Doctoral Dissertation Research: Habitat Effects on Positional Behavior and Fine Branch Use in Arboreal Cercopithecid Monkeys

对解剖学、进化和行为感兴趣的生物学家和人类学家依靠这些元素的相互关系来解释现存和灭绝的灵长类动物的形态和行为适应。 然而，复杂的相互作用的系统发育史，目前的行为专业化，和栖息地的特点，使这项工作很难。 更具体地说，存在的争论是否灵长类动物的位置行为和支持使用的渠道和固定的基础上系统发育的限制，或高度灵活和特定的上下文。 缺乏研究调查的位置行为和支持使用不同的栖息地和季节的变化，导致对灵长类动物的适应和使用给定的栖息地的假设。 这些问题挑战了形态学家和生态学家，他们致力于构建灵长类物种位置行为的“典型”轮廓，这些轮廓最终用于重建进化历史。 这些问题在非洲树栖猕猴的研究中变得特别相关。两个网站（泰森林，象牙海岸，和Kibale森林，乌干达）之间的多个类群的比较研究结果不同的位置行为和支持使用的某些方面，特别是红疣猴（Piliocolobus badius），这是在两个网站进行了研究。 这表明栖息地对位置行为和支持使用的影响需要进一步研究。Aronsen先生的研究将通过比较乌干达基巴莱国家公园内Ngogo的三种树栖猴（红疣猴、红尾猴和灰颊白眉猴）的位置行为、支持使用和栖息地偏好，为这一争论做出贡献。 Aronsen先生将使用连续焦点采样和对每个物种中高度习惯化群体的群体扫描来记录位置行为和支持使用的数据。 栖息地结构和使用模式将使用每日跟踪，样带和物候调查。 主要重点将放在罚款分支使用所有分类群，因为这些最小的可用支持觅食的一个关键领域，他们也是最难导航，从而表明不同的位置和支持的偏好分类群和身体大小。 然后，这些数据将与邻近的Kanyawara（所有三个物种）和Tai森林（P. badius）的类似数据进行比较。 虽然他的研究将研究灵长类动物进化生物学中的一个重要问题，但它也将为保护灵长类动物及其栖息地的决定提供信息。 通过研究它们的行为在森林干扰或伐木的情况下是多么灵活或静态，人们可以评估人类对灵长类种群整体健康和生存的潜在影响。 他还将与乌干达研究人员和实地助理合作，分享他的成果和方法，以增加对这些问题的了解。 这项研究还将使他能够培训和教育学生进一步研究非人灵长类动物在其原生栖息地。 最后，他的结论将提供给其他研究人员，以比较非洲以外的其他灵长类物种和栖息地，从而开发出一个更全面的灵长类生物学，行为和进化的画像。

Biologists and anthropologists interested in anatomy, evolution, and behavior rely on the interrelationship of these elements to interpret both living and extinct primate morphological and behavioral adaptations. However, the complex interaction of phylogenetic history, current behavioral specializations, and habitat characteristics makes this exercise difficult. More specifically, debate exists on whether primate positional behavior and support use are canalized and fixed based on phylogenetic constraints, or are highly flexible and context specific. The lack of studies investigating variation in positional behavior and support use across habitats and seasons leads to assumptions concerning primate adaptations and the use of a given habitat. These issues challenge morphologists and ecologists engaged in constructing "typical" profiles of positional behavior for primate species, which are ultimately used to reconstruct evolutionary history. These questions have become particularly relevant in the study of African arboreal cercopithecid monkeys. Results of comparative studies of multiple taxa between two sites (Tai Forest, Ivory Coast, and Kibale Forest, Uganda) vary in certain aspects of positional behavior and support use, especially for the red colobus monkey (Piliocolobus badius), which was studied at both sites. This suggests that the influence of habitat on positional behavior and support use requires further study.Mr. Aronsen's research would contribute to this debate by comparing positional behavior, support use, and habitat preferences in three arboreal monkeys (red colobus, Piliocolobus badius; redtailed monkeys, Cercopithecus ascanius; and grey-cheeked mangabeys, Lophocebus albigena) at Ngogo, located within the Kibale National Park of Uganda. Mr. Aronsen will record data on positional behavior and support use using continuous focal sampling and group scans of highly habituated groups in each species. Habitat structure and patterns of use will be measured using daily follows, transects, and phenological surveys. Primary focus will be placed on fine branch use in all taxa, as these smallest available supports represent a key area for foraging; they are also the most difficult to navigate, thus indicating varying positional and support preferences across taxa and body sizes. These data will then be compared to similar data available from neighboring Kanyawara (for all three species) and the Tai forest (for P. badius).Mr. Aronsen's research has broad implications beyond the study of Kibale monkeys. While his study will examine a significant problem in primate evolutionary biology, it will also inform decisions regarding conservation of primates and their habitats. By examining how flexible or static their behavior is given forest disturbance or logging, one can evaluate the potential impact humans may have on a primate population's overall health and survival. He will also collaborate with Ugandan researchers and field assistants, and share his results and methods to increase knowledge of these issues. This research will also allow him to train and educate students to further study nonhuman primates in their native habitat. Finally, his conclusions will be made available for other researchers to compare other primate species and habitats beyond Africa, thus developing a more comprehensive portrait of primate biology, behavior, and evolution.