Year: 2021
Type: review
Abstract: Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are the only great apes that inhabit hot, dry, and open savannas. We review the environmental pressures of savannas on chimpanzees, such as food and water scarcity, and the evidence for chimpanzees' behavioral responses to these landscapes. In our analysis, savannas were generally associated with low chimpanzee population densities and large home ranges. In addition, thermoregulatory behaviors that likely reduce hyperthermia risk, such as cave use, were frequently observed in the hottest and driest savanna landscapes. We hypothesize that such responses are evidence of a "savanna landscape effect" in chimpanzees and offer pathways for future research to understand its evolutionary processes and mechanisms. We conclude by discussing the significance of research on savanna chimpanzees to modeling the evolution of early hominin traits and informing conservation programs for these endangered apes.
DOI: 10.1002/evan.21924
Institutions: Purdue University West Lafayette, University of Oslo, Universitat de Barcelona, Bournemouth University, Miami University, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Éco-Anthropologie, Cheikh Anta Diop University, Chukyo University, University College London, Texas State University, Liverpool John Moores University, Harvard University, National Museum of Nature and Science
Language: English
Topic: Primate Behavior and Ecology
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,800
OpenAlex ID: W3199898974