Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Graduate Theses and Dissertations Dissertations 2014 Multilevel analysis of the foraging decisions of western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) and resource scarcity in a savanna environment at Fongoli, Senegal Stacy M. Lindshield Iowa State University Follow this and additional works at: https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd Part of the Behavior and Ethology Commons, and the Biology Commons Recommended Citation Lindshield, Stacy M., "Multilevel analysis of the foraging decisions of western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) and resource scarcity in a savanna environment at Fongoli, Senegal" (2014). Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 14235. https://lib.dr.iastate.edu/etd/14235 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Iowa State University Capstones, Theses and Dissertations at Iowa State University Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Iowa State University Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. i Multilevel analysis of the foraging decisions of western chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus) and resource scarcity in a savanna environment at Fongoli, Senegal by Stacy M. Lindshield A dissertation submitted to the graduate faculty in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Major: Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Program of Study Committee: Jill Pruetz, Major Professor Brent Danielson David Vleck Stan Harpole Dean Adams Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 2014 Copyright © Stacy M. Lindshield, 2014, All rights reserved. ii TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................. v LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................... vi ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .................................................................................................... vii ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION: CHIMPANZEE FORAGING BEHAVIOR................... 1 Synopsis of field research on chimpanzees ........................................................................... 2 A multi-level research approach to savanna chimpanzee foraging behavior ........................ 4 Level one: Diet and food selection .................................................................................... 6 Level two: Habitat quality and selection ......................................................................... 14 Level three: Pan biogeography........................................................................................ 19 Dissertation structure........................................................................................................... 23 Literature cited .................................................................................................................... 23 CHAPTER II SAVANNA CHIMPANZEES: A BRIEF REVIEW .................................. 42 Defining savannas ............................................................................................................... 42 Savanna chimpanzees across Africa ................................................................................... 45 Savanna chimpanzees in Senegal ........................................................................................ 50 Food selection in savanna environments ............................................................................. 51 Habitat selection in savanna environments ......................................................................... 52 Summary ............................................................................................................................. 55 Literature cited .................................................................................................................... 56 CHAPTER III NUTRITIONAL AND SOCIAL COMPONENTS OF FORAGING STRATEGY IN WESTERN CHIMPANZEES (PAN TROGLODYTES VERUS) AT FONGOLI, SENEGAL ........................................................................................................ 70 Abstract ............................................................................................................................... 71 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 72 Methods ............................................................................................................................... 75 Study location and period ................................................................................................ 75 Study subjects and behavior sampling............................................................................. 75 Food sampling ................................................................................................................. 77 Food availability .............................................................................................................. 78 Nutritional chemistry ....................................................................................................... 78 Nutrient intake ................................................................................................................. 79 iii Statistical procedures ....................................................................................................... 80 Research ethics ................................................................................................................ 81 Results ................................................................................................................................. 81 Nutritional composition and availability of foods ........................................................... 81 Relationships between food profitability and food choice .............................................. 83 Effects of estrus females, social rank, and party size on nutrient intake ......................... 84 Discussion ........................................................................................................................... 85 Significance of time, energy, and macronutrients on food selection............................... 85 Male strategies to balance nutritional and social gains ................................................... 86 Savanna chimpanzee nutritional ecology ........................................................................ 87 Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................. 89 Literature cited .................................................................................................................... 89 CHAPTER IV FEEDING IN FEAR: HABITAT SELECTION AND PREDATOR- SENSITIVE FORAGING IN WESTERN CHIMPANZEES (PAN TROGLODYTES VERUS) ............................................................................................................................ 107 Abstract ............................................................................................................................. 108 Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 109 Methods ............................................................................................................................. 114 Study area and study subjects ........................................................................................ 114 Food patches .................................................................................................................. 117 Behavioral follows ......................................................................................................... 120 Food sample collection and chemical analyses ............................................................. 122 Statistical analyses ......................................................................................................... 124 Ethical standards ............................................................................................................ 124 Results ............................................................................................................................... 125 Characteristics of real and potential food patches ......................................................... 125 Baobab fruit counts ........................................................................................................ 126 Nutritional composition of baobab fruit ........................................................................ 127 Foraging party size and composition ............................................................................. 128 Male foragers’ associations with canopy cover and surface water ............................... 128 Male foragers’ associations with human activity .......................................................... 129 Discussion ......................................................................................................................... 130 Antipredator foraging strategy....................................................................................... 130 Foraging in a savanna mosaic .......................................................................................