Doctoral Dissertation Improvement: Analysis of Behavioral Flexibility and Intra-Group Feeding Competition in the Sanje Mangabey (Cercocebus sanjei), Udzungwa Mountains, Tanzania

博士论文改进：坦桑尼亚乌宗瓦山脉 Sanje Mangabey (Cercocebus sanjei) 的行为灵活性和组内进食竞争分析

• 批准号: 1061454
• 负责人: Joanna Lambert
• 金额: $ 1.6万
• 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: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-03-15 至 2012-02-29
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1061454&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Doctoral; Dissertation; Improvement; Analysis; Behavioral

Results from this study contribute to a better understanding of behavioral flexibility and spatial dimensions of social behavior, and will add considerably to the limited knowledge of wild Cercocebus mangabey behavior. Evidence from this study of significant behavioral flexibility in the Sanje mangabey could predict enhanced long-term population viability of this endemic primate, and will inform Tanzania's conservation management planning for this endangered species. The project will contribute to local development by providing training in both primate behavior and ecological monitoring research techniques.Fluctuations in the distribution and abundance of food items in the environment are thought to impact the level and type of competition for these resources experienced between members of a social group. Primate socioecological models predict how these fluctuations, in turn, affect adult female social relationships. Existing models have undergone revisions and extensions, but mismatches remain between the models' predictions and the behavior observed in some primate species. This project tests whether behavioral flexibility can mitigate intra-group feeding competition and act as a critical influence on the social relationships exhibited. Specifically, this research examines social and feeding strategies used by the Sanje mangabey (Cercocebus sanjei) to alleviate competition for resources, within a variant competitive context. A combination of focal animal and group scans are used to collect dietary and behavioral data. These investigate (i) how dominance affects spatial position of individuals within the group and foraging efficiency, (ii) the ecological conditions responsible for variable inter-individual spacing and subgrouping, and (iii) flexibility in foraging behavior and cheek pouch use. Resource distribution and availability are monitored using vegetation transects and phenology plots within the study groups home range, and daily ranging data are collected using handheld GPS locators.

本研究的结果有助于更好地了解行为的灵活性和社会行为的空间维度，并将大大增加野生长尾猴行为的有限知识。这项研究的证据显着的行为灵活性在Sanje mangabey可以预测增强这种地方性灵长类动物的长期种群生存能力，并将告知坦桑尼亚的保护管理规划这一濒危物种。该项目将通过提供灵长类动物行为和生态监测研究技术方面的培训，为当地发展做出贡献。人们认为，环境中食物项目的分布和丰富程度的波动会影响社会群体成员之间对这些资源的竞争水平和类型。 灵长类动物的社会生态模型预测了这些波动如何反过来影响成年女性的社会关系。现有的模型已经经历了修订和扩展，但模型的预测和在一些灵长类物种中观察到的行为之间仍然存在不匹配。这个项目测试了行为灵活性是否可以减轻群体内的摄食竞争，并对所表现出的社会关系产生关键影响。 具体而言，本研究探讨了社会和喂养的Sanje mangabey（Cercocebus sanjei），以减轻资源竞争的战略，在一个变量的竞争环境。焦点动物和组扫描的组合用于收集饮食和行为数据。这些调查（一）优势如何影响组内的个人和觅食效率的空间位置，（二）负责变量个体间的间距和分组的生态条件，及（iii）灵活性觅食行为和颊囊使用。资源分布和可用性进行监测，使用植被样带和物候图内的研究组的家庭范围，每天的测距数据收集使用手持GPS定位器。