Book contents
- The Biodemography of Ageing and Longevity
- The Biodemography of Ageing and Longevity
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Acknowledgements
- 1 The Eternal Youth of Ageing Research
- 2 Theories of Ageing across Ages
- 3 The Diversity of Longevity Metrics
- 4 The Meaning of ‘Exceptional Longevity’
- 5 The Inevitability of Senescence
- 6 The Untapped Potential of Zoo and Aquarium Data for the Comparative Biology of Ageing
- 7 Perspectives in Comparative Biology of Ageing
- 8 An Integrative Approach to Understanding Variation in the Form, Pattern and Pace of Ageing
- 9 Sex Differences in Lifespan, Ageing and Health in the Living World
- 10 Evolution of Human Reproduction, Ageing and Longevity
- 11 Lifespan and Mortality in Hunter-Gatherer and Other Subsistence Populations
- 12 Longevity in Modern Populations
- 13 Health Transition and Population Ageing
- 14 Limit of Human Longevity
- 15 Mortality Modelling at the Oldest Ages in Human Populations
- 16 Lessons from Exceptionally Long-Lived Individuals and Long-Living Families
- 17 Human Populations with Extreme Longevities
- 18 Socio-Economic Consequences of Increased Longevity in Contemporary Populations
- Index
- References
6 - The Untapped Potential of Zoo and Aquarium Data for the Comparative Biology of Ageing
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 14 November 2024
- The Biodemography of Ageing and Longevity
- The Biodemography of Ageing and Longevity
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Contributors
- Foreword
- Acknowledgements
- 1 The Eternal Youth of Ageing Research
- 2 Theories of Ageing across Ages
- 3 The Diversity of Longevity Metrics
- 4 The Meaning of ‘Exceptional Longevity’
- 5 The Inevitability of Senescence
- 6 The Untapped Potential of Zoo and Aquarium Data for the Comparative Biology of Ageing
- 7 Perspectives in Comparative Biology of Ageing
- 8 An Integrative Approach to Understanding Variation in the Form, Pattern and Pace of Ageing
- 9 Sex Differences in Lifespan, Ageing and Health in the Living World
- 10 Evolution of Human Reproduction, Ageing and Longevity
- 11 Lifespan and Mortality in Hunter-Gatherer and Other Subsistence Populations
- 12 Longevity in Modern Populations
- 13 Health Transition and Population Ageing
- 14 Limit of Human Longevity
- 15 Mortality Modelling at the Oldest Ages in Human Populations
- 16 Lessons from Exceptionally Long-Lived Individuals and Long-Living Families
- 17 Human Populations with Extreme Longevities
- 18 Socio-Economic Consequences of Increased Longevity in Contemporary Populations
- Index
- References
Summary
Advances in comparative ageing research strongly depend on data quality and quantity. Across the world, zoos and aquariums gather data on the physiology, morphology, health and demography of the animals under their care to facilitate their management. Many of these data are hosted in a centralized database, the Species360 Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS). As of 2022, ZIMS held records on ~10 million individuals across 22,000 species and over 1200 member institutions, with historical animal records dating back to the mid-1800s. These millions of age-specific data could enable analyses testing hypotheses at individual and species levels and between species with vastly different life history strategies. This chapter summarizes the diversity of questions (ranging from evolutionary theories to mechanistic hypotheses) for ageing research that could be addressed using data from zoo and aquarium populations. In addition, many of these studies could inform the management and conservation of animals, not only in zoos and aquariums, but also in the wild.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Biodemography of Ageing and Longevity , pp. 95 - 116Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2024