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Lu S, Lin N, Huang A, Tong D, Liang Y, Li Y, Lu C. Feeding Postures and Substrate Use of François' Langurs ( Trachypithecus francoisi) in the Limestone Forest of Southwest China. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:565. [PMID: 38396533 PMCID: PMC10886065 DOI: 10.3390/ani14040565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The feeding posture of a group of François' langurs in Fusui County, Guangxi, was studied using instantaneous scan sampling from January to December 2016 to explore how the species adapts to karst limestone forests by collecting data on feeding posture, forest strata height, and substrate use. The results showed that leaves were the main food type of the François' langurs, with young leaves accounting for 64.97% ± 19.08% of the food composition, mature leaves accounting for 11.88% ± 12.09%, fruits accounting for 12.96% ± 12.89%, flowers accounting for 4.16% ± 4.06%, and other food types, including stems, petioles, and other unknown parts of the tree, accounting for a total of 6.03% ± 9.09%. The François' langurs had four main postures during feeding, of which sitting and bipedal standing feeding accounted for the largest proportions, at 85.99% ± 5.97% and 12.33% ± 6.08% of the total records, respectively. Quadrupedal standing and suspending were rarely observed and only appeared occasionally during feeding activities at the peak resting period, the two postures together accounting for 1.39% ± 1.59% of the total records. The feeding postures of the langurs had marked seasonal variation, as evidenced by the fact that seated feeding accounted for a significantly higher proportion of the total behavioral records in the rainy season than in the dry season, whereas feeding while standing bipedally was significantly more frequent during the dry season. Correlation analyses showed that feeding posture was correlated with food composition, showing a positive correlation between the proportion of bipedal standing feeding and mature leaf consumption. François' langurs preferred to forage in the lower and middle forest layers, with the lower forest layer accounting for 55.93% ± 16.50% of the total number of recordings and the middle forest layer accounting for 33.63% ± 18.33%. Langurs were less likely to forage on the ground (rocks), accounting for only 6.79% ± 4.78% of the records. The frequency of langurs feeding in the upper part of the forest layer was the lowest at 3.65% ± 2.73%. Additionally, in the dry season, langurs utilized the lower forest layer more but used the middle forest layer less than in the rainy season. This study demonstrates that the spatial distribution of foods in the limestone forest has an important effect on the feeding posture of François' langurs and their forest layer utilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shiyi Lu
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China;
- Guangxi Forest Resources and Environment Monitoring Center, Nanning 530028, China; (A.H.); (D.T.); (Y.L.)
- Observation and Study Station of National Forest Ecosystem in Guangxi Dayaoshan, Laibin 546100, China
| | - Nanxin Lin
- Guangxi Key Laboratory for Polysaccharide Materials and Modifications, Key Laboratory of Protection and Utilization of Marine Resources, School of Marine Sciences and Biotechnology, Guangxi Minzu University, Nanning 530008, China;
| | - Anshu Huang
- Guangxi Forest Resources and Environment Monitoring Center, Nanning 530028, China; (A.H.); (D.T.); (Y.L.)
| | - Dewen Tong
- Guangxi Forest Resources and Environment Monitoring Center, Nanning 530028, China; (A.H.); (D.T.); (Y.L.)
| | - Yongyan Liang
- Guangxi Forest Resources and Environment Monitoring Center, Nanning 530028, China; (A.H.); (D.T.); (Y.L.)
