Susan C Alberts
Biographic Data
| ID | 5205686 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Susan C Alberts |
| GIVEN NAMES | Susan C |
| FAMILY NAME | Alberts |
| SIGNATURE | ALBERTS S C |
| AFFILIATIONS | Department of Biology Duke University Durham North Carolina |
| VERIFIED | No |
| TOTAL WORKS | 18 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 29 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 18 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 1993 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2020 |
| H-INDEX | 3 |
Noninvasive measurement of mucosal immunity in a free‐ranging baboon population
Ecoimmunological patterns and processes remain understudied in wild primates, in part because of the lack of noninvasive methods to measure immunity. Secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) is the most abundant antibody present at mammalian mucosal surfaces and provides an important first line of defense against pathogens. Recent studies show that sIgA can be measured noninvasively in feces and is a good marker of mucosal immunity. Here we validated a …
Male‐mediated prenatal loss: Functions and mechanisms
Sexually selected infanticide has been the subject of intense empirical and theoretical study for decades; a related phenomenon, male‐mediated prenatal loss, has received much less attention in evolutionary studies. Male‐mediated prenatal loss occurs when inseminated or pregnant females terminate reproductive effort following exposure to a nonsire male, either through implantation failure or pregnancy termination. Male‐mediated prenatal loss enco…
Climate and Land Cover Analysis Suggest No Strong Ecological Barriers to Gene Flow in a Natural Baboon Hybrid Zone
Interbirth intervals in wild baboons: Environmental predictors and hormonal correlates
OBJECTIVES: Interbirth intervals (IBIs) are a key metric of female reproductive success; understanding how they are regulated by environmental, social, and demographic factors can provide insight into sources of variance in female fitness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using 36 years of reproductive data on 490 IBIs for 160 wild female baboons, we identified sources of variance in the duration of IBIs and of their component phases: postpartum amenorrhea…
The contributions of jeanne altmann
Jeanne Altmann is one of the founding figures of contemporary primate behavioral ecology. Her name is synonymous with the highest standards of methodological rigor and research quality. Jeanne's legacy is built on four major foundations: publication of the definitive guide to observational sampling methods; the creation and development of the Amboseli Baboon Project, now in its fourth decade; completion of the first detailed study of maternal beh…
White monkey syndrome and presumptive copper deficiency in wild savannah baboons
In immature wild savannah baboons ( Papio cynocephalus ), we observed symptoms consistent with copper (Cu) deficiency and, more specifically, with a disorder referred to as white monkey syndrome (WMS) in laboratory primates. The objectives of this study were to characterize this pathology, and test three hypotheses that (1) Cu deficiency may have been induced by zinc (Zn) toxicity, (2) it may have been induced by molybdenum (Mo) toxicity, and (3)…
Age and individual foraging behavior predict tooth wear in Amboseli baboons
Teeth represent an essential component of the foraging apparatus for any mammal, and tooth wear can have significant implications for survival and reproduction. This study focuses on tooth wear in wild baboons in Amboseli, southern Kenya. We obtained mandibular and maxillary tooth impressions from 95 baboons and analyzed digital images of replicas made from these impressions. We measured tooth wear as the percent dentine exposure (PDE, the percen…
Endocrinology of year‐round reproduction in a highly seasonal habitat: Environmental variability in testosterone and glucocorticoids in baboon males
In conditions characterized by energetic constraints, such as in periods of low food availability, some trade‐offs between reproduction and self‐maintenance may be necessary; even year‐round breeders may then be forced to exhibit some reproductive seasonality. Prior research has largely focused on female reproduction and physiology, and few studies have evaluated the impact of environmental factors on males. Here we assessed the effects of season…
Parallel effects of genetic variation in ACE activity in baboons and humans
Like humans, savannah baboons ( Papio sp.) show heritable interindividual variation in complex physiological phenotypes. One prominent example of such variation involves production of the homeostatic regulator protein angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), which shows heritable variation in both baboons and humans. In humans, this phenotypic variation is associated with an Alu insertion–deletion polymorphism in the ACE gene, which explains approxim…
