Evolutionary Anthropology
Arts & Sciences
Duke University
| |
Faculty Database Evolutionary Anthropology Arts & Sciences Duke University |
|
| HOME > Arts & Sciences > BAA > Faculty | Search Help Login |
|
| Publications of Susan C. Alberts :chronological alphabetical combined listing:
%% Papers Published
@article{fds376231,
Author = {Anderson, JA and Lin, D and Lea, AJ and Johnston, RA and Voyles, T and Akinyi, MY and Archie, EA and Alberts, SC and Tung,
J},
Title = {DNA methylation signatures of early-life adversity are
exposure-dependent in wild baboons.},
Journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
United States of America},
Volume = {121},
Number = {11},
Pages = {e2309469121},
Publisher = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences},
Year = {2024},
Month = {March},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2309469121},
Abstract = {The early-life environment can profoundly shape the
trajectory of an animal's life, even years or decades later.
One mechanism proposed to contribute to these early-life
effects is DNA methylation. However, the frequency and
functional importance of DNA methylation in shaping
early-life effects on adult outcomes is poorly understood,
especially in natural populations. Here, we integrate
prospectively collected data on fitness-associated variation
in the early environment with DNA methylation estimates at
477,270 CpG sites in 256 wild baboons. We find highly
heterogeneous relationships between the early-life
environment and DNA methylation in adulthood: aspects of the
environment linked to resource limitation (e.g., low-quality
habitat, early-life drought) are associated with many more
CpG sites than other types of environmental stressors (e.g.,
low maternal social status). Sites associated with early
resource limitation are enriched in gene bodies and putative
enhancers, suggesting they are functionally relevant.
Indeed, by deploying a baboon-specific, massively parallel
reporter assay, we show that a subset of windows containing
these sites are capable of regulatory activity, and that,
for 88% of early drought-associated sites in these
regulatory windows, enhancer activity is DNA
methylation-dependent. Together, our results support the
idea that DNA methylation patterns contain a persistent
signature of the early-life environment. However, they also
indicate that not all environmental exposures leave an
equivalent mark and suggest that socioenvironmental
variation at the time of sampling is more likely to be
functionally important. Thus, multiple mechanisms must
converge to explain early-life effects on fitness-related
traits.},
Doi = {10.1073/pnas.2309469121},
Key = {fds376231}
}
@article{fds372757,
Author = {Levy, EJ and Lee, A and Long'ida Siodi and I and Helmich, EC and McLean,
EM and Malone, EJ and Pickard, MJ and Ranjithkumar, R and Tung, J and Archie, EA and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Early life drought predicts components of adult body size in
wild female baboons.},
Journal = {American journal of biological anthropology},
Volume = {182},
Number = {3},
Pages = {357-371},
Year = {2023},
Month = {November},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24849},
Abstract = {<h4>Objectives</h4>In many taxa, adverse early-life
environments are associated with reduced growth and smaller
body size in adulthood. However, in wild primates, we know
very little about whether, where, and to what degree
trajectories are influenced by early adversity, or which
types of early adversity matter most. Here, we use
parallel-laser photogrammetry to assess inter-individual
predictors of three measures of body size (leg length,
forearm length, and shoulder-rump length) in a population of
wild female baboons studied since birth.<h4>Materials and
methods</h4>Using >2000 photogrammetric measurements of 127
females, we present a cross-sectional growth curve of wild
female baboons (Papio cynocephalus) from juvenescence
through adulthood. We then test whether females exposed to
several important sources of early-life adversity-drought,
maternal loss, low maternal rank, or a cumulative measure of
adversity-were smaller for their age than females who
experienced less adversity. Using the "animal model," we
also test whether body size is heritable in this study
population.<h4>Results</h4>Prolonged early-life drought
predicted shorter limbs but not shorter torsos (i.e.,
shoulder-rump lengths). Our other measures of early-life
adversity did not predict variation in body size.
Heritability estimates for body size measures were 36%-67%.
Maternal effects accounted for 13%-17% of the variance in
leg and forearm length, but no variance in torso
length.<h4>Discussion</h4>Our results suggest that baboon
limbs, but not torsos, grow plastically in response to
maternal effects and energetic early-life stress. Our
results also reveal considerable heritability for all three
body size measures in this study population.},
Doi = {10.1002/ajpa.24849},
Key = {fds372757}
}
@article{fds374187,
Author = {Lange, EC and Griffin, M and Fogel, AS and Archie, EA and Tung, J and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Environmental, sex-specific and genetic determinants of
infant social behaviour in a wild primate.},
Journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences},
Volume = {290},
Number = {2011},
Pages = {20231597},
Year = {2023},
Month = {November},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2023.1597},
Abstract = {Affiliative social bonds are linked to fitness components in
many social mammals. However, despite their importance,
little is known about how the tendency to form social bonds
develops in young animals, or if the timing of development
is heritable and thus can evolve. Using four decades of
longitudinal observational data from a wild baboon
population, we assessed the environmental determinants of an
important social developmental milestone in baboons-the age
at which a young animal first grooms a conspecific-and we
assessed how the rates at which offspring groom their
mothers develops during the juvenile period. We found that
grooming development differs between the sexes: female
infants groom at an earlier age and reach equal rates of
grooming with their mother earlier than males. We also found
that age at first grooming for both sexes is weakly
heritable (<i>h</i><sup>2</sup> = 0.043, 95% CI:
0.002-0.110). These results show that sex differences in
grooming emerge at a young age; that strong, equitable
social relationships between mothers and daughters begin
very early in life; and that age at first grooming is
heritable and therefore can be shaped by natural
selection.},
Doi = {10.1098/rspb.2023.1597},
Key = {fds374187}
}
@article{fds371574,
Author = {Tung, J and Lange, EC and Alberts, SC and Archie,
EA},
Title = {Social and early life determinants of survival from cradle
to grave: A case study in wild baboons.},
Journal = {Neuroscience and biobehavioral reviews},
Volume = {152},
Pages = {105282},
Year = {2023},
Month = {September},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105282},
Abstract = {Field studies of natural mammal populations present powerful
opportunities to investigate the determinants of health and
aging using fine-grained observations of known individuals
across the life course. Here, we synthesize five decades of
findings from one such study: the wild baboons of the
Amboseli ecosystem in Kenya. First, we discuss the profound
associations between early life adversity, adult social
conditions, and key aging outcomes in this population,
especially survival. Second, we review potential mediators
of the relationship between early life adversity and
survival in our population. Notably, our tests of two
leading candidate mediators-social isolation and
glucocorticoid levels-fail to identify a single, strong
mediator of early life effects on adult survival. Instead,
early adversity, social isolation, and glucocorticoids are
independently linked to adult lifespans, suggesting
considerable scope for mitigating the negative consequences
of early life adversity. Third, we review our work on the
evolutionary rationale for early life effects on mortality,
which currently argues against clear predictive adaptive
responses. Finally, we end by highlighting major themes
emerging from the study of sociality, development, and aging
in the Amboseli baboons, as well as important open questions
for future work.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105282},
Key = {fds371574}
}
@article{fds371102,
Author = {Anderson, JA and Lin, D and Lea, AJ and Johnston, RA and Voyles, T and Akinyi, MY and Archie, EA and Alberts, SC and Tung,
J},
Title = {DNA methylation signatures of early life adversity are
exposure-dependent in wild baboons.},
Booktitle = {Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory},
Year = {2023},
Month = {June},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2023.06.05.542485},
Doi = {10.1101/2023.06.05.542485},
Key = {fds371102}
}
@article{fds362962,
Author = {Zeng, S and Lange, EC and Archie, EA and Campos, FA and Alberts, SC and Li,
F},
Title = {A Causal Mediation Model for Longitudinal Mediators and
Survival Outcomes with an Application to Animal
Behavior.},
Journal = {Journal of agricultural, biological, and environmental
statistics},
Volume = {28},
Number = {2},
Pages = {197-218},
Year = {2023},
Month = {June},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13253-022-00490-6},
Abstract = {In animal behavior studies, a common goal is to investigate
the causal pathways between an exposure and outcome, and a
mediator that lies in between. Causal mediation analysis
provides a principled approach for such studies. Although
many applications involve longitudinal data, the existing
causal mediation models are not directly applicable to
settings where the mediators are measured on irregular time
grids. In this paper, we propose a causal mediation model
that accommodates longitudinal mediators on arbitrary time
grids and survival outcomes simultaneously. We take a
functional data analysis perspective and view longitudinal
mediators as realizations of underlying smooth stochastic
processes. We define causal estimands of direct and indirect
effects accordingly and provide corresponding identification
assumptions. We employ a functional principal component
analysis approach to estimate the mediator process and
propose a Cox hazard model for the survival outcome that
flexibly adjusts the mediator process. We then derive a
g-computation formula to express the causal estimands using
the model coefficients. The proposed method is applied to a
longitudinal data set from the Amboseli Baboon Research
Project to investigate the causal relationships between
early adversity, adult physiological stress responses, and
survival among wild female baboons. We find that adversity
experienced in early life has a significant direct effect on
females' life expectancy and survival probability, but find
little evidence that these effects were mediated by markers
of the stress response in adulthood. We further developed a
sensitivity analysis method to assess the impact of
potential violation to the key assumption of sequential
ignorability. Supplementary materials accompanying this
paper appear on-line.},
Doi = {10.1007/s13253-022-00490-6},
Key = {fds362962}
}
@article{fds370846,
Author = {Lange, EC and Zeng, S and Campos, FA and Li, F and Tung, J and Archie, EA and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Early life adversity and adult social relationships have
independent effects on survival in a wild
primate.},
Journal = {Science advances},
Volume = {9},
Number = {20},
Pages = {eade7172},
Year = {2023},
Month = {May},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.ade7172},
Abstract = {Adverse conditions in early life can have negative
consequences for adult health and survival in humans and
other animals. What variables mediate the relationship
between early adversity and adult survival? Adult social
environments represent one candidate: Early life adversity
is linked to social adversity in adulthood, and social
adversity in adulthood predicts survival outcomes. However,
no study has prospectively linked early life adversity,
adult social behavior, and adult survival to measure the
extent to which adult social behavior mediates this
relationship. We do so in a wild baboon population in
Amboseli, Kenya. We find weak mediation and largely
independent effects of early adversity and adult sociality
on survival. Furthermore, strong social bonds and high
social status in adulthood can buffer some negative effects
of early adversity. These results support the idea that
affiliative social behavior is subject to natural selection
through its positive relationship with survival, and they
highlight possible targets for intervention to improve human
health and well-being.},
Doi = {10.1126/sciadv.ade7172},
Key = {fds370846}
}
@article{fds367586,
Author = {Sheldon, BC and Kruuk, LEB and Alberts, SC},
Title = {The expanding value of long-term studies of individuals in
the wild.},
Journal = {Nature ecology & evolution},
Volume = {6},
Number = {12},
Pages = {1799-1801},
Publisher = {Springer Science and Business Media LLC},
Year = {2022},
Month = {December},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01940-7},
Doi = {10.1038/s41559-022-01940-7},
Key = {fds367586}
}
@article{fds366647,
Author = {Ellis, S and Johnstone, RA and Cant, MA and Franks, DW and Weiss, MN and Alberts, SC and Balcomb, KC and Benton, CH and Brent, LJN and Crockford,
C and Davidian, E and Delahay, RJ and Ellifrit, DK and Höner, OP and Meniri, M and McDonald, RA and Nichols, HJ and Thompson, FJ and Vigilant, L and Wittig, RM and Croft, DP},
Title = {Patterns and consequences of age-linked change in local
relatedness in animal societies.},
Journal = {Nature ecology & evolution},
Volume = {6},
Number = {11},
Pages = {1766-1776},
Publisher = {Springer Science and Business Media LLC},
Year = {2022},
Month = {November},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01872-2},
Abstract = {The ultimate payoff of behaviours depends not only on their
direct impact on an individual, but also on the impact on
their relatives. Local relatedness-the average relatedness
of an individual to their social environment-therefore has
profound effects on social and life history evolution.
Recent work has begun to show that local relatedness has the
potential to change systematically over an individual's
lifetime, a process called kinship dynamics. However, it is
unclear how general these kinship dynamics are, whether they
are predictable in real systems and their effects on
behaviour and life history evolution. In this study, we
combine modelling with data from real systems to explore the
extent and impact of kinship dynamics. We use data from
seven group-living mammals with diverse social and mating
systems to demonstrate not only that kinship dynamics occur
in animal systems, but also that the direction and magnitude
of kinship dynamics can be accurately predicted using a
simple model. We use a theoretical model to demonstrate that
kinship dynamics can profoundly affect lifetime patterns of
behaviour and can drive sex differences in helping and
harming behaviour across the lifespan in social species.
Taken together, this work demonstrates that kinship dynamics
are likely to be a fundamental dimension of social
evolution, especially when considering age-linked changes
and sex differences in behaviour and life
history.},
Doi = {10.1038/s41559-022-01872-2},
Key = {fds366647}
}
@article{fds367246,
Author = {Paietta, EN and Weibel, CJ and Jansen, DA and Mututua, RS and Warutere,
JK and Long'ida Siodi and I and Gesquiere, LR and Obanda, V and Alberts,
SC and Archie, EA},
Title = {Troubled waters: Water availability drives human-baboon
encounters in a protected, semi-arid landscape},
Journal = {Biological Conservation},
Volume = {274},
Year = {2022},
Month = {October},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109740},
Abstract = {Most animal habitats are affected by humans. While some
species tolerate and even benefit from these changes, others
suffer. Understanding when and how human-altered landscapes
affect animal behavior, health, reproduction, and survival
is essential to species management in a human-dominated
world. Here we use 27 years of data on human-baboon
encounters in a protected, semi-arid ecosystem in Kenya to:
(i) identify spatial, environmental, and group-level
predictors of baboon encounters with pastoralists; (ii) test
whether human-built water sources alter baboon ranging
patterns; and (iii) test if human encounters are linked to
baboon survival, reproduction, and health. We find that the
primary driver of human-baboon encounters is water
availability. During dry periods, pastoralists migrate into
baboon rangelands, leading to frequent human-baboon
encounters, especially near water wells. Further, the
baboons shift their ranges to encompass newly built wells
and move away from abandoned, dried-up wells. Since 2006, a
third of adult baboon deaths were linked to violent
encounters with humans or their dogs. Human encounters were
also linked to high infant mortality and parasite diversity
in females (but this effect could not be disentangled from
seasonal confounds). For wild baboons, life in protected,
pastoralist conservancies presents a double-edged sword:
human-built wells enable the baboons to access water during
dry periods, but these wells lead to encounters with humans,
which have become a common source of baboon mortality.
Together, our results serve as a comprehensive case study of
anthropogenic effects on wild primates, highlighting the
complex interactions between humans and wildlife in
protected areas.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109740},
Key = {fds367246}
}
@article{fds363713,
Author = {Björk, JR and Dasari, MR and Roche, K and Grieneisen, L and Gould, TJ and Grenier, J-C and Yotova, V and Gottel, N and Jansen, D and Gesquiere,
LR and Gordon, JB and Learn, NH and Wango, TL and Mututua, RS and Kinyua
Warutere, J and Siodi, L and Mukherjee, S and Barreiro, LB and Alberts,
SC and Gilbert, JA and Tung, J and Blekhman, R and Archie,
EA},
Title = {Synchrony and idiosyncrasy in the gut microbiome of wild
baboons.},
Journal = {Nature ecology & evolution},
Volume = {6},
Number = {7},
Pages = {955-964},
Year = {2022},
Month = {July},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41559-022-01773-4},
Abstract = {Human gut microbial dynamics are highly individualized,
making it challenging to link microbiota to health and to
design universal microbiome therapies. This individuality is
typically attributed to variation in host genetics, diets,
environments and medications but it could also emerge from
fundamental ecological forces that shape microbiota more
generally. Here, we leverage extensive gut microbial time
series from wild baboons-hosts who experience little
interindividual dietary and environmental heterogeneity-to
test whether gut microbial dynamics are synchronized across
hosts or largely idiosyncratic. Despite their shared
lifestyles, baboon microbiota were only weakly synchronized.
The strongest synchrony occurred among baboons living in the
same social group, probably because group members range over
the same habitat and simultaneously encounter the same
sources of food and water. However, this synchrony was
modest compared to each host's personalized dynamics. In
support, host-specific factors, especially host identity,
explained, on average, more than three times the deviance in
longitudinal dynamics compared to factors shared with social
group members and ten times the deviance of factors shared
across the host population. These results contribute to
mounting evidence that highly idiosyncratic gut microbiomes
are not an artefact of modern human environments and that
synchronizing forces in the gut microbiome (for example,
shared environments, diets and microbial dispersal) are not
strong enough to overwhelm key drivers of microbiome
personalization, such as host genetics, priority effects,
horizontal gene transfer and functional redundancy.},
Doi = {10.1038/s41559-022-01773-4},
Key = {fds363713}
}
@article{fds362499,
Author = {Richardson, JL and Levy, EJ and Ranjithkumar, R and Yang, H and Monson,
E and Cronin, A and Galbany, J and Robbins, MM and Alberts, SC and Reeves,
ME and McFarlin, SC},
Title = {Automated, high-throughput image calibration for
parallel-laser photogrammetry},
Journal = {Mammalian Biology},
Volume = {102},
Number = {3},
Pages = {615-627},
Year = {2022},
Month = {June},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s42991-021-00174-7},
Abstract = {Parallel-laser photogrammetry is growing in popularity as a
way to collect non-invasive body size data from wild
mammals. Despite its many appeals, this method requires
researchers to hand-measure (i) the pixel distance between
the parallel laser spots (inter-laser distance) to produce a
scale within the image, and (ii) the pixel distance between
the study subject’s body landmarks (inter-landmark
distance). This manual effort is time-consuming and
introduces human error: a researcher measuring the same
image twice will rarely return the same values both times
(resulting in within-observer error), as is also the case
when two researchers measure the same image (resulting in
between-observer error). Here, we present two independent
methods that automate the inter-laser distance measurement
of parallel-laser photogrammetry images. One method uses
machine learning and image processing techniques in Python,
and the other uses image processing techniques in ImageJ.
Both of these methods reduce labor and increase precision
without sacrificing accuracy. We first introduce the
workflow of the two methods. Then, using two parallel-laser
datasets of wild mountain gorilla and wild savannah baboon
images, we validate the precision of these two automated
methods relative to manual measurements and to each other.
We also estimate the reduction of variation in final body
size estimates in centimeters when adopting these automated
methods, as these methods have no human error. Finally, we
highlight the strengths of each method, suggest best
practices for adopting either of them, and propose future
directions for the automation of parallel-laser
photogrammetry data.},
Doi = {10.1007/s42991-021-00174-7},
Key = {fds362499}
}
@article{fds363305,
Author = {Bonnet, T and Morrissey, MB and de Villemereuil, P and Alberts, SC and Arcese, P and Bailey, LD and Boutin, S and Brekke, P and Brent, LJN and Camenisch, G and Charmantier, A and Clutton-Brock, TH and Cockburn,
A and Coltman, DW and Courtiol, A and Davidian, E and Evans, SR and Ewen,
JG and Festa-Bianchet, M and de Franceschi, C and Gustafsson, L and Höner, OP and Houslay, TM and Keller, LF and Manser, M and McAdam, AG and McLean, E and Nietlisbach, P and Osmond, HL and Pemberton, JM and Postma, E and Reid, JM and Rutschmann, A and Santure, AW and Sheldon,
BC and Slate, J and Teplitsky, C and Visser, ME and Wachter, B and Kruuk,
LEB},
Title = {Genetic variance in fitness indicates rapid contemporary
adaptive evolution in wild animals.},
Journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
Volume = {376},
Number = {6596},
Pages = {1012-1016},
Year = {2022},
Month = {May},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.abk0853},
Abstract = {The rate of adaptive evolution, the contribution of
selection to genetic changes that increase mean fitness, is
determined by the additive genetic variance in individual
relative fitness. To date, there are few robust estimates of
this parameter for natural populations, and it is therefore
unclear whether adaptive evolution can play a meaningful
role in short-term population dynamics. We developed and
applied quantitative genetic methods to long-term datasets
from 19 wild bird and mammal populations and found that,
while estimates vary between populations, additive genetic
variance in relative fitness is often substantial and, on
average, twice that of previous estimates. We show that
these rates of contemporary adaptive evolution can affect
population dynamics and hence that natural selection has the
potential to partly mitigate effects of current
environmental change.},
Doi = {10.1126/science.abk0853},
Key = {fds363305}
}
@article{fds363168,
Author = {Campos, FA and Altmann, J and Cords, M and Fedigan, LM and Lawler, R and Lonsdorf, EV and Stoinski, TS and Strier, KB and Bronikowski, AM and Pusey, AE and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Female reproductive aging in seven primate species: Patterns
and consequences.},
Journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
United States of America},
Volume = {119},
Number = {20},
Pages = {e2117669119},
Year = {2022},
Month = {May},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2117669119},
Abstract = {Age-related changes in fertility have increasingly been
documented in wild animal populations: In many species the
youngest and oldest reproducers are disadvantaged relative
to prime adults. How do these effects evolve, and what
explains their diversity across species? Tackling this
question requires detailed data on patterns of age-related
reproductive performance in multiple animal species. Here,
we compare patterns and consequences of age-related changes
in female reproductive performance in seven primate
populations that have been subjects of long-term continuous
study for 29 to 57 y. We document evidence of age effects on
fertility and on offspring performance in most, but not all,
of these primate species. Specifically, females of six
species showed longer interbirth intervals in the oldest age
classes, youngest age classes, or both, and the oldest
females also showed relatively fewer completed interbirth
intervals. In addition, five species showed markedly lower
survival among offspring born to the oldest mothers, and two
species showed reduced survival for offspring born to both
the youngest and the oldest mothers. In contrast, we found
mixed evidence that maternal age affects the age at which
daughters first reproduce: Only in muriquis and to some
extent in chimpanzees, the only two species with
female-biased dispersal, did relatively young mothers
produce daughters that tended to have earlier first
reproduction. Our findings demonstrate shared patterns as
well as contrasts in age-related changes in female fertility
across species of nonhuman primates and highlight
species-specific behavior and life-history patterns as
possible explanations for species-level differences.},
Doi = {10.1073/pnas.2117669119},
Key = {fds363168}
}
@article{fds362338,
Author = {Galezo, AA and Nolas, MA and Fogel, AS and Mututua, RS and Warutere, JK and Siodi, IL and Altmann, J and Archie, EA and Tung, J and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Mechanisms of inbreeding avoidance in a wild
primate.},
Journal = {Current biology : CB},
Volume = {32},
Number = {7},
Pages = {1607-1615.e4},
Year = {2022},
Month = {April},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2022.01.082},
Abstract = {Inbreeding often imposes net fitness costs,<sup>1-5</sup>
leading to the expectation that animals will engage in
inbreeding avoidance when the costs of doing so are not
prohibitive.<sup>4-9</sup> However, one recent meta-analysis
indicates that animals of many species do not avoid mating
with kin in experimental settings,<sup>6</sup> and another
reports that behavioral inbreeding avoidance generally
evolves only when kin regularly encounter each other and
inbreeding costs are high.<sup>9</sup> These results raise
questions about the processes that separate kin, how these
processes depend on kin class and context, and whether kin
classes differ in how effectively they avoid inbreeding via
mate choice-in turn, demanding detailed demographic and
behavioral data within individual populations. Here, we
address these questions in a wild mammal population, the
baboons of the Amboseli ecosystem in Kenya. We find that
death and dispersal are very effective at separating
opposite-sex pairs of close adult kin. Nonetheless, adult
kin pairs do sometimes co-reside, and we find strong
evidence for inbreeding avoidance via mate choice in kin
classes with relatedness ≥0.25. Notably, maternal kin
avoid inbreeding more effectively than paternal kin despite
having identical coefficients of relatedness, pointing to
kin discrimination as a potential constraint on effective
inbreeding avoidance. Overall, demographic and behavioral
processes ensure that inbred offspring are rare in
undisturbed social groups (1% of offspring). However, in an
anthropogenically disturbed social group with reduced male
dispersal, we find inbreeding rates 10× higher. Our study
reinforces the importance of demographic and behavioral
contexts for understanding the evolution of inbreeding
avoidance.<sup>9</sup>.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2022.01.082},
Key = {fds362338}
}
@article{fds363106,
Author = {Malani, A and Rosenbaum, S and Alberts, SC and Archie,
E},
Title = {Seeing the Future: A Better Way to Model and Test for
Adaptive Developmental Plasticity},
Journal = {University of Chicago, Becker Friedman Institute for
Economics Working Paper},
Number = {2022},
Year = {2022},
Month = {March},
Key = {fds363106}
}
@article{fds361297,
Author = {Anderson, JA and Lea, AJ and Voyles, TN and Akinyi, MY and Nyakundi, R and Ochola, L and Omondi, M and Nyundo, F and Zhang, Y and Campos, FA and Alberts, SC and Archie, EA and Tung, J},
Title = {Distinct gene regulatory signatures of dominance rank and
social bond strength in wild baboons.},
Journal = {Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London.
Series B, Biological sciences},
Volume = {377},
Number = {1845},
Pages = {20200441},
Year = {2022},
Month = {February},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2020.0441},
Abstract = {The social environment is a major determinant of morbidity,
mortality and Darwinian fitness in social animals. Recent
studies have begun to uncover the molecular processes
associated with these relationships, but the degree to which
they vary across different dimensions of the social
environment remains unclear. Here, we draw on a long-term
field study of wild baboons to compare the signatures of
affiliative and competitive aspects of the social
environment in white blood cell gene regulation, under both
immune-stimulated and non-stimulated conditions. We find
that the effects of dominance rank on gene expression are
directionally opposite in males versus females, such that
high-ranking males resemble low-ranking females, and vice
versa. Among females, rank and social bond strength are both
reflected in the activity of cellular metabolism and
proliferation genes. However, while we observe pronounced
rank-related differences in baseline immune gene activity,
only bond strength predicts the fold-change response to
immune (lipopolysaccharide) stimulation. Together, our
results indicate that the directionality and magnitude of
social effects on gene regulation depend on the aspect of
the social environment under study. This heterogeneity may
help explain why social environmental effects on health and
longevity can also vary between measures. This article is
part of the theme issue 'The centennial of the pecking
order: current state and future prospects for the study of
dominance hierarchies'.},
Doi = {10.1098/rstb.2020.0441},
Key = {fds361297}
}
@article{fds363107,
Author = {Malani, A and Rosenbaum, S and Alberts, SC and Archie,
E},
Title = {Seeing the Future: A Better Way to Model and Test for
Adaptive Developmental Plasticity},
Booktitle = {bioRxiv},
Year = {2022},
Month = {February},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2022.02.10.479998},
Doi = {10.1101/2022.02.10.479998},
Key = {fds363107}
}
@article{fds366224,
Author = {Malani, A and Archie, E and Rosenbaum, S},
Title = {Conceptual and analytical approaches for modeling the
developmental origins of inequality},
Booktitle = {bioRxiv},
Year = {2022},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2022.02.10.479998},
Doi = {10.1101/2022.02.10.479998},
Key = {fds366224}
}
@article{fds365952,
Author = {Roche, K and Björk, J and Dasari, M and Grieneisen, L and Jansen, D and Gould, T and Gesquiere, L and Barreiro, L and Alberts, S and Blekhman,
R and Gilbert, J and Tung, J and Mukherjee, S and Archie,
E},
Title = {Universal gut microbial relationships in the gut microbiome
of wild baboons},
Volume = {12},
Pages = {e83152},
Booktitle = {bioRxiv},
Year = {2022},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2022.08.20.504530},
Abstract = {Ecological relationships between bacteria mediate the
services that gut microbiomes provide to their hosts.
Knowing the overall direction and strength of these
relationships is essential to learn how ecology scales up to
affect microbiome assembly, dynamics, and host health.
However, whether bacterial relationships are generalizable
across hosts or personalized to individual hosts is debated.
Here, we apply a robust, multinomial logistic-normal
modeling framework to extensive time series data (5534
samples from 56 baboon hosts over 13 years) to infer
thousands of correlations in bacterial abundance in
individual baboons and test the degree to which bacterial
abundance correlations are 'universal'. We also compare
these patterns to two human data sets. We find that, most
bacterial correlations are weak, negative, and universal
across hosts, such that shared correlation patterns dominate
over host-specific correlations by almost twofold. Further,
taxon pairs that had inconsistent correlation signs (either
positive or negative) in different hosts always had weak
correlations within hosts. From the host perspective, host
pairs with the most similar bacterial correlation patterns
also had similar microbiome taxonomic compositions and
tended to be genetic relatives. Compared to humans,
universality in baboons was similar to that in human
infants, and stronger than one data set from human adults.
Bacterial families that showed universal correlations in
human infants were often universal in baboons. Together, our
work contributes new tools for analyzing the universality of
bacterial associations across hosts, with implications for
microbiome personalization, community assembly, and
stability, and for designing microbiome interventions to
improve host health.},
Doi = {10.1101/2022.08.20.504530},
Key = {fds365952}
}
@article{fds366471,
Author = {Lange, E and Zeng, S and Campos, F and Li, F and Tung, J and Archie, E and Alberts, S},
Title = {Early life adversity and adult social relationships have
independent effects on survival in a wild animal model of
aging},
Booktitle = {bioRxiv},
Year = {2022},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2022.09.06.506810},
Doi = {10.1101/2022.09.06.506810},
Key = {fds366471}
}
@article{fds366473,
Author = {McLean, E and Moorad, J and Tung, J and Archie, E and Alberts,
S},
Title = {Genetic variance and indirect genetic effects for
affiliative social behavior in a wild primate},
Volume = {77},
Number = {7},
Pages = {1607-1621},
Booktitle = {bioRxiv},
Year = {2022},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2022.08.29.505695},
Abstract = {Affiliative social behaviors are linked to fitness
components in multiple species. However, the role of genetic
variance in shaping such behaviors remains largely unknown,
limiting our understanding of how affiliative behaviors can
respond to natural selection. Here, we employed the "animal
model" to estimate environmental and genetic sources of
variance and covariance in grooming behavior in the
well-studied Amboseli wild baboon population. We found that
the tendency for a female baboon to groom others ("grooming
given") is heritable (h2 = 0.22 ± 0.048), and that several
environmental variables-including dominance rank and the
availability of kin as grooming partners-contribute to
variance in this grooming behavior. We also detected small
but measurable variance due to the indirect genetic effect
of partner identity on the amount of grooming given within
dyadic grooming partnerships. The indirect and direct
genetic effects for grooming given were positively
correlated (r = 0.74 ± 0.09). Our results provide insight
into the evolvability of affiliative behavior in wild
animals, including the possibility for correlations between
direct and indirect genetic effects to accelerate the
response to selection. As such they provide novel
information about the genetic architecture of social
behavior in nature, with important implications for the
evolution of cooperation and reciprocity.},
Doi = {10.1101/2022.08.29.505695},
Key = {fds366473}
}
@article{fds367587,
Author = {Lange, E and Griffin, M and Fogel, A and Archie, E and Tung, J and Alberts,
S},
Title = {Heritable and sex-specific variation in the development of
social behavior in a wild primate},
Booktitle = {bioRxiv},
Year = {2022},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2022.10.21.513189},
Doi = {10.1101/2022.10.21.513189},
Key = {fds367587}
}
@article{fds366472,
Author = {Fogel, A and Oduor, P and Nyongesa, A and Kimwele, C and Alberts, S and Archie, E and Tung, J},
Title = {Ecology and age, but not genetic ancestry, predict fetal
loss in a wild baboon hybrid zone},
Volume = {180},
Number = {4},
Pages = {618-632},
Booktitle = {bioRxiv},
Year = {2022},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2022.09.03.505836},
Abstract = {<h4>Objectives</h4>Pregnancy failure represents a major
fitness cost for any mammal, particularly those with slow
life histories such as primates. Here, we quantified the
risk of fetal loss in wild hybrid baboons, including
genetic, ecological, and demographic sources of variance. We
were particularly interested in testing the hypothesis that
hybridization increases fetal loss rates. Such an effect
would help explain how baboons may maintain genetic and
phenotypic integrity despite interspecific gene
flow.<h4>Materials and methods</h4>We analyzed outcomes for
1020 pregnancies observed over 46 years in a natural
yellow baboon-anubis baboon hybrid zone. Fetal losses and
live births were scored based on records of female
reproductive state and the appearance of live neonates. We
modeled the probability of fetal loss as a function of a
female's genetic ancestry (the proportion of her genome
estimated to be descended from anubis [vs. yellow]
ancestors), age, number of previous fetal losses, dominance
rank, group size, climate, and habitat quality using
binomial mixed effects models.<h4>Results</h4>Female genetic
ancestry did not predict fetal loss. Instead, the risk of
fetal loss is elevated for very young and very old females.
Fetal loss is most robustly predicted by ecological factors,
including poor habitat quality prior to a home range shift
and extreme heat during pregnancy.<h4>Discussion</h4>Our
results suggest that gene flow between yellow and anubis
baboons is not impeded by an increased risk of fetal loss
for hybrid females. Instead, ecological conditions and
female age are key determinants of this component of female
reproductive success.},
Doi = {10.1101/2022.09.03.505836},
Key = {fds366472}
}
@article{fds366474,
Author = {Zipple, M and Archie, E and Tung, J and Mututua, R and Warutere, K and Siodi, L and Altmann, J and Alberts, S},
Title = {Five decades of data yield no support for adaptive biasing
of offspring sex ratio in wild baboons (Papio
cynocephalus)},
Volume = {202},
Number = {4},
Pages = {383-398},
Booktitle = {bioRxiv},
Publisher = {University of Chicago Press},
Year = {2022},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2022.08.28.505562},
Abstract = {AbstractOver the past 50 years, a wealth of testable, often
conflicting hypotheses have been generated about the
evolution of offspring sex ratio manipulation by mothers.
Several of these hypotheses have received support in studies
of invertebrates and some vertebrate taxa. However, their
success in explaining sex ratios in mammalian
taxa-especially in primates-has been mixed. Here, we assess
the predictions of four different hypotheses about the
evolution of biased offspring sex ratios in the baboons of
the Amboseli basin in Kenya: the Trivers-Willard, female
rank enhancement, local resource competition, and local
resource enhancement hypotheses. Using the largest sample
size ever analyzed in a primate population (n=1,372
offspring), we test the predictions of each hypothesis.
Overall, we find no support for adaptive biasing of sex
ratios. Offspring sex is not consistently related to
maternal dominance rank or biased toward the dispersing sex,
nor is it predicted by group size, population growth rates,
or their interaction with maternal rank. Because our sample
size confers power to detect even subtle biases in sex
ratio, including modulation by environmental heterogeneity,
these results suggest that adaptive biasing of offspring sex
does not occur in this population.},
Doi = {10.1101/2022.08.28.505562},
Key = {fds366474}
}
@article{fds360543,
Author = {Lerch, BA and Abbott, KC and Archie, EA and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Better baboon break-ups: collective decision theory of
complex social network fissions.},
Journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences},
Volume = {288},
Number = {1964},
Pages = {20212060},
Year = {2021},
Month = {December},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2021.2060},
Abstract = {Many social groups are made up of complex social networks in
which each individual associates with a distinct subset of
its groupmates. If social groups become larger over time,
competition often leads to a permanent group fission. During
such fissions, complex social networks present a collective
decision problem and a multidimensional optimization
problem: it is advantageous for each individual to remain
with their closest allies after a fission, but impossible
for every individual to do so. Here, we develop
computational algorithms designed to simulate group fissions
in a network-theoretic framework. We focus on three fission
algorithms (democracy, community and despotism) that fall on
a spectrum from a democratic to a dictatorial collective
decision. We parameterize our social networks with data from
wild baboons (<i>Papio cynocephalus</i>) and compare our
simulated fissions with actual baboon fission events. We
find that the democracy and community algorithms
(egalitarian decisions where each individual influences the
outcome) better maintain social networks during simulated
fissions than despotic decisions (driven primarily by a
single individual). We also find that egalitarian decisions
are better at predicting the observed individual-level
outcomes of observed fissions, although the observed
fissions often disturbed their social networks more than the
simulated egalitarian fissions.},
Doi = {10.1098/rspb.2021.2060},
Key = {fds360543}
}
@article{fds358806,
Author = {Fogel, AS and McLean, EM and Gordon, JB and Archie, EA and Tung, J and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Genetic ancestry predicts male-female affiliation in a
natural baboon hybrid zone.},
Journal = {Animal behaviour},
Volume = {180},
Pages = {249-268},
Publisher = {Elsevier BV},
Year = {2021},
Month = {October},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.07.009},
Abstract = {Opposite-sex social relationships are important predictors
of fitness in many animals, including several group-living
mammals. Consequently, understanding sources of variance in
the tendency to form opposite-sex relationships is important
for understanding social evolution. Genetic contributions
are of particular interest due to their importance in
long-term evolutionary change, but little is known about
genetic effects on male-female relationships in social
mammals, especially outside of the mating context. Here, we
investigate the effects of genetic ancestry on male-female
affiliative behaviour in a hybrid zone between the yellow
baboon, <i>Papio cynocephalus</i>, and the anubis baboon,
<i>Papio anubis</i>, in a population in which male-female
social bonds are known predictors of life span. We place our
analysis within the context of other social and demographic
predictors of affiliative behaviour in baboons. Genetic
ancestry was the most consistent predictor of opposite-sex
affiliative behaviour we observed, with the exception of
strong effects of dominance rank. Our results show that
increased anubis genetic ancestry is associated with a
subtle, but significantly higher, probability of
opposite-sex affiliative behaviour, in both males and
females. Additionally, pairs of anubis-like males and
anubis-like females were the most likely to socially
affiliate, resulting in moderate assortativity in grooming
and proximity behaviour as a function of genetic ancestry.
Our findings indicate that opposite-sex affiliative
behaviour partially diverged during baboon evolution to
differentiate yellow and anubis baboons, despite overall
similarities in their social structures and mating systems.
Furthermore, they suggest that affiliative behaviour may
simultaneously promote and constrain baboon admixture,
through additive and assortative effects of ancestry,
respectively.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2021.07.009},
Key = {fds358806}
}
@article{fds355661,
Author = {Zipple, MN and Roberts, EK and Alberts, SC and Beehner,
JC},
Title = {The Bruce effect should be defined by function, not
mechanism: comments on ‘How to escape male infanticide:
mechanisms for avoiding or terminating pregnancy in
mammals’},
Journal = {Mammal Review},
Volume = {51},
Number = {4},
Pages = {596-599},
Year = {2021},
Month = {October},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mam.12250},
Abstract = {Bartoš et al. (2021; Mammal Review 51: 143–153;
https://doi.org/10.1111/mam.12219) reviewed the mechanisms
involved in the ‘Bruce effect’ – a phenomenon
originally documented in inseminated female house mice Mus
musculus, who block pregnancy following exposure to a novel
(non-sire) male. They argue that the term ‘Bruce effect’
should be applied in cases that are mechanistically
equivalent to this original observation in mice. We argue
that the Bruce effect should be defined instead by its
function: a phenomenon by which inseminated or pregnant
females benefit by blocking or terminating pregnancy
following exposure to a non-sire male. Only functional
definitions of phenomena allow for the articulation and
testing of evolutionary hypotheses.},
Doi = {10.1111/mam.12250},
Key = {fds355661}
}
@article{fds359021,
Author = {Lea, AJ and Akinyi, MY and Nyakundi, R and Mareri, P and Nyundo, F and Kariuki, T and Alberts, SC and Archie, EA and Tung,
J},
Title = {Erratum: Dominance rank-associated gene expression is
widespread, sex-specific, and a precursor to high social
status in wild male baboons (Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences of the United States of America (2018)
115 (E12163–E12171) DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1811967115)},
Journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
United States of America},
Volume = {118},
Number = {36},
Year = {2021},
Month = {September},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2114104118},
Abstract = {Correction to Supporting Information for “Dominance
rank-associated gene expression is widespread, sex-specific,
and a precursor to high social status in wild male
baboons,” by Amanda J. Lea, Mercy Y. Akinyi, Ruth
Nyakundi, Peter Mareri, Fred Nyundo, Thomas Kariuki, Susan
C. Alberts, Elizabeth A. Archie, and Jenny Tung, which was
first published December 11, 2018; 10.1073/pnas.1811967115
(Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 115, E12163–E12171). The
authors note that, in the SI Appendix, the concentration of
the lipopolysaccharide stimulant on page 3, first full
paragraph, line 4 was reported incorrectly. Subsequently,
“1 ug/mL lipopolysaccharide” should instead appear as
“0.1 ug/mL lipopolysaccharide.” The SI Appendix has been
corrected online.},
Doi = {10.1073/pnas.2114104118},
Key = {fds359021}
}
@article{fds357895,
Author = {Grieneisen, L and Dasari, M and Gould, TJ and Björk, JR and Grenier,
J-C and Yotova, V and Jansen, D and Gottel, N and Gordon, JB and Learn, NH and Gesquiere, LR and Wango, TL and Mututua, RS and Warutere, JK and Siodi,
L and Gilbert, JA and Barreiro, LB and Alberts, SC and Tung, J and Archie,
EA and Blekhman, R},
Title = {Gut microbiome heritability is nearly universal but
environmentally contingent.},
Journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
Volume = {373},
Number = {6551},
Pages = {181-186},
Year = {2021},
Month = {July},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aba5483},
Abstract = {Relatives have more similar gut microbiomes than
nonrelatives, but the degree to which this similarity
results from shared genotypes versus shared environments has
been controversial. Here, we leveraged 16,234 gut microbiome
profiles, collected over 14 years from 585 wild baboons, to
reveal that host genetic effects on the gut microbiome are
nearly universal. Controlling for diet, age, and
socioecological variation, 97% of microbiome phenotypes were
significantly heritable, including several reported as
heritable in humans. Heritability was typically low (mean =
0.068) but was systematically greater in the dry season,
with low diet diversity, and in older hosts. We show that
longitudinal profiles and large sample sizes are crucial to
quantifying microbiome heritability, and indicate scope for
selection on microbiome characteristics as a host
phenotype.},
Doi = {10.1126/science.aba5483},
Key = {fds357895}
}
@article{fds358287,
Author = {Zeng, S and Rosenbaum, S and Alberts, SC and Archie, EA and Li,
F},
Title = {Causal mediation analysis for sparse and irregular
longitudinal data},
Journal = {Annals of Applied Statistics},
Volume = {15},
Number = {2},
Pages = {747-767},
Year = {2021},
Month = {June},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1214/20-AOAS1427},
Abstract = {Causal mediation analysis seeks to investigate how the
treatment effect of an exposure on outcomes is mediated
through intermediate variables. Although many applications
involve longitudinal data, the existing methods are not
directly applicable to settings where the mediator and
outcome are measured on sparse and irregular time grids. We
extend the existing causal mediation framework from a
functional data analysis perspective, viewing the sparse and
irregular longitudinal data as realizations of underlying
smooth stochastic processes. We define causal estimands of
direct and indirect effects accordingly and provide
corresponding identification assumptions. For estimation and
inference, we employ a functional principal component
analysis approach for dimension reduction and use the first
few functional principal components instead of the whole
trajectories in the structural equation models. We adopt the
Bayesian paradigm to accurately quantify the uncertainties.
