Dissertation Research: The Influence of the Environment Sympatric Congeners on the Ecology of a Small-Bodied Folivorous Prosimian Primate, Hepalemur griseus

该项目的目的是研究不同的环境条件和密切相关物种（同域同源物种）的存在或缺失如何影响体型较小、食叶（食叶）灵长类动物--温和的灰色竹狐猴（Hapalemur griseus）的饮食、活动和分布模式。 这将通过研究H.在马达加斯加拉诺法纳国家公园内的两个研究地点，这两个地点相距五公里。 这两个地点在海拔、栖息地退化程度、森林组成以及其他两种竹狐猴的存在与否上都不同。simus）和金竹狐猴（H. aureus)具有良好的抗菌活性。 这些因素可能会影响黑腹小蜂的食性、活动和分布模式。因为这两个地点在a）可利用资源的数量和类型以及B）较大的、密切相关的物种所施加的竞争方面不同。 此外，本研究的时长（15个月）将允许分析这些行为的季节性变化。 最后，对H.与这两个地点可获得的物种进行比较，可能会提供关于环境或竞争对该物种的生态学施加更大限制的线索。

The purpose of this project is to examine how different environmental conditions and the presence or absence of closely related species (sympatric congeners) affect the diet, activity, and ranging patterns of a small-bodied, leaf-eating (folivorous) primate, the gentle gray bamboo lemur (Hapalemur griseus). This will be accomplished by studying H. griseus at two research sites within Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar, which are five kilometers apart. These two sites differ in altitude, degree of habitat degradation, forest composition, and the presence or absence of the two other species of bamboo lemur, the greater bamboo lemur (H. simus) and the golden bamboo lemur (H. aureus). These factors may influence the diet, activity, and ranging patterns of H. griseus because the two sites differ in a) the amount and type of available resources and b) competition imposed by the larger, closely related species. In addition, the length of this study (15 months) will allow for the analysis of the seasonal changes in these behaviors. Finally, chemical analyses of the plant parts ingested by H. griseus compared to those available at the two sites may provide clues as to whether environment or competition impose greater constraints on the ecology of this species.