Conservation relevance of terrestrial herbaceous vegetation studies

Herbaceous vegetation studies are pivotal for a better understanding of the ecology of several animal species that use these plants as food items, nest-building materials, and tools. This article illustrates how such investigations can build on the knowledge base required for conservation planning and help to assess habitat quality. Although many descriptive studies on herbaceous plants used by animals have been carried out, more research effort is needed to address questions such as diversity, community composition, population dynamics, and the influence of abiotic factors. This investment would result in more accurate estimations of resource availability and a better understanding of the effects of abiotic factors on herbaceous plants and dependent animal species

Variation in behavioral traits of two frugivorous mammals may lead to differential responses to human disturbance

Human activities can lead to a shift in wildlife species' spatial distribution. Understanding the specific effects of human activities on ranging behavior can improve conservation management of wildlife populations in human-dominated landscapes. This study evaluated the effects of forest use by humans on the spatial distribution of mammal species with different behavioral adaptations, using sympatric western lowland gorilla and central chimpanzee as focal species. We collected data on great ape nest locations, ecological and physical variables (habitat distribution, permanent rivers, and topographic data), and anthropogenic variables (distance to trails, villages, and a permanent research site). Here, we show that anthropogenic variables are important predictors of the distribution of wild animals. In the resource model, the distribution of gorilla nests was predicted by nesting habitat distribution, while chimpanzee nests were predicted first by elevation followed by nesting habitat distribution. In the anthropogenic model, the major predictors of gorilla nesting changed to human features, while the major predictors of chimpanzee nesting remained elevation and the availability of their preferred nesting habitats. Animal behavioral traits (body size, terrestrial/arboreal, level of specialization/generalization, and competitive inferiority/superiority) may influence the response of mammals to human activities. Our results suggest that chimpanzees may survive in human-encroached areas whenever the availability of their nesting habitat and preferred fruits can support their population, while a certain level of human activities may threaten gorillas. Consequently, the survival of gorillas in human-dominated landscapes is more at risk than that of chimpanzees. Replicating our research in other sites should permit a systematic evaluation of the influence of human activity on the distribution of mammal populations. As wild animals are increasingly exposed to human disturbance, understanding the resulting consequences of shifting species distributions due to human disturbance on animal population abundance and their long-term survival will be of growing conservation importance

Contribution of non-timber forest product valorisation to the livelihood assets of local people in the northern periphery of the Dja Faunal Reserve, East Cameroon

A large community of scientists has demonstrated that millions of people located in tropical zones derive a significant proportion of their livelihoods from the extraction of non-timber forest products (NTFPs). Despite these results, questions remain as to whether the valorisation of NTFPs can sustainably contribute to the improvement of the livelihood assets of the extractors. This study therefore evaluated the contribution of NTFP valorisation to the livelihood assets of local people around the northern periphery of the Dja Faunal Reserve (DFR), East Cameroon. To achieve this objective, data collected from 215 households in 32 villages were analyzed using factor analysis, Mann-Whitney U tests, and structural equation modelling. The results suggest that NTFP valorisation significantly contributes to the livelihood assets of local people at the periphery of the DFR. However, NTFP revenue was not significant in predicting their livelihood assets. Moreover, the local conservation management practices were not significant in predicting the livelihood assets in the long run. The results also revealed that individuals who received training and capacity building on good practices such as efficient collection techniques, effective drying techniques, and good conservation techniques earned better revenues and the impact on their livelihood was more significant than for those who did not. These results therefore recommend that the way forward for NTFP valorisation lies at the level of improving its quality and the market

The distribution of plant consumption traits across habitat types and the patterns of fruit availability suggest a mechanism of coexistence of two sympatric frugivorous mammals