| | - Youbang Li
- College of Life Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541006, China
| | - Changhu Lu
- College of Biology and the Environment, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China;
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Ameca EI, Chamart L, Garber PA. A conceptual framework for assessing behavioral flexibility of species in response to extreme climatic events. Sci Rep 2023; 13:18478. [PMID: 37898656 PMCID: PMC10613232 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45756-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Inherent differences in the adaptive capacity of species to flexibly respond to extreme climatic events (ECEs) represent a key factor in their survivorship. We introduce and apply a conceptual framework linking knowledge about species' current ecology and biology with variation in behavioral flexibility to ECEs. We applied it to 199 non-human primate species currently exposed to cyclones across the global tropics. Our findings suggest that species characterized by an increased ability to exploit a broad range of food types, social systems that permit subgrouping, and habitat types that span a range of environmental conditions may have greater success in coping with cyclones than more narrowly constrained or less adaptable primates. Overall, 15% of species, predominantly of the families Atelidae and Cercopithecidae, were assessed as having high or very high flexibility. In contrast, ~ 60% of primates were assessed with low or very low flexibility. These were species mainly belonging to the Cheirogaleidae, Lemuridae, Lepilemuridae, and Indriidae. While much work remains to better understand mechanisms driving differences in behavioral flexibility of species exposed to extreme climate across vertebrate lineages, our framework provides a workable approach that can improve estimates of current vulnerability to these phenomena and better inform conservation and management strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric I Ameca
- Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
- Climate Change Specialist Group, Species Survival Commission, International Union for Conservation of Nature, Gland, Switzerland.
| | - Lucy Chamart
- Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Paul A Garber
- International Centre of Biodiversity and Primate Conservation, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, China
- Department of Anthropology and Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL, USA
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Terrestrial Tree Hugging in a Primarily Arboreal Lemur (Propithecus verreauxi): a Cool Way to Deal with Heat? INT J PRIMATOL 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-022-00328-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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4
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Eastern Spotted Skunks Alter Nightly Activity and Movement in Response to Environmental Conditions. AMERICAN MIDLAND NATURALIST 2022. [DOI: 10.1674/0003-0031-188.1.33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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A newly discovered behavior ('tail-belting') among wild rodents in sub zero conditions. Sci Rep 2021; 11:22449. [PMID: 34789796 PMCID: PMC8599740 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-01833-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Rodents are among the most successful mammals because they have the ability to adapt to a broad range of environmental conditions. Here, we present the first record of a previously unknown thermal adaptation to cold stress that repeatedly occurred in two species of non-commensal rodents (Apodemus flavicollis and Apodemus agrarius). The classic rodent literature implies that rodents prevent heat loss via a broad range of behavioral adaptations including sheltering, sitting on their tails, curling into a ball, or huddling with conspecifics. Here, we have repeatedly observed an undescribed behavior which we refer to as “tail-belting”. This behavior was performed under cold stress, whereby animals lift and curl the tail medially, before resting it on the dorsal, medial rump while feeding or resting. We documented 115 instances of the tail-belting behavior; 38 in Apodemus agrarius, and 77 in Apodemus flavicollis. Thermal imaging data show the tails remained near ambient temperature even when temperatures were below 0 °C. Since the tail-belting occurred only when the temperature dropped below − 6.9 °C (for A. flavicollis) and − 9.5 °C (for A. agrarius), we surmise that frostbite prevention may be the primary reason for this adaptation. It is likely that tail-belting has not previously been documented because free-ranging mice are rarely-recorded in the wild under extreme cold conditions. Given that these animals are so closely-related to laboratory rodents, this knowledge could potentially be relevant to researchers in various disciplines. We conclude by setting several directions for future research in this area.