The operating characteristics of the proposed methods are
examined via simulations. We apply the proposed methods to a
longitudinal data set from a wild baboon population in Kenya
to investigate the causal relationships between early
adversity, strength of social bonds between animals and
adult glucocorticoid hormone concentrations. We find that
early adversity has a significant direct effect (a 9-14%
increase) on females’ glucocorticoid concentrations across
adulthood but find little evidence that these effects were
mediated by weak social bonds.},
Doi = {10.1214/20-AOAS1427},
Key = {fds358287}
}
@article{fds357290,
Author = {Colchero, F and Aburto, JM and Archie, EA and Boesch, C and Breuer, T and Campos, FA and Collins, A and Conde, DA and Cords, M and Crockford, C and Thompson, ME and Fedigan, LM and Fichtel, C and Groenenberg, M and Hobaiter, C and Kappeler, PM and Lawler, RR and Lewis, RJ and Machanda,
ZP and Manguette, ML and Muller, MN and Packer, C and Parnell, RJ and Perry, S and Pusey, AE and Robbins, MM and Seyfarth, RM and Silk, JB and Staerk, J and Stoinski, TS and Stokes, EJ and Strier, KB and Strum, SC and Tung, J and Villavicencio, F and Wittig, RM and Wrangham, RW and Zuberbühler, K and Vaupel, JW and Alberts, SC},
Title = {The long lives of primates and the 'invariant rate of
ageing' hypothesis.},
Journal = {Nature communications},
Volume = {12},
Number = {1},
Pages = {3666},
Year = {2021},
Month = {June},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41467-021-23894-3},
Abstract = {Is it possible to slow the rate of ageing, or do biological
constraints limit its plasticity? We test the 'invariant
rate of ageing' hypothesis, which posits that the rate of
ageing is relatively fixed within species, with a collection
of 39 human and nonhuman primate datasets across seven
genera. We first recapitulate, in nonhuman primates, the
highly regular relationship between life expectancy and
lifespan equality seen in humans. We next demonstrate that
variation in the rate of ageing within genera is orders of
magnitude smaller than variation in pre-adult and
age-independent mortality. Finally, we demonstrate that
changes in the rate of ageing, but not other mortality
parameters, produce striking, species-atypical changes in
mortality patterns. Our results support the invariant rate
of ageing hypothesis, implying biological constraints on how
much the human rate of ageing can be slowed.},
Doi = {10.1038/s41467-021-23894-3},
Key = {fds357290}
}
@article{fds355776,
Author = {Anderson, JA and Johnston, RA and Lea, AJ and Campos, FA and Voyles, TN and Akinyi, MY and Alberts, SC and Archie, EA and Tung,
J},
Title = {High social status males experience accelerated epigenetic
aging in wild baboons.},
Journal = {eLife},
Volume = {10},
Pages = {e66128},
Year = {2021},
Month = {April},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.66128},
Abstract = {Aging, for virtually all life, is inescapable. However,
within populations, biological aging rates vary.
Understanding sources of variation in this process is
central to understanding the biodemography of natural
populations. We constructed a DNA methylation-based age
predictor for an intensively studied wild baboon population
in Kenya. Consistent with findings in humans, the resulting
'epigenetic clock' closely tracks chronological age, but
individuals are predicted to be somewhat older or younger
than their known ages. Surprisingly, these deviations are
not explained by the strongest predictors of lifespan in
this population, early adversity and social integration.
Instead, they are best predicted by male dominance rank:
high-ranking males are predicted to be older than their true
ages, and epigenetic age tracks changes in rank over time.
Our results argue that achieving high rank for male baboons
- the best predictor of reproductive success - imposes costs
consistent with a 'live fast, die young' life-history
strategy.},
Doi = {10.7554/elife.66128},
Key = {fds355776}
}
@article{fds355933,
Author = {Campos, FA and Archie, EA and Gesquiere, LR and Tung, J and Altmann, J and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Glucocorticoid exposure predicts survival in female
baboons.},
Journal = {Science advances},
Volume = {7},
Number = {17},
Pages = {eabf6759},
Year = {2021},
Month = {April},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abf6759},
Abstract = {Are differences in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis
activation across the adult life span linked to differences
in survival? This question has been the subject of
considerable debate. We analyze the link between survival
and fecal glucocorticoid (GC) measures in a wild primate
population, leveraging an unusually extensive longitudinal
dataset of 14,173 GC measurements from 242 adult female
baboons over 1634 female years. We document a powerful link
between GCs and survival: Females with relatively high
current GCs or high lifelong cumulative GCs face an elevated
risk of death. A hypothetical female who maintained GCs in
the top 90% for her age across adulthood would be expected
to lose 5.4 years of life relative to a female who
maintained GCs in the bottom 10% for her age. Hence,
differences among individuals in HPA axis activity provide
valuable prognostic information about disparities in life
span.},
Doi = {10.1126/sciadv.abf6759},
Key = {fds355933}
}
@article{fds354523,
Author = {Zipple, MN and Altmann, J and Campos, FA and Cords, M and Fedigan, LM and Lawler, RR and Lonsdorf, EV and Perry, S and Pusey, AE and Stoinski, TS and Strier, KB and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Maternal death and offspring fitness in multiple wild
primates.},
Journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
United States of America},
Volume = {118},
Number = {1},
Pages = {e2015317118},
Year = {2021},
Month = {January},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2015317118},
Abstract = {Primate offspring often depend on their mothers well beyond
the age of weaning, and offspring that experience maternal
death in early life can suffer substantial reductions in
fitness across the life span. Here, we leverage data from
eight wild primate populations (seven species) to examine
two underappreciated pathways linking early maternal death
and offspring fitness that are distinct from direct effects
of orphaning on offspring survival. First, we show that, for
five of the seven species, offspring face reduced survival
during the years immediately preceding maternal death, while
the mother is still alive. Second, we identify an
intergenerational effect of early maternal loss in three
species (muriquis, baboons, and blue monkeys), such that
early maternal death experienced in one generation leads to
reduced offspring survival in the next. Our results have
important implications for the evolution of slow life
histories in primates, as they suggest that maternal
condition and survival are more important for offspring
fitness than previously realized.},
Doi = {10.1073/pnas.2015317118},
Key = {fds354523}
}
@article{fds363028,
Author = {Vilgalys, T and Fogel, A and Mututua, R and Kinyua Warutere and J and Siodi, L and Anderson, J and Kim, SY and Voyles, T and Robinson, J and Wall, J and Archie, E and Alberts, S and Tung, J},
Title = {Selection against admixture and gene regulatory divergence
in a long-term primate field study},
Volume = {377},
Number = {6606},
Pages = {635-641},
Year = {2021},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2021.08.19.456711},
Abstract = {Admixture has profoundly influenced evolution across the
tree of life, including in humans and other primates 1,2 .
However, we have limited insight into the genetic and
phenotypic consequences of admixture in primates, especially
during its key early stages. Here, we address this gap by
combining 50 years of field observations with population and
functional genomic data from yellow ( Papio cynocephalus )
and anubis ( P. anubis ) baboons in Kenya, in a
longitudinally studied population that has experienced both
historical and recent admixture 3 . We use whole-genome
sequencing to characterize the extent of the hybrid zone,
estimate local ancestry for 442 known individuals, and
predict the landscape of introgression across the genome.
Despite no major fitness costs to hybrids, we identify
signatures of selection against introgression that are
strikingly similar to those described for archaic hominins
4–6 . These signatures are strongest near loci with large
ancestry effects on gene expression, supporting the
importance of gene regulation in primate evolution and the
idea that selection targeted large regulatory effects
following archaic hominin admixture 7,8 . Our results show
that genomic data and field observations of hybrids are
important and mutually informative. They therefore
demonstrate the value of other primates as living models for
phenomena that we cannot observe in our own
lineage.},
Doi = {10.1101/2021.08.19.456711},
Key = {fds363028}
}
@article{fds352369,
Author = {Campos, FA and Villavicencio, F and Archie, EA and Colchero, F and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Social bonds, social status and survival in wild baboons: a
tale of two sexes.},
Journal = {Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London.
Series B, Biological sciences},
Volume = {375},
Number = {1811},
Pages = {20190621},
Year = {2020},
Month = {November},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstb.2019.0621},
Abstract = {People who are more socially integrated or have higher
socio-economic status live longer. Recent studies in
non-human primates show striking convergences with this
human pattern: female primates with more social partners,
stronger social bonds or higher dominance rank all lead
longer lives. However, it remains unclear whether social
environments also predict survival in male non-human
primates, as it does in men. This gap persists because, in
most primates, males disperse among social groups, resulting
in many males who disappear with unknown fate and have
unknown dates of birth. We present a Bayesian model to
estimate the effects of time-varying social covariates on
age-specific adult mortality in both sexes of wild baboons.
We compare how the survival trajectories of both sexes are
linked to social bonds and social status over the life. We
find that, parallel to females, male baboons who are more
strongly bonded to females have longer lifespans. However,
males with higher dominance rank for their age appear to
have shorter lifespans. This finding brings new
understanding to the adaptive significance of heterosexual
social bonds for male baboons: in addition to protecting the
male's offspring from infanticide, these bonds may have
direct benefits to males themselves. This article is part of
the theme issue 'Evolution of the primate ageing
process'.},
Doi = {10.1098/rstb.2019.0621},
Key = {fds352369}
}
@article{fds352370,
Author = {Weibel, CJ and Tung, J and Alberts, SC and Archie,
EA},
Title = {Accelerated reproduction is not an adaptive response to
early-life adversity in wild baboons.},
Journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
United States of America},
Volume = {117},
Number = {40},
Pages = {24909-24919},
Year = {2020},
Month = {October},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2004018117},
Abstract = {In humans and other long-lived species, harsh conditions in
early life often lead to profound differences in adult life
expectancy. In response, natural selection is expected to
accelerate the timing and pace of reproduction in
individuals who experience some forms of early-life
adversity. However, the adaptive benefits of reproductive
acceleration following early adversity remain untested.
Here, we test a recent version of this theory, the internal
predictive adaptive response (iPAR) model, by assessing
whether accelerating reproduction following early-life
adversity leads to higher lifetime reproductive success. We
do so by leveraging 48 y of continuous, individual-based
data from wild female baboons in the Amboseli ecosystem in
Kenya, including prospective, longitudinal data on multiple
sources of nutritional and psychosocial adversity in early
life; reproductive pace; and lifetime reproductive success.
We find that while early-life adversity led to dramatically
shorter lifespans, individuals who experienced early
adversity did not accelerate their reproduction compared
with those who did not experience early adversity. Further,
while accelerated reproduction predicted increased lifetime
reproductive success overall, these benefits were not
specific to females who experienced early-life adversity.
Instead, females only benefited from reproductive
acceleration if they also led long lives. Our results call
into question the theory that accelerated reproduction is an
adaptive response to both nutritional and psychosocial
sources of early-life adversity in baboons and other
long-lived species.},
Doi = {10.1073/pnas.2004018117},
Key = {fds352370}
}
@article{fds351178,
Author = {Levy, EJ and Gesquiere, LR and McLean, E and Franz, M and Warutere, JK and Sayialel, SN and Mututua, RS and Wango, TL and Oudu, VK and Altmann, J and Archie, EA and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Higher dominance rank is associated with lower
glucocorticoids in wild female baboons: A rank metric
comparison.},
Journal = {Hormones and behavior},
Volume = {125},
Pages = {104826},
Year = {2020},
Month = {September},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104826},
Abstract = {In vertebrates, glucocorticoid secretion occurs in response
to energetic and psychosocial stressors that trigger the
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Measuring
glucocorticoid concentrations can therefore shed light on
the stressors associated with different social and
environmental variables, including dominance rank. Using
14,172 fecal samples from 237 wild female baboons, we test
the hypothesis that high-ranking females experience fewer
psychosocial and/or energetic stressors than lower-ranking
females. We predicted that high-ranking females would have
lower fecal glucocorticoid (fGC) concentrations than
low-ranking females. Because dominance rank can be measured
in multiple ways, we employ an information theoretic
approach to compare 5 different measures of rank as
predictors of fGC concentrations: ordinal rank; proportional
rank; Elo rating; and two approaches to categorical ranking
(alpha vs non-alpha and high-middle-low). Our hypothesis was
supported, but it was also too simplistic. We found that
alpha females exhibited substantially lower fGCs than other
females (typical reduction = 8.2%). If we used
proportional rank instead of alpha versus non-alpha status
in the model, we observed a weak effect of rank such that
fGCs rose 4.2% from the highest- to lowest-ranking female in
the hierarchy. Models using ordinal rank, Elo rating, or
high-middle-low categories alone failed to explain variation
in female fGCs. Our findings shed new light on the
association between dominance rank and the stress response,
the competitive landscape of female baboons as compared to
males, and the assumptions inherent in a researcher's choice
of rank metric.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104826},
Key = {fds351178}
}
@article{fds352212,
Author = {Levy, EJ and Zipple, MN and McLean, E and Campos, FA and Dasari, M and Fogel, AS and Franz, M and Gesquiere, LR and Gordon, JB and Grieneisen,
L and Habig, B and Jansen, DJ and Learn, NH and Weibel, CJ and Altmann, J and Alberts, SC and Archie, EA},
Title = {A comparison of dominance rank metrics reveals multiple
competitive landscapes in an animal society.},
Journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences},
Volume = {287},
Number = {1934},
Pages = {20201013},
Year = {2020},
Month = {September},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2020.1013},
Abstract = {Across group-living animals, linear dominance hierarchies
lead to disparities in access to resources, health outcomes
and reproductive performance. Studies of how dominance rank
predicts these traits typically employ one of several
dominance rank metrics without examining the assumptions
each metric makes about its underlying competitive
processes. Here, we compare the ability of two dominance
rank metrics-simple ordinal rank and proportional or
'standardized' rank-to predict 20 traits in a wild baboon
population in Amboseli, Kenya. We propose that simple
ordinal rank best predicts traits when competition is
density-dependent, whereas proportional rank best predicts
traits when competition is density-independent. We found
that for 75% of traits (15/20), one rank metric performed
better than the other. Strikingly, all male traits were best
predicted by simple ordinal rank, whereas female traits were
evenly split between proportional and simple ordinal rank.
Hence, male and female traits are shaped by different
competitive processes: males are largely driven by
density-dependent resource access (e.g. access to oestrous
females), whereas females are shaped by both
density-independent (e.g. distributed food resources) and
density-dependent resource access. This method of comparing
how different rank metrics predict traits can be used to
distinguish between different competitive processes
operating in animal societies.},
Doi = {10.1098/rspb.2020.1013},
Key = {fds352212}
}
@article{fds351177,
Author = {Rosenbaum, S and Zeng, S and Campos, FA and Gesquiere, LR and Altmann,
J and Alberts, SC and Li, F and Archie, EA},
Title = {Social bonds do not mediate the relationship between early
adversity and adult glucocorticoids in wild
baboons.},
Journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
United States of America},
Volume = {117},
Number = {33},
Pages = {20052-20062},
Year = {2020},
Month = {August},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2004524117},
Abstract = {In humans and other animals, harsh conditions in early life
can have profound effects on adult physiology, including the
stress response. This relationship may be mediated by a lack
of supportive relationships in adulthood. That is, early
life adversity may inhibit the formation of supportive
social ties, and weak social support is itself often linked
to dysregulated stress responses. Here, we use prospective,
longitudinal data from wild baboons in Kenya to test the
links between early adversity, adult social bonds, and adult
fecal glucocorticoid hormone concentrations (a measure of
hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal [HPA] axis activation and the
stress response). Using a causal inference framework, we
found that experiencing one or more sources of early
adversity led to a 9 to 14% increase in females'
glucocorticoid concentrations across adulthood. However,
these effects were not mediated by weak social bonds: The
direct effects of early adversity on adult glucocorticoid
concentrations were 11 times stronger than the effects
mediated by social bonds. This pattern occurred, in part,
because the effect of social bonds on glucocorticoids was
weak compared to the powerful effects of early adversity on
glucocorticoid levels in adulthood. Hence, in female
baboons, weak social bonds in adulthood are not enough to
explain the effects of early adversity on glucocorticoid
concentrations. Together, our results support the
well-established notions that early adversity and weak
social bonds both predict poor adult health. However, the
magnitudes of these two effects differ considerably, and
they may act independently of one another.},
Doi = {10.1073/pnas.2004524117},
Key = {fds351177}
}
@article{fds352728,
Author = {Noonan, MJ and Fleming, CH and Tucker, MA and Kays, R and Harrison, A-L and Crofoot, MC and Abrahms, B and Alberts, SC and Ali, AH and Altmann, J and Antunes, PC and Attias, N and Belant, JL and Beyer, DE and Bidner, LR and Blaum, N and Boone, RB and Caillaud, D and de Paula, RC and de la Torre,
JA and Dekker, J and DePerno, CS and Farhadinia, M and Fennessy, J and Fichtel, C and Fischer, C and Ford, A and Goheen, JR and Havmøller, RW and Hirsch, BT and Hurtado, C and Isbell, LA and Janssen, R and Jeltsch, F and Kaczensky, P and Kaneko, Y and Kappeler, P and Katna, A and Kauffman, M and Koch, F and Kulkarni, A and LaPoint, S and Leimgruber, P and Macdonald,
DW and Markham, AC and McMahon, L and Mertes, K and Moorman, CE and Morato,
RG and Moßbrucker, AM and Mourão, G and O'Connor, D and Oliveira-Santos, LGR and Pastorini, J and Patterson, BD and Rachlow,
J and Ranglack, DH and Reid, N and Scantlebury, DM and Scott, DM and Selva,
N and Sergiel, A and Songer, M and Songsasen, N and Stabach, JA and Stacy-Dawes, J and Swingen, MB and Thompson, JJ and Ullmann, W and Vanak, AT and Thaker, M and Wilson, JW and Yamazaki, K and Yarnell, RW and Zieba, F and Zwijacz-Kozica, T and Fagan, WF and Mueller, T and Calabrese, JM},
Title = {Effects of body size on estimation of mammalian area
requirements.},
Journal = {Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for
Conservation Biology},
Volume = {34},
Number = {4},
Pages = {1017-1028},
Year = {2020},
Month = {August},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/cobi.13495},
Abstract = {Accurately quantifying species' area requirements is a
prerequisite for effective area-based conservation. This
typically involves collecting tracking data on species of
interest and then conducting home-range analyses.
Problematically, autocorrelation in tracking data can result
in space needs being severely underestimated. Based on the
previous work, we hypothesized the magnitude of
underestimation varies with body mass, a relationship that
could have serious conservation implications. To evaluate
this hypothesis for terrestrial mammals, we estimated
home-range areas with global positioning system (GPS)
locations from 757 individuals across 61 globally
distributed mammalian species with body masses ranging from
0.4 to 4000 kg. We then applied block cross-validation to
quantify bias in empirical home-range estimates. Area
requirements of mammals <10 kg were underestimated by a mean
approximately15%, and species weighing approximately100 kg
were underestimated by approximately50% on average. Thus, we
found area estimation was subject to autocorrelation-induced
bias that was worse for large species. Combined with the
fact that extinction risk increases as body mass increases,
the allometric scaling of bias we observed suggests the most
threatened species are also likely to be those with the
least accurate home-range estimates. As a correction, we
tested whether data thinning or autocorrelation-informed
home-range estimation minimized the scaling effect of
autocorrelation on area estimates. Data thinning required an
approximately93% data loss to achieve statistical
independence with 95% confidence and was, therefore, not a
viable solution. In contrast, autocorrelation-informed
home-range estimation resulted in consistently accurate
estimates irrespective of mass. When relating body mass to
home range size, we detected that correcting for
autocorrelation resulted in a scaling exponent significantly
>1, meaning the scaling of the relationship changed
substantially at the upper end of the mass
spectrum.},
Doi = {10.1111/cobi.13495},
Key = {fds352728}
}
@article{fds349640,
Author = {Snyder-Mackler, N and Burger, JR and Gaydosh, L and Belsky, DW and Noppert, GA and Campos, FA and Bartolomucci, A and Yang, YC and Aiello,
AE and O'Rand, A and Harris, KM and Shively, CA and Alberts, SC and Tung,
J},
Title = {Social determinants of health and survival in humans and
other animals.},
Journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
Volume = {368},
Number = {6493},
Pages = {eaax9553},
Year = {2020},
Month = {May},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aax9553},
Abstract = {The social environment, both in early life and adulthood, is
one of the strongest predictors of morbidity and mortality
risk in humans. Evidence from long-term studies of other
social mammals indicates that this relationship is similar
across many species. In addition, experimental studies show
that social interactions can causally alter animal
physiology, disease risk, and life span itself. These
findings highlight the importance of the social environment
to health and mortality as well as Darwinian
fitness-outcomes of interest to social scientists and
biologists alike. They thus emphasize the utility of
cross-species analysis for understanding the predictors of,
and mechanisms underlying, social gradients in
health.},
Doi = {10.1126/science.aax9553},
Key = {fds349640}
}
@article{fds349049,
Author = {Gesquiere, LR and Habig, B and Hansen, C and Li, A and Freid, K and Learn,
NH and Alberts, SC and Graham, AL and Archie, EA},
Title = {Noninvasive measurement of mucosal immunity in a
free-ranging baboon population.},
Journal = {American journal of primatology},
Volume = {82},
Number = {2},
Pages = {e23093},
Year = {2020},
Month = {February},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajp.23093},
Abstract = {Ecoimmunological patterns and processes remain understudied
in wild primates, in part because of the lack of noninvasive
methods to measure immunity. Secretory immunoglobulin A
(sIgA) is the most abundant antibody present at mammalian
mucosal surfaces and provides an important first line of
defense against pathogens. Recent studies show that sIgA can
be measured noninvasively in feces and is a good marker of
mucosal immunity. Here we validated a commercial ELISA kit
to measure fecal IgA in baboons, tested the robustness of
its results to variation in collection and storage
conditions, and developed a cost-effective in-house ELISA
for baboon fecal IgA. Using data from the custom ELISA, we
assessed the relationship between fecal IgA concentrations
and gastrointestinal parasite burden, and tested how sex,
age, and reproductive effort predict fecal IgA in wild
baboons. We find that IgA concentrations can be measured in
baboon feces using an in-house ELISA and are highly
correlated to the values obtained with a commercial kit.
Fecal IgA concentrations are stable when extracts are stored
for up to 22 months at -20°C. Fecal IgA concentrations were
negatively correlated with parasite egg counts (Trichuris
trichiura), but not parasite richness. Fecal IgA did not
vary between the sexes, but for males, concentrations were
higher in adults versus adolescents. Lactating females had
significantly lower fecal IgA than pregnant females, but
neither pregnant nor lactating female concentrations
differed significantly from cycling females. Males who
engaged in more mate-guarding exhibited similar IgA
concentrations to those who engaged in little mate-guarding.
These patterns may reflect the low energetic costs of
mucosal immunity, or the complex dependence of IgA excretion
on individual condition. Adding a noninvasive measure of
mucosal immunity will promote a better understanding of how
ecology modulates possible tradeoffs between the immune
system and other energetically costly processes in the
wild.},
Doi = {10.1002/ajp.23093},
Key = {fds349049}
}
@article{fds363029,
Author = {Fogel, A and McLean, E and Gordon, J and Archie, E and Tung, J and Alberts,
S},
Title = {Genetic ancestry predicts male-female affiliation in a
natural baboon hybrid zone},
Year = {2020},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2020.10.28.358002},
Abstract = {<h4>ABSTRACT</h4> Opposite-sex social relationships are
important predictors of fitness in many animals, including
several group-living mammals. Consequently, understanding
sources of variance in the tendency to form opposite-sex
relationships is important for understanding social
evolution. Genetic contributions are of particular interest
due to their importance in long-term evolutionary change,
but little is known about genetic effects on male-female
relationships in social mammals, especially outside of the
mating context. Here, we investigate the effects of genetic
ancestry on male-female affiliative behavior in a hybrid
zone between the yellow baboon ( Papio cynocephalus ) and
the anubis baboon ( P. anubis ), in a population in which
male-female social bonds are known predictors of lifespan.
We place our analysis within the context of other social and
demographic predictors of affiliative behavior in baboons.
Genetic ancestry was the most consistent predictor of
opposite-sex affiliative behavior we observed, with the
exception of strong effects of dominance rank. Our results
show that increased anubis genetic ancestry is associated
with subtly, but significantly higher rates of opposite-sex
affiliative behavior, in both males and females.
Additionally, pairs of anubis-like males and anubis-like
females were the most likely to socially affiliate,
resulting in moderate assortativity in grooming and
proximity behavior as a function of genetic ancestry. Our
findings indicate that opposite-sex affiliative behavior
partially diverged during baboon evolution to differentiate
yellow and anubis baboons, despite overall similarities in
their social structures and mating systems. Further, they
suggest that affiliative behavior may simultaneously promote
and constrain baboon admixture, through additive and
assortative effects of ancestry, respectively.
<h4>HIGHLIGHTS</h4> Opposite-sex social relationships can
have important fitness consequences. In hybrid baboons,
genetic ancestry predicted male-female affiliative behavior.
Both an individual’s genetic ancestry and that of its
social partner mattered. Male-female affiliation was
assortative with respect to genetic ancestry. Dominance rank
and group demography also influenced male-female social
affiliation.},
Doi = {10.1101/2020.10.28.358002},
Key = {fds363029}
}
@article{fds363829,
Author = {Anderson, J and Johnston, R and Lea, A and Campos, F and Voyles, T and Akinyi, M and Alberts, S and Archie, E and Tung, J},
Title = {The costs of competition: high social status males
experience accelerated epigenetic aging in wild
baboons},
Year = {2020},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/2020.02.22.961052},
Abstract = {Aging, for virtually all life, is inescapable. However,
within populations, biological aging rates vary.
Understanding sources of variation in this process is
central to understanding the biodemography of natural
populations. We constructed a DNA methylation-based age
predictor for an intensively studied wild baboon population
in Kenya. Consistent with findings in humans, the resulting
“epigenetic clock” closely tracks chronological age, but
individuals are predicted to be somewhat older or younger
than their known ages. Surprisingly, these deviations are
not explained by the strongest predictors of lifespan in
this population, early adversity and social integration.
Instead, they are best predicted by male dominance rank:
high-ranking males are predicted to be older than their true
ages, and epigenetic age tracks changes in rank over time.
Our results argue that achieving high rank for male
baboons—the best predictor of reproductive
success—imposes costs consistent with a “live fast, die
young” life history strategy.},
Doi = {10.1101/2020.02.22.961052},
Key = {fds363829}
}
@article{fds349050,
Author = {McLean, EM and Archie, EA and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Lifetime Fitness in Wild Female Baboons: Trade-Offs and
Individual Heterogeneity in Quality.},
Journal = {The American naturalist},
Volume = {194},
Number = {6},
Pages = {745-759},
Year = {2019},
Month = {December},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/705810},
Abstract = {Understanding the evolution of life histories requires
information on how life histories vary among individuals and
how such variation predicts individual fitness. Using
complete life histories for females in a well-studied
population of wild baboons, we tested two nonexclusive
hypotheses about the relationships among survival,
reproduction, and fitness: the quality hypothesis, which
predicts positive correlations between life-history traits,
mediated by variation in resource acquisition, and the
trade-off hypothesis, which predicts negative correlations
between life-history traits, mediated by trade-offs in
resource allocation. In support of the quality hypothesis,
we found that females with higher rates of offspring
survival were themselves better at surviving. Further, after
statistically controlling for variation in female quality,
we found evidence for two types of trade-offs: females who
produced surviving offspring at a slower rate had longer
life spans than those who produced surviving offspring at a
faster rate, and females who produced surviving offspring at
a slower rate had a higher overall proportion of offspring
survive infancy than females who produced surviving
offspring at a faster rate. Importantly, these trade-offs
were evident even when accounting for (i) the influence of
offspring survival on maternal birth rate, (ii) the
dependence of offspring survival on maternal survival, and
(iii) potential age-related changes in birth rate and/or
offspring survival. Our results shed light on why trade-offs
are evident in some populations while variation in
individual quality masks trade-offs in others.},
Doi = {10.1086/705810},
Key = {fds349050}
}
@article{fds347006,
Author = {Fischer, J and Higham, JP and Alberts, SC and Barrett, L and Beehner,
JC and Bergman, TJ and Carter, AJ and Collins, A and Elton, S and Fagot, J and Ferreira da Silva and MJ and Hammerschmidt, K and Henzi, P and Jolly,
CJ and Knauf, S and Kopp, GH and Rogers, J and Roos, C and Ross, C and Seyfarth, RM and Silk, J and Snyder-Mackler, N and Staedele, V and Swedell, L and Wilson, ML and Zinner, D},
Title = {Insights into the evolution of social systems and species
from baboon studies.},
Journal = {eLife},
Volume = {8},
Pages = {e50989},
Year = {2019},
Month = {November},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.50989},
Abstract = {Baboons, members of the genus <i>Papio,</i> comprise six
closely related species distributed throughout sub-Saharan
Africa and southwest Arabia. The species exhibit more
ecological flexibility and a wider range of social systems
than many other primates. This article summarizes our
current knowledge of the natural history of baboons and
highlights directions for future research. We suggest that
baboons can serve as a valuable model for complex
evolutionary processes, such as speciation and
hybridization. The evolution of baboons has been heavily
shaped by climatic changes and population expansion and
fragmentation in the African savanna environment, similar to
the processes that acted during human evolution. With
accumulating long-term data, and new data from previously
understudied species, baboons are ideally suited for
investigating the links between sociality, health, longevity
and reproductive success. To achieve these aims, we propose
a closer integration of studies at the proximate level,
including functional genomics, with behavioral and
ecological studies.},
Doi = {10.7554/elife.50989},
Key = {fds347006}
}
@article{fds349051,
Author = {Habig, B and Jansen, DAWAM and Akinyi, MY and Gesquiere, LR and Alberts,
SC and Archie, EA},
Title = {Multi-scale predictors of parasite risk in wild male savanna
baboons (Papio cynocephalus)},
Journal = {Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology},
Volume = {73},
Number = {10},
Publisher = {Springer Science and Business Media LLC},
Year = {2019},
Month = {October},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00265-019-2748-y},
Abstract = {Abstract: Several factors are thought to shape male parasite
risk in polygynous and polygynandrous mammals, including
male-male competition, investment in potentially
immunosuppressive hormones, and dispersal. Parasitism is
also driven by processes occurring at larger scales,
including host social groups and populations. To date,
studies that test parasite-related costs of male behavior at
all three scales—individual hosts, social groups, and the
host population—remain rare. To fill this gap, we
investigated multi-scale predictors of helminth parasitism
in 97 male savanna baboons (Papio cynocephalus) living in
the Amboseli ecosystem in Kenya over a 5-year span.
Controlling for multi-scale processes, we found that many of
the classic indicators of male mating effort—high
dominance rank, testosterone, and glucocorticoids—did not
predict helminth infection risk. However, we identified two
parasite-related costs associated with male behavior: (i)
socially connected males exhibited higher Trichuris
trichiura egg counts and greater parasite species richness
than socially isolated males and (ii) males with stable
group residency exhibited higher parasite species richness
than males who frequently dispersed to new social groups. At
the population level, males harbored more parasites
following periods of drought than rainfall. Lastly,
parasites exhibited positive covariance suggesting that
infection risk increases if a host already harbors one or
more parasite taxa. These results indicate that multi-scale
processes are important in driving male parasite risk and
that some aspects of male behavior are costly. Together, our
results provide an unusually holistic perspective on the
drivers of parasite risk in the context of male behaviors
and life histories. Significance statement: Infection by
gastrointestinal helminths can have major consequences for
host fitness, especially in the context of male mating
effort. Multi-scale processes—from the host to its social
group and population—are important for understanding key
drivers of parasitism. We leveraged long-term data from one
of the longest running behavioral ecology studies of a wild
primate population in the world, the well-studied Amboseli
baboon population in Kenya. We found that traditional
indicators of male mating effort (attaining high dominance
rank, high testosterone and glucocorticoids) did not predict
parasitism. However, male social connectedness to females,
competitive group demography, and harsh weather were all
associated with higher parasitism. Because socially
connected males faced the highest parasite risk, males may
face a tradeoff between male-female relationships and
parasitism. Our results show how processes at multiple
scales contribute to variation in male parasite
risk.},
Doi = {10.1007/s00265-019-2748-y},
Key = {fds349051}
}
@article{fds346370,
Author = {Zipple, MN and Archie, EA and Tung, J and Altmann, J and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Intergenerational effects of early adversity on survival in
wild baboons.},
Journal = {eLife},
Volume = {8},
Pages = {e47433},
Year = {2019},
Month = {September},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.47433},
Abstract = {Early life adversity can affect an individual's health,
survival, and fertility for many years after the adverse
experience. Whether early life adversity also imposes
intergenerational effects on the exposed individual's
offspring is not well understood. We fill this gap by
leveraging prospective, longitudinal data on a wild,
long-lived primate. We find that juveniles whose mothers
experienced early life adversity exhibit high mortality
before age 4, independent of the juvenile's own experience
of early adversity. These juveniles often preceded their
mothers in death by 1 to 2 years, indicating that high
adversity females decline in their ability to raise
offspring near the end of life. While we cannot exclude
direct effects of a parent's environment on offspring
quality (e.g., inherited epigenetic changes), our results
are completely consistent with a classic parental effect, in
which the environment experienced by a parent affects its
future phenotype and therefore its offspring's
phenotype.},
Doi = {10.7554/elife.47433},
Key = {fds346370}
}
@article{fds343201,
Author = {Akinyi, MY and Jansen, D and Habig, B and Gesquiere, LR and Alberts, SC and Archie, EA},
Title = {Costs and drivers of helminth parasite infection in wild
female baboons.},
Journal = {The Journal of animal ecology},
Volume = {88},
Number = {7},
Pages = {1029-1043},
Year = {2019},
Month = {July},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.12994},
Abstract = {Helminth parasites can have wide-ranging, detrimental
effects on host reproduction and survival. These effects are
best documented in humans and domestic animals, while only a
few studies in wild mammals have identified both the forces
that drive helminth infection risk and their costs to
individual fitness. Working in a well-studied population of
wild baboons (Papio cynocephalus) in the Amboseli ecosystem
in Kenya, we pursued two goals, to (a) examine the costs of
helminth infections in terms of female fertility and
glucocorticoid hormone levels and (b) test how processes
operating at multiple scales-from individual hosts to social
groups and the population at large-work together to predict
variation in female infection risk. To accomplish these
goals, we measured helminth parasite burdens in 745 faecal
samples collected over 5 years from 122 female baboons. We
combine these data with detailed observations of host
environments, social behaviours, hormone levels and
interbirth intervals (IBIs). We found that helminths are
costly to female fertility: females infected with more
diverse parasite communities (i.e., higher parasite
richness) exhibited longer IBIs than females infected by
fewer parasite taxa. We also found that females exhibiting
high Trichuris trichiura egg counts also had high
glucocorticoid levels. Female infection risk was best
predicted by factors at the host, social group and
population level: females facing the highest risk were old,
socially isolated, living in dry conditions and infected
with other helminths. Our results provide an unusually
holistic understanding of the factors that contribute to
inter-individual differences in parasite infection, and they
contribute to just a handful of studies linking helminths to
host fitness in wild mammals.},
Doi = {10.1111/1365-2656.12994},
Key = {fds343201}
}
@article{fds341322,
Author = {Noonan, MJ and Tucker, MA and Fleming, CH and Akre, TS and Alberts, SC and Ali, AH and Altmann, J and Antunes, PC and Belant, JL and Beyer, D and Blaum, N and Böhning-Gaese, K and Cullen, L and de Paula, RC and Dekker, J and Drescher-Lehman, J and Farwig, N and Fichtel, C and Fischer, C and Ford, AT and Goheen, JR and Janssen, R and Jeltsch, F and Kauffman, M and Kappeler, PM and Koch, F and LaPoint, S and Markham, AC and Medici, EP and Morato, RG and Nathan, R and Oliveira-Santos, LGR and Olson, KA and Patterson, BD and Paviolo, A and Ramalho, EE and Rösner,
S and Schabo, DG and Selva, N and Sergiel, A and Xavier da Silva and M and Spiegel, O and Thompson, P and Ullmann, W and Zięba, F and Zwijacz-Kozica, T and Fagan, WF and Mueller, T and Calabrese,
JM},
Title = {A comprehensive analysis of autocorrelation and bias in home
range estimation},
Journal = {Ecological Monographs},
Volume = {89},
Number = {2},
Year = {2019},
Month = {May},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ecm.1344},
Abstract = {Home range estimation is routine practice in ecological
research. While advances in animal tracking technology have
increased our capacity to collect data to support home range
analysis, these same advances have also resulted in
increasingly autocorrelated data. Consequently, the question
of which home range estimator to use on modern, highly
autocorrelated tracking data remains open. This question is
particularly relevant given that most estimators assume
independently sampled data. Here, we provide a comprehensive
evaluation of the effects of autocorrelation on home range
estimation. We base our study on an extensive data set of
GPS locations from 369 individuals representing 27 species
distributed across five continents. We first assemble a
broad array of home range estimators, including Kernel
Density Estimation (KDE) with four bandwidth optimizers
(Gaussian reference function, autocorrelated-Gaussian
reference function [AKDE], Silverman's rule of thumb, and
least squares cross-validation), Minimum Convex Polygon, and
Local Convex Hull methods. Notably, all of these estimators
except AKDE assume independent and identically distributed
(IID) data. We then employ half-sample cross-validation to
objectively quantify estimator performance, and the recently
introduced effective sample size for home range area
estimation ((Formula presented.)) to quantify the
information content of each data set. We found that AKDE 95%
area estimates were larger than conventional IID-based
estimates by a mean factor of 2. The median number of
cross-validated locations included in the hold-out sets by
AKDE 95% (or 50%) estimates was 95.3% (or 50.1%), confirming
the larger AKDE ranges were appropriately selective at the
specified quantile. Conversely, conventional estimates
exhibited negative bias that increased with decreasing
(Formula presented.). To contextualize our empirical
results, we performed a detailed simulation study to tease
apart how sampling frequency, sampling duration, and the
focal animal's movement conspire to affect range estimates.
Paralleling our empirical results, the simulation study
demonstrated that AKDE was generally more accurate than
conventional methods, particularly for small (Formula
presented.). While 72% of the 369 empirical data sets had
>1,000 total observations, only 4% had an (Formula
presented.) >1,000, where 30% had an (Formula presented.)
