Collaborative Research: Integrative analysis of the scaling of primate feeding systems

摄食系统是人类和其他灵长类动物的能量获取系统。牙齿、颌骨和肌肉是灵长类动物与其环境之间的近端界面。 因此，了解塑造这些组件的进化力量对于理解灵长类动物的适应和进化至关重要。这项工作测试的假设和模型相关的灵长类动物摄食系统的多样性，以大小相关的食物摄入率的变化。它记录了下颌骨的形状和运动，下颌肌肉的大小和结构，以及动物一口吃下的食物量如何随身体大小而变化，以满足灵长类动物食物摄入率的大小变化。这些数据将通过灵长类动物下颌骨的计算机断层扫描（CT）、灵长类动物咀嚼肌的解剖学研究以及圈养灵长类动物进食的行为研究来收集。喂养系统的数学模型将被测试，修改和改进，然后用于研究喂养系统的设计如何在不同的灵长类动物进化群体之间的平衡咬合力生产，咀嚼速度和张口的优势之间的权衡。这项研究将创建新的和重要的数据集，可以在未来访问的其他研究人员有兴趣在喂养生物力学，骨生物力学和肌肉骨骼系统一般。调查人员将继续招募代表性不足的少数民族和女性本科生，接受研究方面的培训和指导，并就他们进入研究生院、医学院和其他专业学校的途径提供建议。 这些学生将在工作的各个方面进行合作，包括演示和出版。PI将继续他们的外展计划，以当地学校和他们的协同活动与其他NSF资助的项目。

Feeding systems are the energy-acquiring systems of humans and other primates. The teeth, jaws, and muscles, are the proximal interface between primates and their environments. Therefore, understanding the evolutionary forces that shape those components is essential to understanding the adaptation and evolution of primates. This work tests hypotheses and models relating diversity in the primate feeding system to size-related changes in food intake rate. It documents how shape and movements of the mandible, the size and architecture of the jaw muscles, and the amount of food an animal eats in a single bite change with body size to meet size-required changes in food intake rate of primates. These data will be collected using computed tomography (CT) scanning of primate mandibles, anatomical studies of primate chewing muscles, and behavioral studies of primates feeding in captivity. Mathematical models of the feeding system will be tested, modified and improved, then used to examine how feeding system designs in different evolutionary groups of primates balance trade-offs between advantages of bite force production, chewing speed and gape. This research will create novel and important data sets that can be accessed in the future by other researchers interested in feeding biomechanics, bone biomechanics, and musculoskeletal systems in general. The investigators will continue to recruit under-represented minority and female undergraduates to receive training and mentoring in research and advice on their paths to graduate, medical, and other professional schools. These students will collaborate in all aspects of the work, including presentation and publication. The PIs will continue their outreach programs to local schools and their synergistic activities with other NSF-funded projects.