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Zheng J, Zhang K, Liang J, Li Y, Huang Z. Food availability, temperature, and day length drive seasonal variations in the positional behavior of white-headed langurs in the limestone forests of Southwest Guangxi, China. Ecol Evol 2021; 11:14857-14872. [PMID: 34765146 PMCID: PMC8571639 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Information on positional behavior contributes to the understanding of the ecological adaptation mechanisms in animals. We collected data on the positional behavior of white-headed langurs (Trachypithecus leucocephalus) at the Guangxi Chongzuo White-Headed Langur National Nature Reserve from September 2016 to August 2017 via instantaneous scan sampling method. This study aimed to examine the importance of positional behavior flexibility in limestone forests characterized by seasonal variations in climate and food resources. Our results indicated that langurs adopted leaping (47.92% ± 5.50%) and vertical climbing (40.13% ± 6.20%) as their predominant locomotor modes and sitting (83.08% ± 4.70%) as their predominant posture. Their positional behavior exhibited marked seasonal variations. More specifically, langurs used quadrupedal walking more frequently during the dry season than during the rainy months. In the stationary state, they sat more frequently during the dry season, whereas they laid and suspended more often during the rainy season. Their positional behavior was affected by fruit availability, day length, and temperature. Quadrupedal walking increased with the decrease in fruit availability, whereas leaping was positively correlated with fruit availability. Moreover, sitting was positively correlated with average temperature but negatively correlated with day length. Lying was also negatively correlated with temperature but positively correlated with day length. We conclude that white-headed langurs adapt to limestone forests with positional behavior flexibility in response to seasonality. Our research provides evidence of the effects of food availability, ambient temperature, and day length on the positional behavior of white-headed langurs, highlighting the need to understand their behavioral ecology and the influence of ecological factors on behavioral adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjin Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of EducationGuilinChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal EcologyGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
| | - Kechu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of EducationGuilinChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal EcologyGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
| | - Jipeng Liang
- Administration Center of Guangxi Chongzuo White‐Headed Langur National Nature ReserveChongzuoChina
| | - Youbang Li
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of EducationGuilinChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal EcologyGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
| | - Zhonghao Huang
- Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection (Guangxi Normal University), Ministry of EducationGuilinChina
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Rare and Endangered Animal EcologyGuangxi Normal UniversityGuilinChina
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The energy allocation trade-offs underlying life history traits in hypometabolic strepsirhines and other primates. Sci Rep 2021; 11:14196. [PMID: 34244546 PMCID: PMC8270931 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-93764-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Life history, brain size and energy expenditure scale with body mass in mammals but there is little conclusive evidence for a correlated evolution between life history and energy expenditure (either basal/resting or daily) independent of body mass. We addressed this question by examining the relationship between primate free-living daily energy expenditure (DEE) measured by doubly labeled water method (n = 18 species), life history variables (maximum lifespan, gestation and lactation duration, interbirth interval, litter mass, age at first reproduction), resting metabolic rate (RMR) and brain size. We also analyzed whether the hypometabolic primates of Madagascar (lemurs) make distinct energy allocation tradeoffs compared to other primates (monkeys and apes) with different life history traits and ecological constraints. None of the life-history traits correlated with DEE after controlling for body mass and phylogeny. In contrast, a regression model showed that DEE increased with increasing RMR and decreasing reproductive output (i.e., litter mass/interbirth interval) independent of body mass. Despite their low RMR and smaller brains, lemurs had an average DEE remarkably similar to that of haplorhines. The data suggest that lemurs have evolved energy strategies that maximize energy investment to survive in the unusually harsh and unpredictable environments of Madagascar at the expense of reproduction.
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Differential responses of non-human primates to seasonal temperature fluctuations. Primates 2020; 61:455-464. [PMID: 32034535 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-020-00801-w] [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: 10/15/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2020] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Non-human primates (NHPs) can adapt to conditions outside of their natural habitat and climatic ranges but this can be influenced by inherent evolutionary traits or plasticity of species that evolved in diverse environmental conditions. In this study, we investigated how five species of NHPs that have natural distributions across a range of climatic conditions responded to seasonal temperature changes in a captive environment. The activity levels of NHPs were affected by temperature changes over the season, where activity levels were generally reduced at the lower and higher temperature ranges. Species that are naturally found within narrower and warmer climatic ranges, compared to those found in colder environments with wider fluctuations in temperature, showed more marked changes in activity levels in response to temperature changes. In lower temperature conditions, three out of five species showed significantly lower activity levels; whereas in higher temperature conditions, the activity levels of all species did not significantly decrease. The frequency of thermoregulation behaviours was higher, and use of artificial thermoregulatory sources lower, for species that did not substantially adjust their activity levels in different temperature conditions. Our results suggest that NHPs largely retained the evolutionary traits related to thermoregulation, according to the different ambient conditions they evolved in and may have low behavioural plasticity in adapting to conditions outside of their natural ranges. These results provide insights for improving conservation and captive management and may have implications for understanding NHP resilience to the increasing impact of global climate change.