<30. In this frequently encountered scenario of small
(Formula presented.), AKDE was the only estimator capable of
producing an accurate home range estimate on autocorrelated
data.},
Doi = {10.1002/ecm.1344},
Key = {fds341322}
}
@article{fds342537,
Author = {Zipple, MN and Roberts, EK and Alberts, SC and Beehner,
JC},
Title = {Male-mediated prenatal loss: Functions and
mechanisms.},
Journal = {Evolutionary anthropology},
Volume = {28},
Number = {3},
Pages = {114-125},
Year = {2019},
Month = {May},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/evan.21776},
Abstract = {Sexually selected infanticide has been the subject of
intense empirical and theoretical study for decades; a
related phenomenon, male-mediated prenatal loss, has
received much less attention in evolutionary studies.
Male-mediated prenatal loss occurs when inseminated or
pregnant females terminate reproductive effort following
exposure to a nonsire male, either through implantation
failure or pregnancy termination. Male-mediated prenatal
loss encompasses two sub-phenomena: sexually selected
feticide and the Bruce effect. In this review, we provide a
framework that explains the relationship between feticide
and the Bruce effect and describes what is known about the
proximate and ultimate mechanisms involved in each. Using a
simple model, we demonstrate that male-mediated prenatal
loss can provide greater reproductive benefits to males than
infanticide. We therefore suggest that, compared to
infanticide, male-mediated prenatal loss may be more
prevalent in mammalian species and may have played a greater
role in their social evolution than has previously been
documented.},
Doi = {10.1002/evan.21776},
Key = {fds342537}
}
@article{fds342749,
Author = {Grieneisen, LE and Charpentier, MJE and Alberts, SC and Blekhman, R and Bradburd, G and Tung, J and Archie, EA},
Title = {Genes, geology and germs: gut microbiota across a primate
hybrid zone are explained by site soil properties, not host
species.},
Journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences},
Volume = {286},
Number = {1901},
Pages = {20190431},
Year = {2019},
Month = {April},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2019.0431},
Abstract = {Gut microbiota in geographically isolated host populations
are often distinct. These differences have been attributed
to between-population differences in host behaviours,
environments, genetics and geographical distance. However,
which factors are most important remains unknown. Here, we
fill this gap for baboons by leveraging information on 13
environmental variables from 14 baboon populations spanning
a natural hybrid zone. Sampling across a hybrid zone allowed
us to additionally test whether phylosymbiosis
(codiversification between hosts and their microbiota) is
detectable in admixed, closely related primates. We found
little evidence of genetic effects: none of host genetic
ancestry, host genetic relatedness nor genetic distance
between host populations were strong predictors of baboon
gut microbiota. Instead, gut microbiota were best explained
by the baboons' environments, especially the soil's geologic
history and exchangeable sodium. Indeed, soil effects were
15 times stronger than those of host-population
F<sub>ST,</sub> perhaps because soil predicts which foods
are present, or because baboons are terrestrial and consume
soil microbes incidentally with their food. Our results
support an emerging picture in which environmental variation
is the dominant predictor of host-associated microbiomes. We
are the first to show that such effects overshadow host
species identity among members of the same primate
genus.},
Doi = {10.1098/rspb.2019.0431},
Key = {fds342749}
}
@article{fds340889,
Author = {Wango, TL and Musiega, D and Mundia, CN and Altmann, J and Alberts, SC and Tung, J},
Title = {Climate and Land Cover Analysis Suggest No Strong Ecological
Barriers to Gene Flow in a Natural Baboon Hybrid
Zone},
Journal = {International Journal of Primatology},
Volume = {40},
Number = {1},
Pages = {53-70},
Year = {2019},
Month = {February},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10764-017-9989-2},
Abstract = {Admixture between diverging taxa has made, and continues to
make, an important contribution to primate diversity and
evolution. However, although naturally occurring hybrids
have now been documented in all major primate lineages, we
still know relatively little about the factors that shape
when and where admixture occurs. Baboons (genus Papio), in
which multiple natural hybrid zones are well described,
provide a valuable system to investigate these factors.
Here, we combined Geographic Information Systems and weather
station data with information on genetically characterized
populations in southern Kenya to investigate if ecological
variables present a potential barrier to gene flow between
anubis baboons and yellow baboons in the region.
Specifically, we asked if altitude, seasonal temperature, or
seasonal precipitation differ for weather stations in
anubis, yellow, or hybrid ranges in southern Kenya, and if
land cover or altitude covary with population ancestry near
the hybrid zone. Our analyses suggest that the range of
yellow baboons in Kenya is climatically distinct from the
range of anubis baboons, with hybrids in intermediate
regions. However, we identified no clear pattern of climate
or land cover differentiation near the hybrid zone itself.
Thus, when yellow baboons and anubis baboons come into
contact, our data suggest that the resulting population
composition is not consistently predicted by the ecological
variables we considered. Our results support the designation
of baboons as highly flexible “generalists,” and suggest
that more fine-grained analyses (e.g., relative success in
ecologically stressful years) may be necessary to detect
clear signals of ecological barriers to gene
flow.},
Doi = {10.1007/s10764-017-9989-2},
Key = {fds340889}
}
@article{fds340427,
Author = {Colchero, F and Jones, OR and Conde, DA and Hodgson, D and Zajitschek,
F and Schmidt, BR and Malo, AF and Alberts, SC and Becker, PH and Bouwhuis,
S and Bronikowski, AM and De Vleeschouwer and KM and Delahay, RJ and Dummermuth, S and Fernández-Duque, E and Frisenvaenge, J and Hesselsøe, M and Larson, S and Lemaître, J-F and McDonald, J and Miller, DAW and O'Donnell, C and Packer, C and Raboy, BE and Reading,
CJ and Wapstra, E and Weimerskirch, H and While, GM and Baudisch, A and Flatt, T and Coulson, T and Gaillard, J-M},
Title = {The diversity of population responses to environmental
change.},
Journal = {Ecology letters},
Volume = {22},
Number = {2},
Pages = {342-353},
Year = {2019},
Month = {February},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/ele.13195},
Abstract = {The current extinction and climate change crises pressure us
to predict population dynamics with ever-greater accuracy.
Although predictions rest on the well-advanced theory of
age-structured populations, two key issues remain poorly
explored. Specifically, how the age-dependency in
demographic rates and the year-to-year interactions between
survival and fecundity affect stochastic population growth
rates. We use inference, simulations and mathematical
derivations to explore how environmental perturbations
determine population growth rates for populations with
different age-specific demographic rates and when ages are
reduced to stages. We find that stage- vs. age-based models
can produce markedly divergent stochastic population growth
rates. The differences are most pronounced when there are
survival-fecundity-trade-offs, which reduce the variance in
the population growth rate. Finally, the expected value and
variance of the stochastic growth rates of populations with
different age-specific demographic rates can diverge to the
extent that, while some populations may thrive, others will
inevitably go extinct.},
Doi = {10.1111/ele.13195},
Key = {fds340427}
}
@article{fds335219,
Author = {Alberts, SC},
Title = {Social influences on survival and reproduction: Insights
from a long-term study of wild baboons.},
Journal = {The Journal of animal ecology},
Volume = {88},
Number = {1},
Pages = {47-66},
Year = {2019},
Month = {January},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1365-2656.12887},
Abstract = {For social species, the environment has two components:
physical and social. The social environment modifies the
individual's interaction with the physical environment, and
the physical environment may in turn impact individuals'
social relationships. This interplay can generate
considerable variation among individuals in survival and
reproduction. Here, I synthesize more than four decades of
research on the baboons of the Amboseli basin in southern
Kenya to illustrate how social and physical environments
interact to affect reproduction and survival. For immature
baboons, social behaviour can both mitigate and exacerbate
the challenge of survival. Only c. 50% of live-born females
and c. 44% of live-born males reach the median age of first
reproduction. Variation in pre-adult survival, growth and
development is associated with multiple aspects of the
social environment. For instance, conspecifics provide
direct care and are a major source of social knowledge about
food and the environment, but conspecifics can also
represent a direct threat to survival through infanticide.
In adulthood, both competition (within and between social
groups) and cooperative affiliation (i.e. collective action
and/or the exchange of social resources such as grooming)
are prominent features of baboon social life and have
important consequences for reproduction and survival. For
instance, adult females with higher social dominance ranks
have accelerated reproduction, and adult females that engage
in more frequent affiliative social interactions have higher
survival throughout adulthood. The early life environment
also has important consequences for adult reproduction and
survival, as in a number of other bird and mammal species.
In seasonal breeders, early life effects often apply to
entire cohorts; in contrast, in nonseasonal and highly
social species such as baboons, early life effects are more
individual-specific, stemming from considerable variation
not only in the early physical environment (even if they are
born in the same year) but also in the particulars of their
social environment.},
Doi = {10.1111/1365-2656.12887},
Key = {fds335219}
}
@article{fds339382,
Author = {Reese, AT and Pereira, FC and Schintlmeister, A and Berry, D and Wagner,
M and Hale, LP and Wu, A and Jiang, S and Durand, HK and Zhou, X and Premont,
RT and Diehl, AM and O'Connell, TM and Alberts, SC and Kartzinel, TR and Pringle, RM and Dunn, RR and Wright, JP and David,
LA},
Title = {Microbial nitrogen limitation in the mammalian large
intestine.},
Journal = {Nat Microbiol},
Volume = {3},
Number = {12},
Pages = {1441-1450},
Year = {2018},
Month = {December},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41564-018-0267-7},
Abstract = {Resource limitation is a fundamental factor governing the
composition and function of ecological communities. However,
the role of resource supply in structuring the intestinal
microbiome has not been established and represents a
challenge for mammals that rely on microbial symbionts for
digestion: too little supply might starve the microbiome
while too much might starve the host. We present evidence
that microbiota occupy a habitat that is limited in total
nitrogen supply within the large intestines of 30 mammal
species. Lowering dietary protein levels in mice reduced
their faecal concentrations of bacteria. A gradient of
stoichiometry along the length of the gut was consistent
with the hypothesis that intestinal nitrogen limitation
results from host absorption of dietary nutrients. Nitrogen
availability is also likely to be shaped by host-microbe
interactions: levels of host-secreted nitrogen were altered
in germ-free mice and when bacterial loads were reduced via
experimental antibiotic treatment. Single-cell spectrometry
revealed that members of the phylum Bacteroidetes consumed
nitrogen in the large intestine more readily than other
commensal taxa did. Our findings support a model where
nitrogen limitation arises from preferential host use of
dietary nutrients. We speculate that this resource
limitation could enable hosts to regulate microbial
communities in the large intestine. Commensal microbiota may
have adapted to nitrogen-limited settings, suggesting one
reason why excess dietary protein has been associated with
degraded gut-microbial ecosystems.},
Doi = {10.1038/s41564-018-0267-7},
Key = {fds339382}
}
@article{fds340052,
Author = {Lea, AJ and Akinyi, MY and Nyakundi, R and Mareri, P and Nyundo, F and Kariuki, T and Alberts, SC and Archie, EA and Tung,
J},
Title = {Dominance rank-associated gene expression is widespread,
sex-specific, and a precursor to high social status in wild
male baboons.},
Journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
United States of America},
Volume = {115},
Number = {52},
Pages = {E12163-E12171},
Year = {2018},
Month = {December},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1811967115},
Abstract = {In humans and other hierarchical species, social status is
tightly linked to variation in health and fitness-related
traits. Experimental manipulations of social status in
female rhesus macaques suggest that this relationship is
partially explained by status effects on immune gene
regulation. However, social hierarchies are established and
maintained in different ways across species: While some are
based on kin-directed nepotism, others emerge from direct
physical competition. We investigated how this variation
influences the relationship between social status and immune
gene regulation in wild baboons, where hierarchies in males
are based on fighting ability but female hierarchies are
nepotistic. We measured rank-related variation in gene
expression levels in adult baboons of both sexes at baseline
and in response to ex vivo stimulation with the bacterial
endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We identified >2,000
rank-associated genes in males, an order of magnitude more
than in females. In males, high status predicted increased
expression of genes involved in innate immunity and
preferential activation of the NF-κB-mediated
proinflammatory pathway, a pattern previously associated
with low status in female rhesus macaques. Using Mendelian
randomization, we reconcile these observations by
demonstrating that high status-associated gene expression
patterns are precursors, not consequences, of high social
status in males, in support of the idea that physiological
condition determines who attains high rank. Together, our
work provides a test of the relationship between social
status and immune gene regulation in wild primates. It also
emphasizes the importance of social context in shaping the
relationship between social status and immune
function.},
Doi = {10.1073/pnas.1811967115},
Key = {fds340052}
}
@article{fds332674,
Author = {Gesquiere, LR and Altmann, J and Archie, EA and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Interbirth intervals in wild baboons: Environmental
predictors and hormonal correlates.},
Journal = {American journal of physical anthropology},
Volume = {166},
Number = {1},
Pages = {107-126},
Year = {2018},
Month = {May},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.23407},
Abstract = {<h4>Objectives</h4>Interbirth intervals (IBIs) are a key
metric of female reproductive success; understanding how
they are regulated by environmental, social, and demographic
factors can provide insight into sources of variance in
female fitness.<h4>Materials and methods</h4>Using 36 years
of reproductive data on 490 IBIs for 160 wild female
baboons, we identified sources of variance in the duration
of IBIs and of their component phases: postpartum amenorrhea
(PPA), sexual cycling, and pregnancy. We also examined how
body fat and fecal hormone concentrations varied during
female IBIs.<h4>Results</h4>We found that IBIs tended to be
shorter (reproduction was accelerated) when female traits
and environmental variables promoted energy acquisition, but
with different specific effects for different component
phases of the IBI. We also found that females lost a
substantial amount of body fat during PPA, indicating that
PPA imposes accumulating energetic costs as it progresses.
Prior to cycle resumption females began to regain body fat;
body fat was stable across the cycling phase and increased
throughout most of pregnancy. However, body fat scores per
se were not associated with the duration of any of the
component phases. Finally, we found that fecal
glucocorticoid concentrations decreased as PPA progressed,
suggesting a decline in energetic stress over this phase.
Fecal progestogen and estrogen concentrations changed over
time during sexual cycling; the direction of these changes
depended on the phase of the sexual cycle (luteal versus
early or late follicular phases).<h4>Discussion</h4>Our
study lends insight into the energetic constraints on female
primate reproduction, revealing how female environments,
changes in body fat, and steroid hormone concentrations
relate to IBI duration and to reproductive
readiness.},
Doi = {10.1002/ajpa.23407},
Key = {fds332674}
}
@article{fds332675,
Author = {Gesquiere, LR and Pugh, M and Alberts, SC and Markham,
AC},
Title = {Estimation of energetic condition in wild baboons using
fecal thyroid hormone determination.},
Journal = {General and comparative endocrinology},
Volume = {260},
Pages = {9-17},
Year = {2018},
Month = {May},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.02.004},
Abstract = {Understanding how environmental and social factors affect
reproduction through variation in energetic condition
remains understudied in wild animals, in large part because
accurately and repeatedly measuring energetic condition in
the wild is a challenge. Thyroid hormones (THs), such as
triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), have a key role in
mitigating metabolic responses to energy intake and
expenditure, and therefore are considered important
biomarkers of an animal's energetic condition. Recent method
development has shown that T3 and T4 metabolites can be
measured in feces, but studies measuring THs in wild
populations remain rare. Here we measured fecal T3
metabolites (mT3) in baboons, and tested whether the
conditions of collection and storage used for steroid
hormones could also be used for mT3; we focused on mT3 as it
is the biologically active form of TH and because fecal T4
metabolites (mT4) were below detection levels in our
samples. We also tested if mT3 could be determined in
freeze-dried samples stored for long periods of time, and if
these concentrations reflected expected biological
variations across seasons and reproductive states. Our
results show that mT3 can be measured with accuracy and
precision in baboon feces. The conditions of collection and
storage we use for steroid hormones are appropriate for mT3
determination. In addition, mT3 concentrations can be
determined in samples stored at -20 °C for up to
9 years, and are not predicted by the amount of time in
storage. As expected, wild female baboons have lower mT3
concentrations during the dry season. Interestingly, mT3
concentrations are lower in pregnant and lactating females,
possibly reflecting an energy sparing mechanism. Retroactive
determination of mT3 concentration in stored, freeze-dried
feces opens the door to novel studies on the role of
energetic condition on fitness in wild animals.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.02.004},
Key = {fds332675}
}
@article{fds332676,
Author = {Tucker, MA and Böhning-Gaese, K and Fagan, WF and Fryxell, JM and Van
Moorter, B and Alberts, SC and Ali, AH and Allen, AM and Attias, N and Avgar, T and Bartlam-Brooks, H and Bayarbaatar, B and Belant, JL and Bertassoni, A and Beyer, D and Bidner, L and van Beest, FM and Blake, S and Blaum, N and Bracis, C and Brown, D and de Bruyn, PJN and Cagnacci, F and Calabrese, JM and Camilo-Alves, C and Chamaillé-Jammes, S and Chiaradia, A and Davidson, SC and Dennis, T and DeStefano, S and Diefenbach, D and Douglas-Hamilton, I and Fennessy, J and Fichtel, C and Fiedler, W and Fischer, C and Fischhoff, I and Fleming, CH and Ford, AT and Fritz, SA and Gehr, B and Goheen, JR and Gurarie, E and Hebblewhite, M and Heurich, M and Hewison, AJM and Hof, C and Hurme, E and Isbell, LA and Janssen, R and Jeltsch, F and Kaczensky, P and Kane, A and Kappeler, PM and Kauffman, M and Kays, R and Kimuyu, D and Koch, F and Kranstauber, B and LaPoint, S and Leimgruber, P and Linnell, JDC and López-López, P and Markham, AC and Mattisson, J and Medici, EP and Mellone, U and Merrill,
E and de Miranda Mourão and G and Morato, RG and Morellet, N and Morrison,
TA and Díaz-Muñoz, SL and Mysterud, A and Nandintsetseg, D and Nathan,
R and Niamir, A and Odden, J and O'Hara, RB and Oliveira-Santos, LGR and Olson, KA and Patterson, BD and Cunha de Paula and R and Pedrotti, L and Reineking, B and Rimmler, M and Rogers, TL and Rolandsen, CM and Rosenberry, CS and Rubenstein, DI and Safi, K and Saïd, S and Sapir, N and Sawyer, H and Schmidt, NM and Selva, N and Sergiel, A and Shiilegdamba,
E and Silva, JP and Singh, N and Solberg, EJ and Spiegel, O and Strand, O and Sundaresan, S and Ullmann, W and Voigt, U and Wall, J and Wattles, D and Wikelski, M and Wilmers, CC and Wilson, JW and Wittemyer, G and Zięba,
F and Zwijacz-Kozica, T and Mueller, T},
Title = {Moving in the Anthropocene: Global reductions in terrestrial
mammalian movements.},
Journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
Volume = {359},
Number = {6374},
Pages = {466-469},
Year = {2018},
Month = {January},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aam9712},
Abstract = {Animal movement is fundamental for ecosystem functioning and
species survival, yet the effects of the anthropogenic
footprint on animal movements have not been estimated across
species. Using a unique GPS-tracking database of 803
individuals across 57 species, we found that movements of
mammals in areas with a comparatively high human footprint
were on average one-half to one-third the extent of their
movements in areas with a low human footprint. We attribute
this reduction to behavioral changes of individual animals
and to the exclusion of species with long-range movements
from areas with higher human impact. Global loss of vagility
alters a key ecological trait of animals that affects not
only population persistence but also ecosystem processes
such as predator-prey interactions, nutrient cycling, and
disease transmission.},
Doi = {10.1126/science.aam9712},
Key = {fds332676}
}
@article{fds335220,
Author = {Lea, A and Akinyi, M and Nyakundi, R and Mareri, P and Nyundo, F and Kariuki, T and Alberts, S and Archie, E and Tung,
J},
Title = {Dominance rank-associated immune gene expression is
widespread, sex-specific, and a precursor to high social
status in wild male baboons},
Year = {2018},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1101/366021},
Abstract = {<h4>ABSTRACT</h4> In humans and other hierarchical species,
social status is tightly linked to variation in health and
fitness-related traits. Experimental manipulations of social
status in female rhesus macaques suggest that this
relationship is partially explained by status effects on
immune gene regulation. However, social hierarchies are
established and maintained in different ways across species:
while some are based on kin-directed nepotism, others emerge
from direct physical competition. We investigated how this
variation influences the relationship between social status
and immune gene regulation in wild baboons, where
hierarchies in males are based on fighting ability but
female hierarchies are nepotistic. We measured rank-related
variation in gene expression levels in adult baboons of both
sexes at baseline and in response to ex vivo stimulation
with the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We
identified >2000 rank- associated genes in males, an order
of magnitude more than in females. In males, high status
predicted increased expression of genes involved in innate
immunity and preferential activation of the NFkB-mediated
pro-inflammatory pathway, a pattern previously associated
with low status in female rhesus macaques. Using Mendelian
randomization, we reconcile these observations by
demonstrating that high status-associated gene expression
patterns are precursors, not consequences, of high social
status in males, in support of the idea that physiological
condition determines who attains high rank. Together, our
work provides the first test of the relationship between
social status and immune gene regulation in wild primates.
It also emphasizes the importance of social context in
shaping the relationship between social status and immune
function. <h4>SIGNIFICANCE</h4> Social status predicts
fitness outcomes in social animals, motivating efforts to
understand its physiological causes and consequences. We
investigated the relationship between social status and
immune gene expression in wild baboons, where female status
is determined by kinship but male status is determined by
fighting ability. We uncover pervasive status-gene
expression associations in males, but not females. High
status males exhibit high levels of pro-inflammatory gene
expression, in contrast to previous findings in hierarchies
that are not competitively determined. Using Mendelian
randomization, we show that this status-associated variation
precedes dominance rank attainment: males who compete
successfully for high status are already immunologically
distinct. The nature of social hierarchies thus
fundamentally shapes the relationship between social status
and immune function.},
Doi = {10.1101/366021},
Key = {fds335220}
}
@article{fds326807,
Author = {Campos, FA and Morris, WF and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J and Brockman,
DK and Cords, M and Pusey, A and Stoinski, TS and Strier, KB and Fedigan,
LM},
Title = {Does climate variability influence the demography of wild
primates? Evidence from long-term life-history data in seven
species.},
Journal = {Global change biology},
Volume = {23},
Number = {11},
Pages = {4907-4921},
Year = {2017},
Month = {November},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/gcb.13754},
Abstract = {Earth's rapidly changing climate creates a growing need to
understand how demographic processes in natural populations
are affected by climate variability, particularly among
organisms threatened by extinction. Long-term, large-scale,
and cross-taxon studies of vital rate variation in relation
to climate variability can be particularly valuable because
they can reveal environmental drivers that affect multiple
species over extensive regions. Few such data exist for
animals with slow life histories, particularly in the
tropics, where climate variation over large-scale space is
asynchronous. As our closest relatives, nonhuman primates
are especially valuable as a resource to understand the
roles of climate variability and climate change in human
evolutionary history. Here, we provide the first
comprehensive investigation of vital rate variation in
relation to climate variability among wild primates. We ask
whether primates are sensitive to global changes that are
universal (e.g., higher temperature, large-scale climate
oscillations) or whether they are more sensitive to global
change effects that are local (e.g., more rain in some
places), which would complicate predictions of how primates
in general will respond to climate change. To address these
questions, we use a database of long-term life-history data
for natural populations of seven primate species that have
been studied for 29-52 years to investigate associations
between vital rate variation, local climate variability, and
global climate oscillations. Associations between vital
rates and climate variability varied among species and
depended on the time windows considered, highlighting the
importance of temporal scale in detection of such effects.
We found strong climate signals in the fertility rates of
three species. However, survival, which has a greater impact
on population growth, was little affected by climate
variability. Thus, we found evidence for demographic
buffering of life histories, but also evidence of mechanisms
by which climate change could affect the fates of wild
primates.},
Doi = {10.1111/gcb.13754},
Key = {fds326807}
}
@article{fds331196,
Author = {Grieneisen, LE and Livermore, J and Alberts, S and Tung, J and Archie,
EA},
Title = {Group Living and Male Dispersal Predict the Core Gut
Microbiome in Wild Baboons.},
Journal = {Integrative and comparative biology},
Volume = {57},
Number = {4},
Pages = {770-785},
Year = {2017},
Month = {October},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/icb/icx046},
Abstract = {The mammalian gut microbiome plays a profound role in the
physiology, metabolism, and overall health of its host.
However, biologists have only a nascent understanding of the
forces that drive inter-individual heterogeneity in gut
microbial composition, especially the role of host social
environment. Here we used 178 samples from 78 wild yellow
baboons (Papio cynocephalus) living in two social groups to
test how host social context, including group living, social
interactions within groups, and transfer between social
groups (e.g., dispersal) predict inter-individual variation
in gut microbial alpha and beta diversity. We also tested
whether social effects differed for prevalent "core" gut
microbial taxa, which are thought to provide primary
functions to hosts, versus rare "non-core" microbes, which
may represent relatively transient environmental
acquisitions. Confirming prior studies, we found that each
social group harbored a distinct gut microbial community.
These differences included both non-core and core gut
microbial taxa, suggesting that these effects are not solely
driven by recent gut microbial exposures. Within social
groups, close grooming partners had more similar core
microbiomes, but not non-core microbiomes, than individuals
who rarely groomed each other, even controlling for kinship
and diet similarity between grooming partners. Finally, in
support of the idea that the gut microbiome can be altered
by current social context, we found that the longer an
immigrant male had lived in a given social group, the more
closely his gut microbiome resembled the gut microbiomes of
the group's long-term residents. Together, these results
reveal the importance of a host's social context in shaping
the gut microbiome and shed new light onto the
microbiome-related consequences of male dispersal.},
Doi = {10.1093/icb/icx046},
Key = {fds331196}
}
@article{fds328092,
Author = {Akinyi, MY and Gesquiere, LR and Franz, M and Onyango, PO and Altmann,
J and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Hormonal correlates of natal dispersal and rank attainment
in wild male baboons.},
Journal = {Hormones and behavior},
Volume = {94},
Pages = {153-161},
Year = {2017},
Month = {August},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.07.005},
Abstract = {In many mammals, maturational milestones such as dispersal
and the attainment of adult dominance rank mark stages in
the onset of reproductive activity and depend on a
coordinated set of hormonal and socio-behavioral changes.
Studies that focus on the link between hormones and
maturational milestones are uncommon in wild mammals because
of the challenges of obtaining adequate sample sizes of
maturing animals and of tracking the movements of dispersing
animals. We examined two maturational milestones in wild
male baboons-adult dominance rank attainment and natal
dispersal-and measured their association with variation in
glucocorticoids (fGC) and fecal testosterone (fT). We found
that rank attainment is associated with an increase in fGC
levels but not fT levels: males that have achieved any adult
rank have higher fGC than males that have not yet attained
an adult rank. This indicates that once males have attained
an adult rank they experience greater energetic and/or
psychosocial demands than they did prior to attaining this
milestone, most likely because of the resulting
participation in both agonistic and sexual behaviors that
accompany rank attainment. In contrast, natal dispersal does
not produce sustained increases in either fGC or fT levels,
suggesting that individuals are either well adapted to face
the challenges associated with dispersal or that the effects
of dispersal on hormone levels are ephemeral for male
baboons.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.yhbeh.2017.07.005},
Key = {fds328092}
}
@article{fds325577,
Author = {Miller, EA and Livermore, JA and Alberts, SC and Tung, J and Archie,
EA},
Title = {Ovarian cycling and reproductive state shape the vaginal
microbiota in wild baboons.},
Journal = {Microbiome},
Volume = {5},
Number = {1},
Pages = {8},
Year = {2017},
Month = {January},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s40168-017-0228-z},
Abstract = {<h4>Background</h4>The vaginal microbiome is an important
site of bacterial-mammalian symbiosis. This symbiosis is
currently best characterized for humans, where lactobacilli
dominate the microbial community and may help defend women
against infectious disease. However, lactobacilli do not
dominate the vaginal microbiota of any other mammal studied
to date, raising key questions about the forces that shape
the vaginal microbiome in non-human mammals.<h4>Results</h4>We
used Illumina sequencing of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene to
investigate variation in the taxonomic composition of the
vaginal microbiota in 48 baboons (Papio cynocephalus),
members of a well-studied wild population in Kenya. Similar
to prior studies, we found that the baboon vaginal
microbiota was not dominated by lactobacilli. Despite this
difference, and similar to humans, reproductive state was
the dominant predictor of baboon vaginal microbiota, with
pregnancy, postpartum amenorrhea, and ovarian cycling
explaining 18% of the variance in community composition.
Furthermore, among cycling females, a striking 39% of
variance in community composition was explained by ovarian
cycle phase, with an especially distinctive microbial
community around ovulation. Periovulatory females exhibited
the highest relative abundance of lactic acid-producing
bacteria compared to any other phase, with a mean relative
abundance of 44%. To a lesser extent, sexual behavior,
especially a history of shared sexual partners, also
predicted vaginal microbial similarity between
baboons.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Despite striking differences in
their dominant microbes, both human and baboon vaginal
microbiota exhibit profound changes in composition in
response to reproductive state, ovarian cycle phase, and
sexual behavior. We found major shifts in composition during
ovulation, which may have implications for disease risk and
conception success. These findings highlight the need for
future studies to account for fine-scale differences in
reproductive state, particularly differences between the
various phases of the ovarian cycle. Overall, our work
contributes to an emerging understanding of the forces that
explain intra- and inter-individual variation in the
mammalian vaginal microbiome, with particular emphasis on
its role in host health and disease risk.},
Doi = {10.1186/s40168-017-0228-z},
Key = {fds325577}
}
@article{fds335221,
Author = {Lea, AJ and Tung, J and Archie, EA and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Developmental plasticity: Bridging research in evolution and
human health.},
Journal = {Evolution, medicine, and public health},
Volume = {2017},
Number = {1},
Pages = {162-175},
Year = {2017},
Month = {January},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/emph/eox019},
Abstract = {Early life experiences can have profound and persistent
effects on traits expressed throughout the life course, with
consequences for later life behavior, disease risk, and
mortality rates. The shaping of later life traits by early
life environments, known as 'developmental plasticity', has
been well-documented in humans and non-human animals, and
has consequently captured the attention of both evolutionary
biologists and researchers studying human health.
Importantly, the parallel significance of developmental
plasticity across multiple fields presents a timely
opportunity to build a comprehensive understanding of this
phenomenon. We aim to facilitate this goal by highlighting
key outstanding questions shared by both evolutionary and
health researchers, and by identifying theory and empirical
work from both research traditions that is designed to
address these questions. Specifically, we focus on: (i)
evolutionary explanations for developmental plasticity, (ii)
the genetics of developmental plasticity and (iii) the
molecular mechanisms that mediate developmental plasticity.
In each section, we emphasize the conceptual gains in human
health and evolutionary biology that would follow from
filling current knowledge gaps using interdisciplinary
approaches. We encourage researchers interested in
developmental plasticity to evaluate their own work in light
of research from diverse fields, with the ultimate goal of
establishing a cross-disciplinary understanding of
developmental plasticity.},
Doi = {10.1093/emph/eox019},
Key = {fds335221}
}
@article{fds335222,
Author = {Lea, AJ and Tung, J and Archie, EA and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Developmental plasticity research in evolution and human
health: Response to commentaries.},
Journal = {Evolution, medicine, and public health},
Volume = {2017},
Number = {1},
Pages = {201-205},
Year = {2017},
Month = {January},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/emph/eoy007},
Doi = {10.1093/emph/eoy007},
Key = {fds335222}
}
@article{fds324017,
Author = {Zipple, MN and Grady, JH and Gordon, JB and Chow, LD and Archie, EA and Altmann, J and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Conditional fetal and infant killing by male
baboons.},
Journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences},
Volume = {284},
Number = {1847},
Pages = {20162561},
Year = {2017},
Month = {January},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.2561},
Abstract = {Sexually selected feticide-the death of infants in utero as
a result of male behaviour-has only rarely been described or
analysed, although it is presumed to be favoured by the same
selective pressures that favour sexually selected
infanticide. To test this hypothesis, we measured the
frequency of feticide and infanticide by male baboons of the
Amboseli basin in Kenya, and examined which characteristics
of a male and his environment made him more likely to commit
feticide and/or infanticide. We found a dramatic increase in
fetal and infant death rates, but no increase in death rates
of 1- to 2-year-old individuals, following the immigration
of males who stood to benefit from feticide and infanticide.
Specifically, fetal and infant death rates were highest
following immigrations in which: (i) the immigrant male
rapidly attained high rank, (ii) that male remained
consistently resident in the group for at least three
months, (iii) food availability and social group range
overlap was relatively low and (iv) relatively many pregnant
females and/or dependent infants were present. Together,
these results provide strong evidence for the existence of
both sexually selected feticide and infanticide in our
population, and they indicate that feticide and infanticide
are conditional male behavioural strategies employed under
particular circumstances.},
Doi = {10.1098/rspb.2016.2561},
Key = {fds324017}
}
@article{fds321554,
Author = {Colchero, F and Rau, R and Jones, OR and Barthold, JA and Conde, DA and Lenart, A and Nemeth, L and Scheuerlein, A and Schoeley, J and Torres,
C and Zarulli, V and Altmann, J and Brockman, DK and Bronikowski, AM and Fedigan, LM and Pusey, AE and Stoinski, TS and Strier, KB and Baudisch,
A and Alberts, SC and Vaupel, JW},
Title = {The emergence of longevous populations.},
Journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
United States of America},
Volume = {113},
Number = {48},
Pages = {E7681-E7690},
Year = {2016},
Month = {November},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1612191113},
Abstract = {The human lifespan has traversed a long evolutionary and
historical path, from short-lived primate ancestors to
contemporary Japan, Sweden, and other longevity
frontrunners. Analyzing this trajectory is crucial for
understanding biological and sociocultural processes that
determine the span of life. Here we reveal a fundamental
regularity. Two straight lines describe the joint rise of
life expectancy and lifespan equality: one for primates and
the second one over the full range of human experience from
average lifespans as low as 2 y during mortality crises to
more than 87 y for Japanese women today. Across the primate
order and across human populations, the lives of females
tend to be longer and less variable than the lives of males,
suggesting deep evolutionary roots to the male disadvantage.
Our findings cast fresh light on primate evolution and human
history, opening directions for research on inequality,
sociality, and aging.},
Doi = {10.1073/pnas.1612191113},
Key = {fds321554}
}
@article{fds318015,
Author = {Wall, JD and Schlebusch, SA and Alberts, SC and Cox, LA and Snyder-Mackler, N and Nevonen, KA and Carbone, L and Tung,
J},
Title = {Genomewide ancestry and divergence patterns from
low-coverage sequencing data reveal a complex history of
admixture in wild baboons.},
Journal = {Molecular ecology},
Volume = {25},
Number = {14},
Pages = {3469-3483},
Year = {2016},
Month = {July},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mec.13684},
Abstract = {Naturally occurring admixture has now been documented in
every major primate lineage, suggesting its key role in
primate evolutionary history. Active primate hybrid zones
can provide valuable insight into this process. Here, we
investigate the history of admixture in one of the
best-studied natural primate hybrid zones, between yellow
baboons (Papio cynocephalus) and anubis baboons (Papio
anubis) in the Amboseli ecosystem of Kenya. We generated a
new genome assembly for yellow baboon and low-coverage
genomewide resequencing data from yellow baboons, anubis
baboons and known hybrids (n = 44). Using a novel
composite likelihood method for estimating local ancestry
from low-coverage data, we found high levels of genetic
diversity and genetic differentiation between the parent
taxa, and excellent agreement between genome-scale ancestry
estimates and a priori pedigree, life history and
morphology-based estimates (r(2) = 0.899). However, even
putatively unadmixed Amboseli yellow individuals carried a
substantial proportion of anubis ancestry, presumably due to
historical admixture. Further, the distribution of shared
vs. fixed differences between a putatively unadmixed
Amboseli yellow baboon and an unadmixed anubis baboon, both
sequenced at high coverage, is inconsistent with simple
isolation-migration or equilibrium migration models. Our
findings suggest a complex process of intermittent contact
that has occurred multiple times in baboon evolutionary
history, despite no obvious fitness costs to hybrids or
major geographic or behavioural barriers. In combination
with the extensive phenotypic data available for baboon
hybrids, our results provide valuable context for
understanding the history of admixture in primates,
including in our own lineage.},
Doi = {10.1111/mec.13684},
Key = {fds318015}
}
@article{fds318016,
Author = {Snyder-Mackler, N and Majoros, WH and Yuan, ML and Shaver, AO and Gordon, JB and Kopp, GH and Schlebusch, SA and Wall, JD and Alberts, SC and Mukherjee, S and Zhou, X and Tung, J},
Title = {Efficient Genome-Wide Sequencing and Low-Coverage Pedigree
Analysis from Noninvasively Collected Samples.},
Journal = {Genetics},
Volume = {203},
Number = {2},
Pages = {699-714},
Year = {2016},
Month = {June},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1534/genetics.116.187492},
Abstract = {Research on the genetics of natural populations was
revolutionized in the 1990s by methods for genotyping
noninvasively collected samples. However, these methods have
remained largely unchanged for the past 20 years and lag far
behind the genomics era. To close this gap, here we report
an optimized laboratory protocol for genome-wide capture of
endogenous DNA from noninvasively collected samples, coupled
with a novel computational approach to reconstruct pedigree
links from the resulting low-coverage data. We validated
both methods using fecal samples from 62 wild baboons,
including 48 from an independently constructed extended
pedigree. We enriched fecal-derived DNA samples up to
40-fold for endogenous baboon DNA and reconstructed
near-perfect pedigree relationships even with extremely
low-coverage sequencing. We anticipate that these methods
will be broadly applicable to the many research systems for
which only noninvasive samples are available. The lab
protocol and software ("WHODAD") are freely available at
www.tung-lab.org/protocols-and-software.html and
www.xzlab.org/software.html, respectively.},
Doi = {10.1534/genetics.116.187492},
Key = {fds318016}
}
@article{fds227746,
Author = {Ren, T and Grieneisen, LE and Alberts, SC and Archie, EA and Wu,
M},
Title = {Development, diet and dynamism: longitudinal and
cross-sectional predictors of gut microbial communities in
wild baboons.},
Journal = {Environmental microbiology},
Volume = {18},
Number = {5},
Pages = {1312-1325},
Year = {2016},
Month = {May},
ISSN = {1462-2912},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1462-2920.12852},
Abstract = {Gut bacterial communities play essential roles in host
biology, but to date we lack information on the forces that
shape gut microbiota between hosts and over time in natural
populations. Understanding these forces in wild primates
provides a valuable comparative context that enriches
scientific perspectives on human gut microbiota. To this
end, we tested predictors of gut microbial composition in a
well-studied population of wild baboons. Using
cross-sectional and longitudinal samples collected over 13
years, we found that baboons harbour gut microbiota typical
of other omnivorous primates, albeit with an especially high
abundance of Bifidobacterium. Similar to previous work in
humans and other primates, we found strong effects of both
developmental transitions and diet on gut microbial
composition. Strikingly, baboon gut microbiota appeared to
be highly dynamic such that samples collected from the same
individual only a few days apart were as different from each
other as samples collected over 10 years apart. Despite the
dynamic nature of baboon gut microbiota, we identified a set
of core taxa that is common among primates, supporting the
hypothesis that microbiota codiversify with their host
species. Our analysis identified two tentative enterotypes
in adult baboons that differ from those of humans and
chimpanzees.},
Doi = {10.1111/1462-2920.12852},
Key = {fds227746}
}
@article{fds314361,
Author = {Tung, J and Archie, EA and Altmann, J and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Cumulative early life adversity predicts longevity in wild
baboons},
Journal = {Nat Commun},
Volume = {7},
Pages = {11181},
Publisher = {Nature Publishing Group, a division of Macmillan Publishers
Limited. All Rights Reserved.},
Year = {2016},
Month = {April},
url = {http://hdl.handle.net/10161/11825 Duke open
access},
Abstract = {In humans and other animals, harsh circumstances in early
life predict morbidity and mortality in adulthood. Multiple
adverse conditions are thought to be especially toxic, but
this hypothesis has rarely been tested in a prospective,
longitudinal framework, especially in long-lived mammals.
