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Environmental variability supports chimpanzee behavioural diversity

Author

Listed:
  • Ammie K. Kalan

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Lars Kulik

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Mimi Arandjelovic

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Christophe Boesch

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
    Wild Chimpanzee Foundation)

  • Fabian Haas

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Paula Dieguez

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Christopher D. Barratt

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
    German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig)

  • Ekwoge E. Abwe

    (Ebo Forest Research Project
    Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global)

  • Anthony Agbor

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Samuel Angedakin

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Floris Aubert

    (Wild Chimpanzee Foundation)

  • Emmanuel Ayuk Ayimisin

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Emma Bailey

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Mattia Bessone

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Gregory Brazzola

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Valentine Ebua Buh

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Rebecca Chancellor

    (West Chester University, Department of Psychology
    West Chester University, Department of Anthropology and Sociology)

  • Heather Cohen

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Charlotte Coupland

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Bryan Curran

    (Wildlife Conservation Society)

  • Emmanuel Danquah

    (Faculty of Renewable Natural Resources, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology)

  • Tobias Deschner

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Dervla Dowd

    (Wild Chimpanzee Foundation)

  • Manasseh Eno-Nku

    (WWF Cameroon Country Programme Office)

  • J. Michael Fay

    (Wonga-Wongue Reserve)

  • Annemarie Goedmakers

    (Chimbo Foundation)

  • Anne-Céline Granjon

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Josephine Head

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Daniela Hedwig

    (Bioacoustics Research Program, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University)

  • Veerle Hermans

    (KMDA, Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp)

  • Kathryn J. Jeffery

    (University of Stirling
    Agence National des Parcs Nationaux)

  • Sorrel Jones

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Jessica Junker

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
    German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig)

  • Parag Kadam

    (University of Cambridge)

  • Mohamed Kambi

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Ivonne Kienast

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Deo Kujirakwinja

    (Wildlife Conservation Society)

  • Kevin E. Langergraber

    (Arizona State University)

  • Juan Lapuente

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
    Comoé Chimpanzee Conservation Project)

  • Bradley Larson

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Kevin C. Lee

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
    Arizona State University)

  • Vera Leinert

    (Wild Chimpanzee Foundation)

  • Manuel Llana

    (Jane Goodall Institute Spain and Senegal, Dindefelo Biological Station, Dindefelo)

  • Sergio Marrocoli

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Amelia C. Meier

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Bethan Morgan

    (Ebo Forest Research Project
    Institute for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Global
    University of Stirling)

  • David Morgan

    (Lester E. Fisher Center for the Study and Conservation of Apes, Lincoln Park Zoo
    Wildlife Conservation Society, Congo Program)

  • Emily Neil

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
    Born Free Foundation, Broadlands Business Campus)

  • Sonia Nicholl

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Emmanuelle Normand

    (Wild Chimpanzee Foundation)

  • Lucy Jayne Ormsby

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Liliana Pacheco

    (Jane Goodall Institute Spain and Senegal, Dindefelo Biological Station, Dindefelo)

  • Alex Piel

    (Liverpool John Moores University, James Parsons Building
    University College London, Department of Anthropology)

  • Jodie Preece

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Martha M. Robbins

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Aaron Rundus

    (West Chester University, Department of Psychology)

  • Crickette Sanz

    (Wildlife Conservation Society, Congo Program
    Washington University in Saint Louis, Department of Anthropology
    Kyoto University Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Yoshida-Ushinomiya-cho, Sakyo-Ku)

  • Volker Sommer

    (University College London, Department of Anthropology
    Gashaka Primate Project)

  • Fiona Stewart

    (Liverpool John Moores University, James Parsons Building)

  • Nikki Tagg

    (KMDA, Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp
    Born Free Foundation, Broadlands Business Campus)

  • Claudio Tennie

    (University of Tübingen)

  • Virginie Vergnes

    (Wild Chimpanzee Foundation)

  • Adam Welsh

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Erin G. Wessling

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
    Harvard University)

  • Jacob Willie

    (KMDA, Centre for Research and Conservation, Royal Zoological Society of Antwerp)

  • Roman M. Wittig

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
    Taï Chimpanzee Project, CSRS)

  • Yisa Ginath Yuh

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology)

  • Klaus Zuberbühler

    (Université de Neuchâtel, Institut de Biologie
    University of St Andrews)

  • Hjalmar S. Kühl

    (Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
    German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv) Halle-Jena-Leipzig)

Abstract

Large brains and behavioural innovation are positively correlated, species-specific traits, associated with the behavioural flexibility animals need for adapting to seasonal and unpredictable habitats. Similar ecological challenges would have been important drivers throughout human evolution. However, studies examining the influence of environmental variability on within-species behavioural diversity are lacking despite the critical assumption that population diversification precedes genetic divergence and speciation. Here, using a dataset of 144 wild chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) communities, we show that chimpanzees exhibit greater behavioural diversity in environments with more variability — in both recent and historical timescales. Notably, distance from Pleistocene forest refugia is associated with the presence of a larger number of behavioural traits, including both tool and non-tool use behaviours. Since more than half of the behaviours investigated are also likely to be cultural, we suggest that environmental variability was a critical evolutionary force promoting the behavioural, as well as cultural diversification of great apes.

Suggested Citation

  • Ammie K. Kalan & Lars Kulik & Mimi Arandjelovic & Christophe Boesch & Fabian Haas & Paula Dieguez & Christopher D. Barratt & Ekwoge E. Abwe & Anthony Agbor & Samuel Angedakin & Floris Aubert & Emmanue, 2020. "Environmental variability supports chimpanzee behavioural diversity," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-10, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:11:y:2020:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-020-18176-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-18176-3
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    Cited by:

    1. Edwin J. C. Leeuwen & Sarah E. DeTroy & Daniel B. M. Haun & Josep Call, 2024. "Chimpanzees use social information to acquire a skill they fail to innovate," Nature Human Behaviour, Nature, vol. 8(5), pages 891-902, May.

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