IRES Track I: Behavioral Ecology, Demography and Conservation of Primates in the Humid Chaco of Argentina

该项目将培养美国学生进行研究，有助于了解哺乳动物和灵长类动物社会的进化以及生态和社会因素如何影响其结构和功能。学生们将进行研究项目，以检查是否与捕食者和竞争对手（如coatis，吼猴）的相互作用影响猫头鹰猴一夫一妻制群体和单独的飞蚊症不同。这些项目是在行为生态学、人口统计学和灵长类动物保护领域内开发的，将在阿根廷潮湿的查科的猫头鹰猴项目内进行。这个IRES网站将利用一个成功的23岁的国际研究计划，提供机会，以18名本科生从全国招收小学本科院校。学生将在为期8周的夏季研究体验之前，期间和之后接受培训，网络机会和指导。社会效益除其他外，将包括一系列免费提供的教育材料，供生物人类学和灵长类动物学课程使用（英文和西班牙文）。该项目将有助于一项研究计划，该计划正在为哺乳动物和灵长类动物交配和社会系统的进化研究做出理论和经验贡献。学生活动将在猫头鹰猴项目中开展，该项目自1996年以来一直在研究一夫一妻制的猫头鹰猴（Aotus azarae）。猫头鹰猴是世界上少数几种一夫一妻制的灵长类动物之一，也是美洲唯一一种有夜间活动习惯的灵长类动物，也是哺乳动物中两种具有最极端形式的父爱的灵长类动物之一。为了进一步了解一夫一妻制，配对和父亲照顾的机制和演变，学生们将进行研究，以评估猫头鹰猴孤飞者和居民成年人之间的竞争对猫头鹰猴种群的人口统计学，生活史和遗传相关性的影响。在夏季实地考察之前的春季，学生将参加在线课程，向他们介绍灵长类动物行为和生态学的关键概念，并指导他们设计高质量的可行研究项目。学生将在PI和4名外国合作者的指导和指导下，在现场收集，策划和分析数据。回到美国后，参与者将通过虚拟会议接受数据分析和科学写作方面的额外培训和指导。在秋季学期结束时，参与者将在专业会议上介绍他们的项目。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为是值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估的支持。

This project will train U.S. students to conduct research that contributes to understanding the evolution of mammal and primate societies and how ecological and social factors influence their structure and functioning. The students will conduct research projects to examine if the interactions with predators and competitors (e.g. coatis, howler monkeys) influence owl monkey monogamous groups and solitary floaters differently. Developed within the fields of behavioral ecology, demography and conservation of primates, the projects will be conducted within the Owl Monkey Project in the Humid Chaco of Argentina. This IRES site will leverage a successful 23-year-old international research program to offer opportunities to 18 undergraduate students recruited nationally from Primarily Undergraduate Institutions. The students will receive training, networking opportunities and mentorship before, during and after the 8-week summer research experience. Societal benefits will include, among other things, a series of freely available educational materials for use in biological anthropology and primatology courses (in both English and Spanish). The project will contribute to a research program that is making theoretical and empirical contributions to the study of the evolution of mating and social systems in mammals and primates. The student activities will be developed within the Owl Monkey Project, which has been studying monogamous owl monkeys (Aotus azarae) without interruption since 1996. Owl monkeys are one of the few monogamous primates in the world, the only primate genus with nocturnal habits in the Americas, and one of two primates with the most extreme forms of paternal care among mammals. To further understand the mechanisms and evolution of monogamy, pair-bonding, and paternal care, the students will conduct studies contributing to an evaluation of the influence that the competition between owl monkey solitary floaters and resident adults has on the demography, life-history and genetic correlates of the owl monkey population. In the spring prior to summer field work, students will participate in an online course to introduce them to key concepts in primate behavior and ecology, and to guide them designing high-quality feasible research projects. Students will spend 8 weeks in the field collecting, curating and analyzing data under the guidance and mentoring of the PIs and 4 foreign collaborators. Back in the US, participants will receive additional training and mentoring in data analysis and scientific writing via virtual meetings. At the end of the fall semester, participants will present their projects at a professional meeting.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.