Phenotypic assortment in wild primate networks: implications for the dissemination of information.

Individuals' access to social information can depend on their social network. Homophily-a preference to associate with similar phenotypes-may cause assortment within social networks that could preclude information transfer from individuals who generate information to those who would benefit from acquiring it. Thus, understanding phenotypic assortment may lead to a greater understanding of the factors that could limit the transfer of information between individuals. We tested whether there was assortment in wild baboon (Papio ursinus) networks, using data collected from two troops over 6 years for six phenotypic traits-boldness, age, dominance rank, sex and the propensity to generate/exploit information-using two methods for defining a connection between individuals-time spent in proximity and grooming. Our analysis indicated that assortment was more common in grooming than proximity networks. In general, there was homophily for boldness, age, rank and the propensity to both generate and exploit information, but heterophily for sex. However, there was considerable variability both between troops and years. The patterns of homophily we observed for these phenotypes may impede information transfer between them. However, the inconsistency in the strength of assortment between troops and years suggests that the limitations to information flow may be quite variable.A.J.C. is supported by a Junior Research Fellowship from Churchill College, University of Cambridge. H.H.M. was supported by a NERC Open CASE studentship (NE/F013442/1). A.E.G.L. is supported by a NERC Quota studentship (NE/J500409/1). The TBP researchers have received funding from NERC, the Leakey Foundation, the Explorers Fund, the Animal Behavior Society (USA) and the International Primatological Society over the 6 years of the study.This is the final version. It was first published by Royal Society Publishing at http://rsos.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/2/5/140444#ack-1

Differences in cooperative behavior among Damaraland mole rats are consequences of an age-related polyethism.

In many cooperative breeders, the contributions of helpers to cooperative activities change with age, resulting in age-related polyethisms. In contrast, some studies of social mole rats (including naked mole rats, Heterocephalus glaber, and Damaraland mole rats, Fukomys damarensis) suggest that individual differences in cooperative behavior are the result of divergent developmental pathways, leading to discrete and permanent functional categories of helpers that resemble the caste systems found in eusocial insects. Here we show that, in Damaraland mole rats, individual contributions to cooperative behavior increase with age and are higher in fast-growing individuals. Individual contributions to different cooperative tasks are intercorrelated and repeatability of cooperative behavior is similar to that found in other cooperatively breeding vertebrates. Our data provide no evidence that nonreproductive individuals show divergent developmental pathways or specialize in particular tasks. Instead of representing a caste system, variation in the behavior of nonreproductive individuals in Damaraland mole rats closely resembles that found in other cooperatively breeding mammals and appears to be a consequence of age-related polyethism.This study was funded by an European Research Council grant to THCB (294494).This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the National Academy of Sciences via http://dx.doi.org/10.1073/pnas.160788511

Allo-parental care in Damaraland mole-rats is female biased and age dependent, though independent of testosterone levels

Abstract In Damaraland mole-rats (Fukomys damarensis), non-breeding subordinates contribute to the care of offspring born to the breeding pair in their group by carrying and retrieving young to the nest. In social mole-rats and some cooperative breeders, dominant females show unusually high testosterone levels and it has been suggested that high testosterone levels may increase reproductive and aggressive behavior and reduce investment in allo-parental and parental care, generating age and state-dependent variation in behavior. Here we show that, in Damaraland mole-rats, allo-parental care in males and females is unaffected by experimental increases in testosterone levels. Pup carrying decreases with age of the non-breeding helper while the change in social status from non-breeder to breeder has contrasting effects in the two sexes. Female breeders were more likely than female non-breeders to carry pups but male breeders were less likely to carry pups than male non-breeders, increasing the sex bias in parental care compared to allo-parental care. Our results indicate that testosterone is unlikely to be an important regulator of allo-parental care in mole-rats.Peer reviewe

Scientists' Warning to Humanity on Threats to Indigenous and Local Knowledge Systems

