Are howler monkey species ecologically equivalent? Trophic niche overlap in syntopic<i>Alouatta guariba clamitans</i>and<i>Alouatta caraya</i>

Agostini, Ilaria; Holzmann, Ingrid; Bitetti, Mario S. Di

doi:10.1002/ajp.20775

Cited by 51 publications

(71 citation statements)

References 65 publications

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“…This represents a much higher proportion of dietary overlap than that found in the present study and may play an important role in maintaining the essentially parapatric distribution of howler species throughout the Neotropics (Agostini et al 2010). Similarly, Sushma and Singh (2006) found a dietary overlap value of 0.56 between Macaca silenus and M. radiata in the rain forests of the Central Western Ghats, South India, combined with behavioral intolerance between these species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 42%

Habitat Use and Trophic Niche Overlap of Two Sympatric Colobines, Presbytis potenziani and Simias concolor, on Siberut Island, Indonesia

et al. 2011

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According to ecological theory, the concept of niche differentiation is essential to our understanding of how sympatric species can limit competition over resources. We here examine ecological niche differentiation in 2 sympatric Asian langurs, Presbytis potenziani and Simias concolor, both endemic to the Mentawai Islands off the west coast of Sumatra. We collected data (home range size, canopy use, activity budgets, diet, and niche breadth and overlap) using GPS and scan/focal animal sampling methods on 2 groups of Presbytis potenziani and 3 groups of Simias concolor living in a mixed primary rain forest in northern Siberut. Results show that home ranges of the 2 species overlapped completely and that the home range size of Presbytis potenziani was ca. 4 times larger than that of Simias concolor. Lower canopy levels (<20 m) were used more often by Simias concolor, whereas Presbytis potenziani preferred the canopy >20 m. Apart from foraging and other activities, there was little difference in overall activity budgets of the 2 species. Regarding diet, although 60% of all food species examined were used by both langur species, they shared only 3 of the 10 most commonly eaten species. Presbytis potenziani fed more selectively on fruits, whereas Simias concolor fed predominantly on leaves. Levin's Int niche breadth indices revealed that the diet of Simias concolor is more general (0.34) than that of Presbytis potenziani (0.22). Based on a Pianka index of 0.32, we conclude that there is a relatively small food niche overlap between the 2 colobine species and that diet represents an important mechanism enabling their coexistence.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 42%

Habitat Use and Trophic Niche Overlap of Two Sympatric Colobines, Presbytis potenziani and Simias concolor, on Siberut Island, Indonesia

et al. 2011

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“…Our results did not support the infanticide avoidance hypothesis because the presence of unweaned infants in the group did not influence the roaring behavior of males or females. There is an ample trophic niche overlap between the two howler species at our study site, with high potential for interspecific food competition (Agostini et al 2010a). Dietary overlap of specific food items was high: 45.64% (SE02.97) according to the percentage index and 0.60 (± 0.05 SE) according to the Morisita-Horn index (C H ) (Agostini et al 2010a).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…I. Holzmann and I. Agostini monitored the selected trees on a monthly basis and estimated the abundance of each phenophase (young leaves, mature-senile leaves, flower buds, flowers, unripe fruits, and ripe fruits) (Agostini et al 2010a). Based on the observed pattern of food availability, we divided the study into two periods: an "abundant season" (September-April) and a "lean season" (May-August; Agostini et al 2010a). …”

Section: Vegetation Surveymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Natural hybridization has been reported for some howler species (Agostini et al 2008;Aguiar et al 2007Aguiar et al , 2008Bicca-Marques et al 2008;Cortés-Ortiz et al 2007) and in most sites where syntopy between howler species was recorded, a relatively high proportion of mixed groups (composed by individuals of both species) and putative hybrids are observed (Aguiar et al 2007;Bicca-Marques et al 2008;Cortés-Ortiz et al 2007). In areas of syntopy with a low frequency of mixed species groups and reduced natural hybridization, members of different species potentially face high competition for food resources (Agostini et al 2010a) but low competition for sexual partners. Thus, these areas provide a unique opportunity to conduct a comparative study to test the ultimate explanations of the roaring behavior of howlers.…”

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confidence: 95%

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Roaring Behavior of Two Syntopic Howler Species (Alouatta caraya and A. guariba clamitans): Evidence Supports the Mate Defense Hypothesis