Here we use prospective data on 196 wild female baboons to
show that cumulative early adversity predicts natural adult
lifespan. Females who experience [ge]3 sources of early
adversity die a median of 10 years earlier than females who
experience [le]1 adverse circumstances (median lifespan is
18.5 years). Females who experience the most adversity are
also socially isolated in adulthood, suggesting that social
processes partially explain the link between early adversity
and adult survival. Our results provide powerful evidence
for the developmental origins of health and disease and
indicate that close ties between early adversity and
survival arise even in the absence of health habit and
health care-related explanations.},
Doi = {10.1038/ncomms11181},
Key = {fds314361}
}
@article{fds227747,
Author = {Beehner, JC and Gesquiere, L and Seyfarth, RM and Cheney, DL and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Corrigendum to "Testosterone related to age and life-history
stages in male baboons and geladas" [Horm. Behav. 56/4
(2009) 472-480].},
Journal = {Hormones and behavior},
Volume = {80},
Pages = {149},
Year = {2016},
Month = {April},
ISSN = {0018-506X},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.08.004},
Doi = {10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.08.004},
Key = {fds227747}
}
@article{fds315541,
Author = {Lea, AJ and Altmann, J and Alberts, SC and Tung, J},
Title = {Resource base influences genome-wide DNA methylation levels
in wild baboons (Papio cynocephalus).},
Journal = {Molecular ecology},
Volume = {25},
Number = {8},
Pages = {1681-1696},
Year = {2016},
Month = {April},
ISSN = {0962-1083},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mec.13436},
Abstract = {Variation in resource availability commonly exerts strong
effects on fitness-related traits in wild animals. However,
we know little about the molecular mechanisms that mediate
these effects, or about their persistence over time. To
address these questions, we profiled genome-wide whole-blood
DNA methylation levels in two sets of wild baboons: (i)
'wild-feeding' baboons that foraged naturally in a savanna
environment and (ii) 'Lodge' baboons that had ready access
to spatially concentrated human food scraps, resulting in
high feeding efficiency and low daily travel distances. We
identified 1014 sites (0.20% of sites tested) that were
differentially methylated between wild-feeding and Lodge
baboons, providing the first evidence that resource
availability shapes the epigenome in a wild mammal.
Differentially methylated sites tended to occur in
contiguous stretches (i.e., in differentially methylated
regions or DMRs), in promoters and enhancers, and near
metabolism-related genes, supporting their functional
importance in gene regulation. In agreement, reporter assay
experiments confirmed that methylation at the largest
identified DMR, located in the promoter of a key
glycolysis-related gene, was sufficient to causally drive
changes in gene expression. Intriguingly, all dispersing
males carried a consistent epigenetic signature of their
membership in a wild-feeding group, regardless of whether
males dispersed into or out of this group as adults.
Together, our findings support a role for DNA methylation in
mediating ecological effects on phenotypic traits in the
wild and emphasize the dynamic environmental sensitivity of
DNA methylation levels across the life course.},
Doi = {10.1111/mec.13436},
Key = {fds315541}
}
@article{fds333004,
Author = {Bronikowski, AM and Cords, M and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J and Brockman, DK and Fedigan, LM and Pusey, A and Stoinski, T and Strier,
KB and Morris, WF},
Title = {Female and male life tables for seven wild primate
species.},
Journal = {Scientific data},
Volume = {3},
Pages = {160006},
Year = {2016},
Month = {March},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2016.6},
Abstract = {We provide male and female census count data, age-specific
survivorship, and female age-specific fertility estimates
for populations of seven wild primates that have been
continuously monitored for at least 29 years: sifaka
(Propithecus verreauxi) in Madagascar; muriqui (Brachyteles
hypoxanthus) in Brazil; capuchin (Cebus capucinus) in Costa
Rica; baboon (Papio cynocephalus) and blue monkey
(Cercopithecus mitis) in Kenya; chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes)
in Tanzania; and gorilla (Gorilla beringei) in Rwanda. Using
one-year age-class intervals, we computed point estimates of
age-specific survival for both sexes. In all species, our
survival estimates for the dispersing sex are affected by
heavy censoring. We also calculated reproductive value, life
expectancy, and mortality hazards for females. We used
bootstrapping to place confidence intervals on life-table
summary metrics (R0, the net reproductive rate; λ, the
population growth rate; and G, the generation time). These
data have high potential for reuse; they derive from
continuous population monitoring of long-lived organisms and
will be invaluable for addressing questions about
comparative demography, primate conservation and human
evolution.},
Doi = {10.1038/sdata.2016.6},
Key = {fds333004}
}
@article{fds315540,
Author = {Markham, AC and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Haven for the night: Sleeping site selection in a wild
primate},
Journal = {Behavioral Ecology},
Volume = {27},
Number = {1},
Pages = {29-35},
Publisher = {Oxford University Press (OUP)},
Year = {2016},
Month = {January},
ISSN = {1045-2249},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arv118},
Abstract = {Many animals seek refuge when they sleep, often employing
different sleeping sites in successive time periods.
Switching from one sleeping site to another might reduce
predation or parasite exposure or increase proximity to food
resources that are temporally and spatially heterogenous.
However, achieving these effects will depend on the
synchronous and nonsynchronous use of the same sleeping
sites by conspecifics. We assessed the use of multiple
sleeping sites by 5 wild baboon (Papio cynocephalus) social
groups to evaluate how sites were exploited at both the
population and group level. Of 126 woodland sleeping sites
used by the study population over ~900 nights of
observation, 10 sites were used more than 100 times; these
preferred sites accounted for ~60% of all known sleeping
sites. On average, individual groups left sleeping sites
after 1-2 nights of continuous use, and the same group did
not reuse a site for an average of 45 nights. However, at
the population level, preferred sites were reused on average
every 4 nights. This near-continuous occupation suggests
that groups competed for access to preferred sites, perhaps
because preferred sites represented better protection from
predators, lower parasite prevalence, or had better foraging
opportunities nearby. The number of trees in a sleeping site
and the time since a site was last used were significant
factors distinguishing sites used on a given night by the
most dominant versus most subordinate social group. These
findings highlight the importance of evaluating resource use
at multiple levels of social organization.},
Doi = {10.1093/beheco/arv118},
Key = {fds315540}
}
@article{fds335223,
Author = {Alberts, S},
Title = {The Challenge of Survival for Wild Infant
Baboons},
Journal = {American Scientist},
Volume = {104},
Number = {6},
Pages = {366-366},
Publisher = {Sigma Xi},
Year = {2016},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1511/2016.123.366},
Doi = {10.1511/2016.123.366},
Key = {fds335223}
}
@article{fds329881,
Author = {Markham, AC and Gesquiere, LR and Alberts, SC and Altmann,
J},
Title = {Optimal group size in a highly social mammal.},
Journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
United States of America},
Volume = {112},
Number = {48},
Pages = {14882-14887},
Year = {2015},
Month = {December},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1517794112},
Abstract = {Group size is an important trait of social animals,
affecting how individuals allocate time and use space, and
influencing both an individual's fitness and the collective,
cooperative behaviors of the group as a whole. Here we
tested predictions motivated by the ecological constraints
model of group size, examining the effects of group size on
ranging patterns and adult female glucocorticoid (stress
hormone) concentrations in five social groups of wild
baboons (Papio cynocephalus) over an 11-y period.
Strikingly, we found evidence that intermediate-sized groups
have energetically optimal space-use strategies; both large
and small groups experience ranging disadvantages, in
contrast to the commonly reported positive linear
relationship between group size and home range area and
daily travel distance, which depict a disadvantage only in
large groups. Specifically, we observed a U-shaped
relationship between group size and home range area, average
daily distance traveled, evenness of space use within the
home range, and glucocorticoid concentrations. We propose
that a likely explanation for these U-shaped patterns is
that large, socially dominant groups are constrained by
within-group competition, whereas small, socially
subordinate groups are constrained by between-group
competition and predation pressures. Overall, our results
provide testable hypotheses for evaluating group-size
constraints in other group-living species, in which the
costs of intra- and intergroup competition vary as a
function of group size.},
Doi = {10.1073/pnas.1517794112},
Key = {fds329881}
}
@article{fds314312,
Author = {Franz, M and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Social network dynamics: the importance of distinguishing
between heterogeneous and homogeneous changes.},
Journal = {Behavioral ecology and sociobiology},
Volume = {69},
Number = {12},
Pages = {2059-2069},
Year = {2015},
Month = {December},
ISSN = {0340-5443},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00265-015-2030-x},
Abstract = {Social network analysis is increasingly applied to
understand the evolution of animal sociality. Identifying
ecological and evolutionary drivers of complex social
structures requires inferring how social networks change
over time. In most observational studies, sampling errors
may affect the apparent network structures.Here, we argue
that existing approaches tend not to control sufficiently
for some types of sampling errors when social networks
change over time. Specifically, we argue that two different
types of changes may occur in social networks, heterogeneous
and homogeneous changes, and that understanding network
dynamics requires distinguishing between these two different
types of changes, which are not mutually exclusive.
Heterogeneous changes occur if relationships change
differentially, e.g. if some relationships are terminated
but others remain intact. Homogeneous changes occur if all
relationships are proportionally affected in the same way,
e.g. if grooming rates decline similarly across all dyads.
Homogeneous declines in the strength of relationships can
strongly reduce the probability of observing weak
relationships, producing the appearance of heterogeneous
network changes. Using simulations, we confirm that failing
to differentiate homogeneous and heterogeneous changes can
potentially lead to false conclusions about network
dynamics. We also show that bootstrap tests fail to
distinguish between homogeneous and heterogeneous changes.
As a solution to this problem we show that an appropriate
randomization test can infer whether heterogeneous changes
occurred. Finally, we illustrate the utility of using the
randomization test by performing an example analysis using
an empirical data set on wild baboons.},
Doi = {10.1007/s00265-015-2030-x},
Key = {fds314312}
}
@article{fds314311,
Author = {Franz, M and McLean, E and Tung, J and Altmann, J and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Self-organizing dominance hierarchies in a wild primate
population.},
Journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences},
Volume = {282},
Number = {1814},
Pages = {20151512},
Year = {2015},
Month = {September},
ISSN = {0962-8452},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2015.1512},
Abstract = {Linear dominance hierarchies, which are common in social
animals, can profoundly influence access to limited
resources, reproductive opportunities and health. In spite
of their importance, the mechanisms that govern the dynamics
of such hierarchies remain unclear. Two hypotheses explain
how linear hierarchies might emerge and change over time.
The 'prior attributes hypothesis' posits that individual
differences in fighting ability directly determine dominance
ranks. By contrast, the 'social dynamics hypothesis' posits
that dominance ranks emerge from social self-organization
dynamics such as winner and loser effects. While the prior
attributes hypothesis is well supported in the literature,
current support for the social dynamics hypothesis is
limited to experimental studies that artificially eliminate
or minimize individual differences in fighting abilities.
Here, we present the first evidence supporting the social
dynamics hypothesis in a wild population. Specifically, we
test for winner and loser effects on male hierarchy dynamics
in wild baboons, using a novel statistical approach based on
the Elo rating method for cardinal rank assignment, which
enables the detection of winner and loser effects in
uncontrolled group settings. Our results demonstrate (i) the
presence of winner and loser effects, and (ii) that
individual susceptibility to such effects may have a genetic
basis. Taken together, our results show that both social
self-organization dynamics and prior attributes can combine
to influence hierarchy dynamics even when agonistic
interactions are strongly influenced by differences in
individual attributes. We hypothesize that, despite
variation in individual attributes, winner and loser effects
exist (i) because these effects could be particularly
beneficial when fighting abilities in other group members
change over time, and (ii) because the coevolution of prior
attributes and winner and loser effects maintains a balance
of both effects.},
Doi = {10.1098/rspb.2015.1512},
Key = {fds314311}
}
@article{fds227748,
Author = {Nunn, CL and Alberts, SC and McClain, CR and Meshnick, SR and Vision,
TJ and Wiegmann, BM and Rodrigo, AG},
Title = {Linking Evolution, Ecology, and Health: TriCEM},
Journal = {BioScience},
Volume = {65},
Number = {8},
Pages = {748-749},
Publisher = {Oxford University Press (OUP)},
Year = {2015},
Month = {July},
ISSN = {0006-3568},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biv086},
Doi = {10.1093/biosci/biv086},
Key = {fds227748}
}
@article{fds227749,
Author = {Fitzpatrick, CL and Altmann, J and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Exaggerated sexual swellings and male mate choice in
primates: testing the reliable indicator hypothesis in the
Amboseli baboons.},
Journal = {Animal behaviour},
Volume = {104},
Pages = {175-185},
Year = {2015},
Month = {June},
ISSN = {0003-3472},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.03.019},
Abstract = {The paradigm of competitive males vying to influence female
mate choice has been repeatedly upheld, but, increasingly,
studies also report competitive females and choosy males.
One female trait that is commonly proposed to influence male
mate choice is the exaggerated sexual swelling displayed by
females of many Old World primate species. The reliable
indicator hypothesis posits that females use the exaggerated
swellings to compete for access to mates, and that the
swellings advertise variation in female fitness. We tested
the two main predictions of this hypothesis in a wild
population of baboons (<i>Papio cynocephalus)</i>. First, we
examined the effect of swelling size on the probability of
mate-guarding ('consortship') by the highest-ranking male
and the behavior of those males that trailed consorshipts
('follower males'). Second, we asked whether a female's
swelling size predicted several fitness measures. We found
that high-ranking males do not prefer females with larger
swellings (when controlling for cycle number and conception)
and that females with larger swellings did not have higher
reproductive success. Our study-the only complete test of
the reliable indicator hypothesis in a primate
population-rejects the idea that female baboons compete for
mates by advertising heritable fitness differences.
Furthermore, we found unambiguous evidence that males biased
their mating decisions in favor of females who had
experienced more sexual cycles since their most recent
pregnancy. Thus, rather than tracking the potential
differences in fitness between females, male baboons appear
to track and target the potential for a given reproductive
opportunity to result in fertilization.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2015.03.019},
Key = {fds227749}
}
@article{fds318017,
Author = {Lea, AJ and Altmann, J and Alberts, SC and Tung, J},
Title = {Developmental constraints in a wild primate.},
Journal = {The American naturalist},
Volume = {185},
Number = {6},
Pages = {809-821},
Year = {2015},
Month = {June},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/681016},
Abstract = {Early-life experiences can dramatically affect adult traits.
However, the evolutionary origins of such early-life effects
are debated. The predictive adaptive response hypothesis
argues that adverse early environments prompt adaptive
phenotypic adjustments that prepare animals for similar
challenges in adulthood. In contrast, the developmental
constraints hypothesis argues that early adversity is
generally costly. To differentiate between these hypotheses,
we studied two sets of wild female baboons: those born
during low-rainfall, low-quality years and those born during
normal-rainfall, high-quality years. For each female, we
measured fertility-related fitness components during years
in adulthood that matched and mismatched her early
conditions. We found support for the developmental
constraints hypothesis: females born in low-quality
environments showed greater decreases in fertility during
drought years than females born in high-quality
environments, even though drought years matched the early
conditions of females born in low-quality environments.
Additionally, we found that females born in low-quality
years to high-status mothers did not experience reduced
fertility during drought years. These results indicate that
early ecological adversity did not prepare individuals to
cope with ecological challenges in later life. Instead,
individuals that experienced at least one high-quality early
environment--either ecological or social--were more
resilient to ecological stress in later life. Together,
these data suggest that early adversity carries lifelong
costs, which is consistent with the developmental
constraints hypothesis.},
Doi = {10.1086/681016},
Key = {fds318017}
}
@article{fds227753,
Author = {Tung, J and Barreiro, LB and Burns, MB and Grenier, J-C and Lynch, J and Grieneisen, LE and Altmann, J and Alberts, SC and Blekhman, R and Archie, EA},
Title = {Social networks predict gut microbiome composition in wild
baboons.},
Journal = {eLife},
Volume = {4},
Year = {2015},
Month = {March},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.05224},
Abstract = {Social relationships have profound effects on health in
humans and other primates, but the mechanisms that explain
this relationship are not well understood. Using shotgun
metagenomic data from wild baboons, we found that social
group membership and social network relationships predicted
both the taxonomic structure of the gut microbiome and the
structure of genes encoded by gut microbial species. Rates
of interaction directly explained variation in the gut
microbiome, even after controlling for diet, kinship, and
shared environments. They therefore strongly implicate
direct physical contact among social partners in the
transmission of gut microbial species. We identified 51
socially structured taxa, which were significantly enriched
for anaerobic and non-spore-forming lifestyles. Our results
argue that social interactions are an important determinant
of gut microbiome composition in natural animal
populations-a relationship with important ramifications for
understanding how social relationships influence health, as
well as the evolution of group living.},
Doi = {10.7554/elife.05224},
Key = {fds227753}
}
@article{fds227752,
Author = {Tung, J and Zhou, X and Alberts, SC and Stephens, M and Gilad,
Y},
Title = {The genetic architecture of gene expression levels in wild
baboons.},
Journal = {eLife},
Volume = {4},
Year = {2015},
Month = {February},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/elife.04729},
Abstract = {Primate evolution has been argued to result, in part, from
changes in how genes are regulated. However, we still know
little about gene regulation in natural primate populations.
We conducted an RNA sequencing (RNA-seq)-based study of
baboons from an intensively studied wild population. We
performed complementary expression quantitative trait locus
(eQTL) mapping and allele-specific expression analyses,
discovering substantial evidence for, and surprising power
to detect, genetic effects on gene expression levels in the
baboons. eQTL were most likely to be identified for
lineage-specific, rapidly evolving genes; interestingly,
genes with eQTL significantly overlapped between baboons and
a comparable human eQTL data set. Our results suggest that
genes vary in their tolerance of genetic perturbation, and
that this property may be conserved across species. Further,
they establish the feasibility of eQTL mapping using RNA-seq
data alone, and represent an important step towards
understanding the genetic architecture of gene expression in
primates.},
Doi = {10.7554/elife.04729},
Key = {fds227752}
}
@article{fds227751,
Author = {Galbany, J and Tung, J and Altmann, J and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Canine length in wild male baboons: maturation, aging and
social dominance rank.},
Journal = {PloS one},
Volume = {10},
Number = {5},
Pages = {e0126415},
Year = {2015},
Month = {January},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0126415},
Abstract = {Canines represent an essential component of the dentition
for any heterodont mammal. In primates, like many other
mammals, canines are frequently used as weapons. Hence,
tooth size and wear may have significant implications for
fighting ability, and consequently for social dominance
rank, reproductive success, and fitness. We evaluated
sources of variance in canine growth and length in a
well-studied wild primate population because of the
potential importance of canines for male reproductive
success in many primates. Specifically, we measured
maxillary canine length in 80 wild male baboons (aged
5.04-20.45 years) from the Amboseli ecosystem in southern
Kenya, and examined its relationship with maturation, age,
and social dominance rank. In our analysis of maturation, we
compared food-enhanced baboons (those that fed part time at
a refuse pit associated with a tourist lodge) with
wild-feeding males, and found that food-enhanced males
achieved long canines earlier than wild-feeding males. Among
adult males, canine length decreased with age because of
tooth wear. We found some evidence that, after controlling
for age, longer canines were associated with higher adult
dominance rank (accounting for 9% of the variance in rank),
but only among relatively high-ranking males. This result
supports the idea that social rank, and thus reproductive
success and fitness, may depend in part on fighting ability
mediated by canine size.},
Doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0126415},
Key = {fds227751}
}
@article{fds227754,
Author = {Franz, M and Altmann, J and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Knockouts of high-ranking males have limited impact on
baboon social networks.},
Journal = {Current zoology},
Volume = {61},
Number = {1},
Pages = {107-113},
Year = {2015},
Month = {January},
ISSN = {1674-5507},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/czoolo/61.1.107},
Abstract = {Social network structures can crucially impact complex
social processes such as collective behaviour or the
transmission of information and diseases. However, currently
it is poorly understood how social networks change over
time. Previous studies on primates suggest that `knockouts'
(due to death or dispersal) of high-ranking individuals
might be important drivers for structural changes in animal
social networks. Here we test this hypothesis using
long-term data on a natural population of baboons, examining
the effects of 29 natural knockouts of alpha or beta males
on adult female social networks. We investigated whether and
how knockouts affected (1) changes in grooming and
association rates among adult females, and (2) changes in
mean degree and global clustering coefficient in these
networks. The only significant effect that we found was a
decrease in mean degree in grooming networks in the first
month after knockouts, but this decrease was rather small,
and grooming networks rebounded to baseline levels by the
second month after knockouts. Taken together our results
indicate that the removal of high-ranking males has only
limited or no lasting effects on social networks of adult
female baboons. This finding calls into question the
hypothesis that the removal of high-ranking individuals has
a destabilizing effect on social network structures in
social animals.},
Doi = {10.1093/czoolo/61.1.107},
Key = {fds227754}
}
@article{fds227757,
Author = {Snyder-Mackler, N and Alberts, SC and Bergman,
TJ},
Title = {The socio-genetics of a complex society: female gelada
relatedness patterns mirror association patterns in a
multilevel society.},
Journal = {Molecular ecology},
Volume = {23},
Number = {24},
Pages = {6179-6191},
Year = {2014},
Month = {December},
ISSN = {0962-1083},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mec.12987},
Abstract = {Multilevel societies with fission-fusion dynamics--arguably
the most complex animal societies--are defined by two or
more nested levels of organization. The core of these
societies are modular social units that regularly fission
and fuse with one another. Despite convergent evolution in
disparate taxa, we know strikingly little about how such
societies form and how fitness benefits operate.
Understanding the kinship structure of complex societies
could inform us about the origins of the social structure as
well as about the potential for individuals in these
societies to accrue indirect fitness benefits. Here, we
combined genetic and behavioural data on geladas
(Theropithecus gelada), an Old World Monkey, to complete the
most comprehensive socio-genetic analysis of a multilevel
society to date. In geladas, individuals in the core social
'units', associate at different frequencies to form 'teams',
'bands' and, the largest aggregations, 'communities'. Units
were composed of closely related females, and females
remained with their close kin during permanent fissions of
units. Interestingly, female-female relatedness also
significantly predicted between-unit, between-team and
between-band association patterns, while male-male
relatedness did not. Thus, it is likely that the
socio-genetic structure of gelada society results from
females maintaining associations with their female relatives
during successive unit fissions--possibly in an attempt to
balance the direct and indirect fitness benefits of group
living. Overall, the persistence of associations among
related females across generations appears to drive the
formation of higher levels of gelada society, suggesting
that females seek kin for inclusive fitness benefits at
multiple levels of gelada society.},
Doi = {10.1111/mec.12987},
Key = {fds227757}
}
@article{fds227758,
Author = {Patzelt, A and Kopp, GH and Ndao, I and Kalbitzer, U and Zinner, D and Fischer, J},
Title = {Male tolerance and male-male bonds in a multilevel primate
society.},
Journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
United States of America},
Volume = {111},
Number = {41},
Pages = {14740-14745},
Year = {2014},
Month = {October},
ISSN = {0027-8424},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1405811111},
Abstract = {Male relationships in most species of mammals generally are
characterized by intense intrasexual competition, with
little bonding among unrelated individuals. In contrast,
human societies are characterized by high levels of
cooperation and strong bonds among both related and
unrelated males. The emergence of cooperative male-male
relationships has been linked to the multilevel structure of
traditional human societies. Based on an analysis of the
patterns of spatial and social interaction in combination
with genetic relatedness data of wild Guinea baboons (Papio
papio), we show that this species exhibits a multilevel
social organization in which males maintain strong bonds and
are highly tolerant of each other. Several "units" of males
with their associated females form "parties," which team up
as "gangs." Several gangs of the same "community" use the
same home range. Males formed strong bonds predominantly
within parties; however, these bonds were not correlated
with genetic relatedness. Agonistic interactions were
relatively rare and were restricted to a few dyads. Although
the social organization of Guinea baboons resembles that of
hamadryas baboons, we found stronger male-male affiliation
and more elaborate greeting rituals among male Guinea
baboons and less aggression toward females. Thus, the social
relationships of male Guinea baboons differ markedly from
those of other members of the genus, adding valuable
comparative data to test hypotheses regarding social
evolution. We suggest that this species constitutes an
intriguing model to study the predictors and fitness
benefits of male bonds, thus contributing to a better
understanding of the evolution of this important facet of
human social behavior.},
Doi = {10.1073/pnas.1405811111},
Key = {fds227758}
}
@article{fds321803,
Author = {Archie, EA and Tung, J and Clark, M and Altmann, J and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Social affiliation matters: both same-sex and opposite-sex
relationships predict survival in wild female
baboons.},
Journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences},
Volume = {281},
Number = {1793},
Pages = {20141261},
Year = {2014},
Month = {October},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2014.1261},
Abstract = {Social integration and support can have profound effects on
human survival. The extent of this phenomenon in non-human
animals is largely unknown, but such knowledge is important
to understanding the evolution of both lifespan and
sociality. Here, we report evidence that levels of
affiliative social behaviour (i.e. 'social connectedness')
with both same-sex and opposite-sex conspecifics predict
adult survival in wild female baboons. In the Amboseli
ecosystem in Kenya, adult female baboons that were socially
connected to either adult males or adult females lived
longer than females who were socially isolated from both
sexes--females with strong connectedness to individuals of
both sexes lived the longest. Female social connectedness to
males was predicted by high dominance rank, indicating that
males are a limited resource for females, and females
compete for access to male social partners. To date, only a
handful of animal studies have found that social
relationships may affect survival. This study extends those
findings by examining relationships to both sexes in by far
the largest dataset yet examined for any animal. Our results
support the idea that social effects on survival are
evolutionarily conserved in social mammals.},
Doi = {10.1098/rspb.2014.1261},
Key = {fds321803}
}
@article{fds227756,
Author = {Chiyo, PI and Wilson, JW and Archie, EA and Lee, PC and Moss, CJ and Alberts, SC},
Title = {The influence of forage, protected areas, and mating
prospects on grouping patterns of male elephants},
Journal = {Behavioral Ecology},
Volume = {25},
Number = {6},
Pages = {1494-1504},
Publisher = {Oxford University Press (OUP)},
Year = {2014},
Month = {September},
ISSN = {1045-2249},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/aru152},
Abstract = {Factors affecting social group size in mammals are
relatively well studied for females, but less is known about
determinants of group size for males, particularly in
species that live in sexually segregated groups. Male
grouping patterns are thought to be driven more by spatial
and temporal dispersion of mating opportunities than by food
resources or predation risk. We evaluated the influence of 3
factors on male group sizes and number of males in mixed-sex
groups in African elephants; forage availability (using
Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, a satellite-based
indicator of primary productivity), anthropogenic mortality
risk (using distance of elephants from a protected area
center), and mating opportunities (using the number of males
in mixed-sex groups with and without estrous females). Using
zero-truncated negative binomial regressions and a
model-selection approach, we found that male elephants
occurred in larger groups where primary productivity was
higher and where they were further from a protected area
center. However, we found an interaction between primary
productivity and anthropogenic mortality risk: at low
primary productivity, elephants formed larger groups further
away from a protected area center, but did less so at higher
primary productivity. This pattern suggests that male
elephants are sensitive to seasonal variation in potential
anthropogenic mortality risk, by remaining in smaller groups
when risk is low, but forming larger groups when risk is
high. Mating opportunities also led to an increase in male
numbers in mixed-sex groups, but its relative influence on
male grouping was less important because mating
opportunities were rare.},
Doi = {10.1093/beheco/aru152},
Key = {fds227756}
}
@article{fds227759,
Author = {Lea, AJ and Learn, NH and Theus, MJ and Altmann, J and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Complex sources of variance in female dominance rank in a
nepotistic society.},
Journal = {Animal behaviour},
Volume = {94},
Pages = {87-99},
Year = {2014},
Month = {August},
ISSN = {0003-3472},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.05.019},
Abstract = {Many mammalian societies are structured by dominance
hierarchies, and an individual's position within this
hierarchy can influence reproduction, behaviour, physiology
and health. In nepotistic hierarchies, which are common in
cercopithecine primates and also seen in spotted hyaenas,
<i>Crocuta crocuta</i>, adult daughters are expected to rank
immediately below their mother, and in reverse age order (a
phenomenon known as 'youngest ascendancy'). This pattern is
well described, but few studies have systematically examined
the frequency or causes of departures from the expected
pattern. Using a longitudinal data set from a natural
population of yellow baboons, <i>Papio cynocephalus</i>, we
measured the influence of maternal kin, paternal kin and
group size on female rank positions at two life history
milestones, menarche and first live birth. At menarche, most
females (73%) ranked adjacent to their family members (i.e.
the female held an ordinal rank in consecutive order with
other members of her maternal family); however, only 33% of
females showed youngest ascendancy within their matriline at
menarche. By the time they experienced their first live
birth, many females had improved their dominance rank: 78%
ranked adjacent to their family members and 49% showed
youngest ascendancy within their matriline. The presence of
mothers and maternal sisters exerted a powerful influence on
rank outcomes. However, the presence of fathers, brothers
and paternal siblings did not produce a clear effect on
female dominance rank in our analyses, perhaps because
females in our data set co-resided with variable numbers and
types of paternal and male relatives. Our results also raise
the possibility that female body size or competitive ability
may influence dominance rank, even in this classically
nepotistic species. In total, our analyses reveal that the
predictors of dominance rank in nepotistic rank systems are
much more complex than previously thought.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2014.05.019},
Key = {fds227759}
}
@article{fds227762,
Author = {Gesquiere, LR and Ziegler, TE and Chen, PA and Epstein, KA and Alberts,
SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Measuring fecal testosterone in females and fecal estrogens
in males: comparison of RIA and LC/MS/MS methods for wild
baboons (Papio cynocephalus).},
Journal = {General and comparative endocrinology},
Volume = {204},
Pages = {141-149},
Year = {2014},
Month = {August},
ISSN = {0016-6480},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ygcen.2014.04.021},
Abstract = {The development of non-invasive methods, particularly fecal
determination, has made possible the assessment of hormone
concentrations in wild animal populations. However,
measuring fecal metabolites needs careful validation for
each species and for each sex. We investigated whether
radioimmunoassays (RIAs) previously used to measure fecal
testosterone (fT) in male baboons and fecal estrogens (fE)
in female baboons were well suited to measure these hormones
in the opposite sex. We compared fE and fT concentrations
determined by RIA to those measured by liquid chromatography
combined with triple quadropole mass spectrometry
(LC/MS/MS), a highly specific method. Additionally, we
conducted a biological validation to assure that the
measurements of fecal concentrations reflected physiological
levels of the hormone of interest. Several tests produced
expected results that led us to conclude that our RIAs can
reliably measure fT and fE in both sexes, and that
within-sex comparisons of these measures are valid: (i)
fTRIA were significantly correlated to fTLC/MS/MS for both
sexes; (ii) fTRIA were higher in adult than in immature
males; (iii) fTRIA were higher in pregnant than non-pregnant
females; (iv) fERIA were correlated with 17β-estradiol
(fE2) and with estrone (fE1) determined by LC/MS/MS in
pregnant females; (v) fERIA were significantly correlated
with fE2 in non-pregnant females and nearly significantly
correlated in males; (vi) fERIA were higher in adult males
than in immature males. fERIA were higher in females than in
males, as predicted, but unexpectedly, fTRIA were higher in
females than in males, suggesting a difference in steroid
metabolism in the two sexes; consequently, we conclude that
while within-sex comparisons are valid, fTRIA should not be
used for intersexual comparisons. Our results should open
the field to important additional studies, as to date the
roles of testosterone in females and estrogens in males have
been little investigated.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.ygcen.2014.04.021},
Key = {fds227762}
}
@article{fds227760,
Author = {Archie, EA and Altmann, J and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Costs of reproduction in a long-lived female primate: injury
risk and wound healing.},
Journal = {Behavioral ecology and sociobiology},
Volume = {68},
Number = {7},
Pages = {1183-1193},
Year = {2014},
Month = {July},
ISSN = {0340-5443},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00265-014-1729-4},
Abstract = {Reproduction is a notoriously costly phase of life, exposing
individuals to injury, infectious disease, and energetic
tradeoffs. The strength of these costs should be influenced
by life history strategies, and in long-lived species,
females may be selected to mitigate costs of reproduction
because life span is such an important component of their
reproductive success. Here we report evidence for two costs
of reproduction that may influence survival in wild female
baboons-injury risk and delayed wound healing. Based on 29
years of observations in the Amboseli ecosystem, Kenya, we
found that wild female baboons experienced the highest risk
of injury on days when they were most likely to be
ovulating. In addition, lactating females healed from wounds
more slowly than pregnant or cycling females, indicating a
possible tradeoff between lactation and immune function. We
also found variation in injury risk and wound healing with
dominance rank and age: older and low-status females were
more likely to be injured than younger or high-status
females, and older females exhibited slower healing than
younger females. Our results support the idea that wild
non-human primates experience energetic and immune costs of
reproduction, and they help illuminate life history
tradeoffs in long-lived species.},
Doi = {10.1007/s00265-014-1729-4},
Key = {fds227760}
}
@article{fds227761,
Author = {Fitzpatrick, CL and Altmann, J and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Sources of variance in a female fertility signal:
exaggerated estrous swellings in a natural population of
baboons.},
Journal = {Behavioral ecology and sociobiology},
Volume = {68},
Number = {7},
Pages = {1109-1122},
Year = {2014},
Month = {July},
ISSN = {0340-5443},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00265-014-1722-y},
Abstract = {Signals of fertility in female animals are of increasing
interest to evolutionary biologists, a development that
coincides with increasing interest in male mate choice and
the potential for female traits to evolve under sexual
selection. We characterized variation in size of an
exaggerated female fertility signal in baboons and
investigated the sources of that variance. The number of
sexual cycles that a female had experienced after her most
recent pregnancy ("cycles since resumption") was the
strongest predictor of swelling size. Furthermore, the
relationship between cycles since resumption and swelling
size was most evident during rainy periods and was not
evident during times of drought. Finally, we found
significant differences in swelling size between individual
females; these differences endured across cycles (i.e., were
not explained by variation within individuals) and persisted
in spite of ecological effects. This study is the first to
provide conclusive evidence of significant variation in
swelling size between female primates (controlling for
cycles since resumption) and to demonstrate that ecological
constraints influence variation in this signal of
fertility.},
Doi = {10.1007/s00265-014-1722-y},
Key = {fds227761}
}
@article{fds227765,
Author = {Alberts, SC and Silk, JB},
Title = {The contributions of Jeanne Altmann.},
Journal = {Evolutionary anthropology},
Volume = {22},
Number = {5},
Pages = {198-199},
Year = {2013},
Month = {September},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24166919},
Doi = {10.1002/evan.21370},
Key = {fds227765}
}
@article{fds227767,
Author = {Alberts, SC and Altmann, J and Brockman, DK and Cords, M and Fedigan,
LM and Pusey, A and Stoinski, TS and Strier, KB and Morris, WF and Bronikowski, AM},
Title = {Reproductive aging patterns in primates reveal that humans
are distinct.},
Journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
United States of America},
Volume = {110},
Number = {33},
Pages = {13440-13445},
Year = {2013},
Month = {August},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23898189},
Abstract = {Women rarely give birth after ∼45 y of age, and they
experience the cessation of reproductive cycles, menopause,
at ∼50 y of age after a fertility decline lasting almost
two decades. Such reproductive senescence in mid-lifespan is
an evolutionary puzzle of enduring interest because it
should be inherently disadvantageous. Furthermore,
comparative data on reproductive senescence from other
primates, or indeed other mammals, remains relatively rare.
Here we carried out a unique detailed comparative study of
reproductive senescence in seven species of nonhuman
primates in natural populations, using long-term,
individual-based data, and compared them to a population of
humans experiencing natural fertility and mortality. In four
of seven primate species we found that reproductive
senescence occurred before death only in a small minority of
individuals. In three primate species we found evidence of
reproductive senescence that accelerated throughout
adulthood; however, its initial rate was much lower than
mortality, so that relatively few individuals experienced
reproductive senescence before death. In contrast, the human
population showed the predicted and well-known pattern in
which reproductive senescence occurred before death for many
women and its rate accelerated throughout adulthood. These
results provide strong support for the hypothesis that
reproductive senescence in midlife, although apparent in
natural-fertility, natural-mortality populations of humans,
is generally absent in other primates living in such
populations.},
Doi = {10.1073/pnas.1311857110},
Key = {fds227767}
}
@article{fds227769,
Author = {Runcie, DE and Wiedmann, RT and Archie, EA and Altmann, J and Wray, GA and Alberts, SC and Tung, J},
Title = {Social environment influences the relationship between
genotype and gene expression in wild baboons.},
Journal = {Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London.
Series B, Biological sciences},
Volume = {368},
Number = {1618},
Pages = {20120345},
Year = {2013},
Month = {May},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23569293},
Abstract = {Variation in the social environment can have profound
effects on survival and reproduction in wild social mammals.
However, we know little about the degree to which these
effects are influenced by genetic differences among
individuals, and conversely, the degree to which social
environmental variation mediates genetic reaction norms. To
better understand these relationships, we investigated the
potential for dominance rank, social connectedness and group
size to modify the effects of genetic variation on gene
expression in the wild baboons of the Amboseli basin. We
found evidence for a number of gene-environment interactions
(GEIs) associated with variation in the social environment,
encompassing social environments experienced in adulthood as
well as persistent effects of early life social environment.
Social connectedness, maternal dominance rank and group size
all interacted with genotype to influence gene expression in
at least one sex, and either in early life or in adulthood.
These results suggest that social and behavioural variation,
akin to other factors such as age and sex, can impact the
genotype-phenotype relationship. We conclude that GEIs
mediated by the social environment are important in the
evolution and maintenance of individual differences in wild
social mammals, including individual differences in
responses to social stressors.},
Doi = {10.1098/rstb.2012.0345},
Key = {fds227769}
}
@article{fds227795,
Author = {Onyango, PO and Gesquiere, LR and Altmann, J and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Testosterone positively associated with both male mating
effort and paternal behavior in Savanna baboons (Papio
cynocephalus).},
Journal = {Hormones and behavior},
Volume = {63},
Number = {3},
Pages = {430-436},
Year = {2013},
Month = {March},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23206991},
Abstract = {Testosterone (T) is often positively associated with male
sexual behavior and negatively associated with paternal
care. These associations have primarily been demonstrated in
species where investment in paternal care begins well after
mating activity is complete, when offspring are hatched or
born. Different patterns may emerge in studies of species
where investment in mating and paternal care overlap
temporally, for instance in non-seasonal breeders in which
males mate with multiple females sequentially and may
simultaneously have multiple offspring of different ages. In
a 9-year data set on levels of T in male baboons, fecal
concentrations of T (fT) were positively associated with
both mate guarding ("consortship") - a measure of current
reproductive activity - and with the number of immature
offspring a male had in his social group - a measure of past
reproductive activity and an indicator of likely paternal
behavior. To further examine the relationship between T and
potential paternal behavior, we next drew on an intensive
8-month study of male behavior, and found that fathers were
more likely to be in close proximity to their offspring than
expected by chance. Because male baboons are known to
provide paternal care, and because time in proximity to
offspring would facilitate such care, this suggests that T
concentrations in wild male baboons may be associated with
both current reproductive activity and with current paternal
behavior. These results are consistent with the predicted
positive association between T and mating effort but not
with a negative association between T and paternal care; in
male baboons, high levels of T occur in males that are
differentially associating with their offspring.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.yhbeh.2012.11.014},
Key = {fds227795}
}
@article{fds227791,
Author = {Snyder-Mackler, N and Alberts, SC and Bergman,
TJ},
Title = {Concessions of an alpha male? Cooperative defence and shared
reproduction in multi-male primate groups.},
Journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences},
Volume = {279},
Number = {1743},
Pages = {3788-3795},
Year = {2012},
Month = {September},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22764162},
Abstract = {By living in social groups with potential competitors,
animals forgo monopolizing access to resources.
Consequently, debate continues over how selection might
favour sociality among competitors. For example, several
models exist to account for the evolution of shared
reproduction in groups. The 'concession model' hypothesizes
that dominant reproducers benefit from the presence of
subordinates, and hence tolerate some reproduction by
subordinates. This mutual benefit to both dominants and
subordinates may provide a foundation for the formation of
social groups in which multiple members reproduce--a
necessary step in the evolution of cooperation. To date,
however, the concession model has received virtually no
support in vertebrates. Instead, the vast majority of
vertebrate data support 'limited control models', which
posit that dominant reproducers are simply unable to prevent
subordinates from reproducing. Here we present the most
comprehensive evidence to date in support of the concession
model in a vertebrate. We examined natural variation in the
number of adult males in gelada (Theropithecus gelada)
reproductive units to assess the extent of reproductive skew
in multi-male units. Dominant ('leader') males in units that
also had subordinate ('follower') males had a 30 per cent
longer tenure than leaders in units that did not have
followers, mainly because followers actively defended the
group against potential immigrants. Follower males also
obtained a small amount of reproduction in the unit, which
may have functioned as a concession in return for defending
the unit. These results suggest that dominants and
subordinates may engage in mutually beneficial reproductive
transactions, thus favouring male-male tolerance and
cooperation.},
Doi = {10.1098/rspb.2012.0842},
Key = {fds227791}
}
@article{fds227793,
Author = {Markham, AC and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Intergroup conflict: Ecological predictors of winning and
consequences of defeat in a wild primate
population.},
Journal = {Animal behaviour},
Volume = {82},
Number = {2},
Pages = {399-403},
Publisher = {Elsevier BV},
Year = {2012},
Month = {August},
ISSN = {0003-3472},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.05.009},
Abstract = {In many social species, competition between groups is a
major factor proximately affecting group-level movement
patterns and space use and ultimately shaping the evolution
of group living and complex sociality. Here we evaluated the
factors influencing group-level dominance among 5 social
groups of wild baboons (Papio cynocephalus), in particular
focusing on the spatial determinants of dominance and the
consequences of defeat. When direct conflict occurred
between conspecific baboon groups, the winning group was
predicted by differences in the number of adult males in
each group and/or groups that had used the areas surrounding
the encounter location more intensively than their opponent
in the preceding 9 or 12 months. Relative intensity of space
use over shorter timescales examined (3 and 6 months) was a
poor predictor of the interaction's outcome. Losing groups
but not winning groups experienced clear short-term costs.
