Intro to primate ecology Flashcards
Why is the conservation of primates critical at this point?
Current reassessment of all primate species. Majority of species have been ‘uplisted’ to threatened, endangered or critically endangered.
What factors are necessary to understand in order to conserve primates?
Understand habitat requirements and reproductive strategies -
e.g - how do females find males? Do they search for them or do males come to them.
Habitat fragmentation can lead to inbreeding if males and females must roam to find each other. This can lead to a smaller gene pool and lead to a population crash.
What are some of the “human” traits from ancestral non-human primates?
Hand structure - opposable thump and fingernails
To be able to walk bipedally
To use tools
To use language
What do we learn about humans and human phenomenon by studying non-human primates?
Identify derives human traits vs primitive traits. This is known as HOMOLOGY.
Derived - A trait that is unique to a particular species.
Primitive - A trait that is shared between a species through a common ancestor.
What are some of the shared traits between humans and non-human primates?
A) Language - Gallup test - infant put in front of a mirror with paint on forehead. If individuals touch themselves, sign of self awareness. If touch mirror, they think reflection is someone else. In humans, self awareness comes within 2 years of age.
B) Cognition - Savage-Rumbaugh - Taught gorillas and chimps sign language and how to create pictures and sentences using puzzles.
C) Capacity to change ones environment - E.g; Chimps-A twig is selectively chosen, not just at random. It will be pruned and striped of its leaves to modify the branch to be more efficient, to fish for termites.
Capuchins-Rock’s of a certain type are specifically chosen. The capuchin repeatedly checks the nut after slamming the rock down, when he repeats the action, the nut is replaced in exactly the same spot.
-planned and coodinated
D) Transmission of knowledge and emergence of cultural traditions- e.g Chimpanzees are male bonded and have fission fusion social organisations. When the chimps break up to find food, they have a bonding session when they re-group.
Different populations of chimps have different cultural traditions. Cultural traditions learned from parents and peers.
What do we learn about humans and human phenomenon by studying non-human primates?
The understanding of variation in social systems.
What varies between social systems and what tends to cause these variations?
- # of individuals in a group.
- # of males.
- Degree of sexual dimorphism
- Degree of paternal investment in offspring.
- Quality and intensity of relationships between individuals.
Variations normally caused by food competition and quality.
Give an example of a “trait” that can be used in Strategic Models of early human behaviour.
Sexual dimorphism
Large male canine size relative to body size = evidence of sexual dimorphism.
There is an association between large male canine size and aggressive competition over access to mates.
This suggests that if a species of early hominin fossils have marked sexually dimorphic males, males where likely involved in intense conflicts.
Additional reasons to study primates?
Primates are flagship/indicator species- can be used as gauge of ecological disturbance.
Biological similarities so can contribute to biomedical advances.
Describe the general history of primate studies.
- Descriptive studies: Ethnographic-type reports focused oon generating species ethograms. This involved a description of behavioural repertories. However this method did lack systematic behavioural sampling.
- Anthropocentric approaches: Understanding the evolution of human social behaviour. We can look at animals who live in similar social structures to compare similarities and differences between species. (comparative approach).
- Comparative biology and behavioural ecology: Extend comparisons beyond humans to other animals. In the same way that natural selection shows how physical traits change over time to help in survival and reproductive success - behavioural ecology can be looked at in the same way.
What is the evolutionary model and how is it used?
Evolutionary theory is used to investigate why individuals behave as they do. This generates testable predictions. This includes behavioural traits which can be potentially subject to natural selection/ evolution will act on a behaviour if it affects individual fitness.
Give an example of an adaptive behavioural trait.
Alturism
Kin selection - if brothers and sisters survive they will still pass on his genes.
Currying favour - if I pat your back, you pat my back system.
Describe some present primate studies.
- Model testing
- Primate socio-ecology; how food distribution and competition affect social relationships and in turn social systems.
-Relationship between physiology and behaviour.
- Advanced techniques and analyses
- Molecular – genotyping
- hormones
- parasites
- nutrition
Summary of why primates are studied.
- They are closely related to us.
- Determine which traits are derived or primitive. Our shared and differing traits with non-human primates help us understand how these may have developed in humans.
- Helps us to understand what influence the development of different social systems, early hominid social systems.
- Helps us to understand the patterns of relationships between physiology, behaviour and social organisation.
Briefly summarise the evolution of primate studies
Started off descriptive but has now evolved to include theoretical modelling and sophisticated testing of various physiological traits.
