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Kaisin O, Bufalo F, Amaral R, Palme R, Poncin P, Brotcorne F, Culot L. Linking glucocorticoid variations to monthly and daily behavior in a wild endangered neotropical primate. Am J Primatol 2023:e23503. [PMID: 37157182 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2022] [Revised: 04/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
Identifying the factors swaying physiological stress levels in wild animals can help depict how they cope with environmental and social stressors, shedding light on their feeding ecology, behavioral plasticity, and adaptability. Here, we used noninvasive methods to explore the link between glucocorticoid levels and behavior in an endangered neotropical primate facing habitat fragmentation pressure, the black lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysopygus). We investigated monthly and day-to-day glucocorticoid variations independently to attempt to disentangle the complex nature of the adrenocortical activity. Between May 2019 to March 2020, we followed two groups of black lion tamarins in two different areas, a continuous forest and a small fragment, and gathered behavioral data (over 95 days in total; 8.6 ± 3.9 days/month) and fecal samples (Nsamples = 468; 4.93 ± 3.5 samples/day) simultaneously. Preliminary analyses enabled us to identify circadian variations linked to the biological rhythm, which were taken into account in subsequent models. Monthly analyses revealed that black lion tamarin fecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels vary according to changes in activity budget associated with the fruit consumption, movement, and resting time of the groups. At a day-to-day level, while intergroup encounters led to increases in fecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations, we found that changes in food intake or activity level did not trigger physiological stress responses. These findings suggest that diet and ranging patterns, driven by food availability and distribution, influence physiological stress at a seasonal scale, while acute stressors such as interspecific competition trigger short-term stress responses. Exploring fecal glucocorticoid metabolite variations over different timescales can help uncover the predictive and reactive facets of physiological stress in wild species. Moreover, having a comprehensive understanding of the physiological state of species is a valuable conservation tool for evaluating how they cope in changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Kaisin
- Laboratório de Primatologia, Departamento de Biodiversidade, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Evolution, Research Unit SPHERES, University of Liège, Arlon, Belgium
- Departamento de Biodiversidade, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Evolução e Biodiversidade, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Felipe Bufalo
- Laboratório de Primatologia, Departamento de Biodiversidade, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
- Departamento de Biodiversidade, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia, Evolução e Biodiversidade, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Amaral
- Laboratório de Primatologia, Departamento de Biodiversidade, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
- Departamento de Biodiversidade, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Rupert Palme
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, Austria
| | - Pascal Poncin
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Evolution, Research Unit FOCUS, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Fany Brotcorne
- Department of Biology, Ecology and Evolution, Research Unit SPHERES, University of Liège, Arlon, Belgium
| | - Laurence Culot
- Laboratório de Primatologia, Departamento de Biodiversidade, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
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Assessing animal welfare: a triangulation of preference, judgement bias and other candidate welfare indicators. Anim Behav 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anbehav.2022.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Hazwan M, Samantha LD, Tee SL, Kamarudin N, Norhisham AR, Lechner AM, Azhar B. Habitat fragmentation and logging affect the occurrence of lesser mouse‐deer in tropical forest reserves. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8745. [PMID: 35342579 PMCID: PMC8933326 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to rapid urbanization, logging, and agricultural expansion, forest fragmentation is negatively affecting native wildlife populations throughout the tropics. This study examined the effects of landscape and habitat characteristics on the lesser mouse‐deer, Tragulus kanchil, populations in Peninsular Malaysia. We conducted camera‐trap survey at 315 sampling points located within 8 forest reserves. An assessment of site‐level and landscape variables was conducted at each sampling point. Our study provides critical ecological information for managing and conserving understudied populations of T. kanchil. We found that the detection of T. kanchil was attributed to forest fragmentation in which forest patches had four times greater detection of T. kanchil than continuous forest. The detection of T. kanchil was nearly three times higher in peat swamp forest compared to lowland dipterocarp forests. Surprisingly, the detection of T. kanchil was higher in logged forests (logging ceased at least 30 years ago) than unlogged forests. The detection of T. kanchil increased with the presence of trees, particularly those with DBH of 5 cm to 45 cm, canopy cover, number of saplings and palms, number of dead fallen trees, and distance from nearest roads. However, detection decreased with a greater number of trees with DBH greater than 45 cm and higher elevations, and greater detections where creeping bamboo was abundant. We recommend that conservation stakeholders take the necessary steps (e.g., eradicating poaching, habitat degradation, and further deforestation) to support the conservation of mouse‐deer species and its natural habitats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Hazwan