Losing groups used the area surrounding the interaction less
following an agonistic encounter (relative to their
intensity of use of the area prior to the interaction).
These findings offer insight into the influences and
consequences of intergroup competition on group-level
patterns of space use.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.05.009},
Key = {fds227793}
}
@article{fds227792,
Author = {Tung, J and Charpentier, MJE and Mukherjee, S and Altmann, J and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Genetic effects on mating success and partner choice in a
social mammal.},
Journal = {The American naturalist},
Volume = {180},
Number = {1},
Pages = {113-129},
Year = {2012},
Month = {July},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22673655},
Abstract = {Mating behavior has profound consequences for two
phenomena--individual reproductive success and the
maintenance of species boundaries--that contribute to
evolutionary processes. Studies of mating behavior in
relation to individual reproductive success are common in
many species, but studies of mating behavior in relation to
genetic variation and species boundaries are less commonly
conducted in socially complex species. Here we leveraged
extensive observations of a wild yellow baboon (Papio
cynocephalus) population that has experienced recent gene
flow from a close sister taxon, the anubis baboon (Papio
anubis), to examine how admixture-related genetic background
affects mating behavior. We identified novel effects of
genetic background on mating patterns, including an
advantage accruing to anubis-like males and assortative
mating among both yellow-like and anubis-like pairs. These
genetic effects acted alongside social dominance rank,
inbreeding avoidance, and age to produce highly nonrandom
mating patterns. Our results suggest that this population
may be undergoing admixture-related evolutionary change,
driven in part by nonrandom mating. However, the strength of
the genetic effect is mediated by behavioral plasticity and
social interactions, emphasizing the strong influence of
social context on mating behavior in socially complex
species.},
Doi = {10.1086/665993},
Key = {fds227792}
}
@article{fds227801,
Author = {Alberts, SC and Fitzpatrick, CL},
Title = {Paternal care and the evolution of exaggerated sexual
swellings in primates.},
Journal = {Behavioral ecology : official journal of the International
Society for Behavioral Ecology},
Volume = {23},
Number = {4},
Pages = {699-706},
Year = {2012},
Month = {July},
ISSN = {1045-2249},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/ars052},
Abstract = {The exaggerated sexual swellings exhibited by females of
some primate species have been of interest to evolutionary
biologists since the time of Darwin. We summarize existing
hypotheses for their function and evolution and categorize
these hypotheses within the context of 3 types of variation
in sexual swelling size: 1) variation within a single sexual
cycle, 2) variation between the sexual cycles of a single
female, and 3) differences between females. We then propose
the Paternal Care Hypothesis for the function of sexual
swellings, which posits that exaggerated sexual swellings
function to elicit the right quantity and quality of male
care for a female's infant. As others have noted, swellings
may allow females to engender paternity confusion, or they
may allow females to confer relative paternal certainty on
one male. Key to our hypothesis is that both of these
scenarios create an incentive for one or more males to
provide care. This hypothesis builds on previous hypotheses
but differs from them by highlighting the elicitation of
paternal care as a key function of swellings. Our hypothesis
predicts that true paternal care (in which males accurately
differentiate and provide assistance to their own offspring)
will be most common in species in which exaggerated
swellings accurately signal the probability of conception,
and males can monopolize females during the window of
highest conception probability. Our hypothesis also predicts
that females will experience selection to behave in ways
that either augment paternity confusion or enhance paternal
certainty depending on their social and demographic
contexts.},
Doi = {10.1093/beheco/ars052},
Key = {fds227801}
}
@article{fds227794,
Author = {Archie, EA and Altmann, J and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Social status predicts wound healing in wild
baboons.},
Journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
United States of America},
Volume = {109},
Number = {23},
Pages = {9017-9022},
Year = {2012},
Month = {June},
ISSN = {0027-8424},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1206391109},
Abstract = {Social status can have striking effects on health in humans
and other animals, but the causes often are unknown. In male
vertebrates, status-related differences in health may be
influenced by correlates of male social status that suppress
immune responses. Immunosuppressive correlates of low social
status may include chronic social stress, poor physical
condition, and old age; the immunosuppressive correlates of
high status may include high testosterone and energetic
costs of reproduction. Here we test whether these correlates
could create status-related differences in immune function
by measuring the incidence of illness and injury and then
examining healing rates in a 27-y data set of natural
injuries and illnesses in wild baboon males. We found no
evidence that the high testosterone and intense reproductive
effort associated with high rank suppress immune responses.
Instead, high-ranking males were less likely to become ill,
and they recovered more quickly than low-ranking males, even
controlling for differences in age. Notably, alpha males,
who experience high glucocorticoids, as well as the highest
testosterone and reproductive effort, healed significantly
faster than other males, even other high-ranking males. We
discuss why alpha males seem to escape from the
immunosuppressive costs of glucocorticoids but low-ranking
males do not, including the idea that glucocorticoids'
effects depend on an individual's physiological and social
context.},
Doi = {10.1073/pnas.1206391109},
Key = {fds227794}
}
@article{fds227802,
Author = {Silk, JB and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J and Cheney, DL and Seyfarth,
RM},
Title = {Stability of partner choice among female
baboons.},
Journal = {Animal behaviour},
Volume = {83},
Number = {6},
Pages = {1511-1518},
Year = {2012},
Month = {June},
ISSN = {0003-3472},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.03.028},
Abstract = {In a wide range of taxa, including baboons, close social
bonds seem to help animals cope with stress and enhance
long-term reproductive success and longevity. Current
evidence suggests that female baboons may benefit from
establishing and maintaining highly individuated
relationships with a relatively small number of partners.
Here, we extend previous work on the stability of female
baboons' social relationships in three different ways.
First, we assess the stability of females' social
relationships in two distinct and geographically distant
sites using the same method. Second, we conduct simulations
to determine whether females' social relationships were more
stable than expected by chance. Third, we examine
demographic sources of variance in the stability of close
social bonds. At both sites, females' relationships with
their most preferred partners were significantly more stable
than expected by chance. In contrast, their relationships
with less preferred partners were more ephemeral, often
changing from year to year. While nearly all females
experienced some change in their top partners across time,
many maintained relationships with top partners for several
years. Females that lived in smaller groups and had more
close kin available had more stable social relationships
than those that lived in larger groups and had fewer close
kin available.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.03.028},
Key = {fds227802}
}
@article{fds227800,
Author = {Nguyen, N and Gesquiere, L and Alberts, SC and Altmann,
J},
Title = {Sex differences in the mother-neonate relationship in wild
baboons: Social, experiential and hormonal
correlates},
Journal = {Animal Behaviour},
Volume = {83},
Number = {4},
Pages = {891-903},
Publisher = {Elsevier BV},
Year = {2012},
Month = {April},
ISSN = {0003-3472},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.01.003},
Abstract = {In mammals, maternal care is essential for offspring
survival, yet individual differences in this care can
dramatically affect offspring growth and development. Few
studies have, however, investigated the sources, magnitude
and consequences of naturally occurring interindividual
variation in maternal care during the neonatal period. In
this study, we examine several hormonal and nonhormonal
predictors of naturally occurring variation in the
mother-neonate relationship during the first 8. weeks of
infancy in 34 wild baboon (. Papio cynocephalus)
mother-infant dyads in Amboseli, Kenya. We use data on
physical contact and suckling patterns to assess the quality
of the mother-neonate relationship and to evaluate the
extent to which variation in this relationship is
predictable from perinatal ovarian steroids (i.e. faecal
oestrogen and progesterone metabolites), previous infant
care experience, maternal dominance rank and offspring sex.
We found that newborn infants of more experienced mothers
initiated higher rates of changes in mother-infant contact
than newborns of less experienced mothers. However, at each
level of maternal experience, newborn males initiated higher
rates of changes in mother-infant contact than newborn
females. Moreover, we found evidence suggesting that
variation in suckling activity among daughters (but not
sons) was predictable from maternal dominance rank and
faecal oestrogen (fE) concentrations before birth. To our
knowledge, our study provides the first evidence of (1) the
influence of cumulative maternal experience on the
mother-infant relationship and (2) the emergence of sex
differences in the mother-infant relationship during the
neonatal period in wild primates. Our results suggest that
the well-documented sex differences in life history,
behaviour and ecology in primates (and other social mammals)
may originate very early in life. © 2012 The Association
for the Study of Animal Behaviour.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.01.003},
Key = {fds227800}
}
@article{fds227797,
Author = {Charpentier, MJE and Fontaine, MC and Cherel, E and Renoult, JP and Jenkins, T and Benoit, L and Barthès, N and Alberts, SC and Tung,
J},
Title = {Genetic structure in a dynamic baboon hybrid zone
corroborates behavioural observations in a hybrid
population.},
Journal = {Molecular ecology},
Volume = {21},
Number = {3},
Pages = {715-731},
Year = {2012},
Month = {February},
ISSN = {0962-1083},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05302.x},
Abstract = {Behaviour and genetic structure are intimately related:
mating patterns and patterns of movement between groups or
populations influence the movement of genetic variation
across the landscape and from one generation to the next. In
hybrid zones, the behaviour of the hybridizing taxa can also
impact the incidence and outcome of hybridization events.
Hybridization between yellow baboons and anubis baboons has
been well documented in the Amboseli basin of Kenya, where
more anubis-like individuals tend to experience maturational
and reproductive advantages. However, it is unknown whether
these advantages are reflected in the genetic structure of
populations surrounding this area. Here, we used
microsatellite genotype data to evaluate the structure and
composition of baboon populations in southern Kenya. Our
results indicate that, unlike for mitochondrial DNA,
microsatellite-based measures of genetic structure concord
with phenotypically based taxonomic distinctions and that
the currently active hybrid zone is relatively narrow.
Isolation with migration analysis revealed asymmetric gene
flow in this region from anubis populations into yellow
populations, in support of the anubis-biased phenotypic
advantages observed in Amboseli. Populations that are
primarily yellow but that receive anubis gene flow exhibit
higher levels of genetic diversity than yellow populations
far from the introgression front. Our results support
previous work that indicates a long history of hybridization
and introgression among East African baboons. Specifically,
it suggests that anubis baboons are in the process of
gradual range expansion into the range of yellow baboons, a
pattern potentially explained by behavioural and life
history advantages that correlate with anubis
ancestry.},
Doi = {10.1111/j.1365-294x.2011.05302.x},
Key = {fds227797}
}
@article{fds227790,
Author = {Harper, KN and Fyumagwa, RD and Hoare, R and Wambura, PN and Coppenhaver, DH and Sapolsky, RM and Alberts, SC and Tung, J and Rogers,
J and Kilewo, M and Batamuzi, EK and Leendertz, FH and Armelagos, GJ and Knauf, S},
Title = {Treponema pallidum infection in the wild baboons of East
Africa: distribution and genetic characterization of the
strains responsible.},
Journal = {PloS one},
Volume = {7},
Number = {12},
Pages = {e50882},
Year = {2012},
Month = {January},
ISSN = {1932-6203},
url = {http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000312794500017&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=47d3190e77e5a3a53558812f597b0b92},
Abstract = {It has been known for decades that wild baboons are
naturally infected with Treponema pallidum, the bacterium
that causes the diseases syphilis (subsp. pallidum), yaws
(subsp. pertenue), and bejel (subsp. endemicum) in humans.
Recently, a form of T. pallidum infection associated with
severe genital lesions has been described in wild baboons at
Lake Manyara National Park in Tanzania. In this study, we
investigated ten additional sites in Tanzania and Kenya
using a combination of macroscopic observation and serology,
in order to determine whether the infection was present in
each area. In addition, we obtained genetic sequence data
from six polymorphic regions using T. pallidum strains
collected from baboons at two different Tanzanian sites. We
report that lesions consistent with T. pallidum infection
were present at four of the five Tanzanian sites examined,
and serology was used to confirm treponemal infection at
three of these. By contrast, no signs of treponemal
infection were observed at the six Kenyan sites, and
serology indicated T. pallidum was present at only one of
them. A survey of sexually mature baboons at Lake Manyara
National Park in 2006 carried out as part of this study
indicated that roughly ten percent displayed T.
pallidum-associated lesions severe enough to cause major
structural damage to the genitalia. Finally, we found that
T. pallidum strains from Lake Manyara National Park and
Serengeti National Park were genetically distinct, and a
phylogeny suggested that baboon strains may have diverged
prior to the clade containing human strains. We conclude
that T. pallidum infection associated with genital lesions
appears to be common in the wild baboons of the regions
studied in Tanzania. Further study is needed to elucidate
the infection's transmission mode, its associated morbidity
and mortality, and the relationship between baboon and human
strains.},
Doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0050882},
Key = {fds227790}
}
@article{fds227798,
Author = {Chiyo, PI and Moss, CJ and Alberts, SC},
Title = {The influence of life history milestones and association
networks on crop-raiding behavior in male African
elephants.},
Journal = {PloS one},
Volume = {7},
Number = {2},
Pages = {e31382},
Year = {2012},
Month = {January},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22347468},
Abstract = {Factors that influence learning and the spread of behavior
in wild animal populations are important for understanding
species responses to changing environments and for species
conservation. In populations of wildlife species that come
into conflict with humans by raiding cultivated crops,
simple models of exposure of individual animals to crops do
not entirely explain the prevalence of crop raiding
behavior. We investigated the influence of life history
milestones using age and association patterns on the
probability of being a crop raider among wild free ranging
male African elephants; we focused on males because female
elephants are not known to raid crops in our study
population. We examined several features of an elephant
association network; network density, community structure
and association based on age similarity since they are known
to influence the spread of behaviors in a population. We
found that older males were more likely to be raiders than
younger males, that males were more likely to be raiders
when their closest associates were also raiders, and that
males were more likely to be raiders when their second
closest associates were raiders older than them. The male
association network had sparse associations, a tendency for
individuals similar in age and raiding status to associate,
and a strong community structure. However, raiders were
randomly distributed between communities. These features of
the elephant association network may limit the spread of
raiding behavior and likely determine the prevalence of
raiding behavior in elephant populations. Our results
suggest that social learning has a major influence on the
acquisition of raiding behavior in younger males whereas
life history factors are important drivers of raiding
behavior in older males. Further, both life-history and
network patterns may influence the acquisition and spread of
complex behaviors in animal populations and provide insight
on managing human-wildlife conflict.},
Doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0031382},
Key = {fds227798}
}
@article{fds227799,
Author = {Babbitt, CC and Tung, J and Wray, GA and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Changes in gene expression associated with reproductive
maturation in wild female baboons.},
Journal = {Genome biology and evolution},
Volume = {4},
Number = {2},
Pages = {102-109},
Year = {2012},
Month = {January},
ISSN = {1759-6653},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evr134},
Abstract = {Changes in gene expression during development play an
important role in shaping morphological and behavioral
differences, including between humans and nonhuman primates.
Although many of the most striking developmental changes
occur during early development, reproductive maturation
represents another critical window in primate life history.
However, this process is difficult to study at the molecular
level in natural primate populations. Here, we took
advantage of ovarian samples made available through an
unusual episode of human-wildlife conflict to identify genes
that are important in this process. Specifically, we used
RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) to compare genome-wide gene
expression patterns in the ovarian tissue of juvenile and
adult female baboons from Amboseli National Park, Kenya. We
combined this information with prior evidence of selection
occurring on two primate lineages (human and chimpanzee). We
found that in cases in which genes were both differentially
expressed over the course of ovarian maturation and also
linked to lineage-specific selection this selective
signature was much more likely to occur in regulatory
regions than in coding regions. These results suggest that
adaptive change in the development of the primate ovary may
be largely driven at the mechanistic level by selection on
gene regulation, potentially in relationship to the
physiology or timing of female reproductive
maturation.},
Doi = {10.1093/gbe/evr134},
Key = {fds227799}
}
@article{fds227763,
Author = {Rodrigo, A and Alberts, S and Cranston, K and Kingsolver, J and Lapp, H and McClain, C and Smith, R and Vision, T and Weintraub, J and Wiegmann,
B},
Title = {Science incubators: synthesis centers and their role in the
research ecosystem},
Journal = {PLoS Biology},
Volume = {11},
Number = {1},
Pages = {e1001468},
Year = {2012},
url = {http://hdl.handle.net/10161/10193 Duke open
access},
Abstract = {How should funding agencies enable researchers to explore
high-risk but potentially high-reward science? One model
that appears to work is the NSF-funded synthesis center, an
incubator for community-led, innovative science.},
Doi = {10.1371/journal.pbio.1001468},
Key = {fds227763}
}
@article{fds227796,
Author = {Akinyi, MY and Tung, J and Jenneby, M and Patel, NB and Altmann, J and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Role of grooming in reducing tick load in wild baboons
(Papio cynocephalus)},
Journal = {Animal Behaviour},
Volume = {85},
Number = {3},
Pages = {559-568},
Year = {2012},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.12.012},
Abstract = {Nonhuman primate species spend a conspicuous amount of time
grooming during social interactions, a behavior that
probably serves both social and health-related functions.
While the social implications of grooming have been
relatively well studied, less attention has been paid to the
health benefits, especially the removal of ectoparasites,
which may act as vectors in disease transmission. In this
study, we examined the relationship between grooming
behavior, tick load (number of ticks), and haemoprotozoan
infection status in a population of wild free-ranging
baboons (<i>Papio cynocephalus</i>). We found that the
amount of grooming received was influenced by an
individual's age, sex and dominance rank. The amount of
grooming received, in turn, affected the tick load of an
individual. Baboons with higher tick loads had lower packed
red cell volume (PCV or haematocrit), one general measure of
health status. We detected a tick-borne haemoprotozoan,
<i>Babesia microti</i>, but its low prevalence in the
population precluded identifying sources of variance in
infection.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2012.12.012},
Key = {fds227796}
}
@article{fds227803,
Author = {Markham, AC and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {When good neighbors don't need fences: Temporal landscape
partitioning among baboon social groups},
Journal = {Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology},
Volume = {67},
Number = {6},
Pages = {875-884},
Year = {2012},
ISSN = {0340-5443},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00265-013-1510-0},
Abstract = {Intraspecific competition is a key factor shaping space-use
strategies and movement decisions in many species, yet how
and when neighbors utilize shared areas while exhibiting
active avoidance of one another is largely unknown. Here we
investigated temporal landscape partitioning in a population
of wild baboons (<i>Papio cynocephalus</i>). We used global
positioning system (GPS) collars to synchronously record the
hourly locations of 5 baboon social groups for ~900 days,
and we used behavioral, demographic, and life history data
to measure factors affecting use of overlap areas. Annual
home ranges of neighboring groups overlapped substantially,
as predicted (baboons are considered non-territorial), but
home ranges overlapped less when space use was assessed over
shorter time scales. Moreover, neighboring groups were in
close spatial proximity to one another on fewer days than
predicted by a null model, suggesting an avoidance-based
spacing pattern. At all time scales examined (monthly,
biweekly, and weekly), time spent in overlap areas was
greater during time periods when groups fed on evenly
dispersed, low-quality foods. The percent of fertile females
in social groups was negatively correlated with time spent
in overlap areas only during weekly time intervals. This
suggests that broad temporal changes in ecological resources
are a major predictor of how intensively overlap areas are
used, and groups modify these ecologically driven spacing
patterns at short time scales based on female reproductive
status. Together these findings offer insight into the
economics of territoriality by highlighting the dynamics of
spacing patterns at differing time scales.},
Doi = {10.1007/s00265-013-1510-0},
Key = {fds227803}
}
@article{fds227804,
Author = {Onyango, PO and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Season and female reproductive quality but not opportunities
for paternal care predict intensity of male mate guarding in
a non-seasonally breeding primate. Behavioral Ecology and
Sociobiology.},
Journal = {Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology},
Year = {2012},
Key = {fds227804}
}
@article{fds227805,
Author = {Onyango, PO and Gesquiere, L and Altmann, J and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Puberty and dispersal in a wild primate population},
Journal = {Hormones and Behavior},
Volume = {64},
Number = {2},
Pages = {240-249},
Year = {2012},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2013.02.014},
Abstract = {This article is part of a Special Issue "Puberty and
Adolescence". The onset of reproduction is preceded by a
host of organismal adjustments and transformations,
involving morphological, physiological, and behavioral
changes. In highly social mammals, including humans and most
nonhuman primates, the timing and nature of maturational
processes are affected by the animal's social milieu as well
as its ecology. Here, we review a diverse set of findings on
how maturation unfolds in wild baboons in the Amboseli basin
of southern Kenya, and we place these findings in the
context of other reports of maturational processes in
primates and other mammals. First, we describe the series of
events and processes that signal maturation in female and
male baboons. Sex differences in age at both sexual maturity
and first reproduction documented for this species are
consistent with expectations of life history theory; males
mature later than females and exhibit an adolescent growth
spurt that is absent or minimal in females. Second, we
summarize what we know about sources of variance in the
timing of maturational processes including natal dispersal.
In Amboseli, individuals in a food-enhanced group mature
earlier than their wild-feeding counterparts, and offspring
of high-ranking females mature earlier than offspring of
low-ranking females. We also report on how genetic
admixture, which occurs in Amboseli between two closely
related baboon taxa, affects individual maturation
schedules.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.yhbeh.2013.02.014},
Key = {fds227805}
}
@article{fds304249,
Author = {Markham, AC and Gesquiere, LR and Bellenger, J-P and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {White monkey syndrome and presumptive copper deficiency in
wild savannah baboons.},
Journal = {American journal of primatology},
Volume = {73},
Number = {11},
Pages = {1160-1168},
Year = {2011},
Month = {November},
ISSN = {0275-2565},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajp.20983},
Abstract = {In immature wild savannah baboons (Papio cynocephalus), we
observed symptoms consistent with copper (Cu) deficiency
and, more specifically, with a disorder referred to as white
monkey syndrome (WMS) in laboratory primates. The objectives
of this study were to characterize this pathology, and test
three hypotheses that (1) Cu deficiency may have been
induced by zinc (Zn) toxicity, (2) it may have been induced
by molybdenum (Mo) toxicity, and (3) cumulative rainfall
during the perinatal period and particularly during
gestation is an ecological factor distinguishing infants
afflicted with WMS from non-WMS infants. During 2001-2009,
we observed 22 instances of WMS out of a total 377 live
births in the study population. Visible symptoms exhibited
by WMS infants included whitening of the animal's fur and/or
impaired mobility characterized by an apparent "stiffening"
of the hindlimbs. Occurrence of WMS did not vary
significantly by gender. However, among individuals that
survived at least 180 days, WMS males had a significantly
lower survivorship probability than non-WMS males. Zn/Cu
ratios assessed from hair samples of adult female baboons
were higher in females who had produced at least one WMS
offspring relative to females who had not had a WMS
offspring. This was true even when the hair sample was
collected long after the birth of the female's afflicted
infant. We consider this potentially indicative of a robust
tendency for low Cu levels induced by elevated Zn intake in
some individuals. No significant differences of Mo/Cu ratios
were observed. Cumulative rainfall during gestation (∼179
days) was 50% lower for WMS infants relative to non-WMS
infants. In contrast, rainfall for the two classes of
infants did not differ in the 180 days before conception or
in the 180 days following birth. This finding highlights the
importance of prenatal ecological conditions in healthy
fetal development with regard to WMS.},
Doi = {10.1002/ajp.20983},
Key = {fds304249}
}
@article{fds304247,
Author = {Gesquiere, LR and Learn, NH and Simao, MCM and Onyango, PO and Alberts,
SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Life at the top: rank and stress in wild male
baboons.},
Journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
Volume = {333},
Number = {6040},
Pages = {357-360},
Year = {2011},
Month = {July},
ISSN = {0036-8075},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1207120},
Abstract = {In social hierarchies, dominant individuals experience
reproductive and health benefits, but the costs of social
dominance remain a topic of debate. Prevailing hypotheses
predict that higher-ranking males experience higher
testosterone and glucocorticoid (stress hormone) levels than
lower-ranking males when hierarchies are unstable but not
otherwise. In this long-term study of rank-related stress in
a natural population of savannah baboons (Papio
cynocephalus), high-ranking males had higher testosterone
and lower glucocorticoid levels than other males, regardless
of hierarchy stability. The singular exception was for the
highest-ranking (alpha) males, who exhibited both high
testosterone and high glucocorticoid levels. In particular,
alpha males exhibited much higher stress hormone levels than
second-ranking (beta) males, suggesting that being at the
very top may be more costly than previously
thought.},
Doi = {10.1126/science.1207120},
Key = {fds304247}
}
@article{fds227808,
Author = {Chiyo, PI and Moss, CJ and Archie, EA and Hollister-Smith, JA and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Using molecular and observational techniques to estimate the
number and raiding patterns of crop-raiding
elephants},
Journal = {Journal of Applied Ecology},
Volume = {48},
Number = {3},
Pages = {788-796},
Publisher = {WILEY},
Year = {2011},
Month = {June},
ISSN = {0021-8901},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2664.2011.01967.x},
Abstract = {1. Conflict between humans and animals, generated by
behaviours like crop raiding, can represent a major threat
to the survival and conservation of protected species. Crop
raiding is an example where the conflict is assumed to be
attributable to a small number of habitually raiding
animals. No studies have systematically tested this
assumption on African elephants Loxodonta africana. 2. In
the greater Amboseli basin, in southern Kenya, we determined
the number of elephants that come into conflict with humans
through crop raiding, their gender, and their patterns of
raiding. We tracked footprints, and observed elephants after
they raided farms, and genotyped DNA extracted from faeces
collected from raided farms. Using these data, we estimated
the number of raiders with asymptotic regression and count
models. 3. We found that 241 elephants from several elephant
populations in the Amboseli basin raided farms. Raiders were
independent males; we detected no females raiding crops.
Approximately 35% of the raiders were from the Amboseli
elephant population, representing about 1/3 of the
independent males in that population. Approximately 12% of
raiders from the Amboseli elephant population were habitual
and were responsible for 56% of elephant raiding events. 4.
Synthesis and applications. Our results suggest that
targeted elimination of habitual raiders could in theory
reduce crop raiding. However, the large pool of occasional
raiders, the availability of palatable crops in areas of
conflict, and the link between crop-raiding and natural male
foraging tactics, indicates great potential for recruitment
of habitual raiders from this pool of occasional raiders.
Furthermore, shooting of raiders as a strategy for reducing
crop raiding carries a high risk of misidentifying habitual
raiders. We suggest instead an ethical management strategy
that uses remote monitoring of raiders as an early warning
system for crop protection, and longitudinal studies to
evaluate the development of habitual raiding. © 2011 The
Authors. Journal of Applied Ecology © 2011 British
Ecological Society.},
Doi = {10.1111/j.1365-2664.2011.01967.x},
Key = {fds227808}
}
@article{fds304248,
Author = {Chiyo, PI and Archie, EA and Hollister-Smith, JA and Lee, PC and Poole,
JH and Moss, CJ and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Association patterns of African elephants in all-male
groups: The role of age and genetic relatedness},
Journal = {Animal Behaviour},
Volume = {81},
Number = {6},
Pages = {1093-1099},
Publisher = {Elsevier BV},
Year = {2011},
Month = {June},
ISSN = {0003-3472},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.02.013},
Abstract = {Strong social bonds are uncommon among male mammals. In many
mammals, however, males form all-male groups, providing
opportunities for male-male bonds to emerge. We examined
association patterns of male African elephants, Loxodonta
africana, in all-male groups and assessed the influence of
age and genetic relatedness on these associations. We also
examined the influence of age and genetic relatedness on the
choice of sparring partners in male elephants. Males had
many weak and random associations and few valuable
relationships. Male associations were positively correlated
with genetic relatedness, suggesting that kinship influences
patterns of male associations. Male associations were
negatively correlated with age disparity, and males were
more likely to spar with other males closer in age to
themselves. These results suggest that males associate with
other males of similar age in part because sparring may
facilitate the development and maintenance of motor and
psychological responses to sudden and unexpected events that
occur during play; this may help prepare males for male-male
competition. We also found that older males had high
centrality and strength in social networks, suggesting that
older males influence the cohesion of male social groups.
Consequently, the elimination of older males from elephant
populations by poachers or trophy hunters could negatively
affect social cohesion in male elephant groups. Finally, we
found that age and genetic relatedness were not
significantly correlated, suggesting that male associations
based on age and relatedness did not overlap. These findings
highlight the complexity of male social relationships in
all-male groups. © 2011 The Association for the Study of
Animal Behaviour.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.02.013},
Key = {fds304248}
}
@article{fds227810,
Author = {Bronikowski, AM and Altmann, J and Brockman, DK and Cords, M and Fedigan, LM and Pusey, A and Stoinski, T and Morris, WF and Strier, KB and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Aging in the natural world: comparative data reveal similar
mortality patterns across primates.},
Journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
Volume = {331},
Number = {6022},
Pages = {1325-1328},
Year = {2011},
Month = {March},
ISSN = {0036-8075},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1201571},
Abstract = {Human senescence patterns-late onset of mortality increase,
slow mortality acceleration, and exceptional longevity-are
often described as unique in the animal world. Using an
individual-based data set from longitudinal studies of wild
populations of seven primate species, we show that contrary
to assumptions of human uniqueness, human senescence falls
within the primate continuum of aging; the tendency for
males to have shorter life spans and higher age-specific
mortality than females throughout much of adulthood is a
common feature in many, but not all, primates; and the aging
profiles of primate species do not reflect phylogenetic
position. These findings suggest that mortality patterns in
primates are shaped by local selective forces rather than
phylogenetic history.},
Doi = {10.1126/science.1201571},
Key = {fds227810}
}
@article{fds227807,
Author = {Tung, J and Akinyi, MY and Mutura, S and Altmann, J and Wray, GA and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Allele-specific gene expression in a wild nonhuman primate
population.},
Journal = {Molecular ecology},
Volume = {20},
Number = {4},
Pages = {725-739},
Year = {2011},
Month = {February},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21226779},
Abstract = {Natural populations hold enormous potential for evolutionary
genetic studies, especially when phenotypic, genetic and
environmental data are all available on the same
individuals. However, untangling the genotype-phenotype
relationship in natural populations remains a major
challenge. Here, we describe results of an investigation of
one class of phenotype, allele-specific gene expression
(ASGE), in the well-studied natural population of baboons of
the Amboseli basin, Kenya. ASGE measurements identify cases
in which one allele of a gene is overexpressed relative to
the alternative allele of the same gene, within individuals,
thus providing a control for background genetic and
environmental effects. Here, we characterize the incidence
of ASGE in the Amboseli baboon population, focusing on the
genetic and environmental contributions to ASGE in a set of
eleven genes involved in immunity and defence. Within this
set, we identify evidence for common ASGE in four genes. We
also present examples of two relationships between
cis-regulatory genetic variants and the ASGE phenotype.
Finally, we identify one case in which this relationship is
influenced by a novel gene-environment interaction.
Specifically, the dominance rank of an individual's mother
during its early life (an aspect of that individual's social
environment) influences the expression of the gene CCL5 via
an interaction with cis-regulatory genetic variation. These
results illustrate how environmental and ecological data can
be integrated into evolutionary genetic studies of
functional variation in natural populations. They also
highlight the potential importance of early life
environmental variation in shaping the genetic architecture
of complex traits in wild mammals.},
Doi = {10.1111/j.1365-294x.2010.04970.x},
Key = {fds227807}
}
@article{fds227815,
Author = {Gesquiere, LR and Onyango, PO and Alberts, SC and Altmann,
J},
Title = {Endocrinology of year-round reproduction in a highly
seasonal habitat: environmental variability in testosterone
and glucocorticoids in baboon males.},
Journal = {American journal of physical anthropology},
Volume = {144},
Number = {2},
Pages = {169-176},
Year = {2011},
Month = {February},
ISSN = {0002-9483},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.21374},
Abstract = {In conditions characterized by energetic constraints, such
as in periods of low food availability, some trade-offs
between reproduction and self-maintenance may be necessary;
even year-round breeders may then be forced to exhibit some
reproductive seasonality. Prior research has largely focused
on female reproduction and physiology, and few studies have
evaluated the impact of environmental factors on males. Here
we assessed the effects of season and ambient temperatures
on fecal glucocorticoid (fGC) and testosterone (fT) levels
in male baboons in Amboseli, Kenya. The Amboseli basin is a
highly challenging, semiarid tropical habitat that is
characterized by strongly seasonal patterns of rainfall and
by high ambient temperatures. We previously reported that
female baboons were impacted by these challenging
environmental conditions. We ask here whether male baboons
in the same environment and groups as females exhibit
similar physiological effects. We found that after
accounting for male age and individual variability, males
exhibited higher fGC levels and lower fT levels during the
dry season than during the wet season. Furthermore, fT but
not fGC levels were lower in months of high average daily
maximum temperatures, suggesting a direct impact of heat on
testes. Our results demonstrate that male baboons, like
females, experience ecological stress that alters their
reproductive physiology. The impact of the environment on
male reproduction deserves more attention both in its own
right and because alteration in male physiology may
contribute to the reduction in female fertility observed
inchallenging environments.},
Doi = {10.1002/ajpa.21374},
Key = {fds227815}
}
@article{fds227814,
Author = {Morris, WF and Altmann, J and Brockman, DK and Cords, M and Fedigan, LM and Pusey, AE and Stoinski, TS and Bronikowski, AM and Alberts, SC and Strier, KB},
Title = {Low demographic variability in wild primate populations:
fitness impacts of variation, covariation, and serial
correlation in vital rates.},
Journal = {The American naturalist},
Volume = {177},
Number = {1},
Pages = {E14-E28},
Year = {2011},
Month = {January},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21117962},
Abstract = {In a stochastic environment, long-term fitness can be
influenced by variation, covariation, and serial correlation
in vital rates (survival and fertility). Yet no study of an
animal population has parsed the contributions of these
three aspects of variability to long-term fitness. We do so
using a unique database that includes complete life-history
information for wild-living individuals of seven primate
species that have been the subjects of long-term (22-45
years) behavioral studies. Overall, the estimated levels of
vital rate variation had only minor effects on long-term
fitness, and the effects of vital rate covariation and
serial correlation were even weaker. To explore why, we
compared estimated variances of adult survival in primates
with values for other vertebrates in the literature and
found that adult survival is significantly less variable in
primates than it is in the other vertebrates. Finally, we
tested the prediction that adult survival, because it more
strongly influences fitness in a constant environment, will
be less variable than newborn survival, and we found only
mixed support for the prediction. Our results suggest that
wild primates may be buffered against detrimental fitness
effects of environmental stochasticity by their highly
developed cognitive abilities, social networks, and broad,
flexible diets.},
Doi = {10.1086/657443},
Key = {fds227814}
}
@article{fds227816,
Author = {Galbany, J and Altmann, J and Perez Perez and A and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Age and individual foraging behavior predict tooth wear in
Amboseli baboons},
Journal = {American Journal of Physical Anthropology},
Volume = {144},
Number = {1},
Pages = {51-59},
Year = {2011},
Month = {January},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20721946},
Abstract = {Teeth represent an essential component of the foraging
apparatus for any mammal, and tooth wear can have
significant implications for survival and reproduction. This
study focuses on tooth wear in wild baboons in Amboseli,
southern Kenya. We obtained mandibular and maxillary tooth
impressions from 95 baboons and analyzed digital images of
replicas made from these impressions. We measured tooth wear
as the percent dentine exposure (PDE, the percent of the
occlusal surface on which dentine was exposed), and we
examined the relationship of PDE to age, behavior, and life
history variables. We found that PDE increased significantly
with age for both sexes in all three molar types. In
females, we also tested the hypotheses that long-term
patterns of feeding behavior, social dominance rank, and one
measure of maternal investment (the cumulative number of
months that a female had dependent infants during her
lifetime) would predict tooth wear when we controlled for
age. The hypothesis that feeding behavior predicted tooth
wear was supported. The percent of feeding time spent
consuming grass corms predicted PDE when controlling for
age. However, PDE was not associated with social dominance
rank or maternal investment.},
Doi = {10.1002/ajpa.21368},
Key = {fds227816}
}
@article{fds227806,
Author = {Markham, AC and Gesquiere, LR and Bellenger, JP and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {White Monkey Syndrome and presumptive copper deficiency in a
wild primate population},
Journal = {American Journal of Primatology},
Volume = {73},
Number = {11},
Pages = {1-9},
Year = {2011},
ISSN = {0275-2565},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajp.20983},
Abstract = {In immature wild savannah baboons (Papio cynocephalus), we
observed symptoms consistent with copper (Cu) deficiency
and, more specifically, with a disorder referred to as white
monkey syndrome (WMS) in laboratory primates. The objectives
of this study were to characterize this pathology, and test
three hypotheses that (1) Cu deficiency may have been
induced by zinc (Zn) toxicity, (2) it may have been induced
by molybdenum (Mo) toxicity, and (3) cumulative rainfall
during the perinatal period and particularly during
gestation is an ecological factor distinguishing infants
afflicted with WMS from non-WMS infants. During 2001-2009,
we observed 22 instances of WMS out of a total 377 live
births in the study population. Visible symptoms exhibited
by WMS infants included whitening of the animal's fur and/or
impaired mobility characterized by an apparent "stiffening"
of the hindlimbs. Occurrence of WMS did not vary
significantly by gender. However, among individuals that
survived at least 180 days, WMS males had a significantly
lower survivorship probability than non-WMS males. Zn/Cu
ratios assessed from hair samples of adult female baboons
were higher in females who had produced at least one WMS
offspring relative to females who had not had a WMS
offspring. This was true even when the hair sample was
collected long after the birth of the female's afflicted
infant. We consider this potentially indicative of a robust
tendency for low Cu levels induced by elevated Zn intake in
some individuals. No significant differences of Mo/Cu ratios
were observed. Cumulative rainfall during gestation (~179
days) was 50% lower for WMS infants relative to non-WMS
infants. In contrast, rainfall for the two classes of
infants did not differ in the 180 days before conception or
in the 180 days following birth. This finding highlights the
importance of prenatal ecological conditions in healthy
fetal development with regard to WMS. © 2011 Wiley
Periodicals, Inc.},
Doi = {10.1002/ajp.20983},
Key = {fds227806}
}
@article{fds227809,
Author = {Galbany, J and Dotras, L and Altmann, J and Alberts, SC and Perez Perez,
A},
Title = {Tooth size variation related to age in Amboseli
baboons},
Journal = {Folia Primatologica},
Volume = {81},
Number = {6},
Pages = {348-359},
Year = {2011},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21325862},
Abstract = {We measured the molar size from a single population of wild
baboons from Amboseli (Kenya), both females (n=57) and males
(n=50). All the females were of known age; the males
represented a mix of known-age individuals (n=31) and
individuals with ages estimated to within 2 years (n=19).
The results showed a significant reduction in the
mesiodistal length of teeth in both sexes as a function of
age. Overall patterns of age-related change in tooth size
did not change whether we included or excluded the
individuals of estimated age, but patterns of statistical
significance changed as a result of changed sample sizes.
