| NSF Org: |
BCS Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences |
| Recipient: |
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| Initial Amendment Date: | January 28, 2015 |
| Latest Amendment Date: | January 28, 2015 |
| Award Number: | 1452644 |
| Award Instrument: | Standard Grant |
| Program Manager: |
Rebecca Ferrell
rferrell@nsf.gov (703)292-7850 BCS Division of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences SBE Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences |
| Start Date: | February 1, 2015 |
| End Date: | September 30, 2018 (Estimated) |
| Total Intended Award Amount: | $25,200.00 |
| Total Awarded Amount to Date: | $25,200.00 |
| Funds Obligated to Date: |
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| History of Investigator: |
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| Recipient Sponsored Research Office: |
520 LEE ENTRANCE STE 211 AMHERST NY US 14228-2577 (716)645-2634 |
| Sponsor Congressional District: |
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| Primary Place of Performance: |
Sulawesi ID |
| Primary Place of
Performance Congressional District: |
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| Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): |
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| Parent UEI: |
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| NSF Program(s): | Bio Anthro DDRI |
| Primary Program Source: |
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
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| Program Element Code(s): |
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| Award Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Fund Agency Code: | 4900 |
| Assistance Listing Number(s): | 47.075 |
ABSTRACT
As human mobility and populations expand, primates are increasingly exposed to unavoidable, potentially stressful human influences. There is an assumption that apparent tolerance of human presence by primates indicates habituation (primates learn that human presence is not associated with negative consequences), and consequently, primates no longer experience negative effects of stress. These assumptions may be inaccurate or premature; indeed there is evidence that unavoidable, chronic exposure of primates to tourism can be stressful, indicated by behavioral and physiological responses, even in sites active for decades. This dissertation aims to examine these assumptions in Tangkoko Nature Reserve, Sulawesi, Indonesia, by investigating behavioral and physiological responses of wild macaques to the presence of tourists and crop-guarding. It will be the first study to distinguish between chronic and acute stress in wild macaques, making a unique contribution to our understanding of the nature of stress responses in primates and suggesting improved conservation methods for an endangered primate species. The project will also provide training for a female STEM graduate student and both US and Indonesian undergraduate research assistants, and will include local community education and outreach efforts.
In this two-year study, the investigators will collect salivary and fecal cortisol data and behavioral data for 12 adult macaques in each of three groups, where groups differ in levels of human interaction. In normal (acute) responses to stress, stress hormones rise, but return to baseline levels within a few hours. However, chronic stress responses (in which stress hormones remain high) can be detrimental to an individual's health and reproductive potential. Thus, the data collected here will shed light on whether primate groups exposed to tourism for decades fully habituate or whether their apparent tolerance masks abnormal stress responses likely to be detrimental to fitness. Due to their close phylogenetic relatedness, this can also enhance our understanding of human stress response. In addition to training and outreach broader impacts, the project will also develop non-invasive field measures of cortisol that can be used by a variety of primate and wildlife researchers.
PROJECT OUTCOMES REPORT
Disclaimer
This Project Outcomes Report for the General Public is displayed verbatim as submitted by the Principal Investigator (PI) for this award. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this Report are those of the PI and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation; NSF has not approved or endorsed its content.
Dominique Bertrand has completed research for her dissertation ?Clarifying what we see: Exploring links between human disturbance, habituation, and stress responsiveness in wild crested macaques? supported by the NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant. During her funding period, she spent 16 months in Indonesia studying the critically endangered Sulawesi crested macaques (Macaca nigra). As a primatologist, Bertrand was interested in understanding how anthropogenic factors influence primate behavior and physiology. She monitored three habituated groups in Tangkoko Nature Reserve in NE Sulawesi, each experiencing varying frequencies of human disturbance. Specifically, she focused on exploring how tourism and crop guarding of M. nigra affect both their behavioral stress indicators and their acute and chronic cortisol responses in both feces and saliva. The three groups created a natural experiment. Data were collected from group R2 (experiences research, frequent tourism, and frequent crop guarding), group R1 (experiences research, moderate tourism, and moderate crop guarding), and group PB1 (experiences research only). Both tourism and crop guarding groups have experienced these anthropogenic disturbances for decades.
Bertrand accomplished the goals of her research and these efforts encompass the potential to advance knowledge. First, since most mammals produce cortisol as their stress response hormone, the method she developed to collect saliva is useful to other behavioral studies of other species. It is also an ideal method to monitor physiological processes in addition to stress. Saliva contains DNA, reproductive hormones, and a variety of other biological indicators useful for examining health, tracking lineage, and identifying species. Furthermore, due to the close phylogenetic relatedness of macaques, her research also enhances our understanding of human stress response. Ultimately, her results help create and improve practices in many ecotourism locations by both shedding light on the effects of anthropogenic influences on stress related behavior and physiology and pinpointing particular aspects of tourism and crop guarding that are most stressful. Primate groups exposed to tourism show signs of increased behavioral stress related both to the presence of tourists in the forest and directly in tourist groups. Similarly, primate groups exposed to individual crop guarding events show signs of increased behavioral stress indicators immediately following the event. Overall, these results indicate that primate groups exposed to tourism and those exposed to crop guarding, even for decades, may not fully habituate. Ultimately, these findings will better enable stakeholders to identify aspects of tourism and crop raiding defense in need of modification and through them, she adds to the growing literature of ecotourism ?best practices?.
Her research also benefits society both nationally and globally. Bertrand hired three field assistants from the United States and three Indonesian assistants (all women), providing them with skills necessary to enter graduate level education. The training and education of young scientists is a critical component of the research process. While all of her American assistants are currently in a graduate program (veterinarian, environmental lawyer, education), her Indonesian student counterpart (who also served as one of the field assistants) has graduated with a Masters of Biology from the University of Gadja Mada in Jogjakarta, Java. Bertrand (through funding made possible by the Rufford Foundation) financed all of her educational costs. Supporting future generations of scientists in habitat countries is critical to ensuring the continued success of both methodical scientific research and conservation efforts. Additionally, giving women in predominately Muslim countries a voice in science is vital and can help break down barriers to their advancement. With diverse approaches to science in higher levels of academia and government, we are more likely to find solutions to pervasive global problems.
Last Modified: 12/19/2018
Modified by: Dominique Bertrand
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