Doctoral Dissertation Research: Female Great Ape Behavior and Reproduction in Forest Fragments

George Washington University, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

This doctoral dissertation project examines how habitat fragmentation affects wild female chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), specifically assessing the consequences of forest fragmentation and food availability on female behavior and reproductive performance. The project will advance fundamental knowledge about species responses to environmental change. In addition, as human land use rapidly alters forests, understanding how primates cope with habitat loss and fragmentation is of paramount import to their successful conservation. Results will help stakeholders develop and adopt efficient management plans for forest fragments to ensure the protection of chimpanzees and related biodiversity. This project also presents opportunities for training through public outreach and by engaging undergraduate students in field data collection and analyses. This study will take advantage of two forest fragments which are similar in population density but differ in terms of food abundance and proximity to a larger chimpanzee population. Fragmentation usually co-occurs with substantial loss of food resources, as is the case for one of the forest fragments under investigation. However, the other fragment is still comprised of primary forest, presenting a powerful natural experiment through which to test the effect of fragmentation independent of food availability. The overarching hypothesis of this project is that female behavior will be more impacted by food availability and isolation than fragmentation. Alternatively, female chimpanzees may have sufficient behavioral flexibility due to their fluid social system to mitigate negative consequences of fragmentation. By integrating novel and existing ecological and behavioral datasets, this project will test how habitat fragmentation impacts female chimpanzee subgrouping patterns, dispersal and ultimately, reproductive performance. Subgrouping data will be collected through full day focal follow of adult females and monthly nest surveys along line transects. Female dispersal behavior will be assessed through genetic data, which will be generated from non-invasively collected fecal samples. Finally, female reproductive performance will be characterized from two metrics: the adult female-clinging infant ratio and C-peptide values measured through non-invasively collected urine samples. 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.