The knowledge systems and practices of Indigenous Peoples and local communities play critical roles in safeguarding the biological and cultural diversity of our planet. Globalization, government policies, capitalism, colonialism, and other rapid social-ecological changes threaten the relationships between Indigenous Peoples and local communities and their environments, thereby challenging the continuity and dynamism of Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK). In this article, we contribute to the “World Scientists' Warning to Humanity,” issued by the Alliance of World Scientists, by exploring opportunities for sustaining ILK systems on behalf of the future stewardship of our planet. Our warning raises the alarm about the pervasive and ubiquitous erosion of knowledge and practice and the social and ecological consequences of this erosion. While ILK systems can be adaptable and resilient, the foundations of these knowledge systems are compromised by ongoing suppression, misrepresentation, appropriation, assimilation, disconnection, and destruction of biocultural heritage. Three case studies illustrate these processes and how protecting ILK is central to biocultural conservation. We conclude with 15 recommendations that call for the recognition and support of Indigenous Peoples and local communities and their knowledge systems. Enacting these recommendations will entail a transformative and sustained shift in how ILK systems, their knowledge holders, and their multiple expressions in lands and waters are recognized, affirmed, and valued. We appeal for urgent action to support the efforts of Indigenous Peoples and local communities around the world to maintain their knowledge systems, languages, stewardship rights, ties to lands and waters, and the biocultural integrity of their territories—on which we all depend.Peer reviewe

Pathways towards a sustainable future envisioned by early-career conservation researchers

Scientists have warned decision-makers about the severe consequences of the global environmental crisis since the 1970s. Yet ecological degradation continues and little has been done to address climate change. We investigated early-career conservation researchers' (ECR) perspectives on, and prioritization of, actions furthering sustainability. We conducted a survey (n = 67) and an interactive workshop (n = 35) for ECR attendees of the 5th European Congress of Conservation Biology (2018). Building on these data and discussions, we identified ongoing and forthcoming advances in conservation science. These include increased transdisciplinarity, science communication, advocacy in conservation, and adoption of a transformation-oriented social–ecological systems approach to research. The respondents and participants had diverse perspectives on how to achieve sustainability. Reformist actions were emphasized as paving the way for more radical changes in the economic system and societal values linked to the environment and inequality. Our findings suggest that achieving sustainability requires a strategy that (1) incorporates the multiplicity of people's views, (2) places a greater value on nature, and (3) encourages systemic transformation across political, social, educational, and economic realms on multiple levels. We introduce a framework for ECRs to inspire their research and practice within conservation science to achieve real change in protecting biological diversity.</p

Enriching Carnivore Conservation. An interdisciplinary approach to better understand human-carnivore interactions

