Current research topics (Last update: 27-11-2008)
We launched a comparative project that coordinates data collection at different research sites. Data collection includes measurements of forest productivity, food abundance, and the availability of macronutrients, energy, and anti-feedants in specific food items. Cooperation with a number of ongoing long-term projects on forest chimpanzees in West and East Africa allows us to incorporate a large number of social and environmental factors into our analyses.
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Kinship relationships within groups of bonobos reflect sex differences in dispersal patterns: Females leave their natal group and join another community before they start to reproduce while males are philopatric. Accordingly, kinship ties between adult males are expected to be closer than those among adult females.
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In animal species living in social groups, interactions between individuals are largely determined by their dominance relations. When conflicts arise, dominants have priority of access to food and depending on the value of the source and the context subordinates are displaced or may be tolerated. Dominance can be expressed by agonistic displays, physical aggression and formalized status signals. Combining information from behavioural observations and hormonal analyses we investigate key parameters such as acquisition and maintenance of status and the costs and benefits deriving from high dominance status. These topics are highly relevant in the context of resource competition and therefore, converge on many levels with the projects described above. In collaboration with the endocrinology lab (Tobias Deschner) we have launched a number of projects that aim on addressing questions on dominance status, costs and benefits of high rank, use of aggression and alternative strategies.
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Salonga National Park (SNP) is the only protected site within the known range of bonobo distribution. Consequently, it plays a key role in protecting natural habitat and wild populations of this species.
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