Comparative life history patterns of female gorillas
Robbins MM, Akantorana M, Arinaitwe J, Breuer T, Manguette ML, McFarlin S, Meder A, Parnell RJ, Richardson JL, Stephan C, Stokes EJ, Stoinski TS, Vecellio V, Robbins AM (2023)
Publication Type: Journal article
Publication year: 2023
Journal
Book Volume: 181
Pages Range: 564-574
Issue: 4
DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.24792
Abstract
Objectives
Several theories have been proposed to explain the impact of ecological conditions on differences in life history variables within and between species. Here we compare female life history parameters of one western lowland gorilla population (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and two mountain gorilla populations (Gorilla beringei beringei).
Materials and Methods
We compared the age of natal dispersal, age of first birth, interbirth interval, and birth rates using long-term demographic datasets from Mbeli Bai (western gorillas), Bwindi Impenetrable National Park and the Virunga Massif (mountain gorillas).
Results
The Mbeli western gorillas had the latest age at first birth, longest interbirth interval, and slowest surviving birth rate compared to the Virunga mountain gorillas. Bwindi mountain gorillas were intermediate in their life history patterns.
Discussion
These patterns are consistent with differences in feeding ecology across sites. However, it is not possible to determine the evolutionary mechanisms responsible for these differences, whether a consequence of genetic adaptation to fluctuating food supplies (“ecological risk aversion hypothesis”) or phenotypic plasticity in response to the abundance of food (“energy balance hypothesis”). Our results do not seem consistent with the extrinsic mortality risks at each site, but current conditions for mountain gorillas are unlikely to match their evolutionary history. Not all traits fell along the expected fast-slow continuum, which illustrates that they can vary independently from each other (“modularity model”). Thus, the life history traits of each gorilla population may reflect a complex interplay of multiple ecological influences that are operating through both genetic adaptations and phenotypic plasticity.
Authors with CRIS profile
Involved external institutions
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
United States (USA) (US)
George Washington University (GWU)
United States (USA) (US)
Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International
United States (USA) (US)
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology / Max-Planck-Institut für evolutionäre Anthropologie
Germany (DE)
Berggorilla Regenwald Direkthilfe
Germany (DE)
Nouabalé-Ndoki Foundation
Congo (CG)
Uganda Wildlife Authority
Uganda (UG)
United States (USA) (US)
George Washington University (GWU)
United States (USA) (US)
Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund International
United States (USA) (US)
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology / Max-Planck-Institut für evolutionäre Anthropologie
Germany (DE)
Berggorilla Regenwald Direkthilfe
Germany (DE)
Nouabalé-Ndoki Foundation
Congo (CG)
Uganda Wildlife Authority
Uganda (UG)
How to cite
APA:
Robbins, M.M., Akantorana, M., Arinaitwe, J., Breuer, T., Manguette, M.L., McFarlin, S.,... Robbins, A.M. (2023). Comparative life history patterns of female gorillas. American Journal of Biological Anthropology, 181, 564-574. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.24792
MLA:
Robbins, Martha M., et al. "Comparative life history patterns of female gorillas." American Journal of Biological Anthropology 181 (2023): 564-574.
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