Our results demonstrate that tooth length is directly
related to age due to interproximal wearing caused by M2 and
M3 compression loads. Dental studies in primates, including
both fossil and extant species, are mostly based on
specimens obtained from osteological collections of varying
origins, for which the age at death of each individual in
the sample is not known. Researchers should take into
account the phenomenon of interproximal attrition leading to
reduced tooth size when measuring tooth length for
ondontometric purposes.},
Doi = {10.1159/000323588},
Key = {fds227809}
}
@article{fds227811,
Author = {Gesquiere, LR and Learn, NH and Simao, MCM and Onyango, PO and Alberts,
SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Life at the top: energetic and psychological stress in wild
male primates},
Journal = {Science},
Volume = {333},
Number = {6040},
Pages = {357-360},
Year = {2011},
ISSN = {0036-8075},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1207120},
Abstract = {In social hierarchies, dominant individuals experience
reproductive and health benefits, but the costs of social
dominance remain a topic of debate. Prevailing hypotheses
predict that higher-ranking males experience higher
testosterone and glucocorticoid (stress hormone) levels than
lower-ranking males when hierarchies are unstable but not
otherwise. In this long-term study of rank-related stress in
a natural population of savannah baboons (Papio
cynocephalus), high-ranking males had higher testosterone
and lower glucocorticoid levels than other males, regardless
of hierarchy stability. The singular exception was for the
highest-ranking (alpha) males, who exhibited both high
testosterone and high glucocorticoid levels. In particular,
alpha males exhibited much higher stress hormone levels than
second-ranking (beta) males, suggesting that being at the
very top may be more costly than previously
thought.},
Doi = {10.1126/science.1207120},
Key = {fds227811}
}
@article{fds227812,
Author = {Chiyo, PI and Archie, EA and Hollister Smith and JA and Lee, PC and Poole,
JH and Moss, CJ and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Association patterns of male African elephants: the role of
age and genetic relatedness},
Journal = {Animal Behaviour},
Volume = {81},
Number = {6},
Pages = {1093-1099},
Year = {2011},
ISSN = {0003-3472},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.02.013},
Abstract = {Strong social bonds are uncommon among male mammals. In many
mammals, however, males form all-male groups, providing
opportunities for male-male bonds to emerge. We examined
association patterns of male African elephants, Loxodonta
africana, in all-male groups and assessed the influence of
age and genetic relatedness on these associations. We also
examined the influence of age and genetic relatedness on the
choice of sparring partners in male elephants. Males had
many weak and random associations and few valuable
relationships. Male associations were positively correlated
with genetic relatedness, suggesting that kinship influences
patterns of male associations. Male associations were
negatively correlated with age disparity, and males were
more likely to spar with other males closer in age to
themselves. These results suggest that males associate with
other males of similar age in part because sparring may
facilitate the development and maintenance of motor and
psychological responses to sudden and unexpected events that
occur during play; this may help prepare males for male-male
competition. We also found that older males had high
centrality and strength in social networks, suggesting that
older males influence the cohesion of male social groups.
Consequently, the elimination of older males from elephant
populations by poachers or trophy hunters could negatively
affect social cohesion in male elephant groups. Finally, we
found that age and genetic relatedness were not
significantly correlated, suggesting that male associations
based on age and relatedness did not overlap. These findings
highlight the complexity of male social relationships in
all-male groups. © 2011 The Association for the Study of
Animal Behaviour.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2011.02.013},
Key = {fds227812}
}
@article{fds227813,
Author = {Chiyo, PI and Lee, PC and Moss, CJ and Archie, EA and Hollister Smith,
JA and Alberts, SC},
Title = {No risk, no gain: effects of crop-raiding and genetic
heterozygosity on body size in male African
elephants},
Journal = {Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology},
Volume = {22},
Number = {3},
Pages = {552-558},
Publisher = {Oxford University Press (OUP)},
Year = {2011},
ISSN = {1045-2249},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arr016},
Abstract = {Body size is an important influence on the life history of
males of polygynous mammals because it is usually highly
correlated with fitness and is under intense selection. In
this paper, we investigated the effect of high-risk foraging
behavior (crop raiding) and genetic heterozygosity on male
body size in a well-studied population of African elephants.
Crop raiding, the foraging on cultivated food crops by
wildlife is one of the main causes of wildlife human
conflict and is a major conservation issue for many
polygynous mammals that live in proximity to agriculture or
human habitation. Body size was estimated using hind foot
size, a measure strongly correlated with stature and mass.
Crop raiding predicted male size in adulthood, with raiders
being larger than nonraiders. However, elephants that became
raiders were neither larger nor smaller for age when young.
Enhanced growth rates and size among raiders suggest that
taking risks pays off for males. Lastly, genetic
heterozygosity had no effect on size for age in male
elephants, most likely because low-heterozygosity males were
rare. Risky foraging behavior can evolve as a result of
strong sexual selection for large size and
condition-dependent mating success in males. We discuss the
implications of these results for managing human-wildlife
conflict. © The Author 2011.},
Doi = {10.1093/beheco/arr016},
Key = {fds227813}
}
@article{fds227785,
Author = {Alberts, SC},
Title = {Primatology: "a faithful friend is the medicine of
life".},
Journal = {Current biology : CB},
Volume = {20},
Number = {15},
Pages = {R632-R634},
Year = {2010},
Month = {August},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20692609},
Abstract = {Close, stable social bonds enhance longevity in wild
baboons, providing clues about the importance of social
bonds in our own evolutionary history.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.cub.2010.06.012},
Key = {fds227785}
}
@article{fds227818,
Author = {Tung, J and Alberts, SC and Wray, GA},
Title = {Evolutionary genetics in wild primates: combining genetic
approaches with field studies of natural
populations.},
Journal = {Trends in genetics : TIG},
Volume = {26},
Number = {8},
Pages = {353-362},
Year = {2010},
Month = {August},
ISSN = {0168-9525},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20580115},
Abstract = {Ecological and evolutionary studies of wild primates hold
important keys to understanding both the shared
characteristics of primate biology and the genetic and
phenotypic differences that make specific lineages,
including our own, unique. Although complementary genetic
research on nonhuman primates has long been of interest,
recent technological and methodological advances now enable
functional and population genetic studies in an
unprecedented manner. In the past several years, novel
genetic data sets have revealed new information about the
demographic history of primate populations and the genetics
of adaptively important traits. In combination with the rich
history of behavioral, ecological, and physiological work on
natural primate populations, genetic approaches promise to
provide a compelling picture of primate evolution in the
past and in the present day.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.tig.2010.05.005},
Key = {fds227818}
}
@article{fds227821,
Author = {Altmann, J and Gesquiere, L and Galbany, J and Onyango, PO and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Life history context of reproductive aging in a wild primate
model.},
Journal = {Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences},
Volume = {1204},
Pages = {127-138},
Year = {2010},
Month = {August},
ISSN = {0077-8923},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05531.x},
Abstract = {The pace of reproductive aging has been of considerable
interest, especially in regard to the long postreproductive
period in modern women. Here we use data for both sexes from
a 37-year longitudinal study of a wild baboon population to
place reproductive aging within a life history context for
this species, a primate relative of humans that evolved in
the same savannah habitat as humans did. We examine the
patterns and pace of reproductive aging, including birth
rates and reproductive hormones for both sexes, and compare
reproductive aging to age-related changes in several other
traits. Reproductive senescence occurs later in baboon
females than males. Delayed senescence in females relative
to males is also found in several other traits, such as
dominance status and body condition, but not in molar wear
or glucocorticoid profiles. Survival, health, and well-being
are the product of risk factors in morphological,
physiological, and behavioral traits that differ in rate of
senescence and in dependence on social or ecological
conditions; some will be very sensitive to differences in
circumstances and others less so.},
Doi = {10.1111/j.1749-6632.2010.05531.x},
Key = {fds227821}
}
@article{fds227819,
Author = {Strier, KB and Altmann, J and Brockman, DK and Bronikowski, AM and Cords, M and Fedigan, LM and Lapp, H and Liu, X and Morris, WF and Pusey,
AE and Stoinski, TS and Alberts, SC},
Title = {The Primate Life History Database: A unique shared
ecological data resource.},
Journal = {Methods in ecology and evolution},
Volume = {1},
Number = {2},
Pages = {199-211},
Year = {2010},
Month = {June},
ISSN = {2041-210X},
url = {http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000288914100013&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=47d3190e77e5a3a53558812f597b0b92},
Abstract = {The importance of data archiving, data sharing, and public
access to data has received considerable attention.
Awareness is growing among scientists that collaborative
databases can facilitate these activities.We provide a
detailed description of the collaborative life history
database developed by our Working Group at the National
Evolutionary Synthesis Center (NESCent) to address questions
about life history patterns and the evolution of mortality
and demographic variability in wild primates.Examples from
each of the seven primate species included in our database
illustrate the range of data incorporated and the
challenges, decision-making processes, and criteria applied
to standardize data across diverse field studies. In
addition to the descriptive and structural metadata
associated with our database, we also describe the process
metadata (how the database was designed and delivered) and
the technical specifications of the database.Our database
provides a useful model for other researchers interested in
developing similar types of databases for other organisms,
while our process metadata may be helpful to other groups of
researchers interested in developing databases for other
types of collaborative analyses.},
Doi = {10.1111/j.2041-210x.2010.00023.x},
Key = {fds227819}
}
@article{fds304246,
Author = {Wasser, S and Poole, J and Lee, P and Lindsay, K and Dobson, A and Hart, J and Douglas-Hamilton, I and Wittemyer, G and Granli, P and Morgan, B and Gunn, J and Alberts, S and Beyers, R and Chiyo, P and Croze, H and Estes,
R and Gobush, K and Joram, P and Kikoti, A and Kingdon, J and King, L and Macdonald, D and Moss, C and Mutayoba, B and Njumbi, S and Omondi, P and Nowak, K},
Title = {Conservation. Elephants, ivory, and trade.},
Journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
Volume = {327},
Number = {5971},
Pages = {1331-1332},
Year = {2010},
Month = {March},
ISSN = {0036-8075},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1187811},
Abstract = {Trade decisions made by the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species must place science over
politics.},
Doi = {10.1126/science.1187811},
Key = {fds304246}
}
@article{fds227820,
Author = {Archie, EA and Henry, T and Maldonado, JE and Moss, CJ and Poole, JH and Pearson, VR and Murray, S and Alberts, SC and Fleischer,
RC},
Title = {Major histocompatibility complex variation and evolution at
a single, expressed DQA locus in two genera of
elephants.},
Journal = {Immunogenetics},
Volume = {62},
Number = {2},
Pages = {85-100},
Year = {2010},
Month = {February},
ISSN = {0093-7711},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00251-009-0413-8},
Abstract = {Genes of the vertebrate major histocompatibility complex
(MHC) are crucial to defense against infectious disease,
provide an important measure of functional genetic
diversity, and have been implicated in mate choice and kin
recognition. As a result, MHC loci have been characterized
for a number of vertebrate species, especially
mammals;however, elephants are a notable exception. Our
study is the first to characterize patterns of genetic
diversity and natural selection in the elephant MHC. We did
so using DNA sequences from a single, expressed DQA locus in
elephants.We characterized six alleles in 30 African
elephants(Loxodonta africana) and four alleles in three
Asian elephants (Elephas maximus). In addition, for two of
the African alleles and three of the Asian alleles, we
characterized complete coding sequences (exons 1-5) and
nearly complete non-coding sequences (introns 2-4) for the
class II DQA loci. Compared to DQA in other wild mammals, we
found moderate polymorphism and allelic diversity and
similar patterns of selection; patterns of non-synonymous
and synonymous substitutions were consistent with balancing
selection acting on the peptides involved in antigen binding
in the second exon. In addition, balancing selection has led
to strong trans-species allelism that has maintained
multiple allelic lineages across both genera of extant
elephants for at least 6 million years. We discuss our
results in the context of MHC diversity in other mammals and
patterns of evolution in elephants.},
Doi = {10.1007/s00251-009-0413-8},
Key = {fds227820}
}
@article{fds227817,
Author = {Wasser, S and Poole, J and Lee, P and Kindsay, K and Dobson, A and Hart, J and Douglas Hamilton and I and Wittemyer, G and Granli, P and Morgan, B and Gunn, J and Alberts, S and Beyers, R and Chiyo, P and Croze, H and Estes,
R and Gobush, K and Joram, P and Kikoti, A and Kingdon, J and King, L and Macdonald, D and Moss, C and Mutayoba, B and Numbi, S and Omondi, P and Nowak, K},
Title = {Policy Forum: Elephants, Ivory and Trade},
Journal = {Science},
Volume = {327},
Number = {5971},
Pages = {1331-1332},
Year = {2010},
ISSN = {0036-8075},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.1187811},
Abstract = {Trade decisions made by the Convention on International
Trade in Endangered Species must place science over
politics.},
Doi = {10.1126/science.1187811},
Key = {fds227817}
}
@article{fds227783,
Author = {Chiyo, PI and Alberts, SC},
Title = {An assessment of the threat to Grevy's zebra from
hybridization},
Journal = {Animal Conservation},
Volume = {12},
Number = {6},
Pages = {514-515},
Publisher = {WILEY},
Year = {2009},
Month = {December},
ISSN = {1367-9430},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-1795.2009.00333.x},
Doi = {10.1111/j.1469-1795.2009.00333.x},
Key = {fds227783}
}
@article{fds227823,
Author = {Beehner, JC and Gesquiere, L and Seyfarth, RM and Cheney, DL and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Testosterone related to age and life-history stages in male
baboons and geladas.},
Journal = {Hormones and behavior},
Volume = {56},
Number = {4},
Pages = {472-480},
Year = {2009},
Month = {October},
ISSN = {0018-506X},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.08.005},
Abstract = {Despite significant advances in our knowledge of how
testosterone mediates life-history trade-offs, this research
has primarily focused on seasonal taxa. We know
comparatively little about the relationship between
testosterone and life-history stages for non-seasonally
breeding species. Here we examine testosterone profiles
across the life span of males from three non-seasonally
breeding primates: yellow baboons (Papio cynocephalus or P.
hamadryas cynocephalus), chacma baboons (Papio ursinus or P.
h. ursinus), and geladas (Theropithecus gelada). First, we
predict that testosterone profiles will track the
reproductive profiles of each taxon across their respective
breeding years. Second, we evaluate age-related changes in
testosterone to determine whether several life-history
transitions are associated with these changes. Subjects
include males (>2.5 years) from wild populations of each
taxon from whom we had fecal samples for hormone
determination. Although testosterone profiles across taxa
were broadly similar, considerable variability was found in
the timing of two major changes: (1) the attainment of adult
levels of testosterone and (2) the decline in testosterone
after the period of maximum production. Attainment of adult
testosterone levels was delayed by 1 year in chacmas
compared with yellows and geladas. With respect to the
decline in testosterone, geladas and chacmas exhibited a
significant drop after 3 years of maximum production, while
yellows declined so gradually that no significant annual
drop was ever detected. For both yellows and chacmas,
increases in testosterone production preceded elevations in
social dominance rank. We discuss these differences in the
context of ecological and behavioral differences exhibited
by these taxa.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.08.005},
Key = {fds227823}
}
@article{fds227822,
Author = {Nguyen, N and Van Horn and RC and Alberts, SC and Altmann,
J},
Title = {"Friendships" between new mothers and adult males: adaptive
benefits and determinants in wild baboons (Papio
cynocephalus).},
Journal = {Behavioral ecology and sociobiology},
Volume = {63},
Number = {9},
Pages = {1331-1344},
Year = {2009},
Month = {July},
ISSN = {0340-5443},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00265-009-0786-6},
Abstract = {Close associations between adult males and lactating females
and their dependent infants are not commonly described in
non-monogamous mammals. However, such associations
[sometimes called "friendships" (Smuts 1985)] are regularly
observed in several primate species in which females mate
with multiple males during the fertile period. The absence
of mating exclusivity among "friends" suggests that males
should invest little in infant care, raising questions about
the adaptive significance of friendship bonds. Using data
from genetic paternity analyses, patterns of behavior, and
long-term demographic and reproductive records, we evaluated
the extent to which friendships in four multi-male,
multi-female yellow baboon (<i>Papio cynocephalus</i>)
groups in Amboseli, Kenya represent joint parental care of
offspring or male mating effort. We found evidence that
mothers and infants benefited directly from friendships;
friendships provided mother-infant dyads protection from
harassment from other adult and immature females. In
addition, nearly half of all male friends were the genetic
fathers of offspring and had been observed mating with
mothers during the days of most likely conception for those
offspring. In contrast, nearly all friends who were not
fathers were also not observed to consort with the mother
during the days of most likely conception, suggesting that
friendships between mothers and non-fathers did not result
from paternity confusion. Finally, we found no evidence that
prior friendship increased a male's chances of mating with a
female in future reproductive cycles. Our results suggest
that, for many male-female pairs at Amboseli, friendships
represented a form of biparental care of offspring. Males in
the remaining friendship dyads may be trading protection of
infants in exchange for some resources or services not yet
identified. Our study is the first to find evidence that
female primates gain social benefits from their early
associations with adult males.},
Doi = {10.1007/s00265-009-0786-6},
Key = {fds227822}
}
@article{fds227824,
Author = {Tung, J and Primus, A and Bouley, AJ and Severson, TF and Alberts, SC and Wray, GA},
Title = {Evolution of a malaria resistance gene in wild
primates.},
Journal = {Nature},
Volume = {460},
Number = {7253},
Pages = {388-391},
Year = {2009},
Month = {July},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19553936},
Abstract = {The ecology, behaviour and genetics of our closest living
relatives, the nonhuman primates, should help us to
understand the evolution of our own lineage. Although a
large amount of data has been amassed on primate ecology and
behaviour, much less is known about the functional and
evolutionary genetic aspects of primate biology, especially
in wild primates. As a result, even in well-studied
populations in which nongenetic factors that influence
adaptively important characteristics have been identified,
we have almost no understanding of the underlying genetic
basis for such traits. Here, we report on the functional
consequences of genetic variation at the malaria-related FY
(DARC) gene in a well-studied population of yellow baboons
(Papio cynocephalus) living in Amboseli National Park in
Kenya. FY codes for a chemokine receptor normally expressed
on the erythrocyte surface that is the known entry point for
the malarial parasite Plasmodium vivax. We identified
variation in the cis-regulatory region of the baboon FY gene
that was associated with phenotypic variation in
susceptibility to Hepatocystis, a malaria-like pathogen that
is common in baboons. Genetic variation in this region also
influenced gene expression in vivo in wild individuals, a
result we confirmed using in vitro reporter gene assays. The
patterns of genetic variation in and around this locus were
also suggestive of non-neutral evolution, raising the
possibility that the evolution of the FY cis-regulatory
region in baboons has exhibited both mechanistic and
selective parallels with the homologous region in humans.
Together, our results represent the first reported
association and functional characterization linking genetic
variation and a complex trait in a natural population of
nonhuman primates.},
Doi = {10.1038/nature08149},
Key = {fds227824}
}
@article{fds227825,
Author = {Hollister Smith and JA and Alberts, SC and Rasmussen,
LEL},
Title = {Do male African elephants (Loxodonta africana) signal musth
via urine dribbling?},
Journal = {Animal Behaviour},
Volume = {76},
Number = {6},
Pages = {1829-1841},
Publisher = {Elsevier BV},
Year = {2008},
Month = {December},
ISSN = {0003-3472},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2008.05.033},
Abstract = {The phenomenon of musth in male elephants involves increased
sexual activity, heightened aggression and nearly continuous
dribbling of pungent smelling urine. Urine chemistry during
musth is altered, suggesting that urine may signal the musth
status of the individual. Signalling musth remotely may
benefit individuals if it reduces the likelihood of physical
confrontation between males, which can lead to injury and
even death. Few studies, however, have asked whether and how
male elephants respond to urine of other males. We tested
two predictions of the hypothesis that urine signals musth
status to male conspecifics: (1) that male African elephants
differentiate musth and nonmusth urine, and (2) that males
differentiate between urine dribbled during early and late
musth. The second prediction stems from the observation that
males lose weight and presumably body condition during
musth. We conducted two related bioassays with 26 captive
nonmusth males ranging from 13 to 52 years of age. In each
assay, subjects were simultaneously presented with three
urine samples (nonmusth, early musth, late musth), each from
a different donor male, and a control. We found that
subjects differentiated between musth and nonmusth samples
using their vomeronasal organ system, but did not
discriminate between the samples using their main olfactory
system. Males did not differentiate early from late musth.
In addition, we found that subject contextual factors,
specifically age, dominance status and social grouping,
significantly predicted response. We discuss these results
within the framework of male elephant longevity and social
relationships and their importance to reproductive success.
© 2008 The Association for the Study of Animal
Behaviour.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2008.05.033},
Key = {fds227825}
}
@article{fds227826,
Author = {Onyango, PO and Gesquiere, LR and Wango, EO and Alberts, SC and Altmann,
J},
Title = {Persistence of maternal effects in baboons: Mother's
dominance rank at son's conception predicts stress hormone
levels in subadult males.},
Journal = {Hormones and behavior},
Volume = {54},
Number = {2},
Pages = {319-324},
Year = {2008},
Month = {August},
ISSN = {0018-506X},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2008.03.002},
Abstract = {Dominance status and reproductive experience are maternal
characteristics that affect offspring traits in diverse
taxa, including some cercopithecine primates. Maternal
effects of this sort are widespread and are sources of
variability in offspring fitness. We tested the hypothesis
that maternal dominance rank and reproductive experience as
well as a male's own age and dominance rank predicted
chronic fecal glucocorticoid (fGC) concentrations in 17
subadult wild male baboons, Papio cynocephalus (median age
6.5 years), in the Amboseli basin, Kenya. Among these
variables, maternal dominance rank at a subadult male's
conception was the sole significant predictor of the male's
fGC and accounted for 42% of fGC variance; sons of lower
ranking mothers had higher fGC than did those of
high-ranking mothers. This result is striking because
subadult male baboons are approximately 4-6 years past the
period of infant dependence on their mothers, and are larger
than and dominant to all adult females. In addition, many
males of this age have survived their mothers' death.
Consequently, the influence of maternal dominance rank
persisted well beyond the stage at which direct maternal
influence on sons is likely. Persistence of these major
maternal influences from the perinatal period may signal
organizational effects of mothers on sons' HPA axis.
Although short-term, acute, elevations in GC are part of
adaptive responses to challenges such as predators and other
emergencies, chronically elevated GC are often associated
with stress-related pathologies and, thereby, adverse
effects on fitness components.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.yhbeh.2008.03.002},
Key = {fds227826}
}
@article{fds304245,
Author = {Gesquiere, LR and Khan, M and Shek, L and Wango, TL and Wango, EO and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Coping with a challenging environment: effects of seasonal
variability and reproductive status on glucocorticoid
concentrations of female baboons (Papio cynocephalus).},
Journal = {Hormones and behavior},
Volume = {54},
Number = {3},
Pages = {410-416},
Year = {2008},
Month = {August},
ISSN = {0018-506X},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2008.04.007},
Abstract = {Environmental stressors impact physiology and behavior in
many species of animals. These effects are partly mediated
through changing concentrations of glucocorticoids, which
also vary with reproductive state and social conditions.
Prior research has focused largely on seasonal breeders, but
the close temporal linkage between season and reproductive
state in these species hinders ability to disentangle
environmental effects from those of the animal's
reproductive status. Here we assessed the effects of
environmental challenges on the fecal glucocorticoid (fGC)
levels of non-seasonal breeders, female baboons (Papio
cynocephalus) of Amboseli, Kenya. Amboseli is characterized
by a long dry season, during which food and water become
scarce, and by extreme temperatures above 40 degrees C in
the shade during some months of the year. We found that
after accounting for female reproductive status and
individual variability, females exhibited higher fGC levels
during the dry season than during the wet season. Further,
during the wet season, fGC levels were higher in months of
high average daily maximum temperatures. During the dry
season, fGC levels were elevated both in hotter months and
in months during which the baboons spent a relatively high
proportion of time feeding. In spite of these stressors,
female baboons reproduce during all months of the year in
Amboseli, unlike most other mammals in this environment.
This may be attributable to their extreme adaptability,
specifically their diversified diet, and their ability to
modify their behavior, including their activity
profiles.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.yhbeh.2008.04.007},
Key = {fds304245}
}
@article{fds227829,
Author = {Archie, EA and Maldonado, JE and Hollister-Smith, JA and Poole, JH and Moss, CJ and Fleischer, RC and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Fine-scale population genetic structure in a fission-fusion
society.},
Journal = {Molecular ecology},
Volume = {17},
Number = {11},
Pages = {2666-2679},
Year = {2008},
Month = {June},
ISSN = {0962-1083},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294x.2008.03797.x},
Abstract = {Nonrandom patterns of mating and dispersal create fine-scale
genetic structure in natural populations - especially of
social mammals - with important evolutionary and
conservation genetic consequences. Such structure is
well-characterized for typical mammalian societies; that is,
societies where social group composition is stable,
dispersal is male-biased, and males form permanent breeding
associations in just one or a few social groups over the
course of their lives. However, genetic structure is not
well understood for social mammals that differ from this
pattern, including elephants. In elephant societies, social
groups fission and fuse, and males never form permanent
breeding associations with female groups. Here, we combine
33 years of behavioural observations with genetic
information for 545 African elephants (Loxodonta africana),
to investigate how mating and dispersal behaviours structure
genetic variation between social groups and across age
classes. We found that, like most social mammals, female
matrilocality in elephants creates co-ancestry within core
social groups and significant genetic differentiation
between groups (Phi(ST) = 0.058). However, unlike typical
social mammals, male elephants do not bias reproduction
towards a limited subset of social groups, and instead breed
randomly across the population. As a result, reproductively
dominant males mediate gene flow between core groups, which
creates cohorts of similar-aged paternal relatives across
the population. Because poaching tends to eliminate the
oldest elephants from populations, illegal hunting and
poaching are likely to erode fine-scale genetic structure.
We discuss our results and their evolutionary and
conservation genetic implications in the context of other
social mammals.},
Doi = {10.1111/j.1365-294x.2008.03797.x},
Key = {fds227829}
}
@article{fds227828,
Author = {Nguyen, N and Gesquiere, LR and Wango, EO and Alberts, SC and Altmann,
J},
Title = {Late pregnancy glucocorticoid levels predict responsiveness
in wild baboon mothers (Papio cynocephalus)},
Journal = {Animal Behaviour},
Volume = {75},
Number = {5},
Pages = {1747-1756},
Publisher = {Elsevier BV},
Year = {2008},
Month = {May},
ISSN = {0003-3472},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2007.09.035},
Abstract = {Maternal care is the most significant measure of successful
adaptation among female mammals. Understanding the
predictors of individual differences in offspring care is a
major objective of mammalian reproductive biology. Recent
studies suggest that differences in caregiving motivation
may be associated with variation in glucocorticoid (GC)
hormones in new mothers. Despite these intriguing reports,
questions remain about the stability of this association
during a period of rapid change in both behaviour and
physiology, about whether this relationship is dependent on
other nonhormonal variables and about the generality of this
pattern across species and in wild populations.
Glucocorticoids modulate animals' responses to ongoing
stressors and may also prepare animals for predictable
future challenges. We evaluated evidence for both actions of
GCs on maternal responsiveness towards infant cries during
the first 2 months of infancy in 34 wild baboon
mother-infant dyads in Amboseli, Kenya. We found that stable
individual differences in faecal GCs during late pregnancy
predicted stable individual differences in maternal
responsiveness after birth, even after controlling for
maternal rank and parity, and infant sex and distress rate.
This study is among the first to provide evidence of
preparative actions of GCs in wild animals and to show
stability of behavioural and hormonal traits during a period
of rapid changes in both hormones and behaviour. Because
elevations in GCs during late pregnancy are probably
primarily of fetal rather than maternal origin, our results
raise the intriguing possibility that parent-offspring
conflict may underlie the preparative actions of GCs on
maternal responsiveness to infant distress. © 2008 The
Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2007.09.035},
Key = {fds227828}
}
@article{fds227830,
Author = {Charpentier, MJE and Tung, J and Altmann, J and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Age at maturity in wild baboons: genetic, environmental and
demographic influences.},
Journal = {Molecular ecology},
Volume = {17},
Number = {8},
Pages = {2026-2040},
Year = {2008},
Month = {April},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18346122},
Abstract = {The timing of early life-history events, such as sexual
maturation and first reproduction, can greatly influence
variation in individual fitness. In this study, we analysed
possible sources of variation underlying different measures
of age at social and physical maturation in wild baboons in
the Amboseli basin, Kenya. The Amboseli baboons are a
natural population primarily comprised of yellow baboons
(Papio cynocephalus) that occasionally hybridize with anubis
baboons (Papio anubis) from outside the basin. We found that
males and females differed in the extent to which various
factors influenced their maturation. Surprisingly, we found
that male maturation was most strongly related to the
proportion of anubis ancestry revealed by their
microsatellite genotypes: hybrid males matured earlier than
yellow males. In contrast, although hybrid females reached
menarche slightly earlier than yellow females, maternal rank
and the presence of maternal relatives had the largest
effects on female maturation, followed by more modest
effects of group size and rainfall. Our results indicate
that a complex combination of demographic, genetic,
environmental, and maternal effects contribute to variation
in the timing of these life-history milestones.},
Doi = {10.1111/j.1365-294x.2008.03724.x},
Key = {fds227830}
}
@article{fds227831,
Author = {Tung, J and Charpentier, MJE and Garfield, DA and Altmann, J and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Genetic evidence reveals temporal change in hybridization
patterns in a wild baboon population.},
Journal = {Molecular ecology},
Volume = {17},
Number = {8},
Pages = {1998-2011},
Year = {2008},
Month = {April},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18363664},
Abstract = {The process and consequences of hybridization are of
interest to evolutionary biologists because of the
importance of hybridization in understanding reproductive
isolation, speciation, and the influence of introgression on
population genetic structure. Recent studies of
hybridization have been enhanced by the advent of sensitive,
genetic marker-based techniques for inferring the degree of
admixture occurring within individuals. Here we present a
genetic marker-based analysis of hybridization in a
large-bodied, long-lived mammal over multiple generations.
We analysed patterns of hybridization between yellow baboons
(Papio cynocephalus) and anubis baboons (Papio anubis) in a
well-studied natural population in Amboseli National Park,
Kenya, using genetic samples from 450 individuals born over
the last 36 years. We assigned genetic hybrid scores based
on genotypes at 14 microsatellite loci using the clustering
algorithm implemented in STRUCTURE 2.0, and assessed the
robustness of these scores by comparison to pedigree
information and through simulation. The genetic hybrid
scores showed generally good agreement with previous
morphological assessments of hybridity, but suggest that
genetic methods may be more sensitive for identification of
low levels of hybridity. The results of our analysis
indicate that the proportion of hybrids in the Amboseli
population has grown over time, but that the average
proportion of anubis ancestry within hybrids is gradually
decreasing. We argue that these patterns are probably a
result of both selective and nonselective processes,
including differences in the timing of life-history events
for hybrid males relative to yellow baboon males, and
stochasticity in long-distance dispersal from the source
anubis population into Amboseli.},
Doi = {10.1111/j.1365-294x.2008.03723.x},
Key = {fds227831}
}
@article{fds227832,
Author = {Charpentier, MJE and Van Horn and RC and Altmann, J and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Paternal effects on offspring fitness in a multimale primate
society.},
Journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
United States of America},
Volume = {105},
Number = {6},
Pages = {1988-1992},
Year = {2008},
Month = {February},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18250308},
Abstract = {When females mate with multiple males, paternal care is
generally expected to be negligible, because it may be
difficult or impossible for males to discriminate their own
offspring from those of other males, and because engaging in
paternal care may reduce male mating opportunities.
Consequently, males in multimale societies are not predicted
to provide direct benefits to their offspring. We have
recently demonstrated, however, that males in a typical
multimale primate society (yellow baboons, Papio
cynocephalus) discriminate their own offspring from those of
other males and provide care to them in the form of repeated
support during agonistic encounters. This observation raises
the question of whether fathers enhance offspring fitness in
this species. Here we use 30 years of data on age at
maturity for 118 yellow baboons with known fathers. We show
that the father's presence in the offspring's social group
during the offspring's immature period accelerated the
timing of physiological maturation in daughters. Sons also
experienced accelerated maturation if their father was
present during their immature period, but only if the father
was high ranking at the time of their birth. Because age at
reproductive maturity has a large impact on lifetime
reproductive success, our results indicate a direct effect
of paternal presence on offspring fitness. This relationship
in turn suggests that the multiple roles that males play in
multimale animal societies have not been sufficiently
examined or appreciated and that paternal effects may be
more pervasive than previously appreciated.},
Doi = {10.1073/pnas.0711219105},
Key = {fds227832}
}
@article{fds227833,
Author = {Van Horn and RC and Altmann, J and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Can't get there from here: inferring kinship from pairwise
genetic relatedness},
Journal = {Animal Behaviour},
Volume = {75},
Number = {3},
Pages = {1173-1180},
Publisher = {Elsevier BV},
Year = {2008},
Month = {January},
ISSN = {0003-3472},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2007.08.027},
Doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2007.08.027},
Key = {fds227833}
}
@article{fds352880,
Author = {Widdig, A and Alberts, SC and Nuernberg, P and Krawzcak,
M},
Title = {Do mothers promote social preference among their paternally
related offspring? Testing mechanisms of paternal kin
discrimination},
Journal = {FOLIA PRIMATOLOGICA},
Volume = {79},
Number = {5},
Pages = {398-398},
Publisher = {KARGER},
Year = {2008},
Month = {January},
Key = {fds352880}
}
@article{fds227789,
Author = {Alberts, S},
Title = {Why play by the rules? Constitutionalism and democratic
institutionalization in Ecuador and Uruguay},
Journal = {Democratization},
Volume = {15},
Number = {5},
Pages = {849-869},
Publisher = {Informa UK Limited},
Year = {2008},
ISSN = {1351-0347},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13510340802362646},
Abstract = {This article argues that constitutionalism and democratic
institutionalization are linked, and that variations in
progress towards institutionalized democracy are explained
by incentives for political actors to comply with
constitutional constraints on their power and to cooperate
in governing. The analysis examines the impact of incentives
generated by political institutions on Ecuador and Uruguay's
contrasting experiences in institutionalizing democracy.
Institutions generate incentives for political actors to
'play by the rules' when they extend protections, align
interest with duty, and encourage negotiation and
compromise. Survival provisions, electoral rules, and the
nature of parties and the party system are found to generate
incentives to cooperate in governing and to comply with
constitutional constraints in Uruguay, and disincentives to
engage in these behaviours in Ecuador. A new classification
of survival provisions is proposed - shared, mixed, and
separate - which isolates the impact of these rules on the
degree of cooperation in governing. The article's findings
clarify the mechanisms by which institutional choices
facilitate or obstruct the emergence of constitutionalism
and institutionalized democracy.},
Doi = {10.1080/13510340802362646},
Key = {fds227789}
}
@article{fds227827,
Author = {Gesquiere, LR and Khan, M and Shek, L and Wango, EO and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Coping with a challenging environment: seasonal variation in
glucocorticoids in female baboons (Papio
cynocephalus)},
Journal = {Hormones and Behavior},
Volume = {54},
Number = {3},
Pages = {410-416},
Year = {2008},
ISSN = {0018-506X},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2008.04.007},
Abstract = {Environmental stressors impact physiology and behavior in
many species of animals. These effects are partly mediated
through changing concentrations of glucocorticoids, which
also vary with reproductive state and social conditions.
Prior research has focused largely on seasonal breeders, but
the close temporal linkage between season and reproductive
state in these species hinders ability to disentangle
environmental effects from those of the animal's
reproductive status. Here we assessed the effects of
environmental challenges on the fecal glucocorticoid (fGC)
levels of non-seasonal breeders, female baboons (Papio
cynocephalus) of Amboseli, Kenya. Amboseli is characterized
by a long dry season, during which food and water become
scarce, and by extreme temperatures above 40 °C in the
shade during some months of the year. We found that after
accounting for female reproductive status and individual
variability, females exhibited higher fGC levels during the
dry season than during the wet season. Further, during the
wet season, fGC levels were higher in months of high average
daily maximum temperatures. During the dry season, fGC
levels were elevated both in hotter months and in months
during which the baboons spent a relatively high proportion
of time feeding. In spite of these stressors, female baboons
reproduce during all months of the year in Amboseli, unlike
most other mammals in this environment. This may be
attributable to their extreme adaptability, specifically
their diversified diet, and their ability to modify their
behavior, including their activity profiles. © 2008
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.yhbeh.2008.04.007},
Key = {fds227827}
}
@article{fds227835,
Author = {Charpentier, MJE and Widdig, A and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Inbreeding depression in non-human primates: a historical
review of methods used and empirical data.},
Journal = {American journal of primatology},
Volume = {69},
Number = {12},
Pages = {1370-1386},
Year = {2007},
Month = {December},
ISSN = {0275-2565},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17486606},
Abstract = {Offspring born to related parents may show reduced fitness
due to inbreeding depression. Although evidence of
inbreeding depression has accumulated for a variety of taxa
during the past two decades, such analyses remain rare for
primate species, probably because of their long generation
time. However, inbreeding can have important fitness costs
and is likely to shape life-history traits in all living
species. As a consequence, selection should have favored
inbreeding avoidance via sex-biased dispersal, extra-group
paternity, or kin discrimination. In this paper, we review
empirical studies on the effects of inbreeding on fitness
traits or fitness correlates in primate species. In
addition, we report the methods that have been used to
detect inbreeding in primate populations, and their
development with the improvement of laboratory techniques.
We focus particularly on the advantages and disadvantages
using microsatellite loci to detect inbreeding. Although the
genetic data that are typically available (partial
pedigrees, use of microsatellite heterozygosity as an
estimate of genomewide inbreeding) tend to impose
constraints on analyses, we encourage primatologists to
explore the potential effects of inbreeding if they have
access to even partial pedigrees or genetic information.
Such studies are important because of both the value of
basic research in inbreeding depression in the wild and the
conservation issues associated with inbreeding, particularly
in threatened species, which include more than half of the
currently living primate species.},
Doi = {10.1002/ajp.20445},
Key = {fds227835}
}
@article{fds227837,
Author = {Van Horn and RC and Buchan, JC and Altmann, J and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Divided destinies: Group choice by female savannah baboons
during social group fission},
Journal = {Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology},
Volume = {61},
Number = {12},
Pages = {1823-1837},
Publisher = {Springer Nature},
Year = {2007},
Month = {October},
ISSN = {0340-5443},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00265-007-0415-1},
Abstract = {Group living provides benefits to individuals while imposing
costs on them. In species that live in permanent social
groups, group division provides the only opportunity for
nondispersing individuals to change their group membership
and improve their benefit to cost ratio. We examined group
choice by 81 adult female savannah baboons (Papio
cynocephalus) during four fission events. We measured how
each female's group choice was affected by several factors:
the presence of her maternal kin, paternal kin, age peers,
and close social partners, her average kinship to
groupmates, and her potential for improved dominance rank.
Maternal kin, paternal kin, and close social partners
influenced group choice by some females, but the relative
importance of these factors varied across fissions. Age
peers other than paternal kin had no effect on group choice,
and average kinship to all groupmates had the same effect on
group choice as did maternal kin alone. Most females were
subordinate to fewer females after fissions than before, but
status improvement did not drive female group choice;
females often preferred to remain with social superiors who
were their close maternal kin, rather than improving their
own social ranks. We suggest that during permanent group
fissions, female baboons prefer to remain with close
maternal kin if those are abundant enough to influence their
fitness; if they have too few close maternal kin then
females prefer to remain with close paternal kin, and social
bonds with nonkin might also become influential. © 2007
Springer-Verlag.},
Doi = {10.1007/s00265-007-0415-1},
Key = {fds227837}
}
@article{fds227838,
Author = {Archie, EA and Hollister-Smith, JA and Poole, JH and Lee, PC and Moss,
CJ and Maldonado, JE and Fleischer, RC and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Behavioural inbreeding avoidance in wild African
elephants.},
Journal = {Molecular ecology},
Volume = {16},
Number = {19},
Pages = {4138-4148},
Year = {2007},
Month = {October},
ISSN = {0962-1083},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-294x.2007.03483.x},
Abstract = {The costs of inbreeding depression, as well as the
opportunity costs of inbreeding avoidance, determine whether
and which mechanisms of inbreeding avoidance evolve. In
African elephants, sex-biased dispersal does not lead to the
complete separation of male and female relatives, and so
individuals may experience selection to recognize kin and
avoid inbreeding. However, because estrous females are rare
and male-male competition for mates is intense, the
opportunity costs of inbreeding avoidance may be high,
particularly for males. Here we combine 28 years of
behavioural and demographic data on wild elephants with
genotypes from 545 adult females, adult males, and calves in
Amboseli National Park, Kenya, to test the hypothesis that
elephants engage in sexual behaviour and reproduction with
relatives less often than expected by chance. We found
support for this hypothesis: males engaged in proportionally
fewer sexual behaviours and sired proportionally fewer
offspring with females that were natal family members or
close genetic relatives (both maternal and paternal) than
they did with nonkin. We discuss the relevance of these
results for understanding the evolution of inbreeding
avoidance and for elephant conservation.},
Doi = {10.1111/j.1365-294x.2007.03483.x},
Key = {fds227838}
}
@article{fds227834,
Author = {Tung, J and Rudolph, J and Altmann, J and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Parallel effects of genetic variation in ACE activity in
baboons and humans.},
Journal = {American journal of physical anthropology},
Volume = {134},
Number = {1},
Pages = {1-8},
Year = {2007},
Month = {September},
ISSN = {0002-9483},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17503445},
Abstract = {Like humans, savannah baboons (Papio sp.) show heritable
interindividual variation in complex physiological
phenotypes. One prominent example of such variation involves
production of the homeostatic regulator protein angiotensin
converting enzyme (ACE), which shows heritable variation in
both baboons and humans. In humans, this phenotypic
variation is associated with an Alu insertion-deletion
polymorphism in the ACE gene, which explains approximately
half of the variation in serum ACE activity. We identified a
similar Alu insertion-deletion polymorphism in the baboon
ACE homologue and measured its frequency in a wild
population and a captive population of baboons. We also
analyzed the contribution of ACE genotype at this indel to
variation in serum ACE activity in the captive population.