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Ayers AM, Allan ATL, Howlett C, Tordiffe ASW, Williams KS, Williams ST, Hill RA. Illuminating movement? Nocturnal activity patterns in chacma baboons. J Zool (1987) 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/jzo.12747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A. M. Ayers
- Department of Anthropology Durham University Durham UK
- Primate and Predator Project Lajuma Research Centre Makhado South Africa
| | - A. T. L. Allan
- Department of Anthropology Durham University Durham UK
- Primate and Predator Project Lajuma Research Centre Makhado South Africa
| | - C. Howlett
- Department of Anthropology Durham University Durham UK
- Primate and Predator Project Lajuma Research Centre Makhado South Africa
- School of Anthropology and Conservation The University of Kent Canterbury Kent UK
| | - A. S. W. Tordiffe
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences Faculty of Veterinary Science University of Pretoria Onderstepoort South Africa
| | - K. S. Williams
- Department of Anthropology Durham University Durham UK
- Primate and Predator Project Lajuma Research Centre Makhado South Africa
| | - S. T. Williams
- Department of Anthropology Durham University Durham UK
- Primate and Predator Project Lajuma Research Centre Makhado South Africa
- Department of Zoology University of Venda Thohoyandou South Africa
- Institute for Globally Distributed Open Research and Education (IGDORE) Thohoyandou South Africa
| | - R. A. Hill
- Department of Anthropology Durham University Durham UK
- Primate and Predator Project Lajuma Research Centre Makhado South Africa
- Department of Zoology University of Venda Thohoyandou South Africa
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10
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Campera M, Santini L, Balestri M, Nekaris K, Donati G. Elevation gradients of lemur abundance emphasise the importance of Madagascar’s lowland rainforest for the conservation of endemic taxa. Mamm Rev 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Marco Campera
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group Department of Social Sciences Oxford Brookes University Gipsy Lane OxfordOX3 0BPUnited Kingdom
| | - Luca Santini
- Department of Environmental Science Institute for Water and Wetland Research Radboud University Heyendaalseweg Nijmegen6525 HPThe Netherlands
| | - Michela Balestri
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group Department of Social Sciences Oxford Brookes University Gipsy Lane OxfordOX3 0BPUnited Kingdom
| | - K.A.I. Nekaris
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group Department of Social Sciences Oxford Brookes University Gipsy Lane OxfordOX3 0BPUnited Kingdom
| | - Giuseppe Donati
- Nocturnal Primate Research Group Department of Social Sciences Oxford Brookes University Gipsy Lane OxfordOX3 0BPUnited Kingdom
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Fei HL, Thompson C, Fan PF. Effects of cold weather on the sleeping behavior of Skywalker hoolock gibbons (Hoolock tianxing) in seasonal montane forest. Am J Primatol 2019; 81:e23049. [PMID: 31502292 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 08/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Considering the high energetic costs of maintaining constant body temperature, mammals must adjust their thermoregulatory behaviors in response to cold temperatures. Although primate daytime thermoregulation is relatively well studied, there is limited research in relation to nighttime strategies. To investigate how Skywalker hoolock gibbons (Hoolock tianxing) cope with the low temperatures found in montane forests, we collected sleep-related behavior data from one group (NA) and a single female (NB) at Nankang (characterized by extensive tsaoko plantations) between July 2010 and September 2011, and one group (BB) at Banchang (relatively well-managed reserve forest) between May 2013 and May 2015 in Mt. Gaoligong, Yunnan, China. The annual mean temperature was 13.3°C at Nankang (October 2010 to September 2011) and 13.0°C at Banchang (June 2013 to May 2015) with temperatures dropping below -2.0°C at both sites, making them the coldest known gibbon habitats. The lowest temperatures at both sites remained below 5.0°C from November to March, which we, therefore, defined as the "cold season". The hoolock gibbons remained in their sleeping trees for longer periods during the cold season compared to the warm season. Sleeping trees found at lower elevations and closer to potential feeding trees were favored during cold seasons at both sites. In addition, the gibbons were more likely to huddle together during cold seasons. Our results suggest that cold temperatures have a significant effect on the sleeping behavior of the Skywalker hoolock gibbon, highlighting the adaptability of this threatened species in response to cold climates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han-Lan Fei
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, China
| | - Carolyn Thompson
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, School of Life and Medical Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Peng-Fei Fan
