Family Stability in Cooperative Breeding Primates

该项目是对巴西Poco das Antas保护区金狮金丝猴的行为和人口统计学监测的继续。研究种群现已连续监测13年，约占保护区约346只罗望子鱼的三分之一。人口中每一次移徙事件的日期和情况都被记录下来。研究人群中出生的每个婴儿的母婴都被记录下来，并使用行为和分子遗传学技术确定了可能的父亲关系。人口统计数据被输入到Sparks中，这是一款旨在跟踪家谱并对圈养人口进行人口分析的软件。这项研究的一个主要目的是检验关于社会和生态环境对这种合作繁殖的灵长类动物出生扩散时间的影响的假说。人口分析还将允许计算有效种群数量，这是为这种濒危物种设定保护目标的重要措施。此外，我们将应用新可用的粪便内分泌分析来解决以下问题：下级雌性的生理性生育抑制、个体罗望子鱼被迫和自愿散布的内分泌相关性以及社会优势。最后，这个研究站点、研究人群和支持数据库将继续作为新热带研究的中心。

This project is a continuation of behavioral and demographic monitoring of golden lion tamarin monkeys in Poco das Antas Reserve, Brazil. The study population, now continuously monitored for 13 years, consists of about one third of the approximately 346 tamarins in the reserve. Date and circumstances are recorded for every migration event in the population. Maternity is recorded for each infant born into the study population and probable paternity determined using behavioral and molecular-genetic techniques. Demographic data are entered into SPARKS, software designed to track genealogies and perform demographic analyses for captive populations. One major objective of this research is to test hypotheses concerning the social and ecological circumstances that influence timing of natal dispersal in this cooperative breeding primate. Demographic analyses will also permit calculation of effective population size, an important measure for setting conservation goals for this endangered species. In addition, we will apply newly available fecal endocrine assays to address questions concerning physiological suppression of fertility in subordinate females, endocrine correlates of forced and voluntary dispersal of individual tamarins, and of social dominance. Finally, this research site, the study population, and the supporting databases will continue to serve as a center for Neotropical research.