Understanding human-carnivore interactions has become a top priority for carnivore conservation. The future survival of carnivores on the planet will be largely determined by human-carnivore interactions. In recent decades, it has been acknowledged that human-carnivore interactions are complex, dynamic, and multi-layered. It is widely recognised that each human-carnivore interaction is distinct and unique, which limits conservation strategies' transferability from one context to another. Therefore, there is an urgent need to gain a more fine-grained understanding of the underlying ecology and social aspects that shape such interactions. As such, carnivore conservation requires interdisciplinary approaches to better understand the cultural, social and economic contexts in which human-carnivore interactions are grounded and develop context-specific conservation initiatives. In my dissertation, I aim to enrich our understanding of human-carnivore interactions by considering Indigenous and Local Knowledge and the place-based cultural, social and ecological contexts in which carnivore conservation efforts are deployed. I adopt an interdisciplinary approach and integrate social-cultural methods such as focus group discussions, participant observation, and structured and semi-structured interviews, along with ecological methods such as calling stations, camera trapping, track surveys, and transect counts. The dissertation focuses on Kenya and comprises four interconnected chapters that build upon each other. In Chapters I and II, I concentrate on the carnivores of Sibiloi National Park and the Daasanach ethnic group of the Ileret Ward. In Chapters III and IV, I expand the geographic scope of this research and integrate insights from the Maasai ethnic group of Laikipia County. While Chapters I, II and III cover eight carnivore species, Chapter IV focuses on the most common carnivore species found in both areas: the spotted hyaena. In Chapter I, I assess the role of Indigenous and Local Knowledge in enriching the knowledge basis that underpins carnivore conservation. I contrast proxies of carnivore abundances and population trends derived separately from scientific and Indigenous and Local Knowledge. My findings reveal that complementing scientific and Indigenous and Local Knowledge expands substantially our understanding of the carnivores at the local scale. This emphasises the importance of recognising the divergences between knowledge systems to gain a more granular understanding of everyday human-carnivore interactions. Additionally, it sheds light on several underlying social-psychological aspects, such as the local cultural context (Chapter II) and the perceptions of risk and damage (i.e., livestock losses to carnivores, Chapter III), that can influence place-based observations of carnivores and their interactions with local communities. Building on the findings from Chapter I, Chapter II delves into the cultural significance of carnivore species in the context of an important ceremony of the Daasanach ethnic group. The objective is to explore how certain cultural practices can become unsustainable, resulting in a biocultural conflict that affects both cultural continuity and carnivore conservation. To achieve this, I adopt a biocultural approach that includes an in-depth field-based ethnographic engagement with the Daasanach community of Ileret Ward and participation in their ceremony. This approach allows for a more comprehensive understanding of the ceremony's social-ecological complexities, while identifying opportunities to support the conservation of the area's biocultural heritage. My findings reveal that certain cultural practices that are integral to cultural identity and community belonging, and where carnivore species play a fundamental cultural role (Chapters II and III), can be an important driver of carnivore decline (Chapter I), which jeopardises the continuity of such ceremonies as currently practised (Chapter II). To situate the results of Chapters I and II in a broader conservation context beyond the study area, I conducted a larger-scale study examining human-carnivore interactions in areas with uneven levels of market-based conservation efforts (Chapters III and IV). To do so, I compare the interactions of the Daasanach people of Ileret Ward and the Maasai people of Laikipia County with local carnivores in the light of the centre-periphery framework. My findings show that the presence of market-based conservation efforts fosters positive human-carnivore interactions with few self-reports of killing carnivores (Chapter III), enabling spotted hyaenas to occupy a large territory within the wildlife conservation area (Chapter IV). However, my findings reveal some points for improvement associated with the implementation of market-based conservation approaches. For instance, Maasai community members predominantly associate economic benefits with living alongside carnivores. In contrast, in areas with limited market-based conservation efforts, I find that the propensity to kill carnivores is openly self-reported (Chapter III), negatively impacting local carnivore populations' persistence. For instance, the distribution of spotted hyaenas is significantly restricted to a reduced territory within the wildlife conservation area due to the high risk of human-caused mortality, thereby limiting their access to wild prey resources (Chapter IV). Furthermore, my results show that Daasanach community members mainly attribute cultural benefits to dead carnivores, particularly cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) and leopards (Panthera pardus), which are extensively used in their cultural practices (Chapters II and III). In conclusion, this dissertation highlights the importance of advancing interdisciplinary approaches in carnivore conservation, integrating Indigenous and Local Knowledge, bringing biocultural conflicts into focus, and considering the effects of political ecology on human-carnivore interactions. Overall, this dissertation contributes to a richer understanding of the social-ecological complexities influencing human-carnivore interactions in Kenya. By exploring the social, ecological and cultural entanglements of human-carnivore interactions, this dissertation paves the way for developing