The effect of group size and composition on the dynamics of group- and individual-level symbiont and pathogen communities in a long-term wild chimpanzee cohort

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Fabian Leendertz; Dr. Roman Wittig
• Subject Area: Sensory and Behavioural Biology ; Evolution, Anthropology
• Term: from 2014 to 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 244372499

Examining how wild primates are influenced by microorganisms, no matter if those associated with benefits (microbiome, phageome) or costs (parasitome, virome), is challenging since the mild effects can only be studied when long term data, variability in community size and composition and according longitudinally collected samples are available. Here we propose to take advantage of a unique set of behavioral data and samples collected from wild Western chimpanzees in the Tai forest over the last 15 years to address the eco evolutionary dynamics or interplay of microbe communities and chimpanzee social structures. We will in particular focus on the possible impact of group size variation, thereby providing very nice complementary information to the across species comparison performed in the SOHAPI II project 8 (Calvignac-Spencer, Daniel and Roos). In addition we will also leverage a well characterized set of outbreaks that swept this community to characterize prior and subsequent microbe community composition variation. Finally, we will also be in the position to assess individual trajectories in the context of group level microbe community composition and social structure. For all questions, we will simultaneously characterize the diversity of pathogens and symbionts.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 2136: Sociality and Health in Primates
• Cooperation Partners: Professor Dr. Rolf Daniel; Professor Dr. Christian Roos