Sizing Up Rivals and Mates in Wild Geladas: Visual, Vocal, and Hormonal Signals

评估野生狮羚的竞争对手和配偶：视觉、声音和荷尔蒙信号

• 批准号: 0715179
• 负责人: Thore Bergman
• 金额: $ 31.77万
• 依托单位: Regents of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2007
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2007-09-01 至 2011-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0715179&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Sizing; Up; Rivals; Mates; Wild

Humans routinely assess other people by relying on information gained during previous experiences with a particular individual (?individual recognition?). Indeed, individual recognition is the primary means of assessment for most primate species. However, a growing body of evidence indicates that humans also use physical characteristics (?quality signals?) as a way to evaluate others ? particularly in the context of competition and mating. One reason why humans might utilize quality signals is because they live in extremely large social groups where they frequently encounter individuals they do not recognize. However, this hypothesis is difficult to test because quality signals are rare among primates, and little is known about the function and use of signaling in non-human primates. Thus, the main objective of this research is to determine how primates living in large groups ?size up? potential rivals and mates ? a task that involves mapping the boundary of where individual recognition ends and where other short-hand means of assessment begin. The subjects for this research are wild geladas (Theropithecus gelada), a monkey that lives only in the highlands of Ethiopia. Geladas are an ideal species for this research for two reasons. First, while the vast majority of primates live in small groups where individuals recognize every group member, geladas (like humans) live in extremely large groups where individual recognition may not extend beyond a small subgroup. Second, male geladas are unusual among primates in having 2 conspicuous traits that may serve as quality signals, a red patch of skin on the chest and neck, and ritualized display vocalizations. By combining behavioral observations, experimental playbacks, and laboratory analysis of fecal steroid hormones, this research addresses 3 questions: (1) What are the limits of individual recognition in gelada society? (2) For recognized individuals, do they base reproductive decisions on this information? (3) Alternatively (or additionally), do geladas use quality signals, such as chest color or vocal displays, to evaluate potential competitors or mates? The PI and co-PI of this project are committed to integrating research goals with education and conservation at several levels. First, over the course of this three-year project, a post-doc will receive training in playback experiments and hormone analysis, 4-6 graduate students will gain summer field experience, and 6-8 undergraduates will gain experience analyzing data for senior theses. Second, it is expected that 1-3 Ethiopian graduate students in primate behavior will join the project. Third, an Ethiopian counterpart will be sponsored for graduate training in wildlife management. Finally, this project's research presence in the Simien Mountains National Park (currently on the list of World Heritage Sites in Danger) is assisting conservation efforts. Conservation projects that have been initiated thus far include: a census of geladas living in the area, a survey for tourists on park conservation, and a survey for the local people to gauge the degree of human-wildlife conflict. Both the PI and co-PI will continue to dedicate a fraction of their field time to conservation efforts in the area.

人类通常通过依赖以前与某个特定个体的经历中获得的信息来评估其他人（？个人识别？）。事实上，个体识别是大多数灵长类物种评估的主要手段。然而，越来越多的证据表明，人类也使用物理特征（？质量信号？）作为评价他人的一种方式尤其是在竞争和交配的环境中。人类可能会利用质量信号的一个原因是，他们生活在非常大的社会群体中，经常遇到他们不认识的人。然而，这一假设很难检验，因为高质量的信号在灵长类动物中很少见，而且人们对非人类灵长类动物中信号的功能和用途知之甚少。因此，这项研究的主要目的是确定灵长类动物如何在大群体中生活？大小？潜在的竞争对手和伴侣这是一项任务，涉及绘制个人识别结束和其他简短评估方法开始的边界。这项研究的对象是野生狒狒（Theropithecus gelada），一种只生活在埃塞俄比亚高地的猴子。狮尾狒狒是这项研究的理想物种，原因有二。首先，虽然绝大多数灵长类动物生活在小群体中，个体识别每一个群体成员，但狒狒（像人类一样）生活在非常大的群体中，个体识别可能不会超出一个小亚群。第二，雄性狒狒在灵长类动物中是不寻常的，它有两个明显的特征，可以作为质量信号，胸部和颈部的红色皮肤，以及仪式化的展示发声。通过结合行为观察、实验回放和粪便类固醇激素的实验室分析，本研究解决了3个问题：（1）在狮尾狒狒社会中，个体识别的极限是什么？(2)对于公认的个人，他们是否根据这些信息做出生育决定？(3)或者（或另外），狮尾狒狒使用质量信号，如胸部颜色或声音显示，以评估潜在的竞争对手或配偶？该项目的PI和co-PI致力于将研究目标与教育和保护结合起来。首先，在这个为期三年的项目中，一名博士后将接受回放实验和激素分析的培训，4-6名研究生将获得夏季现场经验，6-8名本科生将获得高级论文的数据分析经验。其次，预计将有1-3名埃塞俄比亚灵长类动物行为学研究生加入该项目。第三，将赞助一名埃塞俄比亚对应人员进行野生动物管理的研究生培训。最后，该项目在西米恩山国家公园（目前在濒危世界遗产名录上）的研究工作正在协助保护工作。迄今为止已经启动的保护项目包括：对该地区生活的狮尾狒狒进行普查，对游客进行公园保护调查，以及对当地居民进行调查，以评估人类与野生动物冲突的程度。PI和共同PI将继续把一小部分实地考察时间用于该地区的保护工作。

项目成果

Beyond infant death: the hidden costs of male immigration in geladas

除了婴儿死亡之外：狒狒中男性移民的隐性成本

• DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2019.11.010
• 发表时间: 2020
• 期刊: Animal Behaviour
• 影响因子: 2.5
• 作者: Schneider-Crease, India;Chiou, Kenneth L.;Snyder-Mackler, Noah;Bergman, Thore J.;Beehner, Jacinta C.;Lu, Amy
• 通讯作者: Lu, Amy

Male-Mediated Maturation in Wild Geladas

野生狮羚的雄性介导的成熟

• DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2020.10.003
• 发表时间: 2021
• 期刊: Current Biology
• 影响因子: 9.2
• 作者: Lu, Amy;Feder, Jacob A.;Snyder-Mackler, Noah;Bergman, Thore J.;Beehner, Jacinta C.
• 通讯作者: Beehner, Jacinta C.