- Department of Forest Science and Biodiversity Faculty of Forestry and Environment Universiti Putra Malaysia Selangor Malaysia
| | - Liza D. Samantha
- Department of Forest Science and Biodiversity Faculty of Forestry and Environment Universiti Putra Malaysia Selangor Malaysia
| | - Sze Ling Tee
- Department of Forest Science and Biodiversity Faculty of Forestry and Environment Universiti Putra Malaysia Selangor Malaysia
| | - Norizah Kamarudin
- Department of Forest Science and Biodiversity Faculty of Forestry and Environment Universiti Putra Malaysia Selangor Malaysia
| | - Ahmad R. Norhisham
- Department of Forest Science and Biodiversity Faculty of Forestry and Environment Universiti Putra Malaysia Selangor Malaysia
| | - Alex M. Lechner
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences University of Nottingham Malaysia Selangor Malaysia
- Lincoln Centre for Water and Planetary Health Lincoln UK
- School of Geography University of Lincoln Lincoln UK
| | - Badrul Azhar
- Department of Forest Science and Biodiversity Faculty of Forestry and Environment Universiti Putra Malaysia Selangor Malaysia
- School of Environmental and Geographical Sciences University of Nottingham Malaysia Selangor Malaysia
- Biodiversity Unit Institute of Bioscience Universiti Putra Malaysia Selangor Malaysia
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de Souza Jesus A, de Oliveira-Ramalho ML, El Bizri HR, Valsecchi J, Mayor P. Environmental and biological drivers of prevalence and number of eggs and oocysts of intestinal parasites in red howler monkeys from Central Amazonia. Folia Primatol (Basel) 2022. [DOI: 10.1163/14219980-20210701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Host-parasite relationships can be directly affected by host’s biological aspects and environmental factors, which influence both the survival of infective forms and the incidence of parasites. However, logistical difficulties in accessing biological samples for parasitological studies makes the Amazon Forest into a poorly known region in relation to the dynamic of parasites of wild animals. Here, using 34 red howler monkeys’ biological samples donated by local subsistence hunters from two Amazon habitat types (white-water flooded forest and upland forest) as an opportune alternative, we detected four intestinal parasite taxa infecting this species (two nematodes – Trypanoxyuris sp. and Strongyloides sp., one protozoan – Entamoeba sp. –, and one not-identified trematode, the last just found for white-water flooded forest). Trypanoxyuris was the most prevalent intestinal parasite (56.5% at flooded forest and 54.5% at upland forest). There was no difference between habitat types or individual sex regarding the prevalence for any parasite taxa. On the other hand, we found a strong influence of seasonality, with increasing prevalence of all parasite taxa as the river water level increased. In terms of egg and cyst counts, we found a difference between sexes (females > males, p = 0.002) and habitat types (upland forest > white-water flooded forest, p = 0.02), and a positive relationship with river water level (p = 0.002). Although some of these parasite taxa can be shared between humans and howlers, further investigations are necessary to study the parasites taxonomy thoroughly and to assess the potential zoonotic cross-transmission of these pathogens to local people living in the Amazon. In this study, we unveiled a seasonal effect for howler monkeys’ intestinal parasites, that also might occur in other non-human primates of the Amazon. In addition, our results on periods of high risk of intestinal parasite infection are useful to estimate future impacts of climate change on host-parasite dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anamélia de Souza Jesus
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e Produção Animal na Amazônia, Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia, Belém (Pará), Brasil
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Ecologia de Vertebrados Terrestres, Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Tefé (Amazonas), Brasil
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Biologia e Conservação de Primatas, Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Tefé (Amazonas), Brasil
- Rede de Pesquisapara Estudos sobre Diversidade, Conservação e Uso da Fauna na Amazônia (RedeFauna), Manaus (Amazonas), Brasil
| | - Miguell Lemos de Oliveira-Ramalho
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Ecologia de Vertebrados Terrestres, Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Tefé (Amazonas), Brasil
- Centro de Estudos Superiores de Tefé/Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Tefé (Amazonas), Brasil
| | - Hani R. El Bizri
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Ecologia de Vertebrados Terrestres, Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Tefé (Amazonas), Brasil
- Rede de Pesquisapara Estudos sobre Diversidade, Conservação e Uso da Fauna na Amazônia (RedeFauna), Manaus (Amazonas), Brasil
- School of Social Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, OX3 0BP, UK
