Ekwoge ABWE, Ph.D. Candidate

Biology Dept., Drexel University (Advisor: Dr. Mary Katherine GONDER)

Linking behavioral diversity with genetic and ecological variation in the Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) in Cameroon

Summary: 

The drivers of chimpanzee variation across Cameroon are broadly understood, but the extent of ecological variation at a fine scale and its influence on the behavioral ecology of populations is unexplored. There are two chimpanzee subspecies in Cameroon: Pan t. troglodytes and P. t. ellioti. Furthermore, there are two distinct gene pools within P. t. ellioti associated with mountainous rainforest (P. t. ellioti – rainforest) and woodland-savanna (P. t. ellioti – ecotone). I will be presenting results on environmental and ecological variation between the Mbam & Djerem National Park (P. t. ellioti – ecotone) and Ebo forest (P. t. ellioti – rainforest), and how this is influencing dietary and nesting ecology across these populations.

Website: http://www.pages.drexel.edu/~mkg62/ekwoge-enang-abwe.html