Doctoral Dissertation Improvement: Reproductive Ecology of an Endangered Primate: Diet and Foraging Behavior Alteration in Adult Female Sanje Mangabeys (Cercocebus sanjei)

博士论文改进：濒危灵长类动物的生殖生态学：成年雌性桑杰曼加贝（Cercocebus sanjei）的饮食和觅食行为改变

• 批准号: 0925901
• 负责人: Joanna Lambert
• 金额: $ 1.48万
• 依托单位: University of Texas at San Antonio
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-09-01 至 2011-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0925901&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Improvement; Reproductive; Ecology

This study contributes to delineating interrelationships between primate reproduction and environment and provides understanding of how variation in female reproductive patterns represents an adaptive response to local conditions to ensure reproductive success. It is presently unknown which reproductive strategy is dominant among primates; i.e., the "classic pattern", where conception is correlated with high food availability; the "alternative pattern", where lactation correlates with high food availability; or "aseasonality", where no discernable pattern in births is observed. This study will examine reproductive seasonality in the Endangered Sanje mangabey (Cercocebus sanjei), endemic to the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania. The main objective is to determine whether females express reproductive seasonality, and if reproductive patterns are influenced by extrinsic factors, such as food availability, and/or intrinsic factors, such as female dominance and body condition. The inter-relationship between these variables will also be investigated. As such, this project aims to understand the complex relationship between extrinsic and intrinsic variables acting upon primate reproduction and, therefore, informs important theoretical areas within primate ecology and evolutionary biology. The intellectual merit of this study includes the elucidation of the reproductive ecology of this species. The strategies for successful acquisition of energy and nutrients during reproductive periods will be examined as will the risk of parasitism during reproductive phases and the role of geophagy in relation to parasitism and/or pregnancy. Data will be collected on the social and foraging behavior of 22 adult female Sanje mangabeys over one annual cycle. Fecal and urine samples will be collected to determine parasite prevalence between reproductive and non-reproductive periods, and energy balance, respectively. Food consumed by females will be analyzed for nutritional content, and 12 ecological plots will be monitored monthly in order to assess food availability within the habitat. The remaining population of Endangered Sanje mangabeys is only partially protected and subject to habitat loss in a substantial area of their distribution. As such, the broader implications of this study include providing information on their reproductive ecology, especially resources vital for female reproductive success, which is key to successful conservation measures. In addition, the Tanzanians participating in the project will be vital to conservation efforts, and the attendant knowledge transfer will promote their continued employment and foster local appreciation of Tanzanian biodiversity. Finally, this project will provide research experience for a graduate student and provide the basis for a doctoral dissertation.

该研究有助于描述灵长类动物生殖与环境之间的相互关系，并为理解雌性生殖模式的变化如何代表对当地条件的适应性反应以确保生殖成功提供了帮助。目前尚不清楚哪种繁殖策略在灵长类动物中占主导地位；例如，“经典模式”，即受孕与高食物供应相关；“替代模式”，即哺乳期与高食物供应相关；或“季节性”，即没有观察到出生的可识别模式。本研究将研究坦桑尼亚乌祖格瓦山脉特有的濒危的Sanje白斑猴（Cercocebus sanjei）的生殖季节性。主要目的是确定女性是否表现出生殖季节性，以及生殖模式是否受到外来因素（如食物供应）和/或内在因素（如女性主导地位和身体状况）的影响。这些变量之间的相互关系也将被研究。因此，该项目旨在了解影响灵长类动物繁殖的外在变量和内在变量之间的复杂关系，从而为灵长类动物生态学和进化生物学的重要理论领域提供信息。这项研究的智力价值包括阐明该物种的生殖生态学。将审查生殖期间成功获取能量和营养的战略，以及生殖阶段寄生的风险和食土在寄生和/或怀孕方面的作用。研究人员将收集22只成年雌三杰白眉猴在一个年周期内的社交和觅食行为数据。将收集粪便和尿液样本，分别确定生殖期和非生殖期之间的寄生虫流行情况以及能量平衡。将分析雌性所消耗的食物的营养成分，并每月监测12个生态地块，以评估栖息地内的食物供应情况。濒临灭绝的桑杰白眉猴的剩余种群只受到部分保护，并且在其分布的大部分地区受到栖息地丧失的影响。因此，这项研究的更广泛意义包括提供有关其生殖生态的信息，特别是对雌性生殖成功至关重要的资源，这是成功保护措施的关键。此外，参与该项目的坦桑尼亚人对保护工作至关重要，随之而来的知识转移将促进他们继续就业，并促进当地对坦桑尼亚生物多样性的欣赏。最后，这个项目将为研究生提供研究经验，并为博士论文提供基础。