Analyzing the Behavioral Ecology of Sympatric African Apes - Essay Example

Article The behavioural ecology of sympatric African apes: implications for understanding fossil hominoid ecology ,STANFORD CRAIG B. Primatesvol: 47 issue: 1 page: 91-101 year: 2006 What issue or problem did the author(s) address The author, Craig B. Stanford has addressed the "behavioural ecology" of the apes as evidence of the behaviourisms of connected species like the extinct ape and hominid taxa. According to him it has also been shown by some studies that chimpanzees and gorillas often live nearby or occupy the same area of land without interbreeding. Recent Studies, according to the author have also depicted very different behavioural and biological patterns between the two species .The article addresses the issue of how these two species live as neighbours and how they behave next to each other being different members of the primate group. The author has also inquired into the situation of both groups of primates not inter breeding yet sharing the food and other resources of the forests. Therefore the author believes that biological and behavioural behaviour of these two species of primates is worth re-examination . The author goes on to study their dietary habits and role of protein based food on their evolution. According to Craig B,this may actually "offer clues to aspects of ecological divergence among early members of the hominid phylogeny" and this is indeed the primary aim of his research. 2.Why do you think this topic is important to physical/biological anthropology The reason this paper is addressing an important issue of physical/biological anthropology is that it shows how all primates have different dietary, sexual and behavioural habits based on their gene structure and habitat adaptation. On the basis of the study of these two species the writer has been able to draw conclusions on how the hominoids who were some kind of ancestors to these primates(although not entirely genetically) might have lived once upon a time . Based on these conclusions Craig then sums up that given that Miocene apes or Pliocene hominids had lived sympatric lives as well just like the apes and gorillas then they would have probably shared the food and environment in the same ways as well. It would be possible to discern their dietary and sexual patterns from the study of these much evolved apes . 3.What specific evidence, facts and/or examples did the author(s) offer to support their argument The author has included the statistics from his research in the form of tables and charts to show the numerical and empirical evidence collected from his findings and he made certain conclusions as to the range, diet and sexual habits of these two kinds of primates. His argument that the study of these more evolved primates will give an insight into the habits of the Hominoids and the extinct apes ,supported by evidence from other scholars and his own research. For example he points out that Chimpanzees and gorillas in sympatric are confronted with the same available resource bas, (yet)..Chimpanzees make intensive use of this prey base, but gorillas do not.. And then he goes on to link this with his finding about the dietary methods of Hominoids by saying that "An adaptation to meat-eating may have characterized the hominid adaptation during the divergence of the hominoid lineages. ancestral apes made the transition to greater body size and social complexity only because of the Added nutritional profile provided by a meatier diet." In this way he compares And provides evidence to show how the behaviour of the modern apes can help study the behaviour of the extinct species. 4.Did the author address any contrary evidence or the opinions/work of others that run counter the author(s) claims The author has not exactly addressed any contrary evidence which may possibly be a weakness of his argument. He has quoted many writers to go with his research and made a very strong connection between the two species in the modern and pre-historic settings. However he does refer to the works of other writers when he is posing a query for example when he says "there are, however, anecdotal reports of gorillasfailing to show interest in prey even when it presents itself. Schaller (1963, p 167) reported adult mountain gorillas in the Virungas walking over duiker carcasses, bush pig carcasses, and nesting doves, all of which were within easy grasp. It therefore appears that gorillas in the wild show an active disinterest in eating meat." Then while referring to their diet patterns he does admit that there is a genetic difference between the Hominids and the modern primates and that the modern primates are less tolerant digestively to a meat based diet than their ancestral counterparts. This he admits could be a reason for "adaptation that has differentiated the hominid lineage from the ancestral lineage of chimpanzees and gorillas." 5.What were the strengths and/or weaknesses of the author(s) argument I think that the author is ignoring genetic factors and focusing a lot on the habitat influences on modern primates. This can lead to some shaky results mainly because it should not be forgotten that the two extinct sympatric apes or hominids had a different kind of gene structure that these modern primates .One species preference over another as a meat eater does not make that kind of a primate more dominant . Also I could not help disagreeing with the Author's statement that smaller bodied apes were ecologically dominant to the larger Gorillas. Their smaller structures may provide them with an advantage of quicker and more efficient hunting techniques but body size plays a key role in primate dominance. 6.What are your conclusions Do you agree or disagree with the author I agree with the author to the extent that the behaviour of modern primates plays a key guiding role in the understanding of how their extinct ancestors might have behaved territorially and sexually. However it should also be noted that dietary habits as well as "range" are environmental factors and have little to do with how these apes might have behaved in a more pre-historic setting. I do however agree that gorillas due to their bulky size and group set up are less likely to be hunters as there are less male members than females in every group and the same kind of bodily and genetic differences between the extinct ape and hominid taxa could have shaped their hunting and dietary habits. _____________________________________________________________ Read More