- Department of Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.,Institute of Eastern-Himalaya Biodiversity Research, Dali University, Dali, Yunnan, China
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Snodderly DM, Ellis KM, Lieberman SR, Link A, Fernandez-Duque E, Di Fiore A. Initiation of feeding by four sympatric Neotropical primates (Ateles belzebuth, Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii, Plecturocebus (Callicebus) discolor, and Pithecia aequatorialis) in Amazonian Ecuador: Relationships to photic and ecological factors. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0210494. [PMID: 30673746 PMCID: PMC6344106 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0210494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
We examined photic and ecological factors related to initiation of feeding by four sympatric primates in the rain forest of Amazonian Ecuador. With rare exceptions, morning activities of all taxa began only after the onset of nautical twilight, which occurred 47-48 min before sunrise. The larger spider and woolly monkeys, Ateles belzebuth and Lagothrix lagotricha poeppigii, left their sleeping trees before sunrise about half the time, while the smaller sakis and titi monkeys, Pithecia aequatorialis and Plecturocebus (formerly Callicebus) discolor, did not emerge until sunrise or later. None of the four taxa routinely began feeding before sunrise. Pithecia began feeding a median 2.17 h after sunrise, at least 0.8 h later than the median feeding times of the other three taxa. The early movement of Ateles and Lagothrix, and late initiation of feeding by Pithecia are consistent with temporal niche partitioning. Among most New World primate species, all males and many females, have dichromatic color vision, with only two cone photopigments, while some females are trichromats with three cone photopigments. Current evidence indicates that the dichromats have a foraging advantage in dim light, which could facilitate utilization of twilight periods and contribute to temporal niche partitioning. However, in our study, dichromatic males did not differentially exploit the dim light of twilight, and times of first feeding bouts of female Ateles and Lagothrix were similar to those of males. First feeding bouts followed a seasonal pattern, occurring latest in May-August, when ripe fruit abundance and ambient temperature were both relatively low. The most frugivorous taxon, Ateles, exhibited the greatest seasonality, initiating feeding 1.4 h later in May-August than in January-April. This pattern may imply a strategy of conserving energy when ripe fruit is scarcer, but starting earlier to compete successfully when fruit is more abundant. Lower temperatures were associated with later feeding of Ateles (by 26 min / °C) and perhaps Pithecia, but not Lagothrix or Plecturocebus. The potential for modification of temporal activity patterns and temporal niche partitioning by relatively small changes in temperature should be considered when predicting the effects of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Max Snodderly
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States of America
| | - Kelsey M. Ellis
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States of America
| | - Sarina R. Lieberman
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States of America
| | - Andrés Link
- Department of Biological Sciences and School of Management, Universidad de Los Andes, Bogota, Colombia
| | | | - Anthony Di Fiore
- Department of Anthropology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, United States of America
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Mandl I, Holderied M, Schwitzer C. The Effects of Climate Seasonality on Behavior and Sleeping Site Choice in Sahamalaza Sportive Lemurs, Lepilemur sahamalaza. INT J PRIMATOL 2018; 39:1039-1067. [PMID: 30613116 PMCID: PMC6300582 DOI: 10.1007/s10764-018-0059-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 06/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Temperature, rainfall, and resource availability may vary greatly within a single year in primate habitats. Many primate species show behavioral and physiological adaptations to this environmental seasonality, including changes to their diets and activity. Sahamalaza sportive lemurs (Lepilemur sahamalaza) inhabit the northwest of Madagascar and have been studied only during the dry, colder period of the year. We investigated potential effects of climate seasonality on this species by collecting behavioral data between October 2015 and August 2016, encompassing both the warmer wet and the colder dry seasons. We collected 773.15 hours of behavioral data on 14 individual sportive lemurs to investigate year-round activity budgets, ranging behavior, and sleeping site locations. Additionally we recorded temperature and rainfall data at our study site to describe the environmental conditions during the study period. The study individuals significantly decreased their time spent traveling and increased their time spent resting in the dry season compared to the wet season. Although home range size and path lengths did not differ over the study period, sleeping locations were significantly different between seasons as the lemurs focused on more confined areas in colder periods. Overall, the results indicate that Sahamalaza sportive lemur behavior varies with season, in line with reports for other primates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella Mandl
