Collaborative Research: A Multidisciplinary, Field-Based Study of the Little-Known Kinda Baboon (Papio cynocephalus kindae)

合作研究：对鲜为人知的狒狒（Papio cynocephalus kindae）进行多学科、实地研究

• 批准号: 1029323
• 负责人: Clifford Jolly
• 金额: $ 6.6万
• 依托单位: New York University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2010
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2010-10-01 至 2014-09-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1029323&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Multidisciplinary; Field; Based

The physical, behavioral and ecological diversity of baboons (genus Papio) makes them a fruitful source as analogies for understanding early human evolution. This project investigates a widespread but little known species, the kinda baboon (P. kindae), and probes the physiological and genetic bases of its distinctive behaviors and physical features. Besides being unusually small and juvenile in appearance, kinda baboons appear less sexually differentiated than other baboons. Behaving like females of other species, adult male kindas frequently initiate long grooming sessions, while females often give alarm barks, which is normally a male baboon activity. Unexpectedly, kinda baboons hybridize with neighboring chacma baboons (P. ursinus) which are almost twice their size, and are behaviorally more typical. This research project traces the causes of these species differences from the level of observable behavior and anatomy, through the level of development and hormonal control, to the level of the genome. Over 200 kinda, hybrid, and chacma baboons are trapped, sampled, and released unharmed in Kafue National Park, Zambia. Basic biological data such as weight and body measurements are collected along with blood samples. Specialist labs investigate these blood samples for the hormones and other biologically active components that influence growth, sexual differentiation, and behavior, and produce a high-resolution map of the kinda genome. Physiological differences that consistently distinguish kindas can then be tracked to the genetic level, by comparing fast-evolving candidate regions in kindas with homologous regions in other baboon species. The project is innovative in combining proven, comparatively low-tech field techniques with cutting edge technology in genomics and hormonal physiology. Most immediately, it fills a major gap in our knowledge of a key primate genus. In the long term, it provides insights into behavioral variation and evolution in other species, including humans. In the wider sphere, the project will train graduate students, further scientific collaboration with Zambian Wildlife authorities, and promote the status of baboons in wildlife tourism.

狒狒（狒狒属）的身体、行为和生态多样性使它们成为了解早期人类进化的丰富类比来源。该项目调查了一种广泛分布但鲜为人知的物种——有点狒狒（P. kindae），并探讨了其独特行为和身体特征的生理和遗传基础。除了外表异常小和幼稚之外，有点狒狒的性别差异似乎比其他狒狒要少。与其他物种的雌性一样，成年雄性狒狒经常发起长时间的理毛活动，而雌性经常发出警报声，这通常是雄性狒狒的活动。出乎意料的是，有点狒狒与邻近的查克马狒狒（P. ursinus）杂交，后者的体型几乎是它们的两倍，而且行为也更加典型。该研究项目从可观察的行为和解剖水平，到发育和激素控制水平，再到基因组水平，追踪这些物种差异的原因。超过 200 只狒狒、杂交狒狒和恰克玛狒狒在赞比亚卡富埃国家公园被捕获、取样并安然释放。体重和身体测量等基本生物数据与血液样本一起收集。 专业实验室研究这些血液样本中影响生长、性别分化和行为的激素和其他生物活性成分，并生成某种基因组的高分辨率图谱。然后，通过将种类中快速进化的候选区域与其他狒狒物种中的同源区域进行比较，可以将一致区分种类的生理差异追踪到遗传水平。该项目的创新之处在于将经过验证的、技术含量相对较低的现场技术与基因组学和激素生理学领域的尖端技术相结合。 最直接的是，它填补了我们对一个关键灵长类属的知识的重大空白。 从长远来看，它提供了对包括人类在内的其他物种的行为变异和进化的见解。 在更广泛的领域，该项目将培训研究生，进一步与赞比亚野生动物当局进行科学合作，并提高狒狒在野生动物旅游业中的地位。