Dissertation Research: Behavioral Ecology of Howling Monkeys (Alouatta palliata) in Nicaraguan Coffee Plantations

该项目将记录和解释生活在树荫咖啡种植园中的套头猴(Alouatta Palliata)的摄食生态、测距行为、活动模式和群体结构。我们的结果将使我们能够为理解栖息地如何影响灵长类生态和社会结构做出有价值的贡献，并制定成功纳入栖息地国家经济发展的灵长类保护计划。咖啡种植并未导致拉丁美洲森林生态系统的大范围破坏，因为咖啡通常在树木遮蔽直射阳光的情况下生长得最好。因此，森林树木被留下来遮挡咖啡；这样的种植园被称为荫凉咖啡。尽管它们在树种组成和密度上与未受干扰的森林不同，但遮荫咖啡种植园占拉丁美洲森林面积的很大一部分，并为鸟类和其他森林动物提供栖息地。研究人员将对生活在尼加拉瓜西南部蒙巴乔火山树荫咖啡种植园中的咆哮猴子进行为期15个月的研究。他们将收集三组咆哮大约1500小时的详细观测数据，详细说明它们的觅食生态、测距行为和活动模式。与种植园植被的详细数据一起，这些数据将使他们能够确定哪些树种和栖息地特征对咖啡种植园中猴子的生存至关重要。这些数据还将使研究人员能够探索有关植物食物丰度和多样性对灵长类觅食策略的影响的理论问题。最终，他们希望利用这些数据来创建一个认证项目，以咆哮的猴子作为指示物种，并将重点放在为尼加拉瓜国内外的农田野生动物保护创造社区支持。

This project will document and explain the feeding ecology, ranging behavior, activity patterns, and group structure of mantled howling monkeys (Alouatta palliata) that live in shade coffee plantations. Our results will allow us to both make valuable contributions to the understanding of how habitat affects primate ecology and social structure, as well as to develop plans for primate conservation that successfully incorporate economic development in habitat countries.Coffee cultivation has not resulted in widespread destruction of Latin America's forest ecosystems because coffee generally grows best when shaded from direct sunlight by trees. Forest trees are therefore left standing to shelter the coffee; such plantations are known as shade coffee. Although they differ from undisturbed forest in tree species composition and density, shade coffee plantations account for a significant portion of forested areas in Latin America, and provide habitat for birds and other forest animals. The researchers will conduct a 15-month study of howling monkeys that live in shade coffee plantations on Mombacho Volcano, southwestern Nicaragua. They will collect approximately 1500 hours of detailed observational data on three groups of howlers that will detail their feeding ecology, ranging behavior, and activity patters. Along with detailed data on the vegetation in the plantation, these data will allow them to determine which tree species and habitat features are vital to the survival of monkeys in coffee plantations. These data will also allow the researchers to explore theoretical issues regarding the effects of plant food abundance and diversity on primate foraging strategies. Ultimately, they hope to use these data to create a certification program for "eco-friendly" coffee using the howling monkey as an indicator species and focus for creating community support for wildlife conservation in agricultural lands, within and beyond Nicaragua.