Understanding the mechanisms governing the coexistence of organisms is an important question in ecology, and providing potential solutions contributes to conservation science. In this study, we evaluated the contribution of several mechanisms to the coexistence of two sympatric frugivores, using western lowland gorillas (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) and central chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes) in a tropical rainforest of southeast Cameroon as a model system. We collected great ape fecal samples to determine and classify fruit species consumed; we conducted great ape nest surveys to evaluate seasonal patterns of habitat use; and we collected botanical data to investigate the distribution of plant species across habitat types in relation to their “consumption traits” (which indicate whether plants are preferred or fallback for either gorilla, chimpanzee, or both). We found that patterns of habitat use varied seasonally for both gorillas and chimpanzees and that gorilla and chimpanzee preferred and fallback fruits differed. Also, the distribution of plant consumption traits was influenced by habitat type and matched accordingly with the patterns of habitat use by gorillas and chimpanzees. We show that neither habitat selection nor fruit preference alone can explain the coexistence of gorillas and chimpanzees, but that considering together the distribution of plant consumption traits of fruiting woody plants across habitats as well as the pattern of fruit availability may contribute to explaining coexistence. This supports the assumptions of niche theory with dominant and subordinate species in heterogeneous landscapes, whereby a species may prefer nesting in habitats where it is less subject to competitive exclusion and where food availability is higher. To our knowledge, our study is the first to investigate the contribution of plant consumption traits, seasonality, and habitat heterogeneity to enabling the coexistence of two sympatric frugivores

The Vehicle, Fall 2006

Table of Contents Ferris WheelEmily Daviscover HerStephen Jefferiespage 1 UntitledBob Freyderpage 2 Writing at O\u27BrienWillie Joseph Morrispage 3 Blanks and HabitsRebecca M. Griffithpage 4 Soldier\u27s NightmareCraig A. Dennispage 5 UntitledLindsey Durbinpage 6 A Slow, Painless DeathJacob Fosterpage 7 ThoughtAmanda Yealepage 8 The SociopathBob Freyderpage 9 EasyRebecca M. Griffithpage 10 My PartnerDiedre Mapespage 11 BarriersSuzanne Krahnpage 12 The mind is a prisonJordan Hohespage 13 We Were Shirtless When Thousands DiedMitch Jamespage 14 ComplaintAmanda Yealepage 15 UntitledBob Freyderpage 16 MarkedAmanda Yealepage 17 She Wears Red Lipstick, He, Heartsick EyesRebecca M. Griffithpage 18 PrayerAmanda Yealepage 19 HomeDeej Rolewskipage 20 Your DreamDiedre Mapespage 21 Even Fingers Get LonelySuzanne Krahnpage 22 AggressivityMitch Jamespage 23 FallenMitch Jamespage 24 CollapseMario Podeschipage 36 The Italian CrisisAndy Masterspage 41 About the Authorshttps://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1084/thumbnail.jp

The Vehicle, Fall 2006

Table of Contents Ferris WheelEmily Daviscover HerStephen Jefferiespage 1 UntitledBob Freyderpage 2 Writing at O\u27BrienWillie Joseph Morrispage 3 Blanks and HabitsRebecca M. Griffithpage 4 Soldier\u27s NightmareCraig A. Dennispage 5 UntitledLindsey Durbinpage 6 A Slow, Painless DeathJacob Fosterpage 7 ThoughtAmanda Yealepage 8 The SociopathBob Freyderpage 9 EasyRebecca M. Griffithpage 10 My PartnerDiedre Mapespage 11 BarriersSuzanne Krahnpage 12 The mind is a prisonJordan Hohespage 13 We Were Shirtless When Thousands DiedMitch Jamespage 14 ComplaintAmanda Yealepage 15 UntitledBob Freyderpage 16 MarkedAmanda Yealepage 17 She Wears Red Lipstick, He, Heartsick EyesRebecca M. Griffithpage 18 PrayerAmanda Yealepage 19 HomeDeej Rolewskipage 20 Your DreamDiedre Mapespage 21 Even Fingers Get LonelySuzanne Krahnpage 22 AggressivityMitch Jamespage 23 FallenMitch Jamespage 24 CollapseMario Podeschipage 36 The Italian CrisisAndy Masterspage 41 About the Authorshttps://thekeep.eiu.edu/vehicle/1084/thumbnail.jp

