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Bolt LM, Owens JL, Grant MT, Coggeshall EMC, Russell DG, Merrigan-Johnson C, Jacobson ZS, Schmidt ZT, Kaser FVE, Schreier AL. Edge effects and social behavior in three platyrrhines. Am J Primatol 2024:e23610. [PMID: 38402143 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Social behavior is a key adaptation for group-living primates. It is important to assess changes to social behavior in human-impacted landscape zones to better understand the impact of anthropogenic disturbance on primate species. We investigated social behavior rate and type in three species of platyrrhines across 100 m anthropogenic edge and interior zones of a fragmented forest in Costa Rica, La Suerte Biological Research Station (LSBRS). Following results from other sites, we predicted that spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi), capuchin monkeys (Cebus imitator) and howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) would show lower rates and fewer types of social behavior in forest edge compared to interior. We collected 1341 h of instantaneous focal data from 2017 to 2023 across the three monkey species. We found mixed support for our predictions, with spider and capuchin monkeys modifying some but not all aspects of social behavior across forest zones at LSBRS. Spider monkeys had lower rates of social behavior and capuchin monkeys performed different types of social behaviors in forest edge compared to interior at LSBRS. In contrast, howler monkeys did not modify social behavior. Two out of three platyrrhine species altered their social behavior when in anthropogenic edges, indicating behavioral adjustment when in human-altered habitat areas at LSBRS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Bolt
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Canada
- Maderas Rainforest Conservancy, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Jenna L Owens
- Maderas Rainforest Conservancy, Miami, Florida, USA
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Madison Taylor Grant
- Maderas Rainforest Conservancy, Miami, Florida, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Graduate Center of the City University of New York, New York, New York, USA
| | - Elizabeth M C Coggeshall
- Maderas Rainforest Conservancy, Miami, Florida, USA
- Department of Anthropology, Indiana University Bloomington, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Dorian G Russell
- Maderas Rainforest Conservancy, Miami, Florida, USA
- Department of Environmental Science, American University, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
| | - Carrie Merrigan-Johnson
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, Canada
- Maderas Rainforest Conservancy, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Zachary S Jacobson
- Maderas Rainforest Conservancy, Miami, Florida, USA
- Department of Anthropology and Archaeology, University of Calgary, Calgary, Canada
| | - Zachary T Schmidt
- Maderas Rainforest Conservancy, Miami, Florida, USA
- Department of Psychology, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | | | - Amy L Schreier
- Maderas Rainforest Conservancy, Miami, Florida, USA
- Department of Biology, Regis University, Denver, Colorado, USA
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Schreier AL, Voss KA, Bolt LM. Behavioral responses to riparian and anthropogenic edge effects in mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata) in a disturbed riverine forest. Primates 2022; 63:659-670. [PMID: 35984548 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-022-01012-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
Fragmented forests contain natural edges, including riparian zones, and anthropogenic edges. Edges generally have lower plant density and fewer large trees than forest interior. Riparian edges, however, contain gap-specialist trees yielding leaves with high protein content, providing primates with important resources. We examined mantled howler monkeys' behavioral responses to riparian and anthropogenic edges at La Suerte Biological Research Station (LSBRS), Costa Rica. We predicted the monkeys would spend more time resting and feeding and less time traveling, and be less spatially cohesive, in both anthropogenic and riparian edges compared to forest interior due to lower resource abundance in edges, and in anthropogenic compared to riparian edge due to higher leaf quality in riparian zones. From 2017 to 2020, we collected data across forest zones on activity and spatial cohesion patterns via focal sampling, recording data every 2 min. Howler monkeys were significantly more likely to rest and significantly less likely to travel in both anthropogenic and riparian edges compared to forest interior; however, there were no differences between these edge types. There were significantly more monkeys within a 5-m radius of focal subjects in both anthropogenic and riparian edges compared to forest interior, but no differences between these edge types. While prior research found no differences across zones when only anthropogenic edge and forest interior were compared, results of this study demonstrate that howler monkeys at LSBRS modify their activity patterns in anthropogenic and riparian edge zones compared to forest interior, highlighting the importance of focusing on both natural and anthropogenic edge zones to fully understand primates' behavioral responses in fragmented landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy L Schreier
- Department of Biology, Regis University, 3333 Regis Blvd. D-8, Denver, CO, 80221, USA. .,The Maderas Rainforest Conservancy, PO Box 55-7519, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - Kristofor A Voss
- Department of Biology, Regis University, 3333 Regis Blvd. D-8, Denver, CO, 80221, USA
| | - Laura M Bolt
- The Maderas Rainforest Conservancy, PO Box 55-7519, Miami, FL, USA.,Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON, Canada
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Cuesta Hermira AA, Michalski F. Crop damage by vertebrates in Latin America: current knowledge and potential future management directions. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13185. [PMID: 35356474 PMCID: PMC8958972 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Crop farming contributes to one of the most extensive land use activities in the world, and cropland areas continue to rise. Many vertebrate species feed on crops, which has caused an increase in human-wildlife conflicts in croplands. Crop-feeding damages the economy of local communities and causes retaliation against the responsible vertebrates in several forms, including lethal practices such as hunting and poisoning. Lethal control may cause the local extirpation of some species, affecting ecological processes and patterns. Therefore, it is necessary to find non-lethal alternatives that can protect both local economies and wildlife. Research has been conducted in Africa and Asia, focusing on elephants and primates, and the effectiveness of some non-lethal alternatives, such as chili-based repellents and beehives, is being investigated. However, there has been very little research on this topic in Central and South America. The goal of this review is to assess the current knowledge on crop damage by vertebrates in Central and South America and indicate future research directions. Survey methodology We reviewed the available scientific literature reporting crop damage by vertebrates in Central and South America, and the Caribbean, published between 1980 and 2020, through systematic searches on Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar. We analyzed the temporal and geographical distributions of the studies, the crops and vertebrate species these studies considered, the crop protection techniques used, and their effectiveness. Results We retrieved only 113 studies on crop damage by vertebrates in Latin America, but there was an increasing trend in the number of studies published over time. Most of the studies were conducted in Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, and Costa Rica. Four orders of mammals (Rodentia, Carnivora, Artiodactyla, and Primates) and four orders of birds (Passeriformes, Columbiformes, Psittaciformes, and Anseriformes) were the most common groups of crop-feeding vertebrates. The most prominent crop was corn, which was featured in 49% of the studies. Other notable crops include rice, sorghum, and sugarcane. The most reported method for protecting crops was lethal control through hunting or poisoning. Non-lethal techniques were found to be less prevalent. Less than half of the studies that mentioned the use of protection techniques indicated their effectiveness, and only 10 studies evaluated it by performing scientific experiments and reporting their results. Conclusions Central and South America is still underrepresented in research on vertebrate crop-feeding. There is a need for experimentation-based robust research to find crop protection techniques that minimize harm to vertebrates while effectively reducing damage to crops. While this is being studied, habitat loss and fragmentation need to be halted to prevent the native vertebrates from turning to crops for food.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adrián Alejandro Cuesta Hermira
- Ecology Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil,Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil,Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Fernanda Michalski
- Ecology and Conservation of Amazonian Vertebrates Research Group, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil,Postgraduate Programme in Tropical Biodiversity, Federal University of Amapá, Macapá, Amapá, Brazil,Pro-Carnivores Institute, Atibaia, São Paulo, Brazil
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Franquesa-Soler M, Aristizabal JF, Andresen E, Vélez del Burgo I, Shedden-González A, Rodríguez-Luna E. Long-term assessment of the translocation of an endangered primate into a forest fragment managed for ornamental palm production. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2022. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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Anthropogenic edges impact howler monkey (Alouatta palliata) feeding behaviour in a Costa Rican rainforest. Primates 2021; 62:647-657. [PMID: 33792807 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-021-00904-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Anthropogenic forest fragmentation impacts many aspects of animal behaviour, including feeding ecology. With forests increasingly fragmented in tropical regions due to human development, the proportion of forest edge (≤ 100 m from clear-cut regions) is higher relative to forest interior. Forest edges differ in vegetation from interior, making it important to better understand how anthropogenic edges impact the feeding behaviour of primates such as mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata). We predicted that howler monkeys would feed on higher-quality plant resources, from a larger number of tree families, and from larger trees in forest interior compared to anthropogenic forest edge. We surveyed howler monkey feeding behaviour across forest zones in a fragmented rainforest in Costa Rica, La Suerte Biological Research Station. We observed individual monkeys for 30-minute periods, collecting data on their feeding behaviour and tree use at 2-minute intervals. We measured feeding trees and recorded the plant parts and taxonomy of resources consumed. Monkeys consumed more leaves and fewer stems and fed from a smaller number of tree families in the forest interior, while they consumed fewer leaves and more stems and fed from a larger number of tree families in the forest edge. Monkeys also fed from larger, taller trees in the forest interior than the edge. The differences in howler monkey feeding behaviour between forest zones attest to the impact of human disturbance on howler monkey feeding ecology.
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McLennan MR, Lorenti GA, Sabiiti T, Bardi M. Forest fragments become farmland: Dietary Response of wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) to fast-changing anthropogenic landscapes. Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23090. [PMID: 31944360 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Revised: 12/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral flexibility, including an ability to modify feeding behavior, is a key trait enabling primates to survive in forest fragments. In human-dominated landscapes, unprotected forest fragments can become progressively degraded, and may be cleared entirely, challenging the capacity of primates to adjust to the changes. We examined responses of wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) to major habitat change: that is, clearance of forest fragments for agriculture. Over 7 years, fragments in Bulindi, Uganda, were reduced in size by 80%. We compared the chimpanzees' diet at the start and end of this period of rapid deforestation, using data derived mainly from fecal analysis. Similar to other long-term study populations, chimpanzees in Bulindi have a diverse diet comprising over 169 plant foods. However, extensive deforestation seemed to impact their feeding ecology. Dietary changes after fragment clearance included reduced overall frugivory, reduced intake of figs (Ficus spp.; formerly a dietary "staple" for these chimpanzees), and reduced variety of fruits in fecal samples. Nevertheless, the magnitude of most changes was remarkably minor given the extent of forest loss. Agricultural fruits increased in dietary importance, with crops accounting for a greater proportion of fruits in fecal samples after deforestation. In particular, cultivated jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) became a "staple" food for the chimpanzees but was scarcely eaten before fragment clearance. Crops offer some nutritional benefits for primates, being high in carbohydrate energy and low in hard-to-digest fiber. Thus, crop feeding may have offset foraging costs associated with loss of wild foods and reduced overall frugivory for the chimpanzees. The adaptability of many primates offers hope for their conservation in fragmented, rural landscapes. However, long-term data are needed to establish whether potential benefits (i.e. energetic, reproductive) of foraging in agricultural matrix habitats outweigh fitness costs from anthropogenic mortality risk for chimpanzees and other adaptable primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R McLennan
- Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK.,Bulindi Chimpanzee and Community Project, Hoima, Uganda.,Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall, UK
| | - Georgia A Lorenti
- Department of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, UK.,Bulindi Chimpanzee and Community Project, Hoima, Uganda
| | - Tom Sabiiti
- Bulindi Chimpanzee and Community Project, Hoima, Uganda
| | - Massimo Bardi
- Department of Psychology and Behavioral Neuroscience, Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Tennessee
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