TY - JOUR
T1 - Geophagy among nonhuman primates
T2 - A systematic review of current knowledge and suggestions for future directions
AU - Pebsworth, Paula A.
AU - Huffman, Michael A.
AU - Lambert, Joanna E.
AU - Young, Sera L.
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank Josh Miller, Keith Riggle, Fred Provenza, Sindhu Radhakrishna, Robert Fuller, Shalean Collins, and Katie Amato for their helpful comments on the article, Massimo Bardi for statistics advice, and Hanna Morgan for GIS assistance and map creation. Finally, we thank Yearbook of Physical Anthropology editor Lyle Konigsberg, Associate Editor Trudy Turner, and readers Hennie Butler, James Gilardi, and Bernadette Marriott for their valuable advice and helpful comments on a previous version of this article. We also thank the Associate Editor and these readers for their willingness to reveal their identities after the review process was completed.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018 American Association of Physical Anthropologists
PY - 2019/1
Y1 - 2019/1
N2 - Objectives: Geophagy, the intentional consumption of earth, is widely practiced among humans and other mammals, but its causes are not well understood. Given the growing number of reports of geophagy among nonhuman primates (NHP), we sought to (1) advance and codify our understanding of the patterns and functional and evolutionary significance of geophagy among NHP and (2) provide a research agenda for a more unified approach to its study. Methods: We systematically reviewed all available literature on NHP geophagy, extracted available data on taxa, geography, climate, diet, sex, age-class, reproductive status, and the characteristics of the earth. We used these data to evaluate three major hypotheses about geophagy, that it is protective, provides mineral supplementation, and is nonadaptive. Results: We identified 287 accounts of geophagy among 136 species, adding 79 new primate species to the list of those considered in prior reviews. Nineteen percent of species were in the suborder Strepsirrhini, while 81% were in the suborder Haplorrhini. There were reports of geophagy from 9 of the 17 families and 39 of the 76 genera currently recognized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Discussion: The limited evidence suggests that geophagy is adaptive, and provides protection and mineral supplementation. We specify the behavioral, dietary, and soil data required to more rigorously investigate these hypotheses across representative species of all taxonomic groups, geographical regions, and dietary classification. Given the plausibility of geophagy for maintaining the health of both wild and captive populations, we urge further study and conservation of geophagy sites.
AB - Objectives: Geophagy, the intentional consumption of earth, is widely practiced among humans and other mammals, but its causes are not well understood. Given the growing number of reports of geophagy among nonhuman primates (NHP), we sought to (1) advance and codify our understanding of the patterns and functional and evolutionary significance of geophagy among NHP and (2) provide a research agenda for a more unified approach to its study. Methods: We systematically reviewed all available literature on NHP geophagy, extracted available data on taxa, geography, climate, diet, sex, age-class, reproductive status, and the characteristics of the earth. We used these data to evaluate three major hypotheses about geophagy, that it is protective, provides mineral supplementation, and is nonadaptive. Results: We identified 287 accounts of geophagy among 136 species, adding 79 new primate species to the list of those considered in prior reviews. Nineteen percent of species were in the suborder Strepsirrhini, while 81% were in the suborder Haplorrhini. There were reports of geophagy from 9 of the 17 families and 39 of the 76 genera currently recognized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Discussion: The limited evidence suggests that geophagy is adaptive, and provides protection and mineral supplementation. We specify the behavioral, dietary, and soil data required to more rigorously investigate these hypotheses across representative species of all taxonomic groups, geographical regions, and dietary classification. Given the plausibility of geophagy for maintaining the health of both wild and captive populations, we urge further study and conservation of geophagy sites.
KW - geophagy
KW - nonhuman primates
KW - soil eating
KW - systematic literature review
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U2 - 10.1002/ajpa.23724
DO - 10.1002/ajpa.23724
M3 - Review article
C2 - 30508222
AN - SCOPUS:85057712959
SN - 0002-9483
VL - 168
SP - 164
EP - 194
JO - American Journal of Physical Anthropology
JF - American Journal of Physical Anthropology
ER -