A Maximum Entropy Model of the Bearded Capuchin Monkey Habitat Incorporating Topography and Spectral Unmixing Analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT:Movement patterns of bearded capuchin monkeys (Cebus (Sapajus) libidinosus) in northeastern Brazil are likely impacted by environmental features such as elevation, vegetation density, or vegetation type. Habitat preferences of these monkeys provide insights regarding the impact of environmental features on species ecology and the degree to which they incorporate these features in movement decisions. In order to evaluate environmental features influencing movement patterns and predict areas suitable for movement, we employed a maximum entropy modelling approach, using observation points along capuchin monkey daily routes as species presence points. We combined these presence points with spatial data on important environmental features from remotely sensed data on land cover and topography. A spectral mixing analysis procedure was used to generate fraction images that represent green vegetation, shade and soil of the study area. A Landsat Thematic Mapper scene of the area of study was geometrically and atmospherically corrected and used as input in a Minimum Noise Fraction (MNF) procedure and a linear spectral unmixing approach was used to generate the fraction images. These fraction images and elevation were the environmental layer inputs for our logistic MaxEnt model of capuchin movement. Our models' predictive power (test AUC) was 0.775. Areas of high elevation (>450 m) showed low probabilities of presence, and percent green vegetation was the greatest overall contributor to model AUC. This work has implications for predicting daily movement patterns of capuchins in our field site, as suitability values from our model may relate to habitat preference and facility of movement.

Ingestive behaviors in bearded capuchins (Sapajus libidinosus)

“…Sapajus libidinosus (bearded capuchins) were studied in a population inhabiting the area in and around the site of Fazenda Boa Vista from May to June 2015. This site occupies privately owned land in the Cerrado-Caatinga (open woodland) ecotone in Gilbués, Piauí, Brazil (9° 39′ S, 45° 25′ W) 55,56 . The region has low-nutrient sandy soils and highly seasonal and interannually variable precipitation, 800-1600 mm, with the vast majority of this precipitation coming in November-April 54 .…”

“…The region has low-nutrient sandy soils and highly seasonal and interannually variable precipitation, 800-1600 mm, with the vast majority of this precipitation coming in November-April 54 . Sandstone ridges, pinnacles, and mesas rising steeply to 20-100 m above the plain punctuate the landscape 56 . The site is approximately 420 m.a.s.l.…”

Positional behavior and substrate use in wild adult bearded capuchin monkeys (Sapajus libidinosus)

“…The study was conducted at Fazenda Boa Vista (FBV), privately owned land in the Cerrado‐Caatinga (open woodland) ecotone in Gilbués, Piauí, Brazil (9° 39'S, 45° 25'W; Howard et al, ; Oliveira & Marquis, ).…”

Navigating in a three-dimensional world

“…Some prior studies have incorporated the vertical dimension of movement in discussions of nonhuman primate movement patterns by linking elevation to visibility of resource sites (e.g., Di Fiore & Suarez 2007;Noser & Byrne 2007a). Draping the movements of nonhuman primates onto a digital elevation model of their habitat allows us to consider the energetic and viewpoint effects resulting from the vertical component of movement on a terrestrial substrate (e.g., Howard et al 2012). However, the greater vertical complexity of moving through multilayer environments (e.g., arboreal and terrestrial) and its effects on adaptive movement choice are not considered using this technique.…”