A Noninvasive Method for Estimating Nitrogen Balance in Free-Ranging Primates

Vogel, Erin R.; Crowley, Brooke E.; Knott, Cheryl D.; Blakely, Melissa D.; Larsen, Michael; Dominy, Nathaniel J.

doi:10.1007/s10764-011-9543-6

Cited by 32 publications

(39 citation statements)

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“…The percentage of 1368 tagged trees in fruit, termed the fruit abundance index (FAI), was calculated each month. Our method for quantifying dietary protein is detailed elsewhere [5,11]. To estimate the total mass of protein consumed per feeding bout, we calculated dry mass protein per food-item Â number of items ingested per minute Â total bout minutes.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Bornean orangutans on the brink of protein bankruptcy

et al. 2011

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Protein is a limiting resource that is essential to the growth, maintenance and reproduction of tropical frugivores, yet few studies have examined how wild animals maintain protein balance. During chronic periods of fruit scarcity, Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) often catabolize their own fat reserves despite unusually low metabolic requirements. Such energy deficits suggest a marginal existence, and raise the possibility that orangutans also endure periods of negative protein balance. To test this hypothesis, we conducted the first study of protein cycling in a wild primate. Our five year analysis of urinary metabolites revealed evidence of protein recycling when fruit was scarce. During these periods, orangutans consumed more leaves and bark, proteinaceous but tough foods that yielded a mean daily intake of 1.4 g protein kg 21 metabolic mass. Such an amount is inadequate for humans and one-tenth the intake of mountain gorillas, but sufficient to avert, perhaps narrowly, a severe protein deficit. Our findings highlight the functional and adaptive value of traits that maximize protein assimilation during periods of ecological exigency.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Yet, the dynamics and behavioural consequences of protein cycling in wild animals are scarcely known. With new analytical techniques [11], the excreta of wild animals may inform our understanding of how animals cope with protein limitation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bornean orangutans on the brink of protein bankruptcy

et al. 2011

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“…15 N-depleted body tissue proteins are preferentially degraded to obtain amino acids (Hobson and Clark, 1992;Hobson et al, 1993;Fuller et al, 2005;Mekota et al, 2006;Deschner et al, 2012;Vogel et al, 2012). Conversely, a positive nitrogen balance during tissue growth decreases the body tissue d N-depleted animo acids are incorporated into body tissues (Fuller et al, 2004;Waters-Rist and Katzenberg, 2010).…”

Section: N Values Becausementioning

confidence: 99%

Reconstruction of breastfeeding and weaning practices using stable isotope and trace element analyses: A review

Tsutaya

Yoneda

2014

American J Phys Anthropol

192

188

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Biogeochemical methods using stable isotopes and trace elements have been increasingly developed and applied to reconstruct modern and ancient breastfeeding and weaning practices of mammals, including humans, because they offer direct proxies for the dietary intake of subadults. Carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen isotopes have been used to evaluate breast milk lipid, protein, and water intake, respectively. Carbon and sulfur isotopes have been used to estimate the content of weaning foods. The elemental concentrations of Sr and Ba in subadult tissues differ because of the dietary change during the weaning process. For analyses, various tissues have been used, such as hair, nail, blood, and feces for modern mammals and bone and teeth for ancient ones. Of these, trace element analysis of tooth enamel offers a good opportunity for the reconstruction of breastfeeding and weaning practices of the more distant past at finer resolution, although further understanding of the metabolism of trace elements is necessary. There are various tissue-and element-specific advantages and disadvantages, and a combination of different proxies can illuminate practices from various viewpoints. Finally, applying the geochemical reconstruction of breastfeeding and weaning practices to human ecology, primatology, and paleoanthropology is important; basic studies of the underlying physiological mechanisms and technical improvements in the analyses will further highlight avenues for future research. Yrbk Phys Anthropol 156:2-21, 2015. V C 2014 American Association of Physical AnthropologistsThe reconstruction of breastfeeding and weaning practices (BWPs) of ancient human and other mammalian species is one of the most important fields in anthropology, archaeology, evolutionary biology, and history. Infant feeding practices affect the overall health of the population because diet, health status, and growth at a young age have profound effects on an individual's later life (Dettwyler and Fishman, 1992;Katzenberg et al., 1996;WHO, 1998WHO, , 2009Lewis, 2007). Breastfeeding and weaning practices can be viewed from the evolutionary perspectives of life history theory, parental investment, child development, social system, and reproductive strat-

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“…15 N for protein balance (Vogel et al 2012a). Using these techniques, Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) are shown to suffer from severe energy and protein deficiencies during periods of fruit scarcity (Knott 1998;Vogel et al 2012b).…”

Section: Studies On Resource Limitation At the Behavioral Levelmentioning

confidence: 99%

Linking feeding ecology and population abundance: a review of food resource limitation on primates

Hanya

Chapman

2012

Ecological Research

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We review studies that consider how food affects primate population abundance. In order to explain spatial variation in primate abundance, various correlates that parameterize quality and quantity of food in the habitat have been examined. We propose two hypotheses concerning how resource availability and its seasonality determine animal abundance. When the quality of fallback foods (foods eaten during the scarcity of preferred foods) is too low to satisfy nutritional requirement, total annual food quantity should determine population size, but this relationship can be modified by the quality or the quantity of fallback foods. This mechanism has been established for Japanese macaques and sportive lemurs that survive lean seasons by fat storage or extremely low metabolism. Second, when fallback food quality is high enough to satisfy nutritional requirement but quantity is limited, quantity of fallback food should be a limiting factor of animal abundance. This is supported by the correlation between fig density, which is a high-quality fallback food, and gibbon and orangutan abundance. For a direct test of these hypotheses, we need more research that determines both the quality of food that animals require to satisfy their nutritional requirement and the quantity of food production. Leaves are often regarded as superabundant, but this assumption needs careful examination.

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A Noninvasive Method for Estimating Nitrogen Balance in Free-Ranging Primates

Cited by 32 publications

References 82 publications

Bornean orangutans on the brink of protein bankruptcy

Bornean orangutans on the brink of protein bankruptcy

Reconstruction of breastfeeding and weaning practices using stable isotope and trace element analyses: A review

Linking feeding ecology and population abundance: a review of food resource limitation on primates

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