Social relationships among adult female baboons (papio cynocephalus) I. Variation in the strength of social bonds
Growth rates in a wild primate population: Ecological influences and maternal effects
Coming of age: Steroid hormones of wild immature baboons ( Papio cynocephalus )
Large gaps exist in our knowledge about common patterns and variability in the endocrinology of immature nonhuman primates, and even normal hormonal profiles during that life stage are lacking for wild populations. In the present study we present steroid profiles for a wild population of baboons ( Papio cynocephalus ) from infancy through reproductive maturation, obtained by noninvasive fecal analyses. Fecal concentrations of glucocorticoid (fGC)…
Life‐history correlates of steroid concentrations in wild peripartum baboons
Steroid concentrations during late pregnancy and early lactation may be affected by both a female's reproductive history and her current condition, and may in turn predict subsequent life‐history events, such as offspring survival. This study investigated these relationships in a wild primate population through the use of fecal steroid analysis in repeated sampling of peripartum baboons ( Papio cynocephalus ). Fecal samples were collected from 32…
Social Bonds of Female Baboons Enhance Infant Survival
Among nonhuman primates, females often form strong bonds with kin and other group members. These relationships are thought to have adaptive value for females, but direct effects of sociality on fitness have never been demonstrated. We present 16 years of behavioral data from a well-studied population of wild baboons, which demonstrate that sociality of adult females is positively associated with infant survival, an important component of variatio…
Variability in reproductive success viewed from a life‐history perspective in baboons
Nonhuman primates, like humans, mature slowly and have low fertility during a relatively long life. As data have accumulated on life-history patterns of nonhuman primates, comparative studies have yielded important insights into the evolution of this slow life-history style of primates. However, in order to understand selection pressures and evolutionary potential within species, it is important to complement comparative studies with detailed stu…
Immigration and hybridization patterns of yellow and anubis baboons in and around Amboseli, Kenya
In 1986, Samuels and Altmann reported evidence for a hybrid zone between Papio anubis and Papio cynocephalus in Amboseli, Kenya, in a baboon population that has been the subject of long‐term study since 1971 [Samuels & Altmann, International Journal of Primatology 7:131–138, 1986]. In the current report we document ongoing patterns of hybridization in Amboseli between anubis and yellow baboons. In July 2000, we exhaustively scored living members …
Balancing Costs and Opportunities: Dispersal in Male Baboons
Young male baboons typically disperse from their group of birth as they near adult size and may continue to migrate between social groups throughout their lives. Long-term data on dispersal and residence patterns of male baboons in Amboseli National Park, Kenya, were available for 110 males in the population, including 43 that were monitored during their natal dispersal. These data enabled us to provide not only a detailed evaluation of the effec…
Genetic variability in the major histocompatibility complex: A review of non-pathogen-mediated selective mechanisms
The extraordinary genetic polymorphism observed in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of the vertebrate genome has attracted the attention of researchers for decades. In almost all taxa that have been investigated, levels of polymorphism are remarkably high. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the maintenance of genetic diversity at the MHC, including pathogen-driven natural selection, selection driven by maternal-fetal inter…
Age and individual foraging behavior predict tooth wear in Amboseli baboons
Teeth represent an essential component of the foraging apparatus for any mammal, and tooth wear can have significant implications for survival and reproduction. This study focuses on tooth wear in wild baboons in Amboseli, southern Kenya. We obtained mandibular and maxillary tooth impressions from 95 baboons and analyzed digital images of replicas made from these impressions. We measured tooth wear as the percent dentine exposure (PDE, the percen…
Endocrinology of year‐round reproduction in a highly seasonal habitat: Environmental variability in testosterone and glucocorticoids in baboon males
In conditions characterized by energetic constraints, such as in periods of low food availability, some trade‐offs between reproduction and self‐maintenance may be necessary; even year‐round breeders may then be forced to exhibit some reproductive seasonality. Prior research has largely focused on female reproduction and physiology, and few studies have evaluated the impact of environmental factors on males. Here we assessed the effects of season…
