted approach will promote understanding of flexibility and constraints of animal behaviour and hormone physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- D R Gutleb
- Department of Behavioral Ecology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany. .,Research Group Social Evolution in Primates, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany. .,Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany.
| | - J Ostner
- Department of Behavioral Ecology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Research Group Social Evolution in Primates, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany.,Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
| | - O Schülke
- Department of Behavioral Ecology, Johann-Friedrich-Blumenbach Institute for Zoology and Anthropology, University of Goettingen, Göttingen, Germany.,Research Group Social Evolution in Primates, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany.,Leibniz Science Campus Primate Cognition, Göttingen, Germany
| | - W Wajjwalku
- Department of Farm Resources and Production Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - M Sukmak
- Department of Farm Resources and Production Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kasetsart University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - C Roos
- Gene Bank of Primates, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany.,Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - A Noll
- Primate Genetics Laboratory, German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
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Higham JP, Dominy NJ. The promise of primatology fulfilled? AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2018; 166:783-790. [PMID: 30133694 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Revised: 05/08/2018] [Accepted: 05/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
In 1972, Sherwood Washburn, one of the forerunners of biological anthropology, gave an invited address during the 4th Congress of the International Primatological Society in Portland, Oregon, in which he expounded his vision for the field of primatology. His address was published the following year in the American Journal of Physical Anthropology and titled: "The promise of primatology." In this centennial commentary, we revisit Washburn's "promise", 45 years on. His address and article discuss the constraints acting on the field, including a positioning of the discipline across different kinds of university departments, and within the social sciences, which he viewed as a mixed blessing. Prescient aspects of Washburn's address include a focus on the need to study communication multimodally, and a hope that the study of mechanisms would become foundational within the field. We discuss new promising aspects of primatology, focusing on technological advances in a number of areas highlighted by Washburn that have ushered in new eras of research, and the increasingly large number of long-term field sites, which see the discipline well-set for new developmental and longitudinal studies. We find much to admire in Washburn's keen foresight, and natural intuition. Washburn hoped that primatology would repudiate the notion that "the social should be studied without reference to the biological." In this regard, we consider much of Washburn's promise fulfilled.
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Affiliation(s)
- James P Higham
- Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, New York 10003
| | - Nathaniel J Dominy
- Department of Anthropology, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755.,Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755
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Abstract
Friend of a friend relationships, or the indirect connections between people, influence our health, well-being, financial success and reproductive output. As with humans, social behaviours in other animals often occur within a broad interconnected network of social ties. Yet studies of animal social behaviour tend to focus on associations between pairs of individuals. With the increase in popularity of social network analysis, researchers have started to look beyond the dyad to examine the role of indirect connections in animal societies. Here, I provide an overview of the new knowledge that has been uncovered by these studies. I focus on research that has addressed both the causes of social behaviours, i.e. the cognitive and genetic basis of indirect connections, as well as their consequences, i.e. the impact of indirect connections on social cohesion, information transfer, cultural practices and fitness. From these studies, it is apparent that indirect connections play an important role in animal behaviour, although future research is needed to clarify their contribution.
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