- Comunidad de Manejo de Fauna Silvestre en la Amazonía y en Latinoamérica (ComFauna), Iquitos (Loreto), Peru
| | - João Valsecchi
- Grupo de Pesquisa em Ecologia de Vertebrados Terrestres, Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Tefé (Amazonas), Brasil
- Rede de Pesquisapara Estudos sobre Diversidade, Conservação e Uso da Fauna na Amazônia (RedeFauna), Manaus (Amazonas), Brasil
| | - Pedro Mayor
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Saúde e Produção Animal na Amazônia, Universidade Federal Rural da Amazônia, Belém (Pará), Brasil
- Comunidad de Manejo de Fauna Silvestre en la Amazonía y en Latinoamérica (ComFauna), Iquitos (Loreto), Peru
- Departamento Sanidad y Anatomía Animal, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Lopes S, Calegaro-Marques C, Klain V, Chaves ÓM, Bicca-Marques JC. Necropsies disclose a low helminth parasite diversity in periurban howler monkeys. Am J Primatol 2021; 84:e23346. [PMID: 34783067 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Primate-parasite interactions are often investigated via coprological studies given ethical and conservation restrictions of collecting primate hosts. Yet, these studies are inadequate to recover adult helminths for taxonomic identification and to accurately assess their prevalence, intensity, abundance, and site of infection. Fresh carcasses found in anthropogenic landscapes come as informative and reliable alternatives. In this study, we identified the helminths of brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba clamitans) and their sites of infection, and measured their prevalence, intensity, and abundance of infection. We necropsied 18 adult males, 11 adult females, and 7 juvenile males that died in conflicts with the anthropogenic environment (domestic dog attacks, n = 11; electrocutions and road-kills, n = 10 each; unknown, n = 5) in periurban landscapes of southern Brazil between 2013 and 2019. We found three nematodes (Trypanoxyuris minutus, Dipetalonema gracile, and Parabronema bonnei) and one cestode (Bertiella cf. studeri), a diversity estimated to account for a sampling completeness of 99%. Prevalence ranged from 3% for P. bonnei to 100% for T. minutus. Mean abundance ranged from 2 (D. gracile and B. cf. studeri) to 55,116 (T. minutus) and mean intensity of infection ranged from 4 (B. cf. studeri) to 55,116 (T. minutus). Trypanoxyuris minutus sex ratio was strongly male-biased. The intensity of infection with T. minutus was higher in juvenile males and adult females than in adult males. The low parasite diversity and the helminths' mode of transmission are compatible with howlers' arboreality and folivorous-frugivorous diet. The howlers were not infected with soil-transmitted helminth parasites of humans and domestic animals on the ground and probably did not eat invertebrates to complement the diet. Given the lack of evidence of howler health problems, we suggest that the causes of death of the necropsied howlers are the major threats to the long-term conservation of the species at the study periurban landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Lopes
- Departamento de Zoologia, Laboratório de Helmintologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Cláudia Calegaro-Marques
- Departamento de Zoologia, Laboratório de Helmintologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Vinícius Klain
- Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Laboratório de Primatologia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Óscar M Chaves
- Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Laboratório de Primatologia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.,Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Júlio César Bicca-Marques
- Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Laboratório de Primatologia, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, PUCRS, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
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Long C, Tordiffe A, Sauther M, Cuozzo F, Millette J, Ganswindt A, Scheun J. Seasonal drivers of faecal glucocorticoid metabolite concentrations in an African strepsirrhine primate, the thick-tailed greater galago ( Otolemur crassicaudatus). CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coab081. [PMID: 34707874 PMCID: PMC8543700 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 05/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/30/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
As global non-human primate populations show dramatic declines due to climate change, land transformation and other anthropogenic stressors, it has become imperative to study physiological responses to environmental change in order to understand primate adaptability and enhance species conservation strategies. We examined the effects of seasonality on faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (fGCM) concentrations of free-ranging male and female thick-tailed greater galagos (Otolemur crassicaudatus) in an Afromontane habitat. To do so, we established an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for monitoring fGCM concentrations in the species using a biological validation. Following this, faecal samples were collected each month over the course of a year from free-ranging males and females situated in the Soutpansberg Mountains, Limpopo, South Africa. Multivariate analyses revealed lactation period was a driver of fGCM levels, whereas sex and food availability mostly influenced seasonal fGCM concentrations in the total population. Thus far, the results of this study show that drivers of fGCM levels, an indication of increased adrenocortical activity, in O. crassicaudatus are numerous and complex within the natural environment. The species may be adapted to such conditions and an extreme change to any one component may result in elevated fGCM levels. This increases our understanding of strepsirrhine primate physiology and offers initial insights into species adaptability to a challenging environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Channen Long