When conditioned on weight, a known factor affecting ACE
activity in humans, age and ACE genotype both accounted for
variance in ACE activity; in particular, we identified a
significant nonadditive interaction between age and
genotype. A model incorporating this interaction effect
explained 21.6% of the variation in residual serum ACE
activity. Individuals homozygous for the deletion mutation
exhibited significantly higher levels of ACE activity than
insertion-deletion heterozygotes at younger ages (10-14
years), but showed a trend towards lower levels of ACE
activity compared with heterozygotes at older ages (> or =15
years). These results demonstrate an interesting parallel
between the genetic architecture underlying ACE variation in
humans and baboons, suggesting that further attention should
be paid in humans to the relationship between ACE genetic
variation and aging.},
Doi = {10.1002/ajpa.20614},
Key = {fds227834}
}
@article{fds304244,
Author = {Hollister-Smith, JA and Poole, JH and Archie, EA and Vance, EA and Georgiadis, NJ and Moss, CJ and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Age, musth and paternity success in wild male African
elephants, Loxodonta africana},
Journal = {Animal Behaviour},
Volume = {74},
Number = {2},
Pages = {287-296},
Publisher = {Elsevier BV},
Year = {2007},
Month = {August},
ISSN = {0003-3472},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2006.12.008},
Abstract = {Male African elephants experience intense intrasexual
selection in gaining access to oestrous females, who
represent a very scarce and highly mobile resource. An
unusual combination of behavioural and physiological traits
in males probably reflects this intense selection pressure.
Males show prolonged growth, growing throughout much or
perhaps all of their long life span (ca. 60-65 years), and
they show musth, a physiological and behavioural condition
exclusive to elephants, which is manifested by bouts of
elevated testosterone and aggression and heightened sexual
activity. Most observed matings are by males over 35 years
of age and in musth, suggesting that age and musth are both
important factors contributing to male reproductive success.
Here we report the results of a genetic paternity analysis
of a well-studied population of wild African elephants.
Patterns of paternity for 119 calves born over a 22-year
period showed significant effects of both age and musth on
paternity success. Among males in musth, paternity success
increased significantly with age until the very oldest age
classes, when it modestly declined. When not in musth, males
experienced relatively constant, low levels of paternity
success at all ages. Thus, despite the importance of both
musth and age in determining male paternity success, adult
males both in and out of musth, and of all ages, produced
calves. In general, however, older males had markedly
elevated paternity success compared with younger males,
suggesting the possibility of sexual selection for longevity
in this species. © 2007 The Association for the Study of
Animal Behaviour.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2006.12.008},
Key = {fds304244}
}
@article{fds227846,
Author = {Gesquiere, LR and Wango, EO and Alberts, SC and Altmann,
J},
Title = {Mechanisms of sexual selection: sexual swellings and
estrogen concentrations as fertility indicators and cues for
male consort decisions in wild baboons.},
Journal = {Hormones and behavior},
Volume = {51},
Number = {1},
Pages = {114-125},
Year = {2007},
Month = {January},
ISSN = {0018-506X},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2006.08.010},
Abstract = {Male mate-guarding episodes ('consortships'), are
taxonomically widespread, yet costly to individual males.
Consequently, males should bias consortships toward females
with whom the probability of conception is high. We combined
data on consortships with visual scoring of sexual swellings
and assays of fecal estrogen concentrations (fE) in a wild
population of baboons (Papio cynocephalus) to test the
hypotheses that sexual swellings are reliable indicators of
(1) within-cycle timing of ovulation, (2) differences in
conception probability among females that differ in
maturational stage, and (3) conceptive versus non-conceptive
cycles of parous females. We also evaluated whether adult
males might rely on swellings or other estrogen-dependent
signals (e.g., fE) for mate-guarding decisions. We found
that sexual swellings reflected conception probability
within and among cycles. Adult males limited their
consortships to the turgescent phase of cycles, and
consorted more with adult females than with newly cycling
adolescents. The highest ranking (alpha) males discriminated
more than did males of other ranks; they (1) limited their
consortships to the 5-day peri-ovulatory period, (2)
consorted more with adult than with adolescent females, and
(3) consorted more with adult females on conceptive cycles
than on non-conceptive cycles, all to a greater extent than
did males of other ranks. Male mate choice based on sexual
swellings and other estrogenic cues of fertility may result
in sexual selection on these female traits and enhance
dominance-based reproductive skew in males. Alpha males are
the least constrained in their mating behavior and can best
take advantage of these cues to mate selectively.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.yhbeh.2006.08.010},
Key = {fds227846}
}
@article{fds227836,
Author = {Hollister Smith and JA and Poole, JH and Archie, EA and Vance, EA and Georgiadis, NJ and Moss, CJ and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Paternity success in wild African elephants},
Journal = {Animal Behaviour},
Volume = {74},
Number = {2},
Pages = {287-296},
Year = {2007},
ISSN = {0003-3472},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2006.12.008},
Abstract = {Male African elephants experience intense intrasexual
selection in gaining access to oestrous females, who
represent a very scarce and highly mobile resource. An
unusual combination of behavioural and physiological traits
in males probably reflects this intense selection pressure.
Males show prolonged growth, growing throughout much or
perhaps all of their long life span (ca. 60-65 years), and
they show musth, a physiological and behavioural condition
exclusive to elephants, which is manifested by bouts of
elevated testosterone and aggression and heightened sexual
activity. Most observed matings are by males over 35 years
of age and in musth, suggesting that age and musth are both
important factors contributing to male reproductive success.
Here we report the results of a genetic paternity analysis
of a well-studied population of wild African elephants.
Patterns of paternity for 119 calves born over a 22-year
period showed significant effects of both age and musth on
paternity success. Among males in musth, paternity success
increased significantly with age until the very oldest age
classes, when it modestly declined. When not in musth, males
experienced relatively constant, low levels of paternity
success at all ages. Thus, despite the importance of both
musth and age in determining male paternity success, adult
males both in and out of musth, and of all ages, produced
calves. In general, however, older males had markedly
elevated paternity success compared with younger males,
suggesting the possibility of sexual selection for longevity
in this species. © 2007 The Association for the Study of
Animal Behaviour.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2006.12.008},
Key = {fds227836}
}
@article{fds227841,
Author = {Silk, JB and Altmann, J and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Social relationships among adult female baboons (papio
cynocephalus) I. Variation in the strength of social
bonds},
Journal = {Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology},
Volume = {61},
Number = {2},
Pages = {183-195},
Publisher = {Springer Nature},
Year = {2006},
Month = {December},
ISSN = {0340-5443},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00265-006-0249-2},
Abstract = {Sociality has positive effects on female fitness in many
mammalian species. Among female baboons, those who are most
socially integrated reproduce most successfully. Here we
test a number of predictions derived from kin selection
theory about the strength of social bonds among adult female
baboons. Our analyses are based on systematic observations
of grooming and association patterns among 118 females
living in seven different social groups in the Amboseli
Basin of Kenya over a 16-year period. Females in these
groups formed the strongest bonds with close kin, including
their mothers, daughters, and maternal and paternal sisters.
Females were also strongly attracted toward females who were
close to their own age, perhaps because peers were often
paternal sisters. Females' bonds with their maternal sisters
were strengthened after their mother's deaths, whereas their
relationships with their maternal aunts were weakened after
their mother's death. In addition, females formed stronger
bonds with their paternal sisters when no close maternal kin
were available, and they compensated for the absence of any
close kin by forming strong bonds with nonrelatives. Taken
together, these data suggest that social bonds play a vital
role in females' lives, and the ability to establish and
maintain strong social bonds may have important fitness
consequences for females. © 2006 Springer-Verlag.},
Doi = {10.1007/s00265-006-0249-2},
Key = {fds227841}
}
@article{fds227842,
Author = {Silk, JB and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Social relationships among adult female baboons (Papio
cynocephalus) II. Variation in the quality and stability of
social bonds},
Journal = {Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology},
Volume = {61},
Number = {2},
Pages = {197-204},
Publisher = {Springer Nature},
Year = {2006},
Month = {December},
ISSN = {0340-5443},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00265-006-0250-9},
Abstract = {A growing body of evidence suggests that social bonds have
adaptive value for animals that live in social groups.
Although these findings suggest that natural selection may
favor the ability to cultivate and sustain social bonds, we
know very little about the factors that influence the
quality or stability of social bonds. Here, we draw on data
derived from a 16-year study of baboons living in seven
different social groups in the Amboseli basin of Kenya to
evaluate the quality and stability of social bonds among
females. Our results extend previous analyses, which
demonstrate that females form the strongest bonds with close
maternal and paternal kin, age mates (who may be paternal
kin), and females who occupy similar ranks but are not
maternal relatives. Here we show that the same factors
influence the quality and strength of social bonds.
Moreover, the results demonstrate that the quality of social
bonds directly affects their stability. © 2006
Springer-Verlag.},
Doi = {10.1007/s00265-006-0250-9},
Key = {fds227842}
}
@article{fds227843,
Author = {Alberts, SC and Buchan, JC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Sexual selection in wild baboons: from mating opportunities
to paternity success},
Journal = {Animal Behaviour},
Volume = {72},
Number = {5},
Pages = {1177-1196},
Publisher = {Elsevier BV},
Year = {2006},
Month = {November},
ISSN = {0003-3472},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2006.05.001},
Abstract = {In mammals, high dominance rank among males is often
associated with mating success. However, mating
opportunities do not automatically translate into offspring
production; observed mating success may be discordant with
offspring production, for three reasons. (1) Observed mating
may be nonrepresentative of actual mating if some mating is
surreptitious (decreasing the chance that it will be
observed), (2) mating may be nonrandom if some males
allocate more mating effort to females with high fertility
(i.e. if some males differentially invest in higher
fertility mating) and (3) conception success may be
nonrandom if sperm competition or sperm selection play a
role in conception. We performed a genetic analysis of
paternity in the well-studied savannah baboon, Papio
cynocephalus, population in the Amboseli basin, eastern
Africa, in order to measure the concordance between observed
mating success and actual offspring production. We found
that observed mating success was generally a good predictor
of paternity success, that high-ranking males had higher
paternity success than lower-ranking males, and that male
density and male rank stability contributed to variance in
male paternity success. We found little evidence for
successful surreptitious mating (although subadult males did
occasionally produce offspring, apparently using this
strategy), and no clear evidence for differential sperm
success or sperm depletion (although we could not rule them
out). However, we found clear evidence that high-ranking
males showed mate choice, concentrating their mating efforts
on females experiencing conceptive rather than nonconceptive
cycles. © 2006 The Association for the Study of Animal
Behaviour.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2006.05.001},
Key = {fds227843}
}
@article{fds227839,
Author = {Loisel, DA and Rockman, MV and Wray, GA and Altmann, J and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Ancient polymorphism and functional variation in the primate
MHC-DQA1 5' cis-regulatory region.},
Journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
United States of America},
Volume = {103},
Number = {44},
Pages = {16331-16336},
Year = {2006},
Month = {October},
ISSN = {0027-8424},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17053068},
Abstract = {Precise regulation of MHC gene expression is critical to
vertebrate immune surveillance and response. Polymorphisms
in the 5' proximal promoter region of the human class II
gene HLA-DQA1 have been shown to influence its
transcriptional regulation and may contribute to the
pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. We investigated the
evolutionary history of this cis-regulatory region by
sequencing the DQA1 5' proximal promoter region in eight
nonhuman primate species. We observed unexpectedly high
levels of sequence variation and multiple strong signatures
of balancing selection in this region. Specifically, the
considerable DQA1 promoter region diversity was
characterized by abundant shared (or trans-species)
polymorphism and a pronounced lack of fixed differences
between species. The majority of transcription factor
binding sites in the DQA1 promoter region were polymorphic
within species, and these binding site polymorphisms were
commonly shared among multiple species despite evidence for
negative selection eliminating a significant fraction of
binding site mutations. We assessed the functional
consequences of intraspecific promoter region diversity
using a cell line-based reporter assay and detected
significant differences among baboon DQA1 promoter
haplotypes in their ability to drive transcription in vitro.
The functional differentiation of baboon promoter
haplotypes, together with the significant deviations from
neutral sequence evolution, suggests a role for balancing
selection in the evolution of DQA1 transcriptional
regulation in primates.},
Doi = {10.1073/pnas.0607662103},
Key = {fds227839}
}
@article{fds227845,
Author = {Beehner, JC and Onderdonk, DA and Alberts, SC and Altmann,
J},
Title = {The ecology of conception and pregnancy failure in wild
baboons},
Journal = {Behavioral Ecology},
Volume = {17},
Number = {5},
Pages = {741-750},
Publisher = {Oxford University Press (OUP)},
Year = {2006},
Month = {September},
ISSN = {1045-2249},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/beheco/arl006},
Abstract = {Environmental conditions are a key factor mediating
reproductive success or failure. Consequently, many
mammalian taxa have breeding seasons that coordinate
critical reproductive stages with optimal environmental
conditions. However, in contrast with most mammals, baboons
(Papio cynocephalus) of Kenya reproduce throughout the year.
Here we depart from the typical approach of evaluating
seasonal effects on reproduction and engage in a more
fine-grained analysis of the actual ecological conditions
leading up to reproduction for females. Our aim was to
determine how environmental conditions, in combination with
social and demographic factors, might mediate baboon
reproduction. The data set includes all female reproductive
cycles from multiple baboon groups in the Amboseli basin
between 1976 and 2004. Results indicate that after periods
of drought or extreme heat, females were significantly less
likely to cycle than expected. If females did cycle after
these conditions, they were less likely to conceive; and if
they did conceive after drought (heat effects were
nonsignificant), they were less likely to have a successful
pregnancy. Age also significantly predicted conceptive
failure; conceptive probability was lowest among the
youngest and oldest cycling females. There was also a trend
for high ambient temperatures to contribute to fetal loss
during the first trimester but not other trimesters.
Finally, group size and drought conditions interacted in
their effects on the probability of conception. Although
females in all groups had equal conception probabilities
during optimal conditions, females in large groups were less
likely than those in small groups to conceive during periods
of drought. These results indicate that in a highly variable
environment, baboon reproductive success is mediated by the
interaction between proximate ecological conditions and
individual demographic factors. © The Author 2006.
Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the
International Society for Behavioral Ecology. All rights
reserved.},
Doi = {10.1093/beheco/arl006},
Key = {fds227845}
}
@article{fds227840,
Author = {Beehner, JC and Nguyen, N and Wango, EO and Alberts, SC and Altmann,
J},
Title = {The endocrinology of pregnancy and fetal loss in wild
baboons.},
Journal = {Hormones and behavior},
Volume = {49},
Number = {5},
Pages = {688-699},
Year = {2006},
Month = {May},
ISSN = {0018-506X},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2005.12.016},
Abstract = {An impressive body of research has focused on the mechanisms
by which the steroid estrogens (E), progestins (P), and
glucocorticoids (GC) ensure successful pregnancy. With the
advance of non-invasive techniques to measure steroids in
urine and feces, steroid hormones are routinely monitored to
detect pregnancy in wild mammalian species, but hormone data
on fetal loss have been sparse. Here, we examine fecal
steroid hormones from five groups of wild yellow baboons
(Papio cynocephalus) in the Amboseli basin of Kenya to
compare the hormones of successful pregnancies to those
ending in fetal loss or stillbirth. Using a combination of
longitudinal and cross-sectional data, we analyzed three
steroid hormones (E, P, GC) and related metabolites from 5
years of fecal samples across 188 pregnancies. Our results
document the course of steroid hormone concentrations across
successful baboon pregnancy in the wild and demonstrate that
fecal estrogens predicted impending fetal loss starting 2
months before the externally observed loss. By also
considering an additional 450 pregnancies for which we did
not have hormonal data, we determined that the probability
for fetal loss for Amboseli baboons was 13.9%, and that
fetal mortality occurred throughout gestation (91 losses
occurred in 656 pregnancies; rates were the same for
pregnancies with and without hormonal data). These results
demonstrate that our longstanding method for early detection
of pregnancies based on observation of external indicators
closely matches hormonal identification of pregnancy in wild
baboons.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.yhbeh.2005.12.016},
Key = {fds227840}
}
@article{fds227847,
Author = {Archie, EA and Moss, CJ and Alberts, SC},
Title = {The ties that bind: genetic relatedness predicts the fission
and fusion of social groups in wild African
elephants.},
Journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences},
Volume = {273},
Number = {1586},
Pages = {513-522},
Year = {2006},
Month = {March},
ISSN = {0962-8452},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16537121},
Abstract = {Many social animals live in stable groups. In contrast,
African savannah elephants (Loxodonta africana) live in
unusually fluid, fission-fusion societies. That is, 'core'
social groups are composed of predictable sets of
individuals; however, over the course of hours or days,
these groups may temporarily divide and reunite, or they may
fuse with other social groups to form much larger social
units. Here, we test the hypothesis that genetic relatedness
predicts patterns of group fission and fusion among wild,
female African elephants. Our study of a single Kenyan
population spans 236 individuals in 45 core social groups,
genotyped at 11 microsatellite and one mitochondrial DNA
(mtDNA) locus. We found that genetic relatedness predicted
group fission; adult females remained with their first order
maternal relatives when core groups fissioned temporarily.
Relatedness also predicted temporary fusion between social
groups; core groups were more likely to fuse with each other
when the oldest females in each group were genetic
relatives. Groups that shared mtDNA haplotypes were also
significantly more likely to fuse than groups that did not
share mtDNA. Our results suggest that associations between
core social groups persist for decades after the original
maternal kin have died. We discuss these results in the
context of kin selection and its possible role in the
evolution of elephant sociality.},
Doi = {10.1098/rspb.2005.3361},
Key = {fds227847}
}
@article{fds304243,
Author = {Archie, EA and Morrison, TA and Foley, CAH and Moss, CJ and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Dominance rank relationships among wild female African
elephants, Loxodonta africana},
Journal = {Animal Behaviour},
Volume = {71},
Number = {1},
Pages = {117-127},
Publisher = {Elsevier BV},
Year = {2006},
Month = {January},
ISSN = {0003-3472},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2005.03.023},
Abstract = {Socioecological models of the evolution of female-bonded
societies predict a relation between resource distribution
and the nature of female affiliative and dominance
relationships. Species that mainly rely on abundant, widely
distributed resources, like African savanna elephants, are
predicted to have unresolved dominance hierarchies and
poorly differentiated female social relationships. Contrary
to this prediction, female elephants have
well-differentiated social relationships; however, little is
known about the nature of their dominance rank
relationships. Here we present the first quantitative
analysis of dominance relationships within 'family' groups
of adult female elephants in two wild populations: one in
Amboseli National Park, Kenya, and another in Tarangire
National Park, Tanzania. We tested three possibilities, that
female elephants: (1) are egalitarian, (2) have linear,
nepotistic hierarchies, or (3) have linear age/size-ordered
hierarchies. Our results best support the third outcome:
dominance rank relationships were transitive within families
and highly asymmetrical within dyads, such that older,
larger females consistently dominated smaller, younger
females. We discuss the implications of this result for
understanding the evolution of female social relationships.
© 2005 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2005.03.023},
Key = {fds304243}
}
@article{fds227844,
Author = {Archie, EA and Morrison, TA and Foley, CA and Moss, CJ and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Linear dominance hierarchies in African elephants},
Journal = {Animal Behaviour},
Volume = {71},
Number = {1},
Pages = {117-127},
Year = {2006},
ISSN = {0003-3472},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2005.03.023},
Abstract = {Socioecological models of the evolution of female-bonded
societies predict a relation between resource distribution
and the nature of female affiliative and dominance
relationships. Species that mainly rely on abundant, widely
distributed resources, like African savanna elephants, are
predicted to have unresolved dominance hierarchies and
poorly differentiated female social relationships. Contrary
to this prediction, female elephants have
well-differentiated social relationships; however, little is
known about the nature of their dominance rank
relationships. Here we present the first quantitative
analysis of dominance relationships within 'family' groups
of adult female elephants in two wild populations: one in
Amboseli National Park, Kenya, and another in Tarangire
National Park, Tanzania. We tested three possibilities, that
female elephants: (1) are egalitarian, (2) have linear,
nepotistic hierarchies, or (3) have linear age/size-ordered
hierarchies. Our results best support the third outcome:
dominance rank relationships were transitive within families
and highly asymmetrical within dyads, such that older,
larger females consistently dominated smaller, younger
females. We discuss the implications of this result for
understanding the evolution of female social relationships.
© 2005 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2005.03.023},
Key = {fds227844}
}
@article{fds227778,
Author = {Buchan, JC and Archie, EA and Van Horn and RC and Moss, CJ and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Locus effects and sources of error in noninvasive
genotyping},
Journal = {Molecular Ecology Notes},
Volume = {5},
Number = {3},
Pages = {680-683},
Publisher = {WILEY},
Year = {2005},
Month = {September},
ISSN = {1471-8278},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-8286.2005.01002.x},
Abstract = {In spite of more than a decade of research on noninvasive
genetic sampling, the low quality and quantity of DNA in
noninvasive studies continue to plague researchers. Effects
of locus size on error have been documented but are still
poorly understood. Further, sources of error other than
allelic dropout have been described but are often not well
quantified. Here we analyse the effects of locus size on
allelic dropout, amplification success and error rates in
noninvasive genotyping studies of three species, and
quantify error other than allelic dropout. © 2005 Blackwell
Publishing Ltd.},
Doi = {10.1111/j.1471-8286.2005.01002.x},
Key = {fds227778}
}
@article{fds227858,
Author = {Morrison, TA and Chiyo, PI and Moss, CJ and Alberts,
SC},
Title = {Measures of dung bolus size for known-age African elephants
(Loxodonta africana): Implications for age
estimation},
Journal = {Journal of Zoology},
Volume = {266},
Number = {1},
Pages = {89-94},
Publisher = {WILEY},
Year = {2005},
Month = {May},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0952836905006631},
Abstract = {The availability of a population of mostly known-age African
elephants Loxodonta africana from Amboseli National Park,
Kenya, provided a unique opportunity to assess the use of
dung bolus diameter for estimating age. A predictive
equation for estimating dung bolus diameters from elephants
of known age was derived and was found to follow the typical
growth pattern exhibited by changes in shoulder height and
foot length. The relationship between measurements of dung
bolus and age was particularly strong when growth rates were
high (age 0-25 years). The dung bolus growth curve from
Amboseli elephants was similar to that derived from another
wild population of African elephants, suggesting that dung
bolus diameter can be used to assess age structure in areas
where it is impossible to construct independent prediction
curves of age and dung bolus. © 2005 The Zoological Society
of London.},
Doi = {10.1017/S0952836905006631},
Key = {fds227858}
}
@article{fds227857,
Author = {Altmann, J and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Growth rates in a wild primate population: Ecological
influences and maternal effects},
Journal = {Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology},
Volume = {57},
Number = {5},
Pages = {490-501},
Publisher = {Springer Nature},
Year = {2005},
Month = {March},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00265-004-0870-x},
Abstract = {Growth rate is a life-history trait often linked to various
fitness components, including survival, age of first
reproduction, and fecundity. Here we present an analysis of
growth-rate variability in a wild population of savannah
baboons (Papio cynocephalus). We found that relative
juvenile size was a stable individual trait during the
juvenile period: individuals generally remained consistently
large-for-age or small-for-age throughout development.
Resource availability, which varied greatly in the study
population (between completely wild-foraging and partially
food-enhanced social groups), had major effects on growth.
Sexual maturity was accelerated for animals in the
food-enhanced foraging condition, and the extent and
ontogeny of sexual dimorphism differed with resource
availability. Maternal characteristics also had significant
effects on growth. Under both foraging conditions, females
of high dominance rank and multiparous females had
relatively large-for-age juveniles. Large relative juvenile
size predicted earlier age of sexual maturation for both
males and females in the wild-feeding condition. This
confirmed that maternal effects were pervasive and
contributed to differences among individuals in fitness
components. © Springer-Verlag 2004.},
Doi = {10.1007/s00265-004-0870-x},
Key = {fds227857}
}
@article{fds227848,
Author = {Gesquiere, LR and Altmann, J and Khan, MZ and Couret, J and Yu, JC and Endres, CS and Lynch, JW and Ogola, P and Fox, EA and Alberts, SC and Wango, E},
Title = {Coming of age: steroid hormones of wild immature baboons,
Papio cynocephalus},
Journal = {American Journal of Primatology},
Volume = {67},
Number = {1},
Pages = {83-100},
Year = {2005},
ISSN = {0275-2565},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajp.20171},
Abstract = {Large gaps exist in our knowledge about common patterns and
variability in the endocrinology of immature nonhuman
primates, and even normal hormonal profiles during that life
stage are lacking for wild populations. In the present study
we present steroid profiles for a wild population of baboons
(Papio cynocephalus) from infancy through reproductive
maturation, obtained by noninvasive fecal analyses. Fecal
concentrations of glucocorticoid (fGC) and testosterone (fT)
metabolites for males, and of fGC, estrogen (fE), and
progestin (fP) metabolites for females were measured by
radioimmunoassay (RIA). In males, infancy was characterized
by high and declining levels of fGC and fT, whereas steroid
concentrations were low during the juvenile years. During
the months immediately prior to testicular enlargement, fT
(but not fGC) concentration tended to increase. Males that
matured early consistently had higher fT and fGC
concentrations than those that matured late, but not
significantly so at any age. Individual differences in fT
concentrations were stable across ages, and average
individual fT and fGC concentrations were positively
correlated. For females, high and declining levels of fE
characterized infancy, and values increased again after 3.5
years of age, as some females reached menarche by that age.
Both fP and fGC were relatively low and constant throughout
infancy and the juvenile period. During the months
immediately prior to menarche, fGC concentration
significantly decreased, while no changes were observed for
fE levels. fP exhibited a complicated pattern of decrease
that was subsequently followed by a more modest and
nonsignificant increase as menarche approached. Early- (EM)
and late-maturing (LM) females differed only in fP
concentration; the higher fP concentrations in EM females
reached significance at 4-4.5 years of age. Maternal rank at
offspring conception did not predict concentrations of any
hormone for either sex. Our results demonstrate the presence
of individual endocrine variability, which could have
important consequences for the timing of sexual maturation
and subsequently for individual reproductive success.
Further evaluation of the factors that affect hormone
concentrations during the juvenile and adolescent periods
should lead to a better understanding of mechanisms of
life-history variability.},
Doi = {10.1002/ajp.20171},
Key = {fds227848}
}
@article{fds227856,
Author = {Altmann, J and Lynch, JW and Nguyen, N and Alberts, SC and Gesquiere,
LR},
Title = {Life-history correlates of steroid concentrations in wild
peripartum baboons.},
Journal = {American journal of primatology},
Volume = {64},
Number = {1},
Pages = {95-106},
Year = {2004},
Month = {September},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajp.20064},
Abstract = {Steroid concentrations during late pregnancy and early
lactation may be affected by both a female's reproductive
history and her current condition, and may in turn predict
subsequent life-history events, such as offspring survival.
This study investigated these relationships in a wild
primate population through the use of fecal steroid analysis
in repeated sampling of peripartum baboons (Papio
cynocephalus). Fecal samples were collected from 32 females
in five groups within the Amboseli basin during 8 weeks
prior to parturition and 13 weeks postpartum. From December
1999 through February 2002, 176 fecal samples were collected
from individuals representing 39 peripartum periods. Fecal
concentrations of progestins (fP), estrogen metabolites
(fE), glucocorticoids (fGC), and testosterone metabolites
(fT) were measured by radioimmunoassay. Steroid
concentrations declined from late pregnancy to lactation,
and the decline was greatest and most precipitous for fE and
fP. Primiparous females had significantly higher mean fE
concentrations in each of the last 2 months of pregnancy
compared to multiparous females. Among multiparous females,
fE and fT were significantly higher during late pregnancy in
females carrying a male fetus compared to those carrying a
female fetus. During early lactation, high fT in young
mothers predicted subsequent infant death during the first
year of life. These findings illustrate the potential power
of repeated fecal-steroid sampling to elucidate mechanisms
of life-history variability in natural populations. They
also document significant differences in hormone profiles
among subgroups, and highlight that such normative subgroup
information is essential for interpreting individual
variability in hormone-behavior associations.},
Doi = {10.1002/ajp.20064},
Key = {fds227856}
}
@article{fds227776,
Author = {Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Reproductive behavior in wild baboons.},
Journal = {Gynecologic and obstetric investigation},
Volume = {57},
Number = {1},
Pages = {10-13},
Year = {2004},
Month = {January},
ISSN = {0378-7346},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14971413},
Doi = {10.1159/000077385},
Key = {fds227776}
}
@article{fds227777,
Author = {Silk, JB and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Patterns of coalition formation by adult female baboons in
Amboseli, Kenya},
Journal = {Animal Behaviour},
Volume = {67},
Number = {3},
Pages = {573-582},
Publisher = {Elsevier BV},
Year = {2004},
Month = {January},
ISSN = {0003-3472},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.anbehav.2003.07.001},
Abstract = {Coalitionary support in agonistic interactions is generally
thought to be costly to the actor and beneficial to the
recipient. Explanations for such cooperative interactions
usually invoke kin selection, reciprocal altruism or
mutualism. We evaluated the role of these factors and
individual benefits in shaping the pattern of coalitionary
activity among adult female savannah baboons, Papio
cynocephalus, in Amboseli, Kenya. There is a broad consensus
that, when ecological conditions favour collective defence
of resources, selection favours investment in social
relationships with those likely to provide coalitionary
support. The primary features of social organization in
female-bonded groups, including female philopatry, linear
dominance hierarchies, acquisition of maternal rank and
well-differentiated female relationships, are thought to be
functionally linked to the existence of alliances between
females. Female savannah baboons display these
characteristics, but the frequency and function of their
coalitionary aggression is disputed. In our five study
groups, 4-6% of all disputes between females led to
intervention by third parties. Adult females selectively
supported close maternal kin. There was no evidence that
females traded grooming for support or reciprocated support
with nonkin. High-ranking females participated in
coalitionary aggression most frequently, perhaps because
they derived more benefits from group membership than other
females did or could provide support at lower cost. Females
typically supported the higher ranking of two contestants
when they intervened in disputes between subordinates, so
most coalitions reinforced the existing dominance hierarchy.
Results indicate that female baboons participate in
coalitionary aggression in a manner strongly influenced by
nepotism and individual benefits. © 2004 The Association
for the Study of Animal Behaviour. Published by Elsevier
Ltd. All rights reserved.},
Doi = {10.1016/j.anbehav.2003.07.001},
Key = {fds227777}
}
@article{fds227867,
Author = {Silk, JB and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Social bonds of female baboons enhance infant
survival.},
Journal = {Science (New York, N.Y.)},
Volume = {302},
Number = {5648},
Pages = {1231-1234},
Year = {2003},
Month = {November},
url = {hgvj,hbklnkjhn;iohuiguyvgbjknbliub},
Abstract = {Among nonhuman primates, females often form strong bonds
with kin and other group members. These relationships are
thought to have adaptive value for females, but direct
effects of sociality on fitness have never been
demonstrated. We present 16 years of behavioral data from a
well-studied population of wild baboons, which demonstrate
that sociality of adult females is positively associated
with infant survival, an important component of variation in
female lifetime fitness. The effects of sociality on infant
survival are independent of the effects of dominance rank,
group membership, and environmental conditions. Our results
are consistent with the evidence that social support has
beneficial effects on human health and well-being across the
life span. For humans and other primates, sociality has
adaptive value.},
Doi = {10.1126/science.1088580},
Key = {fds227867}
}
@article{fds227850,
Author = {Buchan, JC and Alberts, SC and Silk, JB and Altmann,
J},
Title = {True paternal care in a multi-male primate
society.},
Journal = {Nature},
Volume = {425},
Number = {6954},
Pages = {179-181},
Year = {2003},
Month = {September},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12968180},
Abstract = {Although male parental care is rare among mammals, adult
males of many cercopithecine primate species provide care
for infants and juveniles. This care is often in the form of
grooming, carrying, support in agonistic interactions, and
protection against infanticide. For these behaviours to be
interpreted as true parental care, males must selectively
direct care towards their own offspring and this care must
result in fitness benefits. With the exception of males
defending probable offspring from infanticide, male primates
living in multi-male, multi-female social groups have not
been shown to selectively direct care towards their own
offspring. We determined paternity for 75 juveniles in a
population of wild savannah baboons (Papio cynocephalus) and
collected data on interventions in agonistic disputes by
adult males on behalf of juveniles as a form of male care.
Here we show that adult males differentiate their offspring
from unrelated juveniles and selectively support their
offspring in agonistic disputes. As support in agonistic
disputes is likely to contribute to rank acquisition and
protect juveniles from injury and stress, this can be
considered true parental care.},
Doi = {10.1038/nature01866},
Key = {fds227850}
}
@article{fds227882,
Author = {Archie, EA and Moss, CJ and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Characterization of tetranucleotide microsatellite loci in
the African Savannah Elephant (Loxodonta africana
africana)},
Journal = {Molecular Ecology Notes},
Volume = {3},
Number = {2},
Pages = {244-246},
Publisher = {WILEY},
Year = {2003},
Month = {June},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1471-8286.2003.00412.x},
Abstract = {Most African elephant (Loxodonta africana africana)
populations are isolated and thus threatened by a loss of
genetic diversity. As a consequence, genetic analysis of
African elephant populations will play an increasing role in
their conservation, and microsatellite loci will be an
important tool in these analyses. Previously published sets
of polymorphic microsatellites developed for African
elephants are all dinucleotide repeats, which are prone to
typing error. Here, we characterize 11 tetranucleotide
microsatellite loci in the African elephant. All loci were
polymorphic in 32 faecal samples and two tissue samples from
33 individual African savannah elephants.},
Doi = {10.1046/j.1471-8286.2003.00412.x},
Key = {fds227882}
}
@article{fds227854,
Author = {Altmann, J and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Variability in reproductive success viewed from a
life-history perspective in baboons.},
Journal = {American journal of human biology : the official journal of
the Human Biology Council},
Volume = {15},
Number = {3},
Pages = {401-409},
Year = {2003},
Month = {May},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.10157},
Abstract = {Nonhuman primates, like humans, mature slowly and have low
fertility during a relatively long life. As data have
accumulated on life-history patterns of nonhuman primates,
comparative studies have yielded important insights into the
evolution of this slow life-history style of primates.
However, in order to understand selection pressures and
evolutionary potential within species, it is important to
complement comparative studies with detailed studies of
life-history variability within species and to identify
sources of this variability. Here we present a summary of
how foraging environment, social status, and group size (a
measure of population density) contribute to
within-population variance in reproductive success for
savannah baboons. We also discuss the extent to which
savannah baboons, with their highly flexible and adaptable
behavior, change their foraging environments by shifting
home ranges and seeking rich food sources and how
low-ranking females, which disproportionately bear the costs
of social life, may mitigate those costs.},
Doi = {10.1002/ajhb.10157},
Key = {fds227854}
}
@article{fds227853,
Author = {Hahn, NE and Proulx, D and Muruthi, PM and Alberts, S and Altmann,
J},
Title = {Gastrointestinal parasites in free-ranging Kenyan baboons
(Papio cynocephalus and P. anubis)},
Journal = {International Journal of Primatology},
Volume = {24},
Number = {2},
Pages = {271-279},
Year = {2003},
Month = {April},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1023092915171},
Abstract = {We screened fecal samples from 3 groups of wild-living
baboons (Papio cynocephalus and P. anubis), involved in
longitudinal behavioral studies, for evidence of
gastrointestinal parasites. The two objectives of the study
were: 1) to compare parasites from two of the groups with
different foraging behavior from the same area and 2) to
obtain fecal parasitic data on 3 groups of baboons to
provide baseline reference data. We sampled individual
baboons opportunistically from Lodge and Hook's groups,
Amboseli National Park and from Mpala Group, Mpala Wildlife
Research Centre, Kenya, Lodge Group baboons supplemented
foraging on wild foods by daily foraging in human-source
refuse, whereas Hook's and Mpala groups did not. We
collected fecal samples from 55, 30 and 42 individuals in
Hook's, Lodge and Mpala groups, respectively, and processed
them via ether sedimentation. We identified strongylids,
Streptopharagus sp., Physaloptera sp., Trichuris sp.,
Enterobius sp., and Strongyloides sp., in the feces, but no
parasite directly attributable to exposure to people.
Garbage- and wild-feeding Amboseli baboons differed in the
prevalence of Streptopharagus sp., Physaloptera sp. and
Trichuris sp.},
Doi = {10.1023/A:1023092915171},
Key = {fds227853}
}
@article{fds304242,
Author = {Alberts, SC and Watts, HE and Altmann, J},
Title = {Queuing and queue-jumping: Long-term patterns of
reproductive skew in male savannah baboons, Papio
cynocephalus},
Journal = {Animal Behaviour},
Volume = {65},
Number = {4},
Pages = {821-840},
Publisher = {Elsevier BV},
Year = {2003},
Month = {April},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/anbe.2003.2106},
Abstract = {In many animals, variance in male mating success is strongly
correlated with male dominance rank or some other measure of
fighting ability. Studies in primates, however, have varied
greatly in whether they detect a relationship between male
dominance rank and mating success. This variability has led
to debate about the nature of the relation between rank and
mating success in male primates. We contribute to the
resolution of this debate by presenting an analysis of the
relationship between dominance rank and male mating success
over 32 group-years in a population of wild savannah
baboons. When data were pooled over the entire period,
higher-ranking males had greater access to fertile females.
However, when we examined successive 6-month blocks, we
found variance in the extent to which rank predicted mating
success. In some periods, the dominance hierarchy functioned
as a queue in which males waited for mating opportunities,
so that rank predicted mating success. In other periods, the
queuing system broke down, and rank failed to predict mating
success when many adult males were in the group, when males
in the group differed greatly in age, and when the
highest-ranking male maintained his rank for only short
periods. The variance within this single population is
similar to the variance observed between populations of
baboons and between species of primates. Our long-term
results provide strong support for the proposition that this
variance is not an artefact of methodological differences
between short-term studies, but is due to true variance in
the extent to which high-ranking males are able to
monopolize access to females. © 2003 Published by Elsevier
Science Ltd on behalf of The Association for the Study of
Animal Behaviour.},
Doi = {10.1006/anbe.2003.2106},
Key = {fds304242}
}
@article{fds227851,
Author = {Smith, K and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Wild female baboons bias their social behaviour towards
paternal half-sisters.},
Journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences},
Volume = {270},
Number = {1514},
Pages = {503-510},
Year = {2003},
Month = {March},
ISSN = {0962-8452},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2002.2277},
Abstract = {Adult female cercopithecines have long been known to bias
their social behaviour towards close maternal kin. However,
much less is understood about the behaviour of paternal kin,
especially in wild populations. Here, we show that wild
adult female baboons bias their affiliative behaviour
towards their adult paternal half-sisters in the same manner
and to the same extent that they bias their behaviour
towards adult maternal half-sisters. Females appear to rely
heavily on social familiarity as a means of biasing their
behaviour towards paternal half-sisters, but may use
phenotype matching as well.},
Doi = {10.1098/rspb.2002.2277},
Key = {fds227851}
}
@article{fds7899,
Author = {Alberts SC and Altmann J},
Title = {Matrix models for primate life history analysis},
Booktitle = {Primate Life Histories and Socioecology},
Publisher = {University of Chicago Press},
Editor = {P. Kappeler and M.E. Pereira},
Year = {2003},
Key = {fds7899}
}
@article{fds7901,
Author = {Altmann J and Alberts SC},
Title = {Intraspecific variability in fertility and offspring
survival in a non-human primate: behavioral control of
ecological and social sources},
Booktitle = {Offspring: Human Fertility Behavior in Biodemographic
Perspective},
Editor = {K. Wachter and R.A. Bulatao},
Year = {2003},
Key = {fds7901}
}
@article{fds227852,
Author = {Alberts, SC and Watts, HE and Altmann, J},
Title = {Queuing and queue jumping: long term patterns of
reproductive skew among male savannah baboons},
Journal = {Animal Behaviour},
Volume = {65},
Number = {4},
Pages = {821-840},
Year = {2003},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/anbe.2003.2106},
Abstract = {In many animals, variance in male mating success is strongly
correlated with male dominance rank or some other measure of
fighting ability. Studies in primates, however, have varied
greatly in whether they detect a relationship between male
dominance rank and mating success. This variability has led
to debate about the nature of the relation between rank and
mating success in male primates. We contribute to the
resolution of this debate by presenting an analysis of the
relationship between dominance rank and male mating success
over 32 group-years in a population of wild savannah
baboons. When data were pooled over the entire period,
higher-ranking males had greater access to fertile females.