2012

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Long-distance calls are loud vocalizations involved in within and between group communication in animals. These calls may maintain cohesion with group members or communicate the ownership of valuable resources such as territory, food, or mates to individuals from other groups. In howlers (Alouatta spp.), three nonmutually exclusive hypotheses suggest that the ultimate function of roaring (howling) behavior is to protect resources from neighboring groups. The space/food defense hypothesis maintains that roars are used to gain exclusive access to food; the mate defense hypothesis holds that roars ensure exclusive access to mates; and the infanticide avoidance hypothesis states that the roaring behavior serves to avoid male takeovers and infanticide. To test these three hypotheses, we conducted a study on black-and-gold howlers (Alouatta caraya) and brown howlers (A. guariba clamitans) living in syntopy at El Piñalito provincial park in northeast Argentina. We recorded 12 mo of data on the roaring behavior of two groups of each species, along with data on food availability and diet. Although all four groups overlapped extensively in their use of food resources during the study period, roars occurred much more frequently during interactions between groups of the same species than between groups of different species. Roaring frequency was not higher during the lean season, when high-quality food was less abundant. Howlers did not roar more frequently at home range boundaries, nor were roaring bouts spatially associated with valuable feeding resources. Males participated in all of the roaring bouts, whereas females participated in only 29% of them. Adults did not roar more frequently when there were unweaned infants in the group, as expected if roaring behavior decreases infanticide risk. These Int J Primatol (2012) 33:338-355

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“…Howler monkeys generally live in parapatric distributions because of their high level of niche overlap; living in forest fragments may lead to high population densities, unnatural closeness of different howler monkey species, and ultimately hybridization (Aguiar et al 2008 ;Bonilla-Sánchez et al 2010 ;Agostini et al 2010 ). In other cases, fragmentation can reduce dispersal rates, leading to dangerous inbreeding depression (Oklander et al 2010 ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Anthropogenic Habitat Modification, Tourist Interactions and Crop-Raiding in Howler Monkeys

2014

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In this chapter, we review how anthropogenic disturbance specifi cally impacts members of the genus Alouatta , one of the most geographically expansive and ecologically fl exible of platyrrhine groups. This report initiates with a brief discussion of the use of matrix landscapes, the effects of ecotourism, and the potential for crop-raiding by howler monkeys. We then present three case studies of howler monkey responses to these challenges. We found that tourism in Suriname leads to greater travel and foraging time and poorer health for A. macconnelli. A. palliata in Costa Rica living in an agricultural matrix respond to habitat modification through active crop-raiding, and A. pigra in Mexico provide an illustration of how to evaluate remnant monkey populations for potential ecotourism. The chapter concludes with recommendations for encouraging shared landscapes with howler monkeys, including ways to minimize crop damage by monkeys and ways to encourage sustainable, conservation-based ecotourism.Resumen En este capítulo, revisamos cómo los disturbios antropogénicos impactan de manera directa a los miembros del género Alouatta , los cuales son platirrinos con una amplia distribución geográfi ca y notable plasticidad ecológica para adaptarse a su entorno. Iniciamos con una breve discusión sobre el uso de la matriz del paisaje, un análisis de los efectos del ecoturismo y el papel de los monos aulladores en el uso de los recursos que contienen los agrosistemas. Presentamos tres casos de estudio en los que se muestra la respuesta de los monos aulladores a estos desafíos. Encontramos que el turismo en Surinam promueve un mayor tiempo de viaje y

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Are howler monkey species ecologically equivalent? Trophic niche overlap in syntopicAlouatta guariba clamitansandAlouatta caraya

Cited by 51 publications

References 65 publications

Habitat Use and Trophic Niche Overlap of Two Sympatric Colobines, Presbytis potenziani and Simias concolor, on Siberut Island, Indonesia

Habitat Use and Trophic Niche Overlap of Two Sympatric Colobines, Presbytis potenziani and Simias concolor, on Siberut Island, Indonesia

Roaring Behavior of Two Syntopic Howler Species (Alouatta caraya and A. guariba clamitans): Evidence Supports the Mate Defense Hypothesis

Anthropogenic Habitat Modification, Tourist Interactions and Crop-Raiding in Howler Monkeys

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