holistic approaches tailored to specific social-cultural contexts of the much-needed carnivore conservation efforts in Sibiloi National Park and Laikipia conservancies.Petoeläinten suojelemiseksi on ensiarvoisen tärkeää ymmärtää ihmisten ja petoeläinten välisiä vuorovaikutuksia, koska petoeläinten selviytyminen tällä planeetalla riippuu suuresti näistä vuorovaikutuksista. Vuorovaikutusten monimutkaisuus, dynaamisuus ja monitasoisuus on tunnustettu viime vuosikymmeninä: jokainen vuorovaikutustilanne on erilainen ja ainutlaatuinen. Tämä rajoittaa suojelustrategioiden siirrettävyyttä tilanteesta toiseen. Siksi on olennaista ymmärtää entistä tarkemmin näitä vuorovaikutuksia muovaavia ekologisia ja sosiaalisia piirteitä. Petoeläinten suojelu tarvitsee tieteidenvälisiä lähestymistapoja, jotta ymmärrämme paremmin kulttuuriset, sosiaaliset ja taloudelliset kontekstit, joissa ihmisten ja petoeläinten vuorovaikutukset tapahtuvat ja pystymme kehittämään tilanneriippuvaisia suojeluhankkeita. Väitökseni pyrkii työntämään ihmisten ja petoeläinten vuorovaikutuksen ymmärrystämme kattavammaksi ottamalla huomioon alkuperäiskansojen ja paikallisen tiedon sekä petoeläinten suojeluhankkeiden paikkasidonnaiset kulttuuriset, sosiaaliset ja ekologiset piirteet. Käytän tieteidenvälistä lähestymistapaa ja yhdistän sosiokulttuurisia tutkimusmenetelmiä, kuten ryhmähaastatteluja, osallistavaa havainnointia, lomakehaastatteluja ja teemahaastatteluja, ekologisiin tutkimusmenetelmiin, kuten atrapinsoittopisteisiin, maastokameroihin, jälkitutkimuksiin ja linjalaskentoihin. Väitöskirjani keskittyy Keniaan ja koostuu neljästä toisiinsa limittyvästä tutkimusartikkelista. Artikkeleissa I ja II keskityn Sibiloin kansallispuiston petoeläimin ja Ileretin alueen Daasanach-kansaan. Artikkeleissa III ja IV laajennan maantieteelistä aluetta ja yhdistän mukaan havaintoja Laikipian alueen Maasai-kansasta. Kolmessa ensimmäisessä artikkelissa on mukana kahdeksan petoeläinlajia, mutta neljäs artikkeli keskittyy täplähyenaan, joka on kummankin alueen yleisin petoeläin. Artikkelissa I arvioin alkuperäiskansojen ja paikallisen tiedon merkitystä kokonaisvaltaisemman tietopohjan hankkimisessa petoeläinten suojelua varten. Vertailen toisaalta tieteellisen tiedon ja toisaalta alkuperäiskansojen ja paikallisen tiedon perusteella hankittuja petoeläinten kannan suuruuden ja kehityssuunnan arvioita. Löydökseni paljastavat, että näiden kahden tiedonlajin yhdistäminen parantaa huomattavasti ymmärrystämme petoeläimistä paikallisella tasolla. Havaintoni painottaa eri tietämisjärjestelmien erojen hahmottamisen tärkeyttä, jotta saavutamme tarkemman kuvan jokapäiväisistä ihmisten ja petoeläinten kohtaamisista. Lisäksi ne valaisevat useampia sosiaalipsykologisia näkökulmia, kuten sidonnaisuutta paikalliseen kulttuuriin (artikkeli II) ja riskien ja haittojen hahmottamista (kuten kotieläinten kuolemat, artikkeli III), jotka voivat vaikuttaa paikkasidonnaisiin havaintoihin petoeläimistä ja niiden vuorovaikutuksista paikallisten ihmisyhteisöjen kanssa. Artikkeli II rakentuu ensimmmäisen artikkelin löydöksille ja uppoutuu petoeläinlajien kulttuuriseen merkitykseen tärkeässä Daasanach-kansan seremoniassa. Tavoitteeni on tarkastella, miten jotkin kulttuuriset käytänteet voivat muuttua kestämättömiksi ja johtaa biokulttuuriseen konfliktiin, joka vaikuttaa sekä kulttuurin jatkuvuuteen että petoeläinten suojeluun. Käytän biokulttuurista lähestymistapaa, johon sisältyy osallistuvaa etnografista kenttätutkimusta Ileretin alueen Daasanach-kansan kanssa ja osallistumista heidän seremoniaansa. Lähestymistapani mahdollistaa kattavamman ymmärryksen seremonian sosioekologisesta monimutkaisuudesta ja samalla auttaa tunnistamaan mahdollisuuksia alueen biokulttuurisen perinnön suojelemiseksi. Havaintoni paljastavat, että jotkut kulttuuriselle identiteetille ja yhteisöön kuulumiselle keskeiset käytännöt, joissa petoeläimillä on keskeinen kulttuurinen rooli (artikkelit II ja III), voivat ajaa petoeläinten kantojen pienenemistä (artikkeli I) ja siten vaarantaa itse seremonioiden jatkuvuuden (artikkeli II). Tein ihmisten ja petoeläinten vuorovaikutusten laajan vertailututkimuksen (artikkelit III ja IV) alueilla, joilla on vaihteleva määrä markkinatalousehtoisia luonnonsuojelutoimia, jotta pystyn asettamaan artikkelien I ja II tulokset laajempaan luonnonsuojelun viitekehykseen. Vertailin keskus-reuna-alue -kehyksessä Ileretin Daasanach-kansan ja Laikipian Maasai-kansan vuorovaikutuksia paikallisten petoeläinten kanssa. Osoitan, että markkinaehtoisten suojelutoimien olemassaolo edistää positiivisia ihmisen ja petoeläimen välisiä vuorovaikutuksia ja että petoeläimiä tapetaan näillä alueilla vain harvoin (artikkeli III), mikä osaltaan mahdollistaa täplähyeenoille laajan asuinalueen suojelualueella (artikkeli IV). Tulokseni kuitenkin osoittavat kehitystarpeita markkinaehtoisissa suojelumenetelmissä. Maasai-yhteisön jäsenet yhdistävät taloudelliset hyödyt yhteiseloon petoeläinten kanssa, mutta alueilla, joissa markkinaehtoista suojelua on vähemmän, petoeläinten tappamisesta kerrotaan avoimesti (artikkeli IV) ja paikalliset petoeläinpopulaatiot selviytyvät heikommin. Esimerkiksi täplähyeenan esiintymisalue on huomattavan rajoittunut suojelualueella, koska ihmisen tappamaksi joutumisen riski on niin korkea ja tällöin petoeläimille on saatavilla vähemmän saalista (artikkeli IV). Lisäksi tulokseni osoittavat, että Daasanach-kansan jäsenet useammin liittävät kuolleisiin petoeläimiin, erityisesti gepardiin ja leopardiin, kulttuurisia hyötyjä, koska niitä käytetään laajalti kulttuuririennoissa (artikkeli II ja III). Tämä väitöskirja alleviivaa poikkitieteellisten lähestymistapojen kehittämisen, alkuperäiskansojen ja paikallisen tiedon käytön, biokulttuurisiin konflikteihin painottamisen ja ihmisten ja petoeläinten välisten vuorovaikutusten poliittisen ekologian merkitystä petoeläinten suojelulle. Kokonaisuudessaan tuotan rikkaamman ymmärryksen sosioekologisten monimutkaisuuksien vaikutuksesta ihmisten ja petoeläinten vuorovaikutuksiin Keniassa. Tutkimalla yhteiskunnallisia, ekologisia ja kulttuurisia ihmisten ja petoeläinten vuorovaikutusten kudelmia tämä väitöskirja luo tietä kokonaisvaltaisten ja kontekstiriippuvaisten petoeläinsuojelutoimien kehittämiseen Sibiloin kansallispuistossa ja Laikipian suojelualueilla

