Titel Promotor Affiliaties "Korte inhoud" "Social evolution and behaviour in Bonobos" "Jeroen Stevens" "Koninklijke Maatschappij voor Dierkunde van Antwerpen" "The bonobo still remains the least understood species of great ape, and seems to hold many clues to understanding our own human evolution. Together with chimpanzees, bonobos represent our closest living evolutionary relatives, and understanding how behavioural differences and similarities in bonobos, chimpanzees and humans may have arisen, can help us understand how humans evolved. The Centre for Research and Conservation has one of the longest outstanding research projects on bonobos in captivity and has studied bonobos in Planckendael for over 20 years. The long-term project continues to yield new insights and add to our understanding of behavioural diversity and flexibility in this species. In 2013 we organised a symposium called “80 years of Pan paniscus” at the 5th Conference of the European Federation for Primatology in Antwerp, bringing together international bonobo researchers to discuss current trends in bonobo research. Following our previous studies in tolerance in this species, we investigated play behaviour in bonobos. We used data collected in six European zoos to see whether female bonobos are indeed more playful than males, as suggested by literature. When considering only play with mature partners or individual play, we did not find a significant difference between time spent playing between male and female bonobos in those two play contexts. Surprisingly we found that male bonobos spent significantly more time playing with infants, compared to female-infant play. Interestingly we found an effect of group on the amount of social play between adults, but no group effects on play including infants or on individual play. These results suggest that female bonobos do not play more than male bonobos, but that levels of playfulness can differ between groups and that care should be undertaken to generalise about the playful nature of bonobo society. In 2013, we started a new longer-term monitoring of infant development in bonobos. Bonobos have been described as a “paedomorphic” species, retaining infant characteristics into adulthood. This has mainly been applied to morphology, but also to behavioural aspects such as cognition and sexuality. However very little is known about the development of behaviour in mother-reared bonobos. Therefore we started a new long-term project on infant development and maternal styles. Master students from different universities will observe behaviour in a large sample of infants and juveniles in European zoos, to test hypotheses about developmental delay in this species. We facilitated research for a number of students. In 2013 we welcomed Sumir Keenan, PhD student from the University of St Etienne (France) and the University of St Andrews (Scotland), who recorded vocalisations of bonobos in Planckendael to identify individual vocal signatures, which will be used in a further experimental play-back study in 2014. The Bonobo Project in Planckendael has collected a large collection of bonobo urine samples over the years. In 2011 we transported this collection of over a 1000 samples to the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, which resulted in a publication on age-related variation in urinary levels of thyroid hormones in 96 bonobos and 100 chimpanzees ranging between one and 56 years of age. Fresh urine samples were used for hormone measurements with a commercial competitive total triiodothyronine (T3) ELISA. In both species, immature individuals had higher TT3 levels than adults and there was a marked decrease in TT3 levels between age classes. The two species differed in terms of the timing of TT3 level changes, with chimpanzees experiencing a significant decline in TT3 levels after 10 years of age and bonobos after 20 years of age. The decline of TT3 in chimpanzees appears to coincide with the time when somatic growth terminates while TT3 values in bonobos decrease much later. This temporal asymmetry in urinary thyroid hormone levels indicates heterochrony in the ontogenetic changes of the two sister species and developmental delay in bonobos. The prolongation of high TT3 levels in bonobos, which is characteristic of immatures of both Pan species may affect the behaviour of bonobos; namely, the low intensity of aggression