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
- National Zoological Garden, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
| | - Adrian Tordiffe
- Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa
| | - Michelle Sauther
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Frank Cuozzo
- Lajuma Research Centre, Louis Trichardt (Makhado), 0920, South Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - James Millette
- Department of Anthropology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309, USA
| | - Andre Ganswindt
- National Zoological Garden, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Juan Scheun
- National Zoological Garden, South African National Biodiversity Institute, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Johannesburg, 1710, South Africa
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Wellian J, Smith RL. Risk awareness of black-and-gold howler monkeys living in an urban environment in south-west Paraguay. JOURNAL OF URBAN ECOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/jue/juab010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
As urbanisation increases, wild primates are exposed to urban environments which come with a distinct and often novel set of risks. Urban habitats can form a matrix of forest fragments and anthropogenic structures, including buildings, electric cables and roads, which can limit movement and force species to live in hazardous areas. We studied five groups of urban black and gold howler monkey (Alouatta caraya) in Pilar, Paraguay, to investigate whether the monkeys are aware of anthropogenic risks based on their patterns of self-scratching behaviour, an indicator of stress, and how they used the space available to them. Using a Risk Index created for the study, we ranked the level of risk attributed to different zones of their home range, awarding each zone with a hazard score. Using Quantum GIS and kernel density estimation, we determined the relationship between habitat use and hazard score. Using a Spearman’s rank correlation, we found nonsignificant relationships between the hazard score and self-scratching behaviour for four groups, suggesting a lack of awareness. However, there was a significant negative relationship between the hazard score and home range use for four groups, indicating that they spent more time in areas with lower levels of anthropogenic risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jake Wellian
- Fundación Para La Tierra, Centro IDEAL, 321, Mariscal José Félix Estigarribia, c/Teniente Capurro, Pilar, Ñeembucú, Paraguay
| | - Rebecca L Smith
- Fundación Para La Tierra, Centro IDEAL, 321, Mariscal José Félix Estigarribia, c/Teniente Capurro, Pilar, Ñeembucú, Paraguay
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, Scotland
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Kaisin O, Fuzessy L, Poncin P, Brotcorne F, Culot L. A meta-analysis of anthropogenic impacts on physiological stress in wild primates. CONSERVATION BIOLOGY : THE JOURNAL OF THE SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION BIOLOGY 2021; 35:101-114. [PMID: 33037677 DOI: 10.1111/cobi.13656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
As humanity continues to alter the environment extensively, comprehending the effect of anthropogenic disturbances on the health, survival, and fitness of wildlife is a crucial question for conservation science. Many primate populations occupy suboptimal habitats prone to diverse anthropogenic disturbances that may be sources of acute and chronic stress. Quantification of glucocorticoid (GC) concentrations has repeatedly been used to explore the impact of disturbances on physiological stress. Although it is still debated, prolonged elevation of GC levels may impair reproduction, growth, and immune system activity of individuals. We quantified the effect of anthropogenic disturbances on physiological stress in primates with a global meta-analysis based on data from 26 articles, covering 24 distinct species in 13 different countries. Anthropogenic disturbances were classified into 6 distinct categories: habitat loss, habitat degradation, ongoing logging, hunting, tourism, and other human activities. We calculated effect sizes (Hedges' g) with the standardized mean difference in GC concentrations between primates affected by human activity and their undisturbed conspecifics. We ran random-effects models and subgroup analyses to estimate the overall effect as well as a cumulative effect size for each disturbance category. Overall, primates inhabiting sites subject to anthropogenic disturbances exhibited significantly higher GC levels (g = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.28-0.93). Habitat loss and hunting were overall associated with increased GC concentrations, whereas the cumulative effects of the other disturbances were not statistically significant. Biologically, high GC levels may increase fitness by enabling individuals to overcome the challenges linked to anthropogenic disturbances. However, primates in disturbed environments may have sustained elevated GC levels. To strengthen future research, it is necessary to control confounding factors systematically (e.g., diet, reproductive status, predatory pressure, and resource availability) and improve understanding of the link between GC levels and the health, fitness, and survival of animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Kaisin
