Collaborative Research: A Multidisciplinary, Field-Based Study of the Little-Known Kinda Baboon (Papio Cynocephalus Kindae)

合作研究：对鲜为人知的狒狒（Papio Cynoc​​ephalus Kindae）进行多学科、实地研究

• 批准号: 1029403
• 负责人: Jacinta Beehner
• 金额: $ 0.94万
• 依托单位: Regents of the University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-10-01 至 2013-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1029403&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Multidisciplinary; Field; Based

The physical, behavioral and ecological diversity of baboons (genus Papio) makes them a fruitful source as analogies for understanding early human evolution. This project investigates a widespread but little known species, the kinda baboon (P. kindae), and probes the physiological and genetic bases of its distinctive behaviors and physical features. Besides being unusually small and juvenile in appearance, kinda baboons appear less sexually differentiated than other baboons. Behaving like females of other species, adult male kindas frequently initiate long grooming sessions, while females often give alarm barks, which is normally a male baboon activity. Unexpectedly, kinda baboons hybridize with neighboring chacma baboons (P. ursinus) which are almost twice their size, and are behaviorally more typical. This research project traces the causes of these species differences from the level of observable behavior and anatomy, through the level of development and hormonal control, to the level of the genome. Over 200 kinda, hybrid, and chacma baboons are trapped, sampled, and released unharmed in Kafue National Park, Zambia. Basic biological data such as weight and body measurements are collected along with blood samples. Specialist labs investigate these blood samples for the hormones and other biologically active components that influence growth, sexual differentiation, and behavior, and produce a high-resolution map of the kinda genome. Physiological differences that consistently distinguish kindas can then be tracked to the genetic level, by comparing fast-evolving candidate regions in kindas with homologous regions in other baboon species. The project is innovative in combining proven, comparatively low-tech field techniques with cutting edge technology in genomics and hormonal physiology. Most immediately, it fills a major gap in our knowledge of a key primate genus. In the long term, it provides insights into behavioral variation and evolution in other species, including humans. In the wider sphere, the project will train graduate students, further scientific collaboration with Zambian Wildlife authorities, and promote the status of baboons in wildlife tourism.

狒狒（Papio属）的身体，行为和生态多样性使它们成为了解早期人类进化的丰富类比来源。本计画调查一种分布广泛但鲜为人知的物种--狒狒，并探讨其独特行为与身体特徴的生理与遗传基础。除了在外表上异常的小和幼年，kinda狒狒的性别分化比其他狒狒要少。成年雄性狒狒的行为与其他物种的雌性狒狒相似，它们经常开始长时间的梳理毛发，而雌性狒狒则经常发出警报声，这通常是雄性狒狒的行为。出乎意料的是，kinda狒狒与邻近的chacma狒狒（P. ursinus）杂交，后者几乎是它们的两倍大，行为上更典型。该研究项目追溯了这些物种差异的原因，从可观察的行为和解剖学水平，通过发育和激素控制水平，到基因组水平。在赞比亚的卡富埃国家公园，200多只狒狒被捕获、取样并安全释放。沿着血样一起收集基本的生物学数据，如体重和身体测量值。 专业实验室研究这些血液样本中的激素和其他影响生长，性别分化和行为的生物活性成分，并产生一个高分辨率的基因组图谱。通过比较kindas中快速进化的候选区域与其他狒狒物种中的同源区域，可以在遗传水平上追踪一贯区分kindas的生理差异。该项目创新性地将成熟的、技术含量相对较低的实地技术与基因组学和激素生理学的尖端技术相结合。 最直接的是，它填补了我们对一个关键灵长类属的知识的一个主要空白。 从长远来看，它为包括人类在内的其他物种的行为变异和进化提供了见解。 在更广泛的领域，该项目将培训研究生，进一步与赞比亚野生动物管理局进行科学合作，并提高狒狒在野生动物旅游业中的地位。