they display. Given that developmental studies are often based on post-mortem analyses of skeletons, measures of urinary thyroid hormones offer a non-invasive tool for exploring ontogenetic changes in living wild and captive hominoids. Time line: 2002-ongoing" "De rol van de architectuur van gedrag in de evolution van sociale heuristieken bij de mens" "Tom Wenseleers" "Ecologie, Evolutie en Biodiversiteitsbehoud" "In dit project zal ik evolutionaire simulatiemodellen ontwikkelen om te bestuderen hoe evolutie kan leiden tot sociale heuristiek." "Analyse van de sociale situatie en evolutie in het kader van de sociale doelstellingen en prioriteiten van het Nationaal Hervormingsprogramma en het Nationaal Sociaal Rapport." "Centrum voor sociaal beleid Herman Deleeck (CSB)" "Dit project draagt bij aan de verdieping en uitbreiding van de jaarlijkse rapporten over de evolutie van de sociale situatie en de sociale bescherming in België. Deze rapporten zijn een belangrijk instrument om de informatie die de sociale indicatoren bevatten te ontsluiten. In het bijzonder zal de rapportering worden verbreed met een uitbreiding van het instrumentarium; het gebruik van beleidsindicatoren om meer tijdige informatie te kunnen gebruiken, ook in het kader van de COVID crisis, een inbedding in de nationale en internationale literatuur en een identificatie van sleuteluitdagingen." "Feeding ecology of Cross river gorillas: An evaluation of ecological and social factors influencing Cross river gorilla survival at Mawabi Hills, Cameroon" "Luc Hens, Debby Mangelings" "Koninklijke Maatschappij voor Dierkunde van Antwerpen, Koninklijke Maatschappij voor Dierkunde van Antwerpen, Koninklijke Maatschappij voor Dierkunde van Antwerpen" "The Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli) is the northern- and western-most subspecies of gorilla, endemic to the hilly rain-forests of the ‘Bight of Biafra’ region in the Gulf of Guinea, and whose survival is endangered by increasing pressure from hunting and habitat loss. Whereas many studies have been conducted on mountain gorillas, Grauer’s gorillas and western lowland gorillas, very little information is currently available on the ecology of CRG, despite its importance for conservation planning and an ecological study of this species in lowland forest has never been done. Over the last decade considerable ground has been gained in terms of conservation actions, however, to increase conservation efforts, more information on how gorillas use lowland forest sites and on how human activities within these habitats affect their ranging is essential for making informed conservation decisions. This dissertation presents findings on the ecological factors that affect the survival of a population of critically endangered Cross River gorillas, based on a two-year field study in a 43 km2 unprotected forest called the Mawambi Hills located on the southeast border of Takamanda National Park in southwest Cameroon. The objectives of this project were 1) to collect data on gorilla population size and social organization; 2) to document the feeding ecology of gorillas by studying the habitat characteristics and availability of gorilla food resources; and 3) to evaluate the socio-economic status of surrounding village communities and assess how their resource extraction activities might influence gorillas. The PhD thesis was completed and successfully defended in 2013, and three peer-reviewed publications emerged from the studies. Time line: PhD 2009-2013 Supervision: Nikki Tagg | Zjef Pereboom | Luc Hens (Free University Brussels / VITO) Funding: CRC / VLIR-UOS" "EEN TEST VAN DE HOLOGENOOMTHEORIE VAN EVOLUTIE BIJ SOCIALE INSECTEN" "Tom Wenseleers" "Ecologie, Evolutie en Biodiversiteitsbehoud" "Dit project heeft als doel de hologenoomtheorie van evolutie te testen bij sociale insecten. De hologenoomtheorie stelt dat als microbiomen verticaal worden overgeërfd, gastheer en microbioom zullen co-adapteren en potentieel kunnen fungeren als een eenheid van selectie. Om deze theorie te testen, zal ons project gebruik maken van whole-genome shotgun metagenomic sequencing en mitogenoom sequencing van solitaire en sociale bijen om veranderingen in transmissiemodus en mate van fylosymbiose van darmmicrobioom symbionten te kwantificeren over verschillende niveaus van socialiteit. Vervolgens zullen er microbioom transplantatie-experimenten