High Altitude Diets: Implications for the Feeding and Nutritional Ecology of Mountain Gorillas

Rothman, Jessica M.; Nkurunungi, John Bosco; Shannon, Bianca F.; Bryer, Margaret A. H.

doi:10.1007/978-1-4614-8175-1_14

Cited by 13 publications

(22 citation statements)

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“…That is, seasonal shifts in their habitat forces them to rely mainly on fibrous fruits, leaves and herbaceous vegetation during the low ripe fruit season (Masi et al, 2009). These fibrous foods are low in readily digestible energy, higher in hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin than ripe fruit (Remis, 1997a,b,c Remis et al, 2001Rogers et al, 2004Rogers et al, ,1990Rothman et al, 2014), although in times of fruit scarcity fruits eaten are high in fiber and similar to vegetation (Remis et al, 2001). Thus, it is likely that bio-geographical and ecological factors across evolutionary timescales triggered both diversification of Gorilla spp., and the acquisition of distinct gut bacterial communities in mountain and lowland gorillas (Ley et al, 2008;Collins and Dubach, 2000;Gomez and Verdu, 2012;Sussman, 1991).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal variation selects for diet–microbe co-metabolic traits in the gut of Gorilla spp

et al. 2015

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Although the critical role that our gastrointestinal microbes play in host physiology is now well established, we know little about the factors that influenced the evolution of primate gut microbiomes. To further understand current gut microbiome configurations and diet-microbe co-metabolic fingerprints in primates, from an evolutionary perspective, we characterized fecal bacterial communities and metabolomic profiles in 228 fecal samples of lowland and mountain gorillas (G. g. gorilla and G. b. beringei, respectively), our closest evolutionary relatives after chimpanzees. Our results demonstrate that the gut microbiomes and metabolomes of these two species exhibit significantly different patterns. This is supported by increased abundance of metabolites and bacterial taxa associated with fiber metabolism in mountain gorillas, and enrichment of markers associated with simple sugar, lipid and sterol turnover in the lowland species. However, longitudinal sampling shows that both species' microbiomes and metabolomes converge when hosts face similar dietary constraints, associated with low fruit availability in their habitats. By showing differences and convergence of diet-microbe co-metabolic fingerprints in two geographically isolated primate species, under specific dietary stimuli, we suggest that dietary constraints triggered during their adaptive radiation were potential factors behind the species-specific microbiome patterns observed in primates today.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal variation selects for diet–microbe co-metabolic traits in the gut of Gorilla spp

et al. 2015

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“…These species also ranked highly in the local seed rain in bracken (2nd, 3rd, and 5th, respectively) but had no seed bank. Faurea saligna produces small hairy nutlets that lose viability in 1 month (Katende et al., ) while Rytigynia ruwenzoriensis also produces fleshy fruits and is dispersed by animals, including primates (Rothman, Nkurunungi, Shannon, & Bryer, ). Clutia abyssinica , which has gravity dispersed seeds capable of dormancy (Katende et al., ; Shehaghilo, ), was significantly more abundant in the soil seed bank in bracken than in the forest (see Figure b) and was the only common woody species whose seedlings were more abundant in bracken.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tree seed rain and seed removal, but not the seed bank, impede forest recovery in bracken (Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn)‐dominated clearings in the African highlands

Ssali

Moe

Sheil

2018

Ecology and Evolution

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Considerable areas dominated by bracken Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn occur worldwide and are associated with arrested forest recovery. How forest recovery is impeded in these areas remains poorly understood, especially in the African highlands. The component processes that can lead to recruitment limitation—including low seed arrival, availability and persistence—are important determinants of plant communities and offer a potential explanation for bracken persistence. We investigated key processes that can contribute to recruitment limitation in bracken‐dominated clearings in the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. We examined if differences in seed rain (dispersal limitation), soil seed bank, or seed removal (seed viability and persistence) can, individually or in combination, explain the differences in tree regeneration found between bracken‐dominated areas and the neighboring forest. These processes were assessed along ten 50‐m transects crossing the forest–bracken boundary. When compared to the neighboring forest, bracken clearings had fewer seedlings (bracken 11,557 ± 5482 vs. forest 34,515 ± 6066 seedlings/ha), lower seed rain (949 ± 582 vs. 1605 ± 335 tree seeds m−2 year−1), comparable but sparse soil seed bank (304 ± 236 vs. 264 ± 99 viable tree seeds/m2), higher seed removal (70.1% ± 2.4% vs. 40.6% ± 2.4% over a 3‐day interval), and markedly higher rodent densities (25.7 ± 5.4 vs. 5.0 ± 1.6 rodents per 100 trapping sessions). Camera traps revealed that rodents were the dominant animals visiting the seeds in our seed removal study. Synthesis: Recruitment limitation contributes to both the slow recovery of forest in bracken‐dominated areas, and to the composition of the tree species that occur. Low seed arrival and low persistence of unburied seeds can both explain the reduced density of seedlings found in bracken versus neighboring forest. Seed removal, likely due to rodents, in particular appears sufficient to constrain forest recovery and impacts some species more severely than others.