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Anima ID, group ID, time of philopatry (days) and disperse (yes-no) for each non-reproductive male

Convergences and divergences between scientific and Indigenous and Local Knowledge contribute to inform carnivore conservation

There is increasing recognition that diverse knowledge systems can work in mutually enriching ways and that Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) can enhance biodiversity conservation. However, studies using scientific knowledge and ILK in a complementary manner, and acknowledging convergent and especially divergent insights have remained limited. In this study, we contrasted proxies of abundances and trends of threatened and conflict-prone carnivores (caracal, cheetah, jackal, lion, leopard, spotted hyaena, striped hyaena) derived separately from scientific knowledge and ILK. We conducted camera trapping, track surveys and semi-structured interviews with local pastoralists from northern Kenya. We found convergences highlighting the need for conservation action and divergences suggesting scientific ecological sampling limitations or underlying socio-psychological phenomena. Overall, our study shows that complementing scientific knowledge and ILK as separate sources of information and opening up space for discrepancies can enrich our understanding of the status and trends of carnivores, as well as recognizing human-carnivore relationships.peerReviewe

Local perceptions of carnivores in Sibiloi National Park, Kenya.

Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK) is increasingly seen as an important data source for informing conservation efforts. However, its use as a guide for the sustainable management of natural resources is still heatedly debated in the context of pastoral grasslands. In this study, we examine the utility of ILK as an alternative source of biological information relevant to inform conservation efforts in Sibiloi National Park, Kenya. We carried out 106 semi-structured interviews with local pastoralists to understand their local perceptions of abundance and change of seven carnivore species, i.e. black-backed jackal, caracal, cheetah, leopard, lion, spotted hyena and striped hyena. Each interviewee was asked to give information on wildlife abundance, wildlife changes recorded since their childhood and species causing livestock attacks. Our results reveal that local perceptions of carnivores' abundance and change over time varied substantially from one species to another. Black-backed jackal, caracal, spotted hyena and striped hyena were perceived in high abundances by 75% of our interviewees, whereas less than 50% of our interviewees perceived cheetah, leopard and lion in high abundances. The lion was the species reported to be decreasing the most, whereas more than 50% of our interviewees perceived the rest of the species as stable over time. Our results also show a gendered pattern, with women being more likely to report changes in caracal and spotted hyena. However, local perceptions of carnivores' change over time did not vary significantly in function of the interviewee age. Moreover, the most widely perceived driver of change in species abundance was hunting, whereas food availability was often cited as a driver of the increase in population abundance. More than 75% of the interviewees reported that black-backed jackal and spotted hyena were the two species causing the majority of the livestock attacks. The results provide a novel view of the conservation status of carnivores, which can be helpful in mitigating human-wildlife conflict in Sibiloi National Park. The pastoralist groups of Sibiloi have a complex view of wildlife and we conclude that management decisions need to combine biological data with Indigenous and Local Knowledge.peerReviewe