A5070157348- Primate Behavior and Ecology
- Animal Behavior and Reproduction
- Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior
- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Animal Vocal Communication and Behavior
- Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
- Regulation of Appetite and Obesity
- Birth, Development, and Health
- Child and Animal Learning Development
- Diet and metabolism studies
- Hormonal and reproductive studies
- Bacteriophages and microbial interactions
- Gut microbiota and health
- Respiratory viral infections research
- Virology and Viral Diseases
- Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
- Thyroid Disorders and Treatments
- Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology
- Animal Nutrition and Physiology
- Olfactory and Sensory Function Studies
- Syphilis Diagnosis and Treatment
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
2015-2025
Osnabrück University
2022-2025
Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp
2012-2023
University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna
2023
University of Antwerp
2023
University College Odisee
2023
Max Planck Society
2008-2020
German Primate Center
2003-2004
Abstract Large brains and behavioural innovation are positively correlated, species-specific traits, associated with the flexibility animals need for adapting to seasonal unpredictable habitats. Similar ecological challenges would have been important drivers throughout human evolution. However, studies examining influence of environmental variability on within-species diversity lacking despite critical assumption that population diversification precedes genetic divergence speciation. Here,...
Humans excel in cooperative exchanges between unrelated individuals. Although this trait is fundamental to the success of our species, its evolution and mechanisms are poorly understood. Other social mammals also build long-term relationships non-kin, recent evidence shows that oxytocin, a hormone involved parent–offspring bonding, likely facilitate non-kin as well kin bonds. In population wild chimpanzees, we measured urinary oxytocin levels following rare event—food sharing. Subjects...
More than just numbers We often frame negative human impacts on animal species in terms of individuals reduced or regions from which are absent. However, activities likely affecting more complex ways these figures can capture. Kühl et al. studied behavioral and cultural diversity our closest relative, the chimpanzee. They found that human-mediated disturbance is reducing traits. Human influence thus goes well beyond simple loss populations species, leading to change even where persist....
How populations adapt to their environment is a fundamental question in biology. Yet, we know surprisingly little about this process, especially for endangered species, such as nonhuman great apes. Chimpanzees, our closest living relatives, are particularly notable because they inhabit diverse habitats, from rainforest woodland-savannah. Whether genetic adaptation facilitates habitat diversity remains unknown, despite it having wide implications evolutionary biology and conservation. By...
The adaptive function of copulation calls in female primates has been debated for years. One influential idea is that are a sexually selected trait, which enables females to advertise their receptive state males. Male-male competition ensues and benefit by getting better mating partners higher quality offspring. We analysed the calling behaviour wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) at Budongo Forest, Uganda, but found no support male-male hypothesis. Hormone analysis showed...
Abstract The study of the archaeological remains fossil hominins must rely on reconstructions to elucidate behaviour that may have resulted in particular stone tools and their accumulation. Comparatively, tool use among living primates has illuminated behaviours are also amenable examination, permitting direct observations leading artefacts assemblages be incorporated. Here, we describe newly discovered tool-use accumulation sites wild chimpanzees reminiscent human cairns. In addition data...
Among mammals, post-reproductive life spans are currently documented only in humans and a few species of toothed whales. Here we show that span exists among wild chimpanzees the Ngogo community Kibale National Park, Uganda. Post-reproductive representation was 0.195, indicating female who reached adulthood could expect to live about one-fifth her adult state, around half as long human hunter-gatherers. females exhibited hormonal signatures menopause, including sharply increasing...
Abstract Fine-scale knowledge of the changes in composition and function human gut microbiome compared that our closest relatives is critical for understanding evolutionary processes underlying its developmental trajectory. To infer taxonomic functional across hominids at different timescales, we perform high-resolution metagenomic-based analyzes fecal from over two hundred samples including diverse populations, as well wild-living chimpanzees, bonobos, gorillas. We find human-associated...
Savanna-mosaic habitats are thought to represent exceptional circumstances for chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes), and owing the virtues of their habitat as well peripheral biogeographic location, they often regarded marginal chimpanzee ecological niche. If these marginal, then we should expect that living in demonstrate physiological consequences extremity this environment. We therefore compared seasonal variation responses climatic factors inhabiting Fongoli, a savanna-mosaic at margins range...
The evolution of primate sexual swellings and their influence on mating strategies have captivated the interest biologists for over a century. Across order, variability in timing ovulation with respect to females' swelling patterns differs greatly. Since typically function as signals female fecundity, temporal relation between can impact ability males pinpoint thereby affect male strategies. Here, we used endocrine parameters detect examined maximum phase (MSP) wild bonobos (Pan paniscus)....
Due to their genetic relatedness, great apes are highly susceptible common human respiratory pathogens. Although most pathogens, such as syncytial virus (HRSV) and metapneumovirus (HMPV), rarely cause severe disease in healthy adults, they associated with considerable morbidity mortality wild habituated humans for research or tourism. To prevent pathogen transmission, ape projects have established a set of hygiene measures ranging from keeping specific distance, the use surgical masks...
In animals with slow ontogeny and long-term maternal investment, immatures are likely to experience the birth of a younger sibling before reaching maturity. these species, marks major event in an offspring's early life as older siblings decrease support. The transition siblinghood (TTS) is often considered be stressful for offspring, but physiological evidence lacking. To explore TTS wild bonobos, we investigated changes urinary cortisol (stress response), neopterin (cell-mediated immunity),...
Knowledge on the population history of endangered species is critical for conservation, but whole-genome data chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) geographically sparse. Here, we produced first non-invasive geolocalized catalog genomic diversity by capturing chromosome 21 from 828 samples collected at 48 sampling sites across Africa. The four recognized subspecies show clear genetic differentiation correlating with known barriers, while previously undescribed exchange suggests that these have been...
Bonobos are known for their pacifistic behavior and large repertoire of behaviors that thought to serve conflict resolution. One is an unusual form ventro-ventral mounting facilitates genital contacts (GC). Various hypotheses have been proposed explain its function. In this study we tested predictions the tension regulation hypothesis using salivary cortisol as a marker social stress. The results indicate temporal relationship between GC levels. Compared with baseline data matched samples...