Interbirth intervals in wild baboons: Environmental predictors and hormonal correlates
OBJECTIVES: Interbirth intervals (IBIs) are a key metric of female reproductive success; understanding how they are regulated by environmental, social, and demographic factors can provide insight into sources of variance in female fitness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using 36 years of reproductive data on 490 IBIs for 160 wild female baboons, we identified sources of variance in the duration of IBIs and of their component phases: postpartum amenorrhea…
Climate and Land Cover Analysis Suggest No Strong Ecological Barriers to Gene Flow in a Natural Baboon Hybrid Zone
Parallel effects of genetic variation in ACE activity in baboons and humans
Like humans, savannah baboons ( Papio sp.) show heritable interindividual variation in complex physiological phenotypes. One prominent example of such variation involves production of the homeostatic regulator protein angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), which shows heritable variation in both baboons and humans. In humans, this phenotypic variation is associated with an Alu insertion–deletion polymorphism in the ACE gene, which explains approxim…
Genetic variability in the major histocompatibility complex: A review of non-pathogen-mediated selective mechanisms
The extraordinary genetic polymorphism observed in the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of the vertebrate genome has attracted the attention of researchers for decades. In almost all taxa that have been investigated, levels of polymorphism are remarkably high. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain the maintenance of genetic diversity at the MHC, including pathogen-driven natural selection, selection driven by maternal-fetal inter…
Balancing Costs and Opportunities: Dispersal in Male Baboons
Young male baboons typically disperse from their group of birth as they near adult size and may continue to migrate between social groups throughout their lives. Long-term data on dispersal and residence patterns of male baboons in Amboseli National Park, Kenya, were available for 110 males in the population, including 43 that were monitored during their natal dispersal. These data enabled us to provide not only a detailed evaluation of the effec…
Immigration and hybridization patterns of yellow and anubis baboons in and around Amboseli, Kenya
In 1986, Samuels and Altmann reported evidence for a hybrid zone between Papio anubis and Papio cynocephalus in Amboseli, Kenya, in a baboon population that has been the subject of long‐term study since 1971 [Samuels & Altmann, International Journal of Primatology 7:131–138, 1986]. In the current report we document ongoing patterns of hybridization in Amboseli between anubis and yellow baboons. In July 2000, we exhaustively scored living members …
Social Bonds of Female Baboons Enhance Infant Survival
Among nonhuman primates, females often form strong bonds with kin and other group members. These relationships are thought to have adaptive value for females, but direct effects of sociality on fitness have never been demonstrated. We present 16 years of behavioral data from a well-studied population of wild baboons, which demonstrate that sociality of adult females is positively associated with infant survival, an important component of variatio…
Variability in reproductive success viewed from a life‐history perspective in baboons
Nonhuman primates, like humans, mature slowly and have low fertility during a relatively long life. As data have accumulated on life-history patterns of nonhuman primates, comparative studies have yielded important insights into the evolution of this slow life-history style of primates. However, in order to understand selection pressures and evolutionary potential within species, it is important to complement comparative studies with detailed stu…
Life‐history correlates of steroid concentrations in wild peripartum baboons
Steroid concentrations during late pregnancy and early lactation may be affected by both a female's reproductive history and her current condition, and may in turn predict subsequent life‐history events, such as offspring survival. This study investigated these relationships in a wild primate population through the use of fecal steroid analysis in repeated sampling of peripartum baboons ( Papio cynocephalus ). Fecal samples were collected from 32…
Growth rates in a wild primate population: Ecological influences and maternal effects
Coming of age: Steroid hormones of wild immature baboons ( Papio cynocephalus )
Large gaps exist in our knowledge about common patterns and variability in the endocrinology of immature nonhuman primates, and even normal hormonal profiles during that life stage are lacking for wild populations. In the present study we present steroid profiles for a wild population of baboons ( Papio cynocephalus ) from infancy through reproductive maturation, obtained by noninvasive fecal analyses. Fecal concentrations of glucocorticoid (fGC)…
