Doctoral Dissertation Research: Assessing the physiological consequences of diet and environment for gorillas in zoological settings

博士论文研究：评估动物环境中大猩猩饮食和环境的生理后果

• 批准号: 2341433
• 负责人: Roberta Salmi
• 金额: $ 2.45万
• 依托单位: University of Georgia
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2024-02-15 至 2026-01-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2341433&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; Assessing; physiological

Present-day human diets and activity levels are mismatched with human physiology, which has been adapted for the comparatively higher activity levels and fluctuating food availability likely experienced by hominins in the evolutionary past. This mismatch has contributed to increasing levels of obesity and chronic health conditions in contemporary society. Interestingly, some zoo-housed gorillas show comparable rates of cardiovascular and metabolic disease to humans. This doctoral dissertation research project investigates the diet, nutrition, activity profiles, and energy expenditure of male gorillas, across age groups and health statuses. Understanding the repercussions associated with the altered diet and activity patterns that they experience in zoological settings can inform our knowledge of human health issues associated with sedentary lifestyles and diets consisting of processed, modified, and cultivated foods. The project also informs primate husbandry practices to more accurately emulate gorilla food sources found in natural habitats and improve primate health and welfare. This research facilitates the professional and scientific training of a doctoral student pursuing a career in STEM and supports advanced skill development opportunities for multiple undergraduate students interested in animal behavior and conservation. This study assesses how diet and environment affect the nutrition, activity patterns and cardiovascular health of male gorillas that live in zoological institutions. Data obtained in this study can inform anthropological theory as well as animal welfare practices and management strategies for this critically endangered ape species. The study employs a combination of behavioral observations to establish daily activity patterns and feeding behavior among gorilla males. Additionally, food items consumed by these gorillas are analyzed to determine their nutritional value. Total energy expenditure is measured using doubly labeled water and urine collection. These data are used to design models that identify discrepancies between target nutrition and actual nutrient ingestion. Diet and nutrition data are paired with physical activity budgets and total energy expenditure measures, to identify and assess the cardiac and metabolic disease risk factors that affect apes that live in managed care.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.

现代人类的饮食和活动水平与人类的生理学不匹配，人类的生理学已经适应了人类在进化史上可能经历的相对较高的活动水平和波动的食物供应。这种不匹配导致了当代社会中肥胖和慢性健康状况的增加。有趣的是，一些动物园饲养的大猩猩显示出与人类相当的心血管和代谢疾病率。这个博士论文研究项目调查了不同年龄组和健康状况的雄性大猩猩的饮食，营养，活动概况和能量消耗。了解与他们在动物环境中经历的饮食和活动模式改变相关的影响，可以为我们了解与久坐不动的生活方式和由加工，改良和种植食物组成的饮食相关的人类健康问题提供信息。该项目还为灵长类动物的饲养实践提供信息，以更准确地模仿自然栖息地中发现的大猩猩食物来源，并改善灵长类动物的健康和福利。这项研究促进了追求STEM职业生涯的博士生的专业和科学培训，并支持对动物行为和保护感兴趣的多名本科生的高级技能发展机会。 这项研究评估了饮食和环境如何影响生活在动物园的雄性大猩猩的营养，活动模式和心血管健康。这项研究中获得的数据可以为人类学理论以及动物福利实践和这种极度濒危猿类的管理策略提供信息。该研究采用了行为观察的组合，以建立雄性大猩猩的日常活动模式和进食行为。此外，这些大猩猩消耗的食物被分析以确定其营养价值。总能量消耗使用双重标记的水和尿液收集来测量。 这些数据用于设计模型，以确定目标营养和实际营养摄入之间的差异。饮食和营养数据与身体活动预算和总能量消耗措施相结合，以确定和评估影响生活在管理式护理中的猿类的心脏和代谢疾病风险因素。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。