Doctoral Dissertation Research: Adaptation to environmental extremes in a great ape

行为和生理的可塑性使生物体能够在没有基因改变的情况下迅速适应不断变化的环境条件。对于寿命相对较长的灵长类动物来说，在新栖息地生存和在快速环境变化时期生存的进化能力可能取决于这些类型的可塑性。目前需要了解灵长类动物的行为和生理可塑性的信息，以了解其反应的本质和局限性，以及灵长类动物可能能够用来应对它们目前正在经历的快速环境变化的适应性。这个博士研究项目调查了濒危类人猿的可塑性是如何适应多变的高海拔环境的。除了具有重要的保护意义外，该项目还为国内外的教育、培训和能力建设做出了重要贡献。本研究项目探讨一种濒危类人猿物种的行为和生理可塑性。到目前为止，我们还不知道环境压力源在这个物种的许多栖息地中是如何变化的，我们也缺乏关于这些猿类对这些压力源做出反应的行为和生理反应类型的信息。本研究中使用的方法包括一种新的环境协议，非侵入性行为观察和生物样本收集。这些数据可以揭示这个物种面临的环境挑战，以及它所引起的行为和生理反应。这项研究告诉我们猿类对环境变化的反应能力，以及环境压力对灵长类动物和其他生命史缓慢的生物的进化作用。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Behavioral and physiological plasticity allows organisms to rapidly adapt to shifting environmental conditions without genetic change. In primates, which are relatively long-lived, the evolutionary ability to inhabit new habitats and survive periods of rapid environmental change likely depended on these types of plasticity. Information about primates’ behavioral and physiological plasticity is currently needed to understand the nature and limits of their responses and the adaptations primates may be able to use to respond to the rapid environmental change they are currently experiencing. This doctoral research project investigates how adaptation to a variable high-elevation environment is shaped by an endangered ape’s plasticity. In addition to its significant conservation implications, this project makes important education, training, and capacity building contributions both domestically and internationally. This research project explores the behavioral and physiological plasticity of an endangered ape species. To date, we do not know how environmental stressors vary across this species' many habitats, and we lack information about the types of behavioral and physiological responses these apes employ to respond to these stressors. The methods used in this study include a novel environmental protocol, non-invasive behavioral observations, and biological sample collection. These data can reveal the environmental challenges this species faces, and the behavioral and physiological responses it elicits. This study informs us about the ability that this ape species has to respond to environmental change, and the evolutionary role that environmental stressors play on primates and other organisms with slow life histories.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.