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ UK
| | - Marc Holderied
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TQ UK
| | - Christoph Schwitzer
- Bristol Zoological Society, Bristol Zoo Gardens, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 3HA UK
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Ostner J, Schülke O. Linking Sociality to Fitness in Primates: A Call for Mechanisms. ADVANCES IN THE STUDY OF BEHAVIOR 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.asb.2017.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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15
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Eppley TM, Watzek J, Hall K, Donati G. Climatic, social and reproductive influences on behavioural thermoregulation in a female-dominated lemur. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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16
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Eppley TM, Watzek J, Dausmann KH, Ganzhorn JU, Donati G. Huddling is more important than rest site selection for thermoregulation in southern bamboo lemurs. Anim Behav 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2017.03.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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17
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Bertoncini S, D'Ercole J, Brisighelli F, Ramanamanjato J, Capelli C, Tofanelli S, Donati G. Stuck in fragments: Population genetics of the Endangered collared brown lemur
Eulemur collaris
in the Malagasy littoral forest. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2017; 163:542-552. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.23230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Revised: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Jacopo D'Ercole
- Department of Biology, University of PisaVia Ghini 13Pisa56126 Italy
- Department of Integrative Biology Centre for Biodiversity GenomicsUniversity of GuelphGuelph OntarioN1G 2W1 Canada
| | - Francesca Brisighelli
- Forensic Genetics LaboratoryInstitute of Legal Medicine, Università Cattolica del Sacro CuoreRoma Italia
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of OxfordSouth Parks RoadOxfordOX1 3PS United Kingdom
| | | | - Cristian Capelli
- Department of ZoologyUniversity of OxfordSouth Parks RoadOxfordOX1 3PS United Kingdom
| | - Sergio Tofanelli
- Department of Biology, University of PisaVia Ghini 13Pisa56126 Italy
| | - Giuseppe Donati
- Department of Social SciencesOxford Brookes UniversityOxford United Kingdom
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Do Predators and Thermoregulation Influence Choice of Sleeping Sites and Sleeping Behavior in Azara’s Owl Monkeys (Aotus azarae azarae) in Northern Argentina? INT J PRIMATOL 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-016-9946-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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19
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Thompson CL, Williams SH, Glander KE, Vinyard CJ. Measuring Microhabitat Temperature in Arboreal Primates: A Comparison of On-Animal and Stationary Approaches. INT J PRIMATOL 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-016-9917-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
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Kelley EA, Jablonski NG, Chaplin G, Sussman RW, Kamilar JM. Behavioral thermoregulation in Lemur catta: The significance of sunning and huddling behaviors. Am J Primatol 2016; 78:745-54. [PMID: 26890578 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.22538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2015] [Revised: 01/31/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Regulation of body temperature poses significant problems for organisms that inhabit environments with extreme and seasonally fluctuating ambient temperatures. To help alleviate the energetic costs of autonomic responses, these organisms often thermoregulate through behavioral mechanisms. Among primates, lemurs in Madagascar experience uncharacteristically seasonal and unpredictable climates relative to other primate-rich regions. Malagasy primates are physiologically flexible, but different species use different mechanisms to influence their body temperatures. Lemur catta, the ring-tailed lemur, experiences particularly acute diurnal temperature fluctuations in its mostly open-canopy habitat in south and southwest Madagascar. Ring-tailed lemurs are also atypical among lemurs in that they appear to use both sun basking postures and huddling to maintain body temperature when ambient temperatures are cold. To our knowledge, however, no one has systematically tested whether these behaviors function in thermoregulation. We present evidence that ring-tailed lemurs use these postures as behavioral thermoregulation