worden uitgevoerd om de impact van microbioomvariatie op gastheer fitness te bestuderen. Ten slotte zal het project testen of interkoloniale variatie in microbioomsamenstelling en fitness consequenties over generaties worden overgedragen en erfelijk zijn. Over het algemeen zal dit project een unieke test bieden van de hologenoomtheorie van evolutie en leiden tot een beter begrip van hoe gastheren en microbiomen co-evolueren." "A Youth-centred Preventive Action Approach towards co-created implementation of socially and Physicall activating Environmental interventions ITM develop an intervention theory for the selected interventions + realist evaluation of the whole study." "Sara Van Belle" "University of the Witwatersrand, Gezondheidsbeleid" "BACKGROUND: A vast majority of teenagers do not meet guidelines for healthy movement behaviours (i.e. physical activity, sedentary behaviour and sleep), posing major risks for developing multiple non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Sustainable implementation of lifestyle interventions focused on teenagers is a key challenge. AIM: YoPAAPE aims to tailor, implement and evaluate social and physical environmental interventions for structural improvement in the lifestyle of teenagers (12-18 years) in vulnerable life situations to reduce their NCD risk. APPROACH: YoPAAPE introduces teen-centred, evidence-informed co-creation to tackle the complex realworld challenge of unhealthy lifestyles and health inequalities. In urban environments in HICs (NL, DK) and LMICs (ZA, NG), we will engage teenagers and other key stakeholders in local co-creation communities. Together with academic researchers and local stakeholders, teenagers will take a leading role in 1) mapping the local system, including needs and opportunities; 2) tailoring interventions to the local context; 3) implementing, and 4) evaluating interventions guided by our novel SUPER-AIM framework assessing local Systems, User perspective, Participatory co-creation process, Reach, Effects, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance of interventions in an integrated manner. IMPACT: All results will be integrated in an open access YoPAAPE toolbox targeted at researchers, public health practitioners and authorities, policy makers, and citizens. By establishing an infrastructure for teen-centred co-creation including capacity building, mentoring, and participation of teenager health advocates, YoPAAPE will nurture sustainable implementation of teenager-responsive preventive interventions tailored to the local context, improving their agency, movement behaviours and wellbeing, ultimately halting the rise of NCDs and associated healthcare costs." "Begging and sharing among bonobos: nutritional acquisition or social tools for a cohesive society?" "Barbara Fruth" "Koninklijke Maatschappij voor Dierkunde van Antwerpen, LuiKotale Bonobo Project, Koninklijke Maatschappij voor Dierkunde van Antwerpen" "Food sharing is hypothesised to have played a major role in the evolution of cooperation and reciprocity in humans. This behaviour is well documented in non-human primates, but no consensus has been reached regarding its function(s). Furthermore, very little attention has been paid to the acts and gestures used to solicit sharing (i.e. ""begging""). Lucas Goldstone’s PhD-thesis will shed light on the patterns of begging and sharing in wild bonobos (Pan paniscus) at LuiKotale (Democratic Republic of the Congo), specifically with regards to the effect of social relationships and nutritional availability on these behaviours. Do bonobos beg to each other primarily for access to nutritional benefits conferred by otherwise inaccessible food, or are begging and sharing means of assessing affiliative status? How do these behaviours relate to and change according to social relationships?He will pay specific attention to questions such as which individuals beg and share with whom, under which conditions, and why? How do begging and sharing function to create or maintain relationships between individuals? Are social affiliations partially mediated by food availability? How and why might this be different in bonobos, relative to other species? Understanding these behaviours in wild bonobos and their congener, the chimpanzees (P. troglodytes), may shed light on the evolution of sharing, cooperation, and social relationships in both human and non-human