Social relationships among adult female baboons (papio cynocephalus) I. Variation in the strength of social bonds
Parallel effects of genetic variation in ACE activity in baboons and humans
Like humans, savannah baboons ( Papio sp.) show heritable interindividual variation in complex physiological phenotypes. One prominent example of such variation involves production of the homeostatic regulator protein angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), which shows heritable variation in both baboons and humans. In humans, this phenotypic variation is associated with an Alu insertion–deletion polymorphism in the ACE gene, which explains approxim…
White monkey syndrome and presumptive copper deficiency in wild savannah baboons
In immature wild savannah baboons ( Papio cynocephalus ), we observed symptoms consistent with copper (Cu) deficiency and, more specifically, with a disorder referred to as white monkey syndrome (WMS) in laboratory primates. The objectives of this study were to characterize this pathology, and test three hypotheses that (1) Cu deficiency may have been induced by zinc (Zn) toxicity, (2) it may have been induced by molybdenum (Mo) toxicity, and (3)…
Age and individual foraging behavior predict tooth wear in Amboseli baboons
Teeth represent an essential component of the foraging apparatus for any mammal, and tooth wear can have significant implications for survival and reproduction. This study focuses on tooth wear in wild baboons in Amboseli, southern Kenya. We obtained mandibular and maxillary tooth impressions from 95 baboons and analyzed digital images of replicas made from these impressions. We measured tooth wear as the percent dentine exposure (PDE, the percen…
Endocrinology of year‐round reproduction in a highly seasonal habitat: Environmental variability in testosterone and glucocorticoids in baboon males
In conditions characterized by energetic constraints, such as in periods of low food availability, some trade‐offs between reproduction and self‐maintenance may be necessary; even year‐round breeders may then be forced to exhibit some reproductive seasonality. Prior research has largely focused on female reproduction and physiology, and few studies have evaluated the impact of environmental factors on males. Here we assessed the effects of season…
The contributions of jeanne altmann
Jeanne Altmann is one of the founding figures of contemporary primate behavioral ecology. Her name is synonymous with the highest standards of methodological rigor and research quality. Jeanne's legacy is built on four major foundations: publication of the definitive guide to observational sampling methods; the creation and development of the Amboseli Baboon Project, now in its fourth decade; completion of the first detailed study of maternal beh…
Interbirth intervals in wild baboons: Environmental predictors and hormonal correlates
OBJECTIVES: Interbirth intervals (IBIs) are a key metric of female reproductive success; understanding how they are regulated by environmental, social, and demographic factors can provide insight into sources of variance in female fitness. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using 36 years of reproductive data on 490 IBIs for 160 wild female baboons, we identified sources of variance in the duration of IBIs and of their component phases: postpartum amenorrhea…
Male‐mediated prenatal loss: Functions and mechanisms
Sexually selected infanticide has been the subject of intense empirical and theoretical study for decades; a related phenomenon, male‐mediated prenatal loss, has received much less attention in evolutionary studies. Male‐mediated prenatal loss occurs when inseminated or pregnant females terminate reproductive effort following exposure to a nonsire male, either through implantation failure or pregnancy termination. Male‐mediated prenatal loss enco…
Climate and Land Cover Analysis Suggest No Strong Ecological Barriers to Gene Flow in a Natural Baboon Hybrid Zone
Noninvasive measurement of mucosal immunity in a free‐ranging baboon population
Ecoimmunological patterns and processes remain understudied in wild primates, in part because of the lack of noninvasive methods to measure immunity. Secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) is the most abundant antibody present at mammalian mucosal surfaces and provides an important first line of defense against pathogens. Recent studies show that sIgA can be measured noninvasively in feces and is a good marker of mucosal immunity. Here we validated a …
Biology (17 works) · Primate Behavior and Ecology (12 works) · Population (11 works) · Ecology (8 works) · Animal Behavior and Reproduction (7 works) · Ecology (7 works) · Medicine (7 works) · Baboon (6 works) · Demography (6 works) · Evolutionary Psychology and Human Behavior (6 works)