Data from: thyroid hormone concentrations in female baboons: metabolic consequences of living in a highly seasonal environment
Cite this dataset
Gesquiere, Laurence R. et al. (2024). Data from: thyroid hormone concentrations in female baboons: metabolic consequences of living in a highly seasonal environment [Dataset]. Dryad. https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.fn2z34v2w
Abstract
How female mammals adapt metabolically in response to environmental variation remains understudied in the wild, because direct measures of metabolic activity are difficult to obtain in wild populations. However, recent advances in the non-invasive measurement of fecal thyroid hormones, triiodothyronine (T3), an important regulator of metabolism, provide an opportunity to understand how female baboons living in the harsh Amboseli ecosystem in southern Kenya adapt to environmental variability and escape strict reproductive seasonality. Specifically, we assessed how a female's activity budget, diet, and concentrations of fecal T3 metabolites (mT3) changed over the course of the year and between years. We then tested which of several environmental variables (season, rainfall, and temperature) and behavioral variables (female activity budget and diet) best predicted mT3 concentrations. Finally, we determined if two important reproductive events – onset of ovarian cycling and conception of an offspring – were preceded by changes in female mT3 concentrations. We found female baboons' mT3 concentrations varied markedly across the year and between years as a function of environmental conditions. Further, changes in a female's behavior and diet only partially mediated the metabolic response to the environment. Finally, mT3 concentrations increased in the weeks prior to menarche and cycling resumption, regardless of the month or season in which cycling started. This pattern indicates that metabolic activation may be an indicator of reproductive readiness in female baboons as their energy balance is restored.
README: Data from: thyroid hormone concentrations in female baboons: metabolic consequences of living in a highly seasonal environment
https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.fn2z34v2w
Description of the data and file structure
One excel file named 'Gesquiere et al. 2024' that contains 4 spreadsheets.
-Spreadsheet 1: ‘Main dataset’: the data used to support the analyses of objectives 1 and 2 in our manuscript.
-Spreadsheet 2: ‘Data for Fig. 2’: the percentage of time spent feeding on 8 different food types for each female point sample.
-Spreadsheet 3: ‘Data for Fig. 3’: the dates of occurrence of 4 reproductive events: menarche, resumption, conception and live birth.
-Spreadsheet 4: ‘Data for Fig. 4’: the mT3 concentrations in the 6-months prior to menarche, resumption and conception
Below is a list of descriptions for each column name in each of the spreadsheets. For each spreadsheet, each column is identified, followed by a description of each column.
Spreadsheet 1: ‘Main dataset’
-Female ID: the identity of the female each fecal sample was collected from.
-Reproductive state: the reproductive state that the female was experiencing at the time each fecal sample was collected: cycling (C), pregnant (P), or in post-partum amenorrhea (PPA).
-Group ID: the identity of the social group each female belonged to at the time of fecal sample collection.
-Group size: the total number of baboons in a given group on the day the fecal sample was collected.
-Hydrological year: the hydrological year in which the fecal sample was collected.
-Season: the season in which the fecal sample was collected: short rain, short dry, long rain or long dry.
-Daily rain: the mean daily rainfall in the 30-days period prior to fecal sample collection.
-Tav: the mean daily average temperature in the 30-days prior to fecal sample collection.
-Fecal mT3: the concentration of triiodothyronine metabolites for each fecal sample (in ng/g feces).
-mT3 storage: the number of months a fecal sample was stored from the date it was collected until it was assayed for mT3.
-% feeding: the percentage time spent feeding by all the females of a given social group that are in the same reproductive state, calculated for each season and hydrological year.
-% resting: the percentage time spent resting for all the females of a given social group that are in the same reproductive state, calculated for each season and hydrological year.
-% corms: the percent of females’ feeding time devoted to grass corms by all the females of a given social group that are in the same reproductive state, calculated for each season and hydrological year.
-% high-energy-food: the percent of females’ feeding time devoted to foods with high-energy value (grass blades, fruits, flowers, gum, and invertebrates) by all the females of a given social group that are in the same reproductive state, calculated for each season and hydrological year.-
Spreadsheet 2: ‘Data for Fig. 2’
-Focal ID: the identity of the focal sample.
-Female ID: the identity of the female each focal sample was collected from.
-Hydrological year: the hydrological year in which the focal sample was collected.
-Season: the season in which the focal sample was collected.
-% Grass blades: the percentage of time the focal female spent eating grass blades.
-% Fruits: the percentage of time the focal female spent eating fruits.
-% Flowers: the percentage of time the focal female spent eating flowers.
-% Gum: the percentage of time the focal female spent eating tree gum.
-% Invertebrates: the percentage of time the focal female spent eating invertebrates.
-% Grass seed heads and blade bases: the percentage of time the focal female spent eating grass seed heads and blade bases.
-% Vachellia seeds: the percentage of time the focal female spent eating Vachellia seeds.
-% Corms: the percentage of time the focal female spent eating grass corms.
-% Others: the percentage of time the focal female spent eating others food items such as leaves, vertebrates, non-identified foods
Spreadsheet 3: ‘Data for Fig. 3’
-Menarche: dates at which onset of menarche occurred.
-Resumption: dates at which females resumed cycling after post-partum amenorrhea.
-Conception: dates at which an infant was conceived.
-Life birth: dates at which a live birth was observed.
Spreadsheet 4: ‘Data for Fig. 4’
-Female ID: the identity of the female each fecal sample was collected from.
-Reproductive event: the reproductive event that the fecal sample preceded.
-Days to event: the number of days preceding the reproductive event.
-Fecal mT3: the concentration of triiodothyronine metabolites for each fecal sample (in ng/g feces).
Methods
Seasonal and annual variation in climate were determined using daily records of rainfall and temperature that were obtained at the research field camp (located within 2-17 km of the ranges of the baboon study groups) using a rain gauge and a min-max thermometer placed in the shade.
Our behavioral data are derived from 39,292 10-minute focal animal behavioral samples from 220 adult female subjects in all reproductive states, collected between 2005-2018. During each 10-minute sample, we recorded the activity of the focal baboon, categorized as feeding (including food processing), walking while not feeding, resting, or socializing (grooming, being groomed, other social activities).When the activity during a given point sample was feeding, the type of food was recorded and whenever possible the species and plant part identified. We categorized foods into eight major food types, with five types considered high-energy foods: grass blades, fruits, flowers, tree gum, and invertebrates; and three types considered low-energy foods: grass corms, grass blade bases and seed heads, and Vachellia seeds.
Our hormonal data are derived from 7,107 fecal samples from 220 adult females. mT3 concentrations were determined using radioimmunoassays.
Funding
National Science Foundation, Award: IOS-1926060
National Science Foundation, Award: IOS-1926040