The biogeography of the Papio baboons: a GIS-based analysis of range characteristics and variability

The Papio baboons are known for their ecological flexibility and wide geographic ranges, as well as their uncertain taxonomy. There have, however, been few systematic comparisons of the environments occupied by the 6 major Papio species, and how differences in range conditions and variability might affect their evolutionary ecology remains unknown. This paper uses geographical information system techniques to explore the environmental associations of all 6 major species. It argues that despite some small differences in the average conditions encountered by each, it is in fact variation within individual ranges that is most apparent. In fact, the differences between the environments occupied by adjacent troops in well-known national parks may be as large or larger than the average differences in the ranges of different species, and this may have important implications for baboon biogeography.