Standing
Undergraduate
Type of Proposal
Oral Presentation
Faculty
Faculty of Science
Faculty Sponsor
Alex Wilder
Proposal
TITLE: Ecological factors influence primate vocal behaviour in a Neotrpoical Dry Forest: Habitat and behaviour in three species of monkey AUTHORS: A. Wilder, K. Switzer, K. Owen, D. Mennill ABSTRACT: Animals across many taxa use auditory signals to convey information over long distances. Animals can alter their vocal behaviour in response to environmental differences such as variation in habitat age or habitat complexity. The seasonal dry forests of the Guanacaste Conservation Area offer a unique situation to study the behaviour of primates in varying habitats as it is a large protected area of one of Earth’s most endangered ecosystems. Our research uses a bioacoustic approach to explore the relationship between vocal behaviour and the environment in three tropical primate species: Golden-Mantled Howler Monkeys (Alouatta palliata), Geoffroy’s Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi), and White-faced Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus capucinus). Understanding how behaviour relates to habitat age and vegetation complexity within a protected tropical forest can help to identify areas of particular concern. We hypothesize that habitat maturity and seasonal changes in habitat structure influence the presence of primates as well as primate vocal behaviour. We collected acoustic recordings at 44 sites within the Guanacaste Conservation Area, revisiting sites in both wet and dry seasons. We compared acoustic detections of each of the three species of monkey to vegetation characteristics, and evaluated whether monkey detections changed with time of year. We show that the vocal behaviour of all three monkey species varies with vegetation features and with the transition from the dry season to the rainy season. Our results illustrate the impacts of restoration programs and provide support for further restoration efforts in other at-risk tropical environments. KEY WORDS: Bioacoustics, Primate, Neotropical, Conservation, Alouatta palliata, Ateles geoffroyi, Cebus capucinus
Grand Challenges
Sustainable Industry
Special Considerations
I believe that my research is unique and original for our university. I currently am the only undergrad student that is study primate behaviour. I also am preparing to work with the provincial government for my masters project at GLIER and I believe that this conference can help me prepare for that project.
Ecological factors influence primate vocal behaviour in a Neotrpoical Dry Forest: Habitat and behaviour in three species of monkey
TITLE: Ecological factors influence primate vocal behaviour in a Neotrpoical Dry Forest: Habitat and behaviour in three species of monkey AUTHORS: A. Wilder, K. Switzer, K. Owen, D. Mennill ABSTRACT: Animals across many taxa use auditory signals to convey information over long distances. Animals can alter their vocal behaviour in response to environmental differences such as variation in habitat age or habitat complexity. The seasonal dry forests of the Guanacaste Conservation Area offer a unique situation to study the behaviour of primates in varying habitats as it is a large protected area of one of Earth’s most endangered ecosystems. Our research uses a bioacoustic approach to explore the relationship between vocal behaviour and the environment in three tropical primate species: Golden-Mantled Howler Monkeys (Alouatta palliata), Geoffroy’s Spider Monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi), and White-faced Capuchin Monkeys (Cebus capucinus). Understanding how behaviour relates to habitat age and vegetation complexity within a protected tropical forest can help to identify areas of particular concern. We hypothesize that habitat maturity and seasonal changes in habitat structure influence the presence of primates as well as primate vocal behaviour. We collected acoustic recordings at 44 sites within the Guanacaste Conservation Area, revisiting sites in both wet and dry seasons. We compared acoustic detections of each of the three species of monkey to vegetation characteristics, and evaluated whether monkey detections changed with time of year. We show that the vocal behaviour of all three monkey species varies with vegetation features and with the transition from the dry season to the rainy season. Our results illustrate the impacts of restoration programs and provide support for further restoration efforts in other at-risk tropical environments. KEY WORDS: Bioacoustics, Primate, Neotropical, Conservation, Alouatta palliata, Ateles geoffroyi, Cebus capucinus