Temporal variation and age influence activity budget more than sex and reproductive status in wild brown howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba clamitans) inhabiting a large, continuous forest
Isabella Mello, Claudio Alvarenga de Oliveira, Gisela Sobral
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Activity budget analyses are important for understanding how animals spend their time in daily activities like resting, foraging, moving and socializing. These behaviors are closely linked to energy management, so habitat quality and resource availability are known to influence the activity budgets of species. Therefore, many studies have examined the consequences of habitat loss and fragmentation on the energetic demands and activity budgets of species. However, we still have limited knowledge of how animals behave in large, continuous, and protected environments, as such habitats are currently rare. The present study analyzed how temporal variation, age, sex and reproductive status influenced the activity budget of wild red howler monkeys (Alouatta guariba clamitans), in one of the last Atlantic Forest remnants that remains large and protected. Between November 2017 and December 2018, we monitored two groups, G3 and G4, in Parque Estadual Carlos Botelho, São Paulo, Brazil. The groups were composed of one adult male, two adult females and their offspring and one (G3) or two (G4) subadult males, using scan sampling for behavioral for data collection every 20 min. The most common behavior was resting, followed by foraging, moving and social interactions, with inter-group differences. Temporal variation explained most of the fluctuations in the activity budget, so did age and sex, but to a lesser degree. The reproductive status of females did not alter their activity budget. These findings reveal that even neighboring groups display distinct and intricate relationships with their habitat. Future studies should be conducted in continuous forests to determine what is the expected range of variation in activity budget, particularly in those species considered as flexible and inhabiting endangered habitats, such as the Atlantic Forest.
期刊介绍:
Primates is an international journal of primatology whose aim is to provide a forum for the elucidation of all aspects of primates. The oldest primatological journal, Primates publishes original papers that advance the scientific study of primates, and its scope embraces work in diverse fields covering biological bases of behavior, socio-ecology, learning and cognition, social processes, systematics, evolution, and medicine. Contributions relevant to conservation of natural populations and welfare of captive primates are welcome. Studies focusing on nonprimate species may be considered if their relevance to primatology is clear. Original Articles as well as Review Articles, News and Perspectives, and Book Reviews are included. All manuscripts received are initially screened for suitability by members of the Editorial Board, taking into account style and ethical issues, leading to a swift decision about whether to send the manuscript for external review.