Family Stability in Cooperative Breeding Primates

本项目是对巴西Poco das Antas保护区金狮绢毛猴行为和人口监测的延续。研究种群现在已经连续监测了13年，占保护区约346只绢毛猴的三分之一。记录了人口中每一次迁移事件的日期和情况。每个出生在研究人群中的婴儿的母性都被记录下来，并使用行为和分子遗传学技术确定可能的父亲。人口统计数据被输入到SPARKS软件中，该软件旨在追踪家谱并对圈养种群进行人口统计分析。这项研究的一个主要目的是测试有关社会和生态环境的假设，这些假设会影响这种合作繁殖的灵长类动物的出生分散时间。人口统计分析还将允许计算有效的种群规模，这是为这种濒危物种设定保护目标的重要措施。此外，我们将应用最新的粪便内分泌分析来解决有关从属雌性生殖能力的生理抑制，个体绢毛猴被迫和自愿分散以及社会支配的内分泌相关问题。最后，这个研究地点、研究人群和支持数据库将继续作为新热带研究的中心。

This project is a continuation of behavioral and demographic monitoring of golden lion tamarin monkeys in Poco das Antas Reserve, Brazil. The study population, now continuously monitored for 13 years, consists of about one third of the approximately 346 tamarins in the reserve. Date and circumstances are recorded for every migration event in the population. Maternity is recorded for each infant born into the study population and probable paternity determined using behavioral and molecular-genetic techniques. Demographic data are entered into SPARKS, software designed to track genealogies and perform demographic analyses for captive populations. One major objective of this research is to test hypotheses concerning the social and ecological circumstances that influence timing of natal dispersal in this cooperative breeding primate. Demographic analyses will also permit calculation of effective population size, an important measure for setting conservation goals for this endangered species. In addition, we will apply newly available fecal endocrine assays to address questions concerning physiological suppression of fertility in subordinate females, endocrine correlates of forced and voluntary dispersal of individual tamarins, and of social dominance. Finally, this research site, the study population, and the supporting databases will continue to serve as a center for Neotropical research.