We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Dominance rank differences in the energy intake and expenditure of female Bwindi mountain gorillas.
- Authors
Wright, Edward; Robbins, Andrew; Robbins, Martha
- Abstract
Socioecological models predict that contest competition for clumped foods can lead to higher energy intake and lower energy expenditure for higher-ranking individuals. Here, we examine the relationships between dominance rank and energy intake and expenditure of female mountain gorillas in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda ( Gorilla beringei beringei). Bwindi gorillas have weak dominance relationships, feed on nonreproductive plant parts throughout the year, and consume fruit when it is seasonally available. We used behavioral observations on one group of gorillas and nutritional analysis of their major food items to calculate energy intake rates and estimated energy expenditure. Using linear mixed models, we found a significant positive relationship between dominance rank and energy intake rates, due to higher-ranking females having faster ingestion rates, rather than consuming foods with higher energy concentrations. Lower-ranking females did not spend significantly more time feeding to compensate for their lower energy intake rates. Lower-ranking females spent significantly more time traveling than higher-ranking females, leading to a negative relationship between dominance rank and energy expenditure. The combined results revealed a significant positive relationship between dominance rank and energy balance. Higher-ranking females did not spend longer feeding on fruit than lower-ranking ones, and the relationship between dominance rank and energy intake rates was not stronger when fruit was available. According to socioecological models, these results suggest that contest competition may be occurring with both fruit and nonreproductive plant parts, which would be consistent with growing evidence that nonreproductive plant parts can be contestable.
- Subjects
CALORIC expenditure; SOCIOBIOLOGY; COMPETITION (Biology); PRIMATE feeding habits; PRIMATE ecology; PRIMATE behavior; MOUNTAIN gorilla
- Publication
Behavioral Ecology & Sociobiology, 2014, Vol 68, Issue 6, p957
- ISSN
0340-5443
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1007/s00265-014-1708-9