societies. In addition, Lucas Goldstone intends to approach food sharing in bonobos from a neuroscientific perspective, by paying particular attention to its role in social cognition. He intends to integrate his recently acquired neuroscientific background speculating upon the role of neural pathways and brain regions associated with sociality and social behaviour in humans and other primates, as well as using neuroscientific methods such as network analyses.Lucas Goldstone will use long-term behavioural and ecological observations, as well as urinary C-peptide measurements to determine the effect of energy balance, food availability, and social factors on begging and sharing. His data will be used to shed light upon the potential functions of food sharing in our closest living relatives, and thus, in human evolution." "EU project: Practice and peRformance Analysis Inspiring Social Education""" "Luc Steels" "Artificiele Intelligentie, Informatica en Toegepaste Informatica" "het project zal niet alleen zorgen voor de uitvoering van een onderzoek dat nodig is om een volledig operationeel systeem te bouwen maar zal zich ook richten op het voeren van spannende casestudy's, gericht op de verwerving van cognitief uitdagende vaardigheden voor Jazz en populaire muziek - zowel met kinderen en geavanceerde lerenden." "De evolutie en het behoud van coöperatief gedrag: van insectengemeenschappen tot grootschalige samenwerking bij de mens" "Tom Wenseleers" "Ecologie, Evolutie en Biodiversiteitsbehoud" "Sociaal gedrag is algemeen in de natuur, en ligt aan de basis van de zgn. “major transitions in evolution”, die resulteerde in de evolutie van de eukaryote cel, meercellige organismen en dierengemeenschappen. Het absolute summum in termen van sociaal gedrag wordt teruggevonden bij de sociale insecten, waar kolonies zich op zulk een gecoördineerde wijze gedragen dat ze dikwijls als superorganismen bestempeld worden. Maar grootschalige samenwerking komt eveneens voor bij de mens. In the huidige project zal ik zowel insectengemeenschappen als collectieve actie dilemma’s bij de mens te bestuderen om zo grote resterende vragen te beantwoorden binnen het veld van sociale evolutietheorie. Zo zal ik bestuderen hoe superorganismale kenmerken overgeërfd overheen de generaties, bestuderen of sociale kenmerken in insectengemeenschappen ook cultureel kunnen overgedragen worden, hoe sociaal gedrag ontstaan is uit bouwstenen aanwezig bij presociale voorouders en hoe collectieve actie dilemma’s bij de mens zich kunnen uiten in problemen gaande van de mitigatie van pandemieën tot grote biodiversiteit crises. Dit project gebruikt een innovatieve mix van experimenteel werk, theoretische modellering, next-gen omics technieken en analyse van gedragsdata bij de mens." "Een Sociogenomisch Perspectief op de Evolutie van Superorganismen" "Tom Wenseleers" "Ecologie, Evolutie en Biodiversiteitsbehoud" "Sociaal gedrag is algemeen in de natuur, en ligt aan de basis van de zgn. major transitions in evolution. Het summum in termen van sociaal gedrag wordt teruggevonden bij de sociale insecten, waar kolonies zich op zulk een gecoördineerde wijze gedragen dat ze dikwijls als superorganismen bestempeld worden. Er blijven echter belangrijke vragen met betrekking tot hoe deze kenmerken zijn ontstaan in natuurlijke populaties. In het huidige project zullen we gedragsobservaties, experimentele manipulaties en moderne technieken uit de genomica gebruiken om de oorsprong van sociaal and superorganismaal gedrag bij insecten in ongekend detail te onderzoeken. Hiertoe zullen we een vergelijkende studie uitvoeren van solitaire, primitief sociale en geadvanceerd sociale soorten. Dit zal toelaten om de bepalen welke preadaptaties en evolutionaire innovaties betrokken waren bij de oorsprong van helpergedrag, van reproductieve plasticiteit bij primitief sociale soorten en van het konining-werkster kastesysteem bij geavanceerd sociale soorten. Een bijzonder innovatief aspect van dit project is dat we hiertoe sociogenomische technieken en transcriptoom profilering zullen gebruiken om te bepalen hoe genregulatorische netwerken in solitaire en primitief sociale soorten zijn gecoöpteerd en geremodelleerd in de evolutie van geavanceerd sociaal gedrag. Op deze wijze zal dit project nieuwe kennis bijdragen over één van de belangrijke grote evolutionaire transities in de evolutie van het leven op aarde."