strategies, and that different environmental variables are associated with the use of each posture. Major predictors of sunning included ambient temperature, time of day, and season. Specifically, L. catta consistently assumed sunning postures early after daybreak when ambient temperatures were <13°C, and ceased sunning around 10:00a.m., after ambient temperatures approached 26°C. Sunning occurred more often during austral winter months. Huddling was associated with time of day, but not with ambient temperature or season. We conclude that L. catta tend to sun, rather than huddle, under cold weather conditions when sunning is possible. However, both sunning and huddling are important behavioral adaptations of L. catta that augment chemical thermoregulation and the absence of a dynamic, insulating pelage. Sunning and huddling help to account for the great ecological flexibility of the species, but these adaptations may be insufficient in the face of future changes in protective vegetation and temperature. Am. J. Primatol. 78:745-754, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Kelley
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri
| | - Nina G Jablonski
- Department of Anthropology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania.,Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study [STIAS], Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - George Chaplin
- Department of Anthropology, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania.,Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study [STIAS], Stellenbosch, South Africa
| | - Robert W Sussman
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University in St. Louis, Saint Louis, Missouri
| | - Jason M Kamilar
- Department of Anthropology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts.,Graduate Program in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts
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Seiler M, Holderied M, Schwitzer C. Home Range Size and Social Organization of the Sahamalaza Sportive Lemur,Lepilemur sahamalazensis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.1896/052.029.0105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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22
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Campera M, Serra V, Balestri M, Barresi M, Ravaolahy M, Randriatafika F, Donati G. Effects of Habitat Quality and Seasonality on Ranging Patterns of Collared Brown Lemur (Eulemur collaris) in Littoral Forest Fragments. INT J PRIMATOL 2014. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-014-9780-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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23
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Daily activity and light exposure levels for five species of lemurs at the duke lemur center. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2013; 153:68-77. [DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2013] [Accepted: 10/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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LaFleur M, Sauther M, Cuozzo F, Yamashita N, Jacky Youssouf IA, Bender R. Cathemerality in wild ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) in the spiny forest of Tsimanampetsotsa National Park: camera trap data and preliminary behavioral observations. Primates 2013; 55:207-17. [PMID: 24165866 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-013-0391-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2013] [Accepted: 10/13/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cathemerality consists of discrete periods of activity during both the day and night. Though uncommon within Primates, cathemerality is prevalent in some lemur genera, such as Eulemur, Hapalemur, and Prolemur. Several researchers have also reported nighttime activity in Lemur catta, yet these lemurs are generally considered "strictly diurnal". We used behavioral observations and camera traps to examine cathemerality of L. catta at the Tsimanampetsotsa National Park, Madagascar. Nighttime activity occurred throughout the study period (September 2010-April 2011), and correlated with warm overnight temperatures but not daytime temperatures. Animals spent 25% of their daytime active behaviors on the ground, but appeared to avoid the ground at night, with only 5% of their time on the ground. Furthermore, at night, animals spent the majority of their active time feeding (53% nighttime, 43% daytime). These findings imply that both thermoregulation and diet play a role in the adaptive significance of cathemerality. Additionally, predator avoidance may have influenced cathemerality here, in that L. catta may limit nighttime activity as a result of predation threat by forest cats (Felis sp.) or fossa (Cryptoprocta ferox). Further data are needed on cathemeral lemurs generally, but particularly in L. catta if we are to fully understand the evolutionary mechanisms of cathemerality in the Lemuridae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marni LaFleur
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Campus Box 233, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.
