Doctoral Dissertation Research: The energetic costs of motherhood in primates

博士论文研究：灵长类动物母性的能量消耗

• 批准号: 1650814
• 负责人: Erin Vogel
• 金额: $ 2.52万
• 依托单位: Rutgers University New Brunswick
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2017-03-01 至 2019-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1650814&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; energetic; costs

Mammalian mothers have evolved to produce milk for their infants while maintaining a healthy body condition, but little is known about how wild primate mothers modify their diet and behavior to ensure both infant and mother survival. This dissertation project examines how wild orangutan mothers meet their energetic needs while nursing an infant during extended periods of low fruit and overall caloric availability. The research will provide a comparative model for human ancestors that may also have survived and reproduced through periods of resource uncertainty. In addition, Bornean orangutans are critically endangered, and research findings from this project will support primate conservation efforts. This project will also provide training in data management, behavioral data collection, and lab-based behavioral endocrinology for students from underrepresented groups in the STEM fields.Research focusing on primate reproduction and life-history has revealed that primates have longer gestation and lactation periods, and extended periods of juvenile dependency relative to other mammalian species of similar size. Thus, it is likely that primate mothers, particularly those who nurse for multiple years spanning periods of unpredictable and low food availability, will have evolved a suite of behavioral and physiological adaptions to cope with the long-term energetic demands of motherhood while minimizing risk to her developing infant. This project examines the behavioral and physiological strategies that wild Bornean mother orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) use to maintain homeostasis across periods of infant development. The project utilizes several non-invasive methodologies: behavioral observations of orangutans, macronutrient analysis of food items, and physiological urinary analyses. This will be one of the first studies of a wild primate species to test if mothers modulate their nutritional intake and subsequent energetic status throughout lactation and infant development, and if/how they maintain homeostasis during this energetically costly period.

哺乳动物母亲已经进化到为婴儿生产牛奶，同时保持健康的身体状况，但很少有人知道野生灵长类母亲如何改变饮食和行为，以确保婴儿和母亲的生存。 本论文研究如何野生红毛猩猩母亲满足他们的精力充沛的需求，同时在长期低水果和整体热量供应的婴儿护理。这项研究将为人类祖先提供一个比较模型，这些人类祖先也可能在资源不确定的时期生存和繁殖。此外，婆罗洲猩猩是极度濒危的，该项目的研究成果将支持灵长类动物保护工作。该项目还将为来自STEM领域代表性不足的群体的学生提供数据管理、行为数据收集和基于实验室的行为内分泌学方面的培训。专注于灵长类动物繁殖和生活史的研究表明，灵长类动物相对于其他类似大小的哺乳动物具有更长的妊娠期和哺乳期，以及更长的幼年依赖期。因此，灵长类母亲，特别是那些在不可预测和食物供应不足的时期喂养多年的母亲，很可能已经进化出一套行为和生理适应，以科普母亲的长期能量需求，同时最大限度地减少对婴儿发育的风险。本研究旨在探讨婆罗洲母猩猩（Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii）在婴儿发育过程中维持体内平衡的行为和生理策略。该项目采用了几种非侵入性的方法：猩猩的行为观察，食物的宏量营养素分析和生理尿液分析。这将是野生灵长类动物物种的第一个研究，以测试母亲是否在整个哺乳期和婴儿发育过程中调节其营养摄入和随后的能量状态，以及它们是否/如何在这一能量昂贵的时期保持体内平衡。