Publications by authors named "Liliana Pacheco"
Article Synopsis
- 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.
Article Synopsis
- 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).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUnderstanding variation in host-associated microbial communities is important given the relevance of microbiomes to host physiology and health. Using 560 fecal samples collected from wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) across their range, we assessed how geography, genetics, climate, vegetation, and diet relate to gut microbial community structure (prokaryotes, eukaryotic parasites) at multiple spatial scales. We observed a high degree of regional specificity in the microbiome composition, which was associated with host genetics, available plant foods, and potentially with cultural differences in tool use, which affect diet.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- 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.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDifferent protozoa and metazoa have been detected in great apes, monkeys and humans with possible interspecies exchanges. Some are either nonpathogenic or their detrimental effects on the host are not yet known. Others lead to serious diseases that can even be fatal.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn amendment to this paper has been published and can be accessed via a link at the top of the paper.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHuman ethnographic knowledge covers hundreds of societies, whereas chimpanzee ethnography encompasses at most 15 communities. Using termite fishing as a window into the richness of chimpanzee cultural diversity, we address a potential sampling bias with 39 additional communities across Africa. Previously, termite fishing was known from eight locations with two distinguishable techniques observed in only two communities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Gut parasites exert an important influence on the gut microbiome, with many studies focusing on the human gut microbiome. It has, however, undergone severe richness depletion. Hygienic lifestyle, antimicrobial treatments and altered gut homeostasis (e.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- 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.!