However, when we examined successive 6-month blocks, we
found variance in the extent to which rank predicted mating
success. In some periods, the dominance hierarchy functioned
as a queue in which males waited for mating opportunities,
so that rank predicted mating success. In other periods, the
queuing system broke down, and rank failed to predict mating
success when many adult males were in the group, when males
in the group differed greatly in age, and when the
highest-ranking male maintained his rank for only short
periods. The variance within this single population is
similar to the variance observed between populations of
baboons and between species of primates. Our long-term
results provide strong support for the proposition that this
variance is not an artefact of methodological differences
between short-term studies, but is due to true variance in
the extent to which high-ranking males are able to
monopolize access to females. © 2003 Published by Elsevier
Science Ltd on behalf of The Association for the Study of
Animal Behaviour.},
Doi = {10.1006/anbe.2003.2106},
Key = {fds227852}
}
@article{fds227864,
Author = {Storz, JF and Beaumont, MA and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Genetic evidence for long-term population decline in a
savannah-dwelling primate: inferences from a hierarchical
bayesian model.},
Journal = {Molecular biology and evolution},
Volume = {19},
Number = {11},
Pages = {1981-1990},
Year = {2002},
Month = {November},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a004022},
Abstract = {The purpose of this study was to test for evidence that
savannah baboons (Papio cynocephalus) underwent a population
expansion in concert with a hypothesized expansion of
African human and chimpanzee populations during the late
Pleistocene. The rationale is that any type of environmental
event sufficient to cause simultaneous population expansions
in African humans and chimpanzees would also be expected to
affect other codistributed mammals. To test for genetic
evidence of population expansion or contraction, we
performed a coalescent analysis of multilocus microsatellite
data using a hierarchical Bayesian model. Markov chain Monte
Carlo (MCMC) simulations were used to estimate the posterior
probability density of demographic and genealogical
parameters. The model was designed to allow interlocus
variation in mutational and demographic parameters, which
made it possible to detect aberrant patterns of variation at
individual loci that could result from heterogeneity in
mutational dynamics or from the effects of selection at
linked sites. Results of the MCMC simulations were
consistent with zero variance in demographic parameters
among loci, but there was evidence for a 10- to 20-fold
difference in mutation rate between the most slowly and most
rapidly evolving loci. Results of the model provided strong
evidence that savannah baboons have undergone a long-term
historical decline in population size. The mode of the
highest posterior density for the joint distribution of
current and ancestral population size indicated a roughly
eightfold contraction over the past 1,000 to 250,000 years.
These results indicate that savannah baboons apparently did
not share a common demographic history with other
codistributed primate species.},
Doi = {10.1093/oxfordjournals.molbev.a004022},
Key = {fds227864}
}
@article{fds304241,
Author = {Zinner, D and Alberts, SC and Nunn, CL and Altmann,
J},
Title = {Evolutionary biology: significance of primate sexual
swellings.},
Journal = {Nature},
Volume = {420},
Number = {6912},
Pages = {142-143},
Year = {2002},
Month = {November},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/420142a},
Doi = {10.1038/420142a},
Key = {fds304241}
}
@article{fds227866,
Author = {Altmann, J and Alberts, SC and Altmann, SA and Roy,
SB},
Title = {Dramatic change in local climate patterns in the Amboseli
basin, Kenya},
Journal = {African Journal of Ecology},
Volume = {40},
Number = {3},
Pages = {248-251},
Publisher = {WILEY},
Year = {2002},
Month = {September},
ISSN = {0141-6707},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1046/j.1365-2028.2002.00366.x},
Abstract = {The Amboseli basin, a semi-arid, open savannah area of
southern Kenya, has experienced extensive changes in habitat
since the early 1960's. The present report documents
patterns of air temperature and rainfall in Amboseli for the
25-year period beginning 1976. Daily temperatures increased
dramatically throughout this time period, at a rate almost
an order of magnitude greater than that attributed to global
warming. Mean daily maximum temperature increased more than
did daily minimum (0.275 vs. 0.071°C per annum). Although
increases in mean daily maxima were documented for all
months of the year, they were greatest during the hottest
months, February and March. Annual rainfall varied more than
four-fold (x = 346.5 mm, SD = 120.0, range 132.0-553.4 mm),
yet did not exhibit any directional or other regular pattern
of variability among years over this same 25-year period.
Empirical as well as theoretical investigation of relations
between such changes in climatic conditions and habitat
characteristics are needed at local and regional as well as
global scales.},
Doi = {10.1046/j.1365-2028.2002.00366.x},
Key = {fds227866}
}
@article{fds227772,
Author = {Storz, JF and Ramakrishnan, U and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Erratum: Determinants of effective population size for loci
with different modes of inheritance (The Journal of Heredity
(November-December 2001) 92:6)},
Journal = {Journal of Heredity},
Volume = {93},
Number = {2},
Pages = {155},
Year = {2002},
Month = {July},
Key = {fds227772}
}
@article{fds227863,
Author = {Bronikowski, AM and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J and Packer, C and Carey,
KD and Tatar, M},
Title = {The aging baboon: comparative demography in a non-human
primate.},
Journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
United States of America},
Volume = {99},
Number = {14},
Pages = {9591-9595},
Year = {2002},
Month = {July},
ISSN = {0027-8424},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.142675599},
Abstract = {Why do closely related primate genera vary in longevity, and
what does this teach us about human aging? Life tables of
female baboons (Papio hamadryas) in two wild populations of
East Africa and in a large captive population in San
Antonio, Texas, provide striking similarities and contrasts
to human mortality patterns. For captive baboons at the
Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, we estimate
the doubling time of adult mortality rate as 4.8 years. Wild
females in free-living populations in Tanzania and in Kenya
showed doubling times of 3.5 and 3.8 years, respectively.
Although these values are considerably faster than the
estimates of 7-8 years for humans, these primates share a
demographic feature of human aging: within each taxon
populations primarily vary in the level of Gompertz
mortality intercept (frailty) and vary little in the
demographic rate of aging. Environmental and genetic factors
within taxa appear to affect the level of frailty underlying
senescence. In contrast, primate taxa are differentiated by
rates of demographic aging, even if they cannot be
characterized by species-specific lifespan.},
Doi = {10.1073/pnas.142675599},
Key = {fds227863}
}
@article{fds227773,
Author = {Storz, JF and Ramakrishnan, U and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Erratum: Determinants of effective population size for loci
with different modes of inheritance (Journal of Heredity
(November/December 2001) 92:6)},
Journal = {Journal of Heredity},
Volume = {93},
Number = {3},
Pages = {230},
Year = {2002},
Month = {May},
Key = {fds227773}
}
@article{fds227877,
Author = {Storz, JF and Ramakrishnan, U and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Genetic effective size of a wild primate population:
influence of current and historical demography.},
Journal = {Evolution; international journal of organic
evolution},
Volume = {56},
Number = {4},
Pages = {817-829},
Year = {2002},
Month = {April},
ISSN = {0014-3820},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.0014-3820.2002.tb01392.x},
Abstract = {A comprehensive assessment of the determinants of effective
population size (N(e)) requires estimates of variance in
lifetime reproductive success and past changes in census
numbers. For natural populations, such information can be
best obtained by combining longitudinal data on individual
life histories and genetic marker-based inferences of
demographic history. Independent estimates of the variance
effective size (N(ev), obtained from life-history data) and
the inbreeding effective size (N((eI), obtained from genetic
data) provide a means of disentangling the effects of
current and historical demography. The purpose of this study
was to assess the demographic determinants of N(e) in one of
the most intensively studied natural populations of a
vertebrate species: the population of savannah baboons
(Papio cynocephalus) in the Amboseli Basin, southern Kenya.
We tested the hypotheses that N(eV) < N < N(eI) (where N =
population census number) due to a recent demographic
bottleneck. N(eV) was estimated using a stochastic
demographic model based on detailed life-history data
spanning a 28-year period. Using empirical estimates of
age-specific rates of survival and fertility for both sexes,
individual-based simulations were used to estimate the
variance in lifetime reproductive success. The resultant
values translated into an N(eV)/N estimate of 0.329 (SD =
0.116, 95% CI = 0.172-0.537). Historical N(eI), was
estimated from 14-locus microsatellite genotypes using a
coalescent-based simulation model. Estimates of N(eI) were
2.2 to 7.2 times higher than the contemporary census number
of the Amboseli baboon population. In addition to the
effects of immigration, the disparity between historical
N(eI) and contemporary N is likely attributable to the time
lag between the recent drop in census numbers and the rate
of increase in the average probability of allelic
identity-by-descent. Thus, observed levels of genetic
diversity may primarily reflect the population's
prebottleneck history rather than its current
demography.},
Doi = {10.1111/j.0014-3820.2002.tb01392.x},
Key = {fds227877}
}
@article{fds304240,
Author = {Semple, S and McComb, K and Alberts, S and Altmann,
J},
Title = {Information content of female copulation calls in yellow
baboons.},
Journal = {American journal of primatology},
Volume = {56},
Number = {1},
Pages = {43-56},
Year = {2002},
Month = {January},
ISSN = {0275-2565},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajp.1062},
Abstract = {In a wide variety of animal species, females produce
vocalizations just before, during, or immediately after
copulation. Observational and experimental evidence
indicates that these copulation calls are sexually selected
traits, functioning to promote competition between males for
access to the calling female. In this paper, we present an
acoustic analysis of variation in the form of copulation
calls of female yellow baboons, Papio cynocephalus
cynocephalus. In particular, we examine whether information
about three factors-the calling female's reproductive state,
the occurrence or absence of ejaculation, and the dominance
rank of the mating male-is encoded in call structure and
hence is potentially available to male receivers attending
to the signal. Although several features of copulation calls
were correlated with each of these factors, when all three
were included in multiple regressions only reproductive
state and rank of the mating male had independent effects on
call form. These findings indicate that female copulation
calls in this species signal information about the proximity
to ovulation of the calling female and also the relative
competitive strength of her mating partner.},
Doi = {10.1002/ajp.1062},
Key = {fds304240}
}
@article{fds227878,
Author = {Semple, S and McComb, K and Alberts, SC and Altmann,
J},
Title = {Sources of variation in the copulation calls of female
yellow baboons},
Journal = {American Journal of Primatology},
Volume = {56},
Number = {1},
Pages = {43-56},
Year = {2002},
ISSN = {0275-2565},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajp.1062},
Abstract = {In a wide variety of animal species, females produce
vocalizations just before, during, or immediately after
copulation. Observational and experimental evidence
indicates that these copulation calls are sexually selected
traits, functioning to promote competition between males for
access to the calling female. In this paper, we present an
acoustic analysis of variation in the form of copulation
calls of female yellow baboons, Papio cynocephalus
cynocephalus. In particular, we examine whether information
about three factors - The calling female's reproductive
state, the occurrence or absence of ejaculation, and the
dominance rank of the mating male - Is encoded in call
structure and hence is potentially available to male
receivers attending to the signal. Although several features
of copulation calls were correlated with each of these
factors, when all three were included in multiple
regressions only reproductive state and rank of the mating
male had independent effects on call form. These findings
indicate that female copulation calls in this species signal
information about the proximity to ovulation of the calling
female and also the relative competitive strength of her
mating partner. Am. J. Primatol. 56:43-56, 2002. © 2002
Wiley-Liss, Inc.},
Doi = {10.1002/ajp.1062},
Key = {fds227878}
}
@article{fds227881,
Author = {Zinner, D and Albert, SC and Nunn, CL and Altmann,
J},
Title = {Significance of primate sexual swellings},
Journal = {Nature},
Volume = {420},
Number = {6912},
Pages = {142-143},
Year = {2002},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/420142a},
Doi = {10.1038/420142a},
Key = {fds227881}
}
@article{fds227865,
Author = {Storz, JF and Ramakrishnan, U and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Determinants of effective population size for loci with
different modes of inheritance.},
Journal = {The Journal of heredity},
Volume = {92},
Number = {6},
Pages = {497-502},
Year = {2001},
Month = {November},
ISSN = {0022-1503},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jhered/92.6.497},
Abstract = {Here we report an assessment of the determinants of
effective population size (N(e)) in species with overlapping
generations. Specifically, we used a stochastic demographic
model to investigate the influence of different life-history
variables on N(e)/N (where N = population census number) and
the influence of sex differences in life-history variables
on N(e) for loci with different modes of inheritance. We
applied an individual-based modeling approach to two
datasets: one from a natural population of savannah baboons
(Papio cynocephalus) in the Amboseli basin of southern Kenya
and one from a human tribal population (the Gainj of Papua
New Guinea). Simulation-based estimates of N(e)/N averaged
0.329 for the Amboseli baboon population (SD = 0.116, 95% CI
= 0.172 - 0.537) and 0.786 for the Gainj (SD = 0.184, 95% CI
= 0.498 - 1.115). Although variance in male fitness had a
substantial impact on N(e)/N in each of the two primate
populations, ratios of N(e) values for autosomal and
sex-linked loci exhibited no significant departures from
Poisson-expected values. In each case, similarities in
sex-specific N(e) values were attributable to the
unexpectedly high variance in female fitness. Variance in
male fitness resulted primarily from age-dependent variance
in reproductive success, whereas variance in female fitness
resulted primarily from stochastic variance in survival
during the reproductive phase.},
Doi = {10.1093/jhered/92.6.497},
Key = {fds227865}
}
@article{fds227855,
Author = {Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Immigration and hybridization patterns of yellow and anubis
baboons in and around Amboseli, Kenya.},
Journal = {American journal of primatology},
Volume = {53},
Number = {4},
Pages = {139-154},
Year = {2001},
Month = {April},
ISSN = {0275-2565},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11283975},
Abstract = {In 1986, Samuels and Altmann reported evidence for a hybrid
zone between Papio anubis and Papio cynocephalus in
Amboseli, Kenya, in a baboon population that has been the
subject of long-term study since 1971 [Samuels & Altmann,
International Journal of Primatology 7:131-138, 1986]. In
the current report we document ongoing patterns of
hybridization in Amboseli between anubis and yellow baboons.
In July 2000, we exhaustively scored living members of study
groups for their degree of hybridity, using seven phenotypic
characteristics (five in juveniles). We also scored all
former members of study groups on the basis of photographic
records, field notes, and observer recollections. A total of
five anubis males and 11 males with hybrid phenotypes have
immigrated into study groups over the course of the
long-term study, and immigrations by hybrid males have
increased in frequency over time. Further, the increasing
frequency of hybrid phenotypes among animals born into study
groups indicates that anubis and hybrid males have
successfully reproduced in study groups. However, hybrid
phenotypes and anubis immigrations were limited to groups in
the southwestern portion of the Amboseli basin, with no
hybrids occurring in the six eastern groups. Finally, we
present evidence that anubis and hybrid males in Amboseli
exhibit patterns of natal dispersal that are different from
those of yellow males in Amboseli: males with anubis or
hybrid phenotypes were significantly more likely to
immigrate as juveniles or young subadults than were yellow
males.},
Doi = {10.1002/ajp.1},
Key = {fds227855}
}
@article{fds7909,
Author = {Alberts SC and Altmann J},
Title = {Immigration and hybridization patterns of yellow and anubis
baboons in Amboseli, Kenya},
Journal = {American Journal of Primatology},
Volume = {53},
Pages = {139-154},
Year = {2001},
Key = {fds7909}
}
@article{fds227849,
Author = {Storz, JF and Ramakrishnan, U and Alberts, SC},
Title = {Determinants of effective population size for loci with
different modes of inheritance},
Journal = {Journal of Heredity},
Volume = {92},
Pages = {197-502},
Year = {2001},
Key = {fds227849}
}
@article{fds227879,
Author = {Smith, KL and Alberts, SC and Bayes, MK and Bruford, MW and Altmann, J and Ober, C},
Title = {Cross-species amplification, non-invasive genotyping, and
non-Mendelian inheritance of human STRPs in Savannah
baboons.},
Journal = {American journal of primatology},
Volume = {51},
Number = {4},
Pages = {219-227},
Year = {2000},
Month = {August},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/1098-2345(200008)51:4<219::aid-ajp1>3.0.co;2-g},
Abstract = {Twenty-nine human microsatellite primer pairs were screened
for their utility in the cross-species amplification of
baboon DNA derived from both blood and feces as part of a
larger study to identify paternal half sisters in a
population of wild baboons (Papio cynocephalus). Forty-one
percent (12/29) of the human primers successfully amplified
baboon DNA. Of these 12 primers, six amplified fragments
that were both polymorphic and heterozygous (mean number of
alleles = 6, mean heterozygosity = 87%) and yielded
repeatable results. However, only five of these six simple
tandem repeat polymorphisms (STRPs) showed patterns of
Mendelian inheritance (i.e., mothers and offspring shared at
least one allele at each locus), and were therefore useful
for determining relatedness between individuals. Analysis of
the sixth primer revealed non-Mendelian inheritance, i.e.,
three of the six known mother-daughter pairs had no shared
alleles. This failure was probably due to non-specific
fragment amplification, and may have resulted from a
different STRP locus being amplified in mother and daughter.
This finding highlights the importance of sampling DNA from
known parent-offspring pairs when screening microsatellite
primers for genetic studies. Multiple, independent
replications of genotypes and Mendelian checks are both
particularly important when using cross-species
amplification or when using a low-quality source of
DNA.},
Doi = {10.1002/1098-2345(200008)51:4<219::aid-ajp1>3.0.co;2-g},
Key = {fds227879}
}
@article{fds304239,
Author = {Bayes, MK and Smith, KL and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J and Bruford,
MW},
Title = {Testing the reliability of microsatellite typing from faecal
DNA in the savannah baboon},
Journal = {Conservation Genetics},
Volume = {1},
Number = {2},
Pages = {173-176},
Year = {2000},
Month = {January},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1026595324974},
Doi = {10.1023/A:1026595324974},
Key = {fds304239}
}
@article{fds227880,
Author = {Bayes, MK and Smith, KL and Alberts, SC and Cheesman, DJ and Altmann, J and Bruford, MW},
Title = {Fecal DNA genotyping in the savannah baboons: history,
problems and data},
Journal = {Conservation Genetics},
Volume = {1},
Number = {2},
Pages = {173-176},
Year = {2000},
Key = {fds227880}
}
@article{fds227875,
Author = {Alberts, SC},
Title = {Thirteen Mhc-DQA1 alleles from two populations of
baboons.},
Journal = {Immunogenetics},
Volume = {49},
Number = {9},
Pages = {825-827},
Year = {1999},
Month = {August},
ISSN = {0093-7711},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10398813},
Doi = {10.1007/s002510050560},
Key = {fds227875}
}
@article{fds227876,
Author = {Alberts, SC},
Title = {Paternal kin discrimination in wild baboons.},
Journal = {Proceedings. Biological sciences},
Volume = {266},
Number = {1427},
Pages = {1501-1506},
Year = {1999},
Month = {July},
ISSN = {0962-8452},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10457619},
Abstract = {Mammals commonly avoid mating with maternal kin, probably as
a result of selection for inbreeding avoidance. Mating with
paternal kin should be selected against for the same reason.
However, identifying paternal kin may be more difficult than
identifying maternal kin in species where the mother mates
with more than one male. Selection should nonetheless favour
a mechanism of paternal kin recognition that allows the same
level of discrimination among paternal as among maternal
kin, but the hypothesis that paternal kin avoid each other
as mates is largely untested in large mammals such as
primates. Here I report that among wild baboons, Papio
cynocephalus, paternal siblings exhibited lower levels of
affiliative and sexual behaviour during sexual consortships
than non-kin, although paternal siblings were not
significantly less likely to consort than non-kin. I also
examined age proximity as a possible social cue of paternal
relatedness, because age cohorts are likely to be paternal
sibships. Pairs born within two years of each other were
less likely to engage in sexual consortships than pairs born
at greater intervals, and were less affiliative and sexual
when they did consort. Age proximity may thus be an
important social cue for paternal relatedness, and phenotype
matching based on shared paternal traits may play a role as
well.},
Doi = {10.1098/rspb.1999.0807},
Key = {fds227876}
}
@article{fds227874,
Author = {Sapolsky, RM and Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Hypercortisolism associated with social subordinance or
social isolation among wild baboons.},
Journal = {Archives of general psychiatry},
Volume = {54},
Number = {12},
Pages = {1137-1143},
Year = {1997},
Month = {December},
ISSN = {0003-990X},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.1997.01830240097014},
Abstract = {<h4>Background</h4>The phenomena of basal hypercortisolism
and of dexamethasone resistance have long intrigued
biological psychiatrists, and much is still unknown as to
the causes and consequences of such adrenocortical
hyperactivity in various neuropsychiatric disorders. We have
analyzed basal cortisol concentrations and adrenocortical
responsiveness to dexamethasone in a population of wild
baboons living in a national park in Kenya. We tested
whether social subordinance in a primate is associated with
dexamethasone resistance. Furthermore, we examined whether
individual differences in adrenocortical measurements were
predicted by the extent of social affiliation in these
animals.<h4>Methods</h4>Seventy yellow baboons (Papio
cynocephalus) were anesthetized and injected with 5 mg of
dexamethasone; the cortisol response was monitored for 6
hours. The animals were of both sexes in a range of ages and
had known ranks in the dominance hierarchies within their
troops. Extensive behavioral data were available for a
subset of 12 adult males who were anesthetized under
circumstances that also allowed for the determination of
basal cortisol concentrations.<h4>Results</h4>The socially
subordinate baboons were less responsive to dexamethasone
than were the dominant ones; as one manifestation of this,
postdexamethasone cortisol values were more than 3 times
higher in the dozen lowest-ranking animals compared with the
dozen highest. In addition, socially isolated males had
elevated basal cortisol concentrations and showed a trend
toward relative dexamethasone resistance.<h4>Conclusions</h4>Our
findings indicate that social status and degree of social
affilitation can influence adrenocortical profiles;
specifically, social subordinance or social isolation were
associated in our study with hypercortisolism or feedback
resistance.},
Doi = {10.1001/archpsyc.1997.01830240097014},
Key = {fds227874}
}
@article{fds227873,
Author = {Altmann, J and Alberts, SC and Haines, SA and Dubach, J and Muruthi, P and Coote, T and Geffen, E and Cheesman, DJ and Mututua, RS and Saiyalel,
SN and Wayne, RK and Lacy, RC and Bruford, MW},
Title = {Behavior predicts genes structure in a wild primate
group.},
Journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the
United States of America},
Volume = {93},
Number = {12},
Pages = {5797-5801},
Year = {1996},
Month = {June},
ISSN = {0027-8424},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.93.12.5797},
Abstract = {The predictability of genetic structure from social
structure and differential mating success was tested in wild
baboons. Baboon populations are subdivided into cohesive
social groups that include multiple adults of both sexes. As
in many mammals, males are the dispersing sex. Social
structure and behavior successfully predicted molecular
genetic measures of relatedness and variance in reproductive
success. In the first quantitative test of the
priority-of-access model among wild primates, the
reproductive priority of dominant males was confirmed by
molecular genetic analysis. However, the resultant high
short-term variance in reproductive success did not
translate into equally high long-term variance because male
dominance status was unstable. An important consequence of
high but unstable short-term variance is that age cohorts
will tend to be paternal sibships and social groups will be
genetically substructured by age.},
Doi = {10.1073/pnas.93.12.5797},
Key = {fds227873}
}
@article{fds227872,
Author = {Alberts, SC and Altmann, J and Wilson, ML},
Title = {Mate guarding constrains foraging activity of male
baboons},
Journal = {Animal Behaviour},
Volume = {51},
Number = {6},
Pages = {1269-1277},
Publisher = {Elsevier BV},
Year = {1996},
Month = {January},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/anbe.1996.0131},
Abstract = {For many species, mate guarding results in dramatic
departures from normal behaviour that reflect compromised
attention to feeding and other activities. Such departures
have previously been difficult to document in primates,
however. Data were gathered on two aspects of male behaviour
that were predicted to be constrained during consortships,
individual travel distance and duration of feeding bouts,
for wild male baboons, Papio cynocephalus, in and out of
mate-guarding episodes. In each case, consorting males were
compared with themselves outside of consortships, and, in
the case of distance travelled, they were compared also with
non- consorting males matched for sample time and location.
Males travelled significantly shorter distances while
consorting than while not consorting, with the result that
consorting males travelled distances similar to those
travelled by females. Males also had significantly shorter
feeding bouts while consorting. The shorter travel distances
and feeding bouts experienced by consorting males may
represent important constraints on male foraging activity,
and probably result in decreased energy intake during mate
guarding. Seasonal and non-seasonal breeding patterns will
have different consequences for the magnitude of
fluctuations in energy stores and depletions experienced
during mate guarding, and costs of mate guarding in species
that breed non-seasonally will be more difficult to document
because they are necessarily smaller and temporally
dispersed. When considered across the lifespan, however,
mate guarding costs to non-seasonal breeders may equal or
exceed costs to seasonal breeders.},
Doi = {10.1006/anbe.1996.0131},
Key = {fds227872}
}
@article{fds227871,
Author = {Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Preparation and activation: determinants of age at
reproductive maturity in male baboons},
Journal = {Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology},
Volume = {36},
Number = {6},
Pages = {397-406},
Publisher = {Springer Nature},
Year = {1995},
Month = {June},
ISSN = {0340-5443},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00177335},
Abstract = {Age at maturity is a particularly important life history
trait, but maturational data are rare for males in natural
populations of mammals. Here we provide information on three
maturational milestones and their social and demographic
correlates among 43 wild male baboons, Papio cynocephalus,
in a natural population in Amboseli National Park, Kenya. We
examined (1) age at testicular enlargement, which signals
puberty and the onset of subadulthood, (2) age at attainment
of adult dominance rank, which we consider to be the
beginning of adulthood, and (3) age at first sexual
consortship, which is the best measure available for age at
first reproduction in male baboons. Testicular enlargement
(median age = 5.69 years) occurred earlier among sons of
high ranking mothers, and was not influenced by rainfall or
seasonality. Attainment of adult dominance rank (median age
= 7.41 years) was also accelerated among sons of
high-ranking mothers, and among males whose mothers had died
while the males were juveniles. First sexual consortship
(median age = 7.92 years) was not influenced directly by
maternal characteristics, but attainment of adult dominance
rank always preceded first consortship. The lag time between
attainment of adult rank and first consortship (median = 2.5
months; range = 5-526 days), was predicted by the number of
sexually cycling females in the group when the male attained
rank, and by how high ranking the male became in his first
months as an adult. We suggest that the age at which a male
baboon is ready to begin reproducing is influenced by a
relatively stable maternal characteristic that exerts its
influence early in development, but the timing with which
this potential is realized depends on activation by more
proximate, often stochastic triggers such as female
availability. This two-level organization of influences is
likely to contribute to the variance both in age at first
reproduction and in lifetime fitness. Differences in the
relative magnitude of the two levels will lead to both
intra- and interspecific variability in the opportunity for
maternal selection and sexual selection. © 1995
Springer-Verlag.},
Doi = {10.1007/BF00177335},
Key = {fds227871}
}
@article{fds227870,
Author = {Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {Balancing costs and opportunities: Dispersal in male
baboons},
Journal = {American Naturalist},
Volume = {145},
Number = {2},
Pages = {279-306},
Publisher = {University of Chicago Press},
Year = {1995},
Month = {January},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/285740},
Doi = {10.1086/285740},
Key = {fds227870}
}
@article{fds227869,
Author = {Alberts, SC},
Title = {Vigilance in young baboons: Effects of habitat, age, sex and
maternal rank on glance rate},
Journal = {Animal Behaviour},
Volume = {47},
Number = {4},
Pages = {749-755},
Publisher = {Elsevier BV},
Year = {1994},
Month = {January},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1006/anbe.1994.1107},
Abstract = {Glance rates, a measure of vigilance, were sampled in infant
and young juvenile yellow baboons, Papio cynocephalus, in
Amboseli, Kenya, to test ecological and social predictions
about the ontogeny of vigilance. Glance rates of young
baboons did not vary between closed and open habitats, but
did vary with sex, maternal rank and age. Daughters of
low-ranking mothers glanced significantly more often than
daughters of high-ranking mothers, and the converse was true
for males. Glance rates of females, but not males, decreased
significantly between 6 and 24 months of age. © 1994 The
Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.},
Doi = {10.1006/anbe.1994.1107},
Key = {fds227869}
}
@article{fds227862,
Author = {Alberts, SC and Ober, C},
Title = {Genetic variability in the major histocompatibility complex:
A review of non‐pathogen‐mediated selective
mechanisms},
Journal = {American Journal of Physical Anthropology},
Volume = {36},
Number = {17 S},
Pages = {71-89},
Publisher = {WILEY},
Year = {1993},
Month = {January},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330360606},
Abstract = {The extraordinary genetic polymorphism observed in the major
histocompatibility complex (MHC) of the vertebrate genome
has attracted the attention of researchers for decades. In
almost all taxa that have been investigated, levels of
polymorphism are remarkably high. Several mechanisms have
been proposed to explain the maintenance of genetic
diversity at the MHC, including pathogen‐driven natural
selection, selection driven by maternal‐fetal
interactions, and negative assortative mating. In this
review we discuss the evidence for the latter two mechanisms
in human and animal populations. We begin with a description
of the structure and function of the MHC, particularly in
humans. Then, evidence for natural selection acting on MHC
genes, in the form of homozygote deficiencies observed in
human population isolates, is discussed. The two major
candidates for mechanisms of non‐pathogen‐driven
selection, maternal‐fetal interactions and MHC‐based
mate choice, are described in detail and their implications
are discussed. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Copyright © 1993
Wiley‐Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company},
Doi = {10.1002/ajpa.1330360606},
Key = {fds227862}
}
@article{fds227861,
Author = {Alberts, SC and Sapolsky, RM and Altmann, J},
Title = {Behavioral, endocrine, and immunological correlates of
immigration by an aggressive male into a natural primate
group.},
Journal = {Hormones and behavior},
Volume = {26},
Number = {2},
Pages = {167-178},
Year = {1992},
Month = {June},
ISSN = {0018-506X},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/0018-506x(92)90040-3},
Abstract = {A very aggressive young adult male entered one of three
long-term study groups of yellow baboons. Papio
cynocephalus, approximately 3 weeks after an immobilization
project began. The immigrant male's rate of agonistic
encounters was appreciably higher than average, and these
interactions disproportionately involved adult females as
targets. Basal cortisol concentrations were higher and total
lymphocyte counts lower for individuals immobilized during
the immigration situation than for other individuals; these
effects were greater for females than for males. Among
animals whose endocrine data were obtained during the
immigration period, some were specific targets of the
immigrant male's aggression and others were not. Lymphocyte
counts were significantly lower for those individuals who
were victims of the male's aggression than for noninvolved
individuals; a nonsignificant tendency toward higher basal
cortisol concentrations for victims was observed as well.
The immigrant male himself had a high basal cortisol
concentration, a low lymphocyte count, and a testosterone
concentration that was triple the average for adult males
and almost double the second highest value in the
population.},
Doi = {10.1016/0018-506x(92)90040-3},
Key = {fds227861}
}
@article{fds227860,
Author = {Altmann, J and Alberts, SC and Sapolsky, RM},
Title = {Endocrine and developmental correlates of unilateral
cryptorchidism in a wild baboons},
Journal = {American Journal of Primatology},
Volume = {26},
Number = {4},
Pages = {309-314},
Publisher = {WILEY},
Year = {1992},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ajp.1350260407},
Abstract = {A wild, group‐living 8.5‐year‐old adult baboon was
found to have only a single palpable testicle, the only case
of cryptorchidism found among more than 200 males that we
have examined. This young adult had an unusually small body
size for his age, one that was comparable to that of
immature males two years younger, and during maturation his
body mass was increasingly small for his age. As a young
adult, he also had very low testosterone concentrations,
which, in combination with his small size, history of
impaired growth, and the absence of any obvious scars around
the scrotum, suggest that this is a case of spontaneous
unilateral cryptorchidism of unknown cause rather than one
of monorchidism arising from injury. Despite striking
differences in his growth, adult body size, and testosterone
levels, the male's cryptorchidism seemed to have relatively
little effect on his social and sexual maturation in his
natal group. Nonetheless, it may be related to his inability
to gain entry into another group after dispersal. Copyright
© 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company},
Doi = {10.1002/ajp.1350260407},
Key = {fds227860}
}
@article{fds227868,
Author = {Altmann, J and Alberts, S},
Title = {Body mass and growth rates in a wild primate
population},
Journal = {Oecologia},
Volume = {72},
Number = {1},
Pages = {15-20},
Publisher = {Springer Nature},
Year = {1987},
Month = {April},
ISSN = {0029-8549},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00385038},
Abstract = {We obtined data on body mass and growth rates for the
immature members of two groups of wild baboons in Amboseli
National Park, Kenya. Data were collected without feeding,
trapping, or handling. The data were separated into
cross-sectional and longitudinal components, allowing both
the examination of body mass-age relationships and the
calculation of growth rates for individuals. For animals
less than three years old, body mass was wellperedicted from
age by a linear model. Differences based on social group
membership were small but consistent, and their origins are
discussed. We detected no differences in body mass based on
sex or on maternal dominance rank. For older juveniles,
those three to seven years of age, a better fit was obtained
from log of mass than by mass in a linear model. This was
also true for the cross-sectional data set over the whole
age range (zero to seven years). For older juveniles,
samples were too small for quantitative analysis of
differences based on sex, rank, or group membership, but
trends in the data are indicated. Growth rates derived from
repeat measures of body mass for 38 animals are presented
and discussed. The growth rate values obtained in this study
are consistent with data from cross-sectional studies of
other wild baboon populations; these values for wild baboons
are consistently one-half to one-third lower than growth
rate values for well-provisioned captive baboons and
equivalent to captive baboons fed a low-protein diet.
Comparisons between primates and other mammals in the
primate size range raise questions concerning ecological and
behavioral constraints on primate growth rates; some
possible mechanisms of constraint are suggested. © 1987
Springer-Verlag.},
Doi = {10.1007/BF00385038},
Key = {fds227868}
}
@article{fds227859,
Author = {Alberts, SC},
Title = {Parental care in captive siamangs (Hylobates
syndactylus)},
Journal = {Zoo Biology},
Volume = {6},
Number = {4},
Pages = {401-406},
Publisher = {WILEY},
Year = {1987},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/zoo.1430060414},
Abstract = {Siamangs exhibit paternal care to the extent that the male
of a monogamous unit carries its infant offspring beginning
late in the infant's first year of life. Field studies have
documented this but without behavioral detail. It has been
hypothesized that the transfer is facilitated by a desertion
of the infant by the female. An infant siamang born in
captivity at the Washington Park Zoo, Portland, Oregon, was
observed through its first year of life. The infant transfer
to the male was documented in captivity and was associated
with a high rate of infant‐initiated contact with the male
and a high rate of infant retrieval by the female. The study
concludes that the infant probably played a key role in
facilitating the transfer to the male. Copyright © 1987
Wiley‐Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company},
Doi = {10.1002/zoo.1430060414},
Key = {fds227859}
}
%% Papers Submitted
@article{fds219921,
Author = {P.I. Chiyo and J.W. Wilson and C.M. Moss and S.C.
Alberts},
Title = {The influence of ecology and reproductive opportunities on
group size in male African elephants},
Journal = {Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology},
Year = {2013},
Key = {fds219921}
}
@article{fds219894,
Author = {E.A. Archie and J. Altmann and S.C. Alberts},
Title = {Injury and immune costs of reproduction in a long-lived
female primate},
Journal = {Behavioral Ecology},
Year = {2013},
Key = {fds219894}
}
@article{fds219896,
Author = {A.J. Lea and N. Learn and M.J. Theus and J. Altmann and S.C.
Alberts},
Title = {Dynamic patterns of dominance rank attainment in female
baboons (Papio cynocephalus)},
Journal = {Animal Behaviour},
Year = {2013},
Key = {fds219896}
}
%% Book Chapters
@misc{fds183131,
Author = {S.C. Alberts},
Title = {Magnitude and sources of variation in male reproductive
performance},
Pages = {412-431},
Booktitle = {The Evolution of Primate Societies},
Publisher = {University of Chicago Press},
Address = {Chicago},
Editor = {J. Mitani and J. Call and P. Kappeler and R. Palombit and J.B.
Silk},
Year = {2012},
Key = {fds183131}
}
@misc{fds198069,
Author = {Alberts SC and Altmann J},
Title = {The Amboseli Baboon Research Project: Themes of continuity
and change},
Pages = {261-288},
Booktitle = {Long-term field studies of primates},
Publisher = {Springer Verlag},
Editor = {P Kappeler and DP Watts},
Year = {2012},
Key = {fds198069}
}
@misc{fds166356,
Author = {Archie EA and Fitzpatrick CL and Moss CJ and Alberts
SC},
Title = {The population genetics of the Amboseli and Kilimanjaro
elephants},
Pages = {37-47},
Booktitle = {Amboseli Elephants: A Long-term Perspective on a Long-lived
Mammal},
Publisher = {University of Chicago Press},
Editor = {C. Moss and H. Croze and P. Lee},
Year = {2011},
Key = {fds166356}
}
@misc{fds166357,
Author = {Archie EA and Moss CJ and Alberts SC},
Title = {Friends and relations: kinship and the nature of female
elephant social relationships},
Pages = {238-245},
Booktitle = {Amboseli Elephants: A Long-term Perspective on a Long-lived
Mammal},
Publisher = {University of Chicago Press},
Editor = {C. Moss and H. Croze and P. Lee},
Year = {2011},
Key = {fds166357}
}
@misc{fds166358,
Author = {J.A. Hollister-Smith and J.H. Poole and C.J. Moss and S.C.
Alberts},
Title = {Genetic paternity analysis of the Amboseli elephant
population},
Pages = {274-275},
Booktitle = {Amboseli Elephants: A Long-term Perspective on a Long-lived
Mammal},
Publisher = {University of Chicago Press},
Editor = {C. Moss and H. Croze and P. Lee},
Year = {2011},
Key = {fds166358}
}
@misc{fds140246,
Author = {Loisel DA and Alberts SC and Ober C},
Title = {Functional significance of MHC variation in mate choice,
reproductive outcome, and disease risk},
Series = {2nd edition},
Pages = {95-108},
Booktitle = {Evolution in Health and Disease},
Publisher = {Oxford University Press},
Address = {Oxford, UK},
Editor = {SC Stearns and J Koella},
Year = {2008},
Key = {fds140246}
}
@misc{fds366833,
Author = {Alberts, SC and Altmann, J},
Title = {The Evolutionary Past and the Research Future: Environmental
Variation and Life History Flexibility in a Primate
Lineage},
Pages = {277-303},
Booktitle = {REPRODUCTION AND FITNESS IN BABOONS},
Publisher = {Kluwer Academic Publishers},
Editor = {L. Swedell and S. Leigh},
Year = {2006},
ISBN = {978-0-387-30688-9},
Key = {fds366833}
}
@misc{fds366834,
Author = {Alberts, SC and Hollister-Smith, JA and Mututua, RS and Sayialel, SN and Muruthi, PM and Warutere, JK and Altmann, J},
Title = {Seasonality and long-term change in a savanna
environment},
Pages = {157-196},
Booktitle = {Seasonality in Primates},
Publisher = {Cambridge University Press},
Editor = {D. K. Brockman and C. P. van Schaik},
Year = {2005},
Month = {November},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/cbo9780511542343.007},
Doi = {10.1017/cbo9780511542343.007},
Key = {fds366834}
}
%% Book Reviews
@article{fds183138,
Author = {S.C. Alberts},
Title = {Review of "Sexual Coercion in Primates and Humans: An
Evolutionary Perspective on Male Aggression Against
Females", edited by MN Muller and RW Wrangham, Cambridge
University Press. 2009.},
Journal = {Quarterly Review of Biology},
Volume = {84},
Pages = {413-414},
Year = {2010},
Key = {fds183138}
}
%% Other
@misc{fds183133,
Author = {S.C. Alberts},
Title = {Dispatch: Primatology: "A Faithful Friend is the Medicine of
Life"},
Journal = {Current Biology},
Volume = {20},
Pages = {1359-1361},
Year = {2010},
Key = {fds183133}
}
| ||
Duke University * Arts & Sciences * BAA * Faculty All * Postdoc Staff * Non-PHD Staff * Staff * Grads * Reload * Login | |||
