Publications by authors named "Ivonne Kienast"
Strontium isotope (Sr/Sr) analysis with reference to strontium isotope landscapes (Sr isoscapes) allows reconstructing mobility and migration in archaeology, ecology, and forensics. However, despite the vast potential of research involving Sr/Sr analysis particularly in Africa, Sr isoscapes remain unavailable for the largest parts of the continent. Here, we measure the Sr/Sr ratios in 778 environmental samples from 24 African countries and combine this data with published data to model a bioavailable Sr isoscape for sub-Saharan Africa using random forest regression.
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- Scientists study how animals change to survive in different places, which is really important for understanding biology.
- They looked at chimpanzees, our closest relatives, who live in many types of environments like rainforests and savannahs.
- By examining genetic information from wild chimpanzees, they discovered that some chimps have adapted to fight off malaria in similar ways to humans, showing how important genetic diversity is for endangered animals.
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- Western lowland gorillas are the most common subspecies but have been under-researched, and their habituation to humans for tourism is challenging due to low population densities and dense vegetation.
- The article proposes improved methods for habituating these gorillas based on empirical evidence, particularly from the recent success with the Mététélé group in the Djéké Triangle area.
- The habituation method focuses on safety and monitoring gorilla reactions to humans, leveraging past experiences with certain group members to speed up the process while ensuring the welfare of both gorillas and tourists.
Infectious disease is hypothesized to be one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in wild great apes. Specific socioecological factors have been shown to influence incidences of respiratory illness and disease prevalence in some primate populations. In this study, we evaluated potential predictors (including age, sex, group size, fruit availability, and rainfall) of respiratory illness across three western lowland gorilla groups in the Republic of Congo.
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- This study provides the first comprehensive catalog of chimpanzee genetic diversity using non-invasive samples collected from 48 sites in Africa, focusing on chromosome 21.
- The research reveals clear genetic differences among the four recognized chimpanzee subspecies and indicates unexpected local genetic exchanges, while also mapping patterns of population isolation, migration, and connectivity.
- Unlike humans, chimpanzees lack a history of long-distance migrations, which may affect their cultural transmission, and the study introduces a precise geolocation method for identifying the origins of confiscated chimpanzees.
Paleoclimate reconstructions have enhanced our understanding of how past climates have shaped present-day biodiversity. We hypothesize that the geographic extent of Pleistocene forest refugia and suitable habitat fluctuated significantly in time during the late Quaternary for chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). Using bioclimatic variables representing monthly temperature and precipitation estimates, past human population density data, and an extensive database of georeferenced presence points, we built a model of changing habitat suitability for chimpanzees at fine spatio-temporal scales dating back to the Last Interglacial (120,000 BP).
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- Chimpanzees show diverse behaviors and inhabit various environments, but they are considered a discontinuous species with four subspecies separated by historical geography.
- Genetic studies reveal that most of their genetic structure is influenced by distance rather than strict subspecies boundaries, indicating some geographic barriers were not effective in preventing gene flow.
- Ongoing human impacts and habitat fragmentation threaten their genetic diversity, suggesting urgent conservation efforts are needed to maintain healthy populations.
Large brains and behavioural innovation are positively correlated, species-specific traits, associated with the behavioural flexibility animals need for adapting to seasonal and unpredictable habitats. Similar ecological challenges would have been important drivers throughout human evolution. However, studies examining the influence of environmental variability on within-species behavioural diversity are lacking despite the critical assumption that population diversification precedes genetic divergence and speciation.
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- Chimpanzees are known for having many different ways of acting and culture, similar to humans.!
- The "disturbance hypothesis" says that when humans disturb chimpanzee habitats, it harms their ability to learn and share behaviors.!
- A study showed that chimpanzees living in places with a lot of human activity behave much less normally, meaning we need to protect both their homes and their cultures for conservation efforts.!
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- Lions are facing significant conservation challenges due to their declining populations, despite previously being seen as a stable species.
- Researchers utilized non-invasive techniques to analyze mitochondrial genomes from lion hair samples in the Gabonese Plateaux to better understand this specific population.
- The findings revealed that the Plateaux Batéké lion is closely related to both extinct lion populations in Gabon and Congo, as well as to current lion populations in Southern Africa, showcasing the potential of ancient DNA methods for conservation efforts.
The study of the archaeological remains of fossil hominins must rely on reconstructions to elucidate the behaviour that may have resulted in particular stone tools and their accumulation. Comparatively, stone tool use among living primates has illuminated behaviours that are also amenable to archaeological examination, permitting direct observations of the behaviour leading to artefacts and their assemblages to be incorporated. Here, we describe newly discovered stone tool-use behaviour and stone accumulation sites in wild chimpanzees reminiscent of human cairns.
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