[Last modified: October, 9 2024 12:54 PM]
Topic:
The Effect of Bushfires on Chimpanzee Foraging and Movement Ecology in an Open, Fire-Prone Habitat
Research Question:
Do bushfires influence chimpanzee behaviour and movement ecology, and can understanding these effects provide insights into how best mammals can be conserved in the face of forest-fires, and into the survival strategies of early humans in similar environments?
Background:
Bushfires are common in the dry, fire-prone, mosaic woodlands of the Issa Valley region in Western Tanzania, creating burned and unburned patches. Chimpanzees in this area live at unusually low densities . This region is also ecologically significant due to its similarities to the environments in which early hominins likely evolved, such as Australopithecus and Ardipithecus (Hoare, 2019). Forest-fire frequency and severity are on the rise, reaching record highs in 2023 (Jain et al., 2024). The impact of fire on the movement and behavior of large primates, such as chimpanzees, has been understudied, despite the importance of fire in shaping ecological landscapes the threat it presents to countless species worldwide. Understanding how chimpanzees, our closest living relatives, adapt to bushfires can provide valuable insights into the adaptive strategies early humans might have used in fire-prone environments, as well as what we can do to best conserve them.
Ethics:
The ethical considerations of this study will focus on minimising human interference with chimpanzee and ensuring that all research is conducted non-invasively. This particular study group is habituated to the presence of human researches, so the level of disturbance will be low. Data collection will be purely observational, with observations being made from a distance to avoid disturbing the chimpanzees’ natural behavior, and conducted in the presence of local field guides.
Methodology:
The research will employ a combination of direct observations, GPS tracking, and remote sensing to assess chimpanzee movement and behaviour in fire-affected and unaffected areas. The study will take place across a two month spring to summer period, which should allow for pre and post-bushfire study. Behavioral data, such as foraging patterns, group size, direction and speed of travel and vocalisation frequency, will be collected before, during, and after fire events. Additionally, satellite imagery will be used to map the extent of burned areas and track habitat changes over time. Observational data will be collected by measuring frequency, as well as monitoring focal individuals at regular intervals (Altmann, 1974).
Potential Findings:
It is anticipated that bushfires will lead to observable shifts in chimpanzee movement patterns, including increased mobility as they seek unburned foraging areas. Chimpanzees may show heightened caution or avoidance of recently burned areas, and their social dynamics might shift in response to habitat alterations. The findings could reveal that fire creates both challenges and opportunities for chimpanzees, pushing them to adapt their behavior in ways that mirror potential strategies used by early humans. Understanding these behaviors can provide deeper insights into primate resilience in fluctuating environments, and inform conservation initiatives on the best action to take to preserve primates, mammals and other animals in the face of increasing bush and forest-fire risk.
Bibliography:
Altmann, J. (1974). Observational Study of Behavior: Sampling Methods. Behaviour, [online] 49(3), pp.227–266.
Jain, P., Barber, Q.E., Taylor, S.W., Whitman, E., Dante Castellanos Acuna, Boulanger, Y., Chavardès, R.D., Chen, J., Englefield, P., Flannigan, M., Girardin, M.P., Hanes, C.C., Little, J., Morrison, K., Skakun, R.S., Thompson, D.K., Wang, X. and Parisien, M.-A. (2024). Drivers and Impacts of the Record-Breaking 2023 Wildfire Season in Canada. Nature Communications, [online] 15(1).
Hoare, S. (2019). The possible role of predator–prey dynamics as an influence on early hominin use of burned landscapes. Evolutionary Anthropology: Issues, News, and Reviews, 28(6), pp.295–302.