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5 - Insights from genetic analyses of the Taï chimpanzees

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 November 2019

By
Linda Vigilant
Edited by
Christophe Boesch  and
Roman Wittig
Edited in association with
Catherine Crockford ,
Linda Vigilant ,
Tobias Deschner  and
Fabian Leendertz
Christophe Boesch
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut für Evolutionäre Anthropologie, Germany
Roman Wittig
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut für Evolutionäre Anthropologie, Germany
Catherine Crockford
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut für Evolutionäre Anthropologie, Germany
Linda Vigilant
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut für Evolutionäre Anthropologie, Germany
Tobias Deschner
Affiliation:
Max-Planck-Institut für Evolutionäre Anthropologie, Germany
Fabian Leendertz
Affiliation:
Robert Koch-Institut, Germany
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Summary

The detailed genetic study of Taï chimpanzees, now in its third generation, has made important contributions on several levels. As a pioneering instance of the use of non-invasive sources of DNA for elucidation of individually specific genetic profiles, results from Taï have illustrated the potential and the pitfalls of using challenging genetic sample materials. Paternity distribution assessment has elucidated the role of social rank in reproductive competition among male chimpanzees. Analysis of average levels of dyadic relatedness challenged the long-standing assumption of high relatedness levels among males, leading to a more nuanced understanding of the impact of kinship on cooperation within as well as competition between groups. Finally, analyses of genetic differentiation among groups at Taï have contributed to understanding the relationship between genetic and cultural variation and the impact of differentiation on cooperation and competition. Future insights on how the population has been shaped by selective processes such as culture, ecology or disease will come from work on adaptive variation of immune system genes and genome-scale sequence variation.

Keywords

ParentageGenotypingNoninvasive samplesPan troglodytesMicrosatelliteMating strategiesKinship
Type
Chapter
Information
The Chimpanzees of the Taï Forest
40 Years of Research
 , pp. 70 - 77
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2019

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