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“…To enhance our understanding of how nutritional variation may underpin ecologically‐driven differences in primate life history and socioecology, we compare the dietary composition and macronutrient intake between two closely related species, the western gorilla (WG: G. gorilla ) and the mountain gorilla (MG: G. b. beringei ). Gorillas present an ideal taxon for studying how ecological variability leads to variation in primate socioecology and life history because they occupy a range of habitats at varying altitudes, resulting in striking environmental differences among sites (Doran & McNeilage, ; Robbins, ; Robbins & Robbins, ; Rothman, Nkurunungi, Shannon, & Bryer, ; Rothman, Pell, Nkurunungi, & Dierenfeld, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…While fruits are somewhat scarce in MG habitats, herbs are abundant, high quality, and available year‐round as a predictable source of nutrition (Ganas et al, ; Watts, ). The MG diet in both populations consists primarily of protein‐rich leaves from a few species of abundant terrestrial herbs (Rothman, Pell et al, ; Rothman et al, ; Watts, ). Although MGs at Karisoke sometimes consume seasonal raspberries as a very small component of their diet (Watts, ), only the Bwindi MGs routinely ingest seasonal fruits (Robbins, ; Rothman, Plumptre et al, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Nutritional composition of the diet of the western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla): Interspecific variation in diet quality

Lodwick

Salmi

2019

American J Primatol

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To meet nutritional needs, primates adjust their diets in response to local habitat differences, though whether these dietary modifications translate to changes in dietary nutrient intake is unknown. A previous study of two populations of the mountain gorilla (MG: Gorilla beringei) found no evidence for intraspecific variation in the nutrient composition of their diets, despite ecological and dietary differences between sites. One potential explanation is that nutritional variability in primate diets requires greater ecological divergence than what was captured between MG sites, underpinning environmental differences in the nutrient quality of plant foods. To test whether Gorilla exhibits interspecific variation in dietary composition and nutrient intake, we studied the composition and macronutrients of the western gorilla (WG: Gorilla gorilla) staple diets and compared them with published data from the two MG populations. We recorded feeding time and food intake of four adult female WGs from one habituated group over a period of 11 months (December 2004-October 2005) at the Mondika Research Center, Republic of Congo, allowing for assessment of seasonal patterns of nutrient intake. Staple diets of WGs and MGs diverged in their dietary and macronutrient composition. Compared to MGs, the staple diet of WGs (by intake) contained higher proportions of fruit (43%) and leaf (12%) and a lower proportion of herb (39%), resulting in a higher intake of total nonstructural carbohydrate and fiber and a lower intake of crude protein. Staple gorilla fruits and herbs differed in nutrient quality between sites. Gorillas exhibit nutritional flexibility that reflects ecological variation in the nutrient quality of plant foods. Since dietary quality typically affects rates of growth and reproduction in primates, our results suggest that interspecific differences in nutrient intake and food quality may shape differences in gorilla nutrient balancing and female life history strategies. K E Y W O R D S ape, ecology, feeding, nutrition, primate

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High Altitude Diets: Implications for the Feeding and Nutritional Ecology of Mountain Gorillas

Cited by 13 publications

References 80 publications

Temporal variation selects for diet–microbe co-metabolic traits in the gut of Gorilla spp

Temporal variation selects for diet–microbe co-metabolic traits in the gut of Gorilla spp

Tree seed rain and seed removal, but not the seed bank, impede forest recovery in bracken (Pteridium aquilinum (L.) Kuhn)‐dominated clearings in the African highlands

Nutritional composition of the diet of the western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla): Interspecific variation in diet quality

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