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12 - Feeding ecology, frugivory and seed dispersal
- Edited by Joanna M. Setchell, University of Durham, Deborah J. Curtis, Oxford Brookes University
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- Book:
- Field and Laboratory Methods in Primatology
- Published online:
- 05 June 2012
- Print publication:
- 03 February 2011, pp 225-236
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Summary
INTRODUCTION
Frugivores are among the most diverse and abundant of tropical vertebrates. Studying them is thus a central part of tropical biology. Because fruit availability fluctuates throughout the year, most frugivores have variable diets that may include leaves, fruits, flowers and seeds, as well as insects or other animal matter. Identifying food plants and parts eaten is a critical part of this research, but can be complicated when you are studying canopy-dwelling animals in regions with diverse flora. Frugivores are often described as important ecological interactors (mutualists) because of their role as seed dispersers (Howe & Miriti, 2004). Studying plant and animal strategies simultaneously is no simple task, but doing so provides new perspectives on botany, feeding ecology, digestive physiology, coevolution and plant–animal interdependence, which may provide valuable tools for conservation (Lambert & Chapman, 2005; Link & Di Fiore, 2006; Barrera et al., 2008; Nunez-Iturri et al., 2008). Particularly in the tropics, endozoochory remains one area in which the dedicated natural historian still has much to reveal to the world of science. Here, I describe some of the methods and equipment required for animal observation, plant sample identification, and the analysis of faecal contents and feeding remains. I also give some practical advice on studying ranging, seed dispersal, gut passage times, seed germination and seedling survivorship in the field.
4 - Diets of wild spider monkeys
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- By Anthony Di Fiore, Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA, Andres Link, Center for the Study of Human Origins, Department of Anthropology, New York University, New York, NY 10003, USA, J. Lawrence Dew, Department of Biological Sciences, 2000 Lakeshore Drive, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70148, USA
- Edited by Christina J. Campbell, California State University, Northridge
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- Book:
- Spider Monkeys
- Published online:
- 05 May 2010
- Print publication:
- 25 September 2008, pp 81-137
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Summary
Introduction
The first comprehensive field study of wild spider monkeys was undertaken in Panama in the early 1930s by C. R. Carpenter. In discussing the diet of Ateles geoffroyi, Carpenter (1935) wrote, “Red spider monkeys have been classed correctly as frugivorous. It is estimated that about 90 percent of their food consists of fruit or nuts” (p. 174). Since that time, field studies of wild Ateles have consistently confirmed Carpenter's early assessment of the highly frugivorous diet of spider monkeys, to the point where they are now treated as a classic example of a frugivorous primate and are often considered to be “ripe fruit specialists” (Cant, 1977; Klein and Klein, 1977; van Roosmalen, 1985; van Roosmalen and Klein, 1988; Cant, 1990; Dew, 2005; Wallace, 2005; Di Fiore and Campbell, 2007). In this chapter, we first review what is known of the diet of wild Ateles, paying particular attention to data from long-term ecological studies. In doing so, we address the physiological and morphological adaptations for frugivory that spider monkeys have evolved, as well as the connections among diet, food resource distribution and foraging behavior that are relevant to understanding the characteristic “fission–fusion” social organization of Ateles.
From there, we move on to discussing the interesting variation seen in the diets of spider monkeys across tropical forest sites, and we address in more detail the diets of two populations of white-bellied spider monkeys (Ateles belzebuth belzebuth) which we and our colleagues and collaborators have studied over multiple years in Colombia and Ecuador.
6 - Spider monkeys as seed dispersers
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- By J. Lawrence Dew, Department of Biological Sciences, 2000 Lakeshore Drive, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, LA 70148, USA
- Edited by Christina J. Campbell, California State University, Northridge
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- Book:
- Spider Monkeys
- Published online:
- 05 May 2010
- Print publication:
- 25 September 2008, pp 155-182
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Summary
Introduction
Plants, which cannot move on their own, must rely on external forces such as wind, water, or interactions with motile organisms for pollination and seed dispersal. Dispersal away from the parent plant is vital as seeds are unlikely to survive predation or disease if they are not moved away from the crown of the parent. Additionally, the layered canopy of the tropical forest prevents as much as 98% of sunlight from reaching the ground (Gentry, 1983). Tropical canopy plants are thus under selective pressure to produce relatively large seeds, as their seedlings often require considerable energy reserves to survive in the forest understory. Large seeds are not easily dispersed by wind or water, and most tropical tree species use the vertebrate gut as a vector for dispersal (Gentry, 1983). These seeds are encased in fleshy, nutritious fruits that are swallowed by animals and defecated elsewhere, a dispersal strategy known as endozoochory (van der Pijl, 1957).
