Doctoral Dissertation Research: Assessing the physiological consequences of diet and environment for gorillas in zoological settings

博士论文研究：评估动物环境中大猩猩饮食和环境的生理后果

• 批准号: 2341433
• 负责人: Roberta Salmi
• 金额: $ 2.45万
• 依托单位: University of Georgia
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2024-02-15 至 2026-01-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2341433&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Research; Assessing; physiological

Present-day human diets and activity levels are mismatched with human physiology, which has been adapted for the comparatively higher activity levels and fluctuating food availability likely experienced by hominins in the evolutionary past. This mismatch has contributed to increasing levels of obesity and chronic health conditions in contemporary society. Interestingly, some zoo-housed gorillas show comparable rates of cardiovascular and metabolic disease to humans. This doctoral dissertation research project investigates the diet, nutrition, activity profiles, and energy expenditure of male gorillas, across age groups and health statuses. Understanding the repercussions associated with the altered diet and activity patterns that they experience in zoological settings can inform our knowledge of human health issues associated with sedentary lifestyles and diets consisting of processed, modified, and cultivated foods. The project also informs primate husbandry practices to more accurately emulate gorilla food sources found in natural habitats and improve primate health and welfare. This research facilitates the professional and scientific training of a doctoral student pursuing a career in STEM and supports advanced skill development opportunities for multiple undergraduate students interested in animal behavior and conservation. This study assesses how diet and environment affect the nutrition, activity patterns and cardiovascular health of male gorillas that live in zoological institutions. Data obtained in this study can inform anthropological theory as well as animal welfare practices and management strategies for this critically endangered ape species. The study employs a combination of behavioral observations to establish daily activity patterns and feeding behavior among gorilla males. Additionally, food items consumed by these gorillas are analyzed to determine their nutritional value. Total energy expenditure is measured using doubly labeled water and urine collection. These data are used to design models that identify discrepancies between target nutrition and actual nutrient ingestion. Diet and nutrition data are paired with physical activity budgets and total energy expenditure measures, to identify and assess the cardiac and metabolic disease risk factors that affect apes that live in managed care.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

当今的人类饮食和活动水平与人类生理学不匹配，人类生理学已适应了相对较高的活性水平，并且人类可能会在进化中经历的食物可利用性波动。这种不匹配导致当代社会中肥胖和慢性健康状况的层次增加。有趣的是，一些动物园的大猩猩表现出与人类的心血管和代谢疾病的可比率。该博士学位论文研究项目调查了跨年龄段和健康状况的男性大猩猩的饮食，营养，活动概况和能量消耗。了解与他们在动物环境中所经历的饮食和活动方式改变的影响可以告知我们对与久坐，修改，修改和耕种食品组成的久坐生活方式和饮食相关的人类健康问题的了解。该项目还通知灵长类动物的实践，以更准确地模仿自然栖息地中发现的大猩猩食品，并改善灵长类动物的健康和福利。这项研究促进了从事STEM职业的博士生的专业和科学培训，并为多位对动物行为和保护感兴趣的本科生提供高级技能发展机会。 这项研究评估了饮食和环境如何影响生活在动物学机构中的雄性大猩猩的营养，活动模式和心血管健康。在这项研究中获得的数据可以为人类学理论以及这种濒临灭绝的猿类物种的动物福利实践和管理策略提供信息。该研究采用了行为观察的结合来建立每日活动模式和大猩猩雄性之间的喂养行为。此外，分析了这些大猩猩消耗的食品以确定其营养价值。总能量消耗是使用双重标记的水和尿液收集来测量的。 这些数据用于设计识别目标营养和实际营养摄入之间差异的模型。饮食和营养数据与体育活动预算和总能量消耗措施配对，以识别和评估影响居住在托管护理中的猿类的心脏和代谢疾病危险因素。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛影响的审查标准来通过评估来通过评估来获得支持的。