Primate Ecology and Conservation

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A fundamental issue in ecology is determining factors regulating animal density and debate over this issue is dichotomized between bottom-up verses top-down processes. Understanding determinants of animal abundance has taken on a new importance with the need to develop informed management plans for endangered species. With respect to primates, these theoretical issues are critical because tropical forests are undergoing rapid anthropogenic transformation. While there is great concern over these threats, there are few studies that go beyond providing obvious solutions (e.g., decrease hunting). This is due to the fact that the tools to evaluate the relative importance of the many potential factors have not been developed and to the lack of long-term data. My research will provide a new set of integrative tools to understand the importance of factors proposed to influence population dynamics. It will test the application of these tools from the individual level (individual fitness), to the group level, and finally to a landscape level.