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Kazaba PK, Kulik L, Beukou Choumbou GB, Douhin Tiémoko CB, Oni FL, Kamgang SA, Heinicke S, Koné I, Mucyo SJP, Sop T, Boesch C, Stephens C, Agbor A, Angedakin S, Bailey E, Bessone M, Coupland C, Deschner T, Dieguez P, Granjon A, Harder B, Head J, Hicks TC, Jones S, Kadam P, Kalan AK, Langergraber KE, Lapuente J, Lee KC, Lynn LK, Maldonado N, McCarthy MS, Meier AC, Ormsby LJ, Piel A, Robbins MM, Sciaky L, Sommer V, Stewart FA, Widness J, Wittig RM, Wessling EG, Arandjelovic M, Kühl H, van der Hoek Y. Chimpanzees ( Pan troglodytes) Indicate Mammalian Abundance Across Broad Spatial Scales. Ecol Evol 2025; 15:e71000. [PMID: 40092902 PMCID: PMC11909632 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.71000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2024] [Revised: 02/02/2025] [Accepted: 02/04/2025] [Indexed: 03/19/2025] Open
Abstract
Ongoing ecosystem change and biodiversity decline across the Afrotropics call for tools to monitor the state of biodiversity or ecosystem elements across extensive spatial and temporal scales. We assessed relationships in the co-occurrence patterns between great apes and other medium to large-bodied mammals to evaluate whether ape abundance serves as a proxy for mammal diversity across broad spatial scales. We used camera trap footage recorded at 22 research sites, each known to harbor a population of chimpanzees, and some additionally a population of gorillas, across 12 sub-Saharan African countries. From ~350,000 1-min camera trap videos recorded between 2010 and 2016, we estimated mammalian community metrics, including species richness, Shannon diversity, and mean animal mass. We then fitted Bayesian Regression Models to assess potential relationships between ape detection rates (as proxy for ape abundance) and these metrics. We included site-level protection status, human footprint, and precipitation variance as control variables. We found that relationships between detection rates of great apes and other mammal species, as well as animal mass were largely positive. In contrast, relationships between ape detection rate and mammal species richness were less clear and differed according to site protection and human impact context. We found no clear association between ape detection rate and mammal diversity. Our findings suggest that chimpanzees hold potential as indicators of specific elements of mammalian communities, especially population-level and composition-related characteristics. Declines in chimpanzee populations may indicate associated declines of sympatric medium to large-bodied mammal species and highlight the need for improved conservation interventions.Changes in chimpanzee abundance likely precede extirpation of sympatric mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul K. Kazaba
- Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund, Grauer's Gorilla Research and Conservation ProgramsGomaDemocratic Republic of the Congo
- Ecology, Restoration Ecology and Landscape (EREP) Research Unit, Département d'Aménagement des Ecosystèmes et Biodiversité, Faculté des Sciences AgronomiquesUniversité de LubumbashiLubumbashiDemocratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Lars Kulik
- Senckenberg Museum for Natural History GörlitzSenckenberg – Member of the Leibniz AssociationGörlitzGermany
| | | | | | - Funmilayo L. Oni
- Department of Wildlife and Ecotourism Management, Faculty of Renewable Natural ResourcesLadoke Akintola University of TechnologyOgbomosoNigeria
| | - Serge A. Kamgang
- Biodiversité‐Environnement et Développement DurableGarouaCameroon
- ERAIFT‐UNESCOKinshasaDemocratic Republic of the Congo
| | - Stefanie Heinicke
- Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), Member of the Leibniz AssociationPotsdamGermany
| | - Inza Koné
- Université Félix Houphouët‐BoignyAbidjanCôte d'Ivoire
- Centre Suisse de Recherches Scientifiques en Côte d'IvoireAbidjanCôte d'Ivoire
| | | | - Tenekwetche Sop
- Senckenberg Museum for Natural History GörlitzSenckenberg – Member of the Leibniz AssociationGörlitzGermany
- Re:WildAustinTexasUSA
| | | | - Colleen Stephens
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
| | - Anthony Agbor
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
| | - Samuel Angedakin
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
- Department of Environmental ManagementMakerere UniversityKampalaUganda
| | - Emma Bailey
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
| | - Mattia Bessone
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
- Department of Biology, Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective BehaviourUniversity of KonstanzKonstanzGermany
- Department of Animal SocietiesMax Planck Institute of Animal BehaviourKonstanzGermany
