Behavioral ecology, social dynamics and population recovery of neotropical primates

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My ultimate research goal is to understand how & why nonhuman primates of both sexes usually live in stable, year-round social groups, a trait rarely found in mammals. Specifically, I study how competition & cooperation affect reproductive success, foraging patterns & population dynamics in multi-male, multi-female societies. I am particularly interested in what makes some individuals, groups & populations more successful than others. Since 1983, I have tracked three species of monkeys (capuchins, howler & spider monkeys) residing in the Santa Rosa sector of the Área de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG), Costa Rica. Focusing in particular on capuchins, my research program examines the ways in which male-female & female-female competition operate within the ecological, demographic & life history constraints of the species. We document mating & reproductive strategies, population dynamics & sex differences in foraging behavior. To obtain data, we use a combination of observational methods & non-invasive techniques (e.g., fecal & urine sampling). Ours is one of the longest running field studies of neotropical primates. In the next 5 years, we will incorporate GIS analyses, new lab techniques & collaborations that integrate life history & population datasets from diverse field sites. ACG is the site of a major restoration project to regenerate tropical dry forest previously disturbed by centuries of agricultural and logging activities. Over the past 27 years, my team has documented the return of primate populations to these regenerating forests, documenting species & sex differences in population recovery. Our long-term study of reproductive & ecological patterns in these monkeys goes to the heart of debates about the adaptive value of sociality & the dynamics of male-female competition & cooperation in primates. As well, our study of their population growth patterns has applied value with respect to conservation management programs for mammalian populations in recovering habitats.