Mutation update and genotype-phenotype correlations of novel and previously described mutations in TPM2 and TPM3 causing congenital myopathies

Mutations affecting skeletal muscle isoforms of the tropomyosin genes may cause nemaline myopathy, cap myopathy, core-rod myopathy, congenital fiber-type disproportion, distal arthrogryposes, and Escobar syndrome. We correlate the clinical picture of these diseases with novel (19) and previously reported (31) mutations of the TPM2 and TPM3 genes. Included are altogether 93 families: 53 with TPM2 mutations and 40 with TPM3 mutations. Thirty distinct pathogenic variants of TPM2 and 20 of TPM3 have been published or listed in the Leiden Open Variant Database (http://www.dmd.nl/). Most are heterozygous changes associated with autosomal-dominant disease. Patients with TPM2 mutations tended to present with milder symptoms than those with TPM3 mutations, DA being present only in the TPM2 group. Previous studies have shown that five of the mutations in TPM2 and one in TPM3 cause increased Ca2+ sensitivity resulting in a hypercontractile molecular phenotype. Patients with hypercontractile phenotype more often had contractures of the limb joints (18/19) and jaw (6/19) than those with nonhypercontractile ones (2/22 and 1/22), whereas patients with the non-hypercontractile molecular phenotype more often (19/22) had axial contractures than the hypercontractile group (7/19). Our in silico predictions show that most mutations affect tropomyosin–actin association or tropomyosin head-to-tail binding

Predicting range shifts of African apes under global change scenarios

Aim: Modelling African great ape distribution has until now focused on current or past conditions, while future scenarios remain scarcely explored. Using an ensemble forecasting approach, we predicted changes in taxon-specific distribution under future scenarios of climate, land use and human populations for (1) areas outside protected areas (PAs) only (assuming complete management effectiveness of PAs), (2) the entire study region and (3) interspecies range overlap. Location: Tropical Africa. Methods: We compiled occurrence data (n = 5,203) on African apes from the IUCN A.P.E.S. database and extracted relevant climate-, habitat- and human-related predictors representing current and future (2050) conditions to predict taxon-specific range change under a best- and a worst-case scenario, using ensemble forecasting. Results: The predictive performance of the models varied across taxa. Synergistic interactions between predictors are shaping African ape distribution, particularly human-related variables. On average across taxa, a range decline of 50% is expected outside PAs under the best scenario if no dispersal occurs (61% in worst scenario). Otherwise, an 85% range reduction is predicted to occur across study regions (94% worst). However, range gains are predicted outside PAs if dispersal occurs (52% best, 21% worst), with a slight increase in gains expected across study regions (66% best, 24% worst). Moreover, more than half of range losses and gains are predicted to occur outside PAs where interspecific ranges overlap. Main Conclusions: Massive range decline is expected by 2050, but range gain is uncertain as African apes will not be able to occupy these new areas immediately due to their limited dispersal capacity, migration lag and ecological constraints. Given that most future range changes are predicted outside PAs, Africa\u27s current PA network is likely to be insufficient for preserving suitable habitats and maintaining connected ape populations. Thus, conservation planners urgently need to integrate land use planning and climate change mitigation measures at all decision-making levels both in range countries and abroad

Chimpanzee accumulative stone throwing

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. In addition to data from 17 mid- to long-term chimpanzee research sites, we sampled a further 34 Pan troglodytes communities. We found four populations in West Africa where chimpanzees habitually bang and throw rocks against trees, or toss them into tree cavities, resulting in conspicuous stone accumulations at these sites. This represents the first record of repeated observations of individual chimpanzees exhibiting stone tool use for a purpose other than extractive foraging at what appear to be targeted trees. The ritualized behavioural display and collection of artefacts at particular locations observed in chimpanzee accumulative stone throwing may have implications for the inferences that can be drawn from archaeological stone assemblages and the origins of ritual sites