| | - Michelle Sauther
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Campus Box 233, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
| | - Frank Cuozzo
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Campus Box 233, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA.,Department of Anthropology, University of North Dakota, 236 Centennial Drive, Stop 8374, Grand Forks, ND, 58202, USA
| | - Nayuta Yamashita
- Institute for Population Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Josef Baumann Gasse 1, 1210, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Richard Bender
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Campus Box 233, Boulder, CO, 80309, USA
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Surviving the Cold, Dry Period in Africa: Behavioral Adjustments as an Alternative to Heterothermy in the African Lesser Bushbaby (Galago moholi). INT J PRIMATOL 2012. [DOI: 10.1007/s10764-012-9646-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Kelley EA. The ranging behavior of Lemur catta in the region of Cap Sainte-Marie, Madagascar. AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY 2012. [PMID: 23180618 DOI: 10.1002/ajpa.22184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Large home ranges and extreme flexibility in ranging behaviors characterize most subarid dwelling haplorhines. However, the most comparable extant strepsirhine, Lemur catta, is characterized as having small home ranges with consistent boundaries. Since ranging studies on this species have been limited to gallery forest habitat, the author's goal is to identify ecological factors that affect range use of L. catta in one of the most resource-limited environments of its distribution. To conduct this study, ranging and behavioral data were collected on two nonoverlapping groups through all-day follows in the semidesert scrub environment of Cap Sainte-Marie (CSM), Madagascar. Data were collected from August 2007 through July 2008. Home range areas and day range lengths were generated using ArcGIS(®) 9.3. Other variables measured were habitat composition, diet richness, daily activity, and microclimate. Home range areas of CSM L. catta were very large relative to those of gallery forest L. catta, and there was great monthly variation. In contrast, day range lengths at CSM were either smaller than or approximated the size of comparative gallery forest groups. Temperature, sunning, and diet richness were associated with day range length for one but not for both groups and appear to be related to energy management needs. Based on these findings, the author suggests that L. catta is capable of extensive behavioral and ranging flexibility in the extremes of its environment. However, physiological constraints impose limitations that can interfere with its ability to adapt to even seemingly minor variations in microclimate and habitat structure within the same site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Kelley
- Department of Anthropology, Washington University, St. Louis, MO 63130, USA.
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Sato H. Diurnal resting in brown lemurs in a dry deciduous forest, northwestern Madagascar: implications for seasonal thermoregulation. Primates 2012; 53:255-63. [PMID: 22388421 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-012-0301-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2011] [Accepted: 02/15/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Decreased activity has been reported in both nocturnal and diurnal primates during the prolonged dry season in western Madagascar, and this has been interpreted as a reaction to the severe environment, with its food scarcity and/or thermal stress. Several day-active lemurs rest more as trees defoliate, although the reason for this is unclear. To understand the mechanism underpinning the diurnal resting of lemurs in seasonal deciduous forests, I observed common brown lemurs (Eulemur fulvus fulvus) for one year in Ankarafantsika National Park, northwestern Madagascar. In Ankarafantsika, despite high fruit availability during the dry season, brown lemurs are known to engage in diurnal resting. To examine the effects of thermal factors and defoliation on lemur inactivity, I recorded the activity of a troop at 1 min intervals, hourly ambient temperature, daily rainfall, and weather during observations (06:00-18:00). I quantified the amount of leaves biweekly for 680 trees. I tested correlations between percentages of resting time and each factor across hours during the day and across seasons. During the rainy season, resting time did not differ between sunny and cloudy days, and lemurs were active throughout the daytime. At the hourly level during the dry season, lemurs rested exclusively at midday, apparently at peak sunlight intensity rather than at peak ambient temperature. At seasonal level, percentages of total resting time from 08:00 to 16:00 were greater during dry season (81.9%) than during rainy season (62.6%), and percentages increased as ambient temperatures increased. Defoliation was related to seasonal decrease in weekly rainfall, which served as an index of water retained in the forest. Defoliation probably reflected aridification as well as the penetration of sunlight into the forest. Diurnal resting increased as both the amount of leaves and weekly rainfall decreased seasonally. These results suggest that heat stress under dry conditions may promote resting. Diurnal resting may function as behavioral thermoregulation to avoid overheating and to minimize water loss via excessive evaporative respiration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroki Sato
- Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University, 46 Yoshida-Shimoadachi-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan.
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