Insights into the evolution of social systems and species from baboon studies

2019 | journal article. A publication with affiliation to the University of Göttingen.

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​Insights into the evolution of social systems and species from baboon studies​
Fischer, J. ; Barrett, L.; Collins, A.; Elton, S.; Fagot, J.; Ferreira da Silva, M. J. & Hammerschmidt, K.  et al.​ (2019) 
eLife8 art. e50989​.​ DOI: https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.50989 

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Authors
Fischer, Julia ; Barrett, Louise; Collins, Anthony; Elton, Sarah; Fagot, Joël; Ferreira da Silva, Maria Joana; Hammerschmidt, Kurt ; Henzi, Peter; Knauf, Sascha ; Kopp, Gisela H ; Rogers, Jeffrey; Roos, Christian ; Ross, Caroline; Silk, Joan; Snyder-Mackler, Noah; Staedele, Veronika; Swedell, Larissa; Zinner, Dietmar ; Higham, James P.; Alberts, Susan C.; Beehner, Jacinta C.; Bergman, Thore J.; Carter, Alecia J.; Jolly, Clifford J.; Seyfarth, Robert M.; Wilson, Michael L.
Abstract
Baboons, members of the genus Papio, comprise six closely related species distributed throughout sub-Saharan Africa and southwest Arabia. The species exhibit more ecological flexibility and a wider range of social systems than many other primates. This article summarizes our current knowledge of the natural history of baboons and highlights directions for future research. We suggest that baboons can serve as a valuable model for complex evolutionary processes, such as speciation and hybridization. The evolution of baboons has been heavily shaped by climatic changes and population expansion and fragmentation in the African savanna environment, similar to the processes that acted during human evolution. With accumulating long-term data, and new data from previously understudied species, baboons are ideally suited for investigating the links between sociality, health, longevity and reproductive success. To achieve these aims, we propose a closer integration of studies at the proximate level, including functional genomics, with behavioral and ecological studies.
Issue Date
2019
Journal
eLife 
eISSN
2050-084X
ISSN
2050-084X
Language
English

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