Frugivorous primates play important roles in this interaction. With their relatively large body sizes (compared with most birds, for example) and their long day ranges, primates are among the most effective dispersers of the large seeds produced by most tropical trees (Gautier-Hion et al., 1983; Bourliere, 1985; Garber, 1986; Leiberman and Lieberman, 1986; White, 1986; Gautier-Hion and Michaloud, 1989; Chapman, 1989, 1995). As a result, there could be serious community-level effects should these seed dispersers be removed from the ecosystem (Howe, 1977, 1984; Gilbert, 1980; Howe and Smallwood, 1982; Janzen, 1985; Terborgh, 1986; Cox et al.
11 - Feeding ecology and seed dispersal
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- By J. Lawrence Dew, University of California
- Edited by Joanna M. Setchell, University of Surrey, Roehampton, Deborah J. Curtis, University of Surrey, Roehampton
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- Book:
- Field and Laboratory Methods in Primatology
- Published online:
- 05 June 2012
- Print publication:
- 18 September 2003, pp 174-183
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Summary
INTRODUCTION
The study of frugivore feeding ecology is an important part of tropical biology because frugivores are among the predominant groups of tropical vertebrates in terms of species diversity and biomass. Fluctuating resource availabilities throughout the year dictate, for most frugivores, variable diets that may include leaves, fruits, flowers and seeds, as well as animal matter. Identifying food plant taxa and parts eaten is a central part of this research, and these tasks can be quite complicated when one is studying canopy-living animals in regions with diverse flora. The primary sources of information on these diets are accurate, detailed observation of feeding behaviours, the collection and classification of feeding remains, and faecal contents analysis.
Frugivores such as primates are often described as important ecological interactors (mutualists) because of their role as seed dispersers. To date, however, few studies have documented clearly the actual importance of these animals to the fleshy fruited plants on which they feed. Studying plant and animal strategies simultaneously is no simple task, but doing so provides new perspectives on botany, feeding ecology, digestive physiology, co-evolution and plant–animal interdependence, which may provide valuable tools for conservation. Particularly in the tropics, the study of endozoochory remains one area in which the dedicated natural historian still has much to reveal to the world of science. For these reasons, frugivory and seed dispersal remain topics ripe for exploration.
21 - Tips from the bush: an A-Z of suggestions for successful fieldwork
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- By Simon K. Bearder, Oxford-Brookes University, K. A. I. Nekaris, Oxford-Brookes University, Deborah J. Curtis, University of Surrey Roehampton, J. Lawrence Dew, University of California, Julia N. Lloyd, Oxford-Brookes University, Joanna M. Setchell, University of Surrey Roehampton
- Edited by Joanna M. Setchell, University of Surrey, Roehampton, Deborah J. Curtis, University of Surrey, Roehampton
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- Book:
- Field and Laboratory Methods in Primatology
- Published online:
- 05 June 2012
- Print publication:
- 18 September 2003, pp 309-323
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Summary
INTRODUCTION
This guide is designed to provide a light-hearted, yet serious, list of suggestions for improving your comfort and safety in isolated tropical locations where the facilities may be relatively basic. We hope that it will also be useful for research and travel under less arduous conditions. It has been written as both a checklist and a set of instructions, gleaned from conversations with a wide variety of fieldworkers over a number of years and through personal experience. We end with a few wise sayings relating to the environment – to keep you going in times of adversity.
A
Adaptors. Check what sort of electrical sockets to expect at your destination and take the right adaptors.
Ant-proof socks. Have you ever had the problem of army ants invading your trousers so that you have to get undressed to pull them out of your skin? Just in case you do, tuck in your trouser bottoms and use Gortex¯ over-socks. Ants are unable to negotiate the smooth material and never make it to your nether regions. These socks also keep your feet dry, since water can only pass out. Not very glamorous, but at least you can feel smug while your companions disrobe in a hurry or suffer from rotting feet.
B
Bags. Hip bags of various kinds are invaluable, and cloth bags/shoe bags of different sizes and colours can help to store things and enable you to find them quickly at the bottom of a rucksack. Large polythene bags will keep things dry and double as laundry bags (see also Zip-lock or self-seal bags).
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