- Research Unit SPHERES, University of Liège, Avenue de Longwy 185, Arlon, 6700, Belgium
- Laboratório de Primatologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Avenida 24A, 1515, Rio Claro, Sao Paulo, 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Lisieux Fuzessy
- Laboratório de Primatologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Avenida 24A, 1515, Rio Claro, Sao Paulo, 13506-900, Brazil
| | - Pascal Poncin
- Research Unit FOCUS, University of Liège, Allée du six Août 11, Liège, 4000, Belgium
| | - Fany Brotcorne
- Research Unit SPHERES, University of Liège, Avenue de Longwy 185, Arlon, 6700, Belgium
| | - Laurence Culot
- Laboratório de Primatologia, Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Avenida 24A, 1515, Rio Claro, Sao Paulo, 13506-900, Brazil
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Bicca-Marques JC, Chaves ÓM, Hass GP. Howler monkey tolerance to habitat shrinking: Lifetime warranty or death sentence? Am J Primatol 2020; 82:e23089. [PMID: 31912561 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2019] [Revised: 12/14/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Habitat loss and fragmentation are major threats to the conservation of nonhuman primates. Given that species differ in their responses to fragmented landscapes, identifying the factors that enable them to cope with altered environments or that cause their extirpation is critical to design conservation management strategies. Howler monkeys (Alouatta spp.) are good models for studying the strategies of tolerant arboreal taxa and how they cope with spatial restriction, because they live in habitats ranging from vast pristine forests to small disturbed fragments and orchards. While some aspects of their ecology and behavior are conserved, others vary in predictable ways in response to habitat shrinking and decreasing resource availability. We argue that the ability of individual howler monkeys to inhabit low-quality environments does not guarantee the long-term persistence of the small populations that live under these conditions. Their local extirpation explains why few forest fragments below a given area threshold are frequently inhabited in landscapes where recolonization and gene flow are compromised by long isolation distances or less permeable matrices. In sum, howlers' ability to cope with habitat restriction at the individual level in the short-term may mask the inevitable fate of isolated populations, thereby compromising the persistence of the species at a regional scale in the long-term if howlers' need for protection in large forests is undervalued.
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Affiliation(s)
- Júlio César Bicca-Marques
- Laboratório de Primatologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Óscar M Chaves
- Escuela de Biología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San Pedro de Montes de Oca, Costa Rica
| | - Gabriela Pacheco Hass
- Laboratório de Primatologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
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Back JP, Bicca-Marques JC. Supplemented howler monkeys eat less wild fruits, but do not change their activity budgets. Am J Primatol 2019; 81:e23051. [PMID: 31520447 DOI: 10.1002/ajp.23051] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2018] [Revised: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 08/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Research on the influence of food supplementation on primate behavior has focused on terrestrial and semiterrestrial species. Its effects on highly arboreal species are poorly known. We assessed the influence of food supplementation on the feeding behavior and activity budget of four adult female and two adult male brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba clamitans) belonging to two groups (JA and RO) that inhabited periurban forest fragments in southern Brazil. We used the "focal-animal" method during 6-8 full days per month from March to August 2017 (916 h of observation) to record the behavior of the study subjects. The feeding events of the focal individual were recorded using the "all occurrences" method. The supplementation was unevenly distributed during the day and accounted for 5-6% of all feeding events of male and female howlers, respectively. JA always received fruit in a platform, whereas RO had access to fruits and processed foods on roofs and directly from humans. The mean biomass of wild foods ingested by each adult per day was >300% higher than the ingested biomass of supplemented foods (females: 395 vs. 109 g/day; males: 377 vs. 120 g/day), but the ingestion rate of supplemented foods was ca. 400% higher than that of wild foods (females: 17 vs. 4 g/min; males: 19 vs. 5 g/min). The activity budgets of females and males were dominated by resting (66-72%) followed by feeding (18-14%), moving (12-11%), and socializing (2%). We found that food supplementation reduced the ingestion of wild fruits, but it did not affect the howlers' need to ingest a given amount of leaves per day and the time spent resting, feeding, moving, and socializing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janaína Paula Back
- Laboratório de Primatologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
| | - Júlio César Bicca-Marques
- Laboratório de Primatologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil
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