| | | | - Tobias Deschner
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
- Comparative BioCognitionInstitute of Cognitive Science, University of OsnabrückOsnabrückGermany
| | - Paula Dieguez
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)LeipzigGermany
| | | | - Briana Harder
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
| | | | | | - Sorrel Jones
- The David Attenborough Building, RSPB Centre for Conservation ScienceCambridgeUK
| | - Parag Kadam
- Warnell School of Forestry and Natural ResourcesUniversity of GeorgiaAthensGeorgiaUSA
| | - Ammie K. Kalan
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity of VictoriaVictoriaBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Kevin E. Langergraber
- School of Human Evolution and Social ChangeArizona State UniversityTempeArizonaUSA
- Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State UniversityTempeArizonaUSA
| | - Juan Lapuente
- Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, Biozentrum, (Zoologie III)WürzburgGermany
| | - Kevin C. Lee
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
- School of Human Evolution and Social ChangeArizona State UniversityTempeArizonaUSA
- Institute of Human Origins, Arizona State UniversityTempeArizonaUSA
| | - Laura K. Lynn
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
| | - Nuria Maldonado
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
| | | | - Amelia C. Meier
- Hawai'i Institute of Marine BiologyUniversity of Hawai'i at MānoaHonoluluHawaiiUSA
| | | | - Alex Piel
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity College LondonLondonUK
| | - Martha M. Robbins
- Department of Primate Behavior and EvolutionMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeizpigGermany
| | - Lilah Sciaky
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
| | - Volker Sommer
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- Gashaka Primate ProjectSertiTarabaNigeria
| | - Fiona A. Stewart
- Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeipzigGermany
- Department of AnthropologyUniversity College LondonLondonUK
- School of Biological and Environmental SciencesLiverpool John Moores UniversityLiverpoolUK
| | | | - Roman M. Wittig
- Ape Social Mind LabInstitute of Cognitive Science, CNRS UMR5229BronFrance
- Taï Chimpanzee ProjectCentre Suisse de Recherche Scientifique en Côte d'IvoireAbidjanCôte d'Ivoire
| | - Erin G. Wessling
- Cognitive Ethology LaboratoryGerman Primate Center—Leibniz Institute for Primate ResearchGöttingenGermany
| | - Mimi Arandjelovic
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)LeipzigGermany
- Department of Primate Behavior and EvolutionMax Planck Institute for Evolutionary AnthropologyLeizpigGermany
| | - Hjalmar Kühl
- Senckenberg Museum for Natural History GörlitzSenckenberg – Member of the Leibniz AssociationGörlitzGermany
- German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv)LeipzigGermany
- International Institute Zittau, Technische Universität DresdenZittauGermany
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Mfossa DM, Gazagne E, Gray RJ, Ketchen ME, Abwe EA, Beudels-Jamar RC, Tchouamo RI, Brotcorne F. Montane grassland resources drive gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) nesting behaviors in the Ebo forest, Littoral Region, Cameroon. EUR J WILDLIFE RES 2023. [DOI: 10.1007/s10344-023-01660-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
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Cordier CP, Smith DAE, Smith YE, Downs CT. Camera trap research in Africa: A systematic review to show trends in wildlife monitoring and its value as a research tool. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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Mbouombouo Mfossa D, Abwe EE, Whytock RC, Morgan BJ, Huynen M, Beudels‐Jamar RC, Brotcorne F, Tchouamo RI. Distribution, habitat use and human disturbance of gorillas (
Gorilla gorilla
) in the Ebo forest, Littoral Region, Cameroon. Afr J Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/aje.13052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Ekwoge Enang Abwe
- Ebo Forest Research Project Douala Cameroon
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance San Diego California USA
| | - Robin Cameron Whytock
- Ebo Forest Research Project Douala Cameroon
- Faculty of Natural Sciences The University of Stirling Scotland UK
| | - Bethan J. Morgan
- Ebo Forest Research Project Douala Cameroon
- San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance San Diego California USA
- Faculty of Natural Sciences The University of Stirling Scotland UK
| | | | | | | | - Roger Isaac Tchouamo
- ERAIFT The University of Kinshasa, DRC Kinshasa DRC
- The University of Dschang Dschang Cameroon
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