Nutritional Ecology of Ateles chamek in lowland Bolivia: How Macronutrient Balancing Influences Food Choices

Abstract

All free-living animals must make choices regarding which foods to eat, with the choices influencing their health and fitness. An important goal in nutritional ecology is therefore to understand what governs animals' diet selection. Despite large variation in the availability of different food items, Peruvian spider monkeys (Ateles chamek) maintain a relatively stable daily protein intake, but allow total energy intake to vary as a function of the composition of available food items. This is referred to as protein-dominated macronutrient balancing. Here we assess the influence of this nutritional strategy on daily and seasonal nutritional intakes, Int J Primatol (2009) We conducted continuous all-day observations of focal spider monkeys inhabiting a semideciduous forest in Bolivia. We recorded feeding events, collected foods, and analyzed their nutrient content. By using the Geometric Framework for nutrition, we show that individuals reached their daily end-point in nutrient space -balance between protein and nonprotein energy intake-by consuming nutritionally balanced foods or by alternating between nutritionally complementary foods. The macronutritionally balanced figs of Ficus boliviana were their primary staple food and therefore dominated their overall nutritional intake. Our results also demonstrate that spider monkeys consumed a diverse array of ripe fruits to overcome periods of fig scarcity rather than vice versa; they could obtain sufficient protein on a diet of pure fruit; and unripe figs constituted a nutritionally rewarding and reliable food resource. We hope that the approaches taken and the conclusions reached in this study will catalyze further inquiries into the nutritional ecology of frugivorous primates.

Influence of climatic variables, forest type, and condition on activity patterns of geoffroyi's spider monkeys throughout Mesoamerica

“…Similarly, feeding time was significantly higher in nonseasonal forests (TWF). Spider monkeys have been reported to spend more time feeding during the rainy season [Chaves et al, 2011b;Felton et al, 2009], possibly because feeding is an energetically costly activity that needs to be minimized during the dry season a The best models were selected through backward stepwise regression analyses. We indicated the adjusted R 2 and Akaike's Information Criterion for each regression model.…”

“…[ Dunbar et al, 2009;Korstjens et al, 2010]. Felton et al [2009] and Chaves et al [2011b] also interpret greater feeding time in the rainy season as a strategy for spider monkeys to take advantage of peak seasonal foods allowing them to ingest surplus energy and store it as fat in preparation for the impending period of food scarcity. Other primate species accumulate fat during peaks of fruit abundance [Pongo pygmaeus : Knott, 1998; Lemur catta and Eulemur sp.…”

The nature of nutrition: a unifying framework

“…A recent example where nutritional geometry was used to understand the habitat requirements of a priority conservation species was the study of Peruvian spider monkeys, Ateles chamek, in their natural forested habitat in Bolivia (Felton et al 2009a(Felton et al , 2009b. Felton first spent five months habituating the monkeys.…”

“…The study of Felton et al (2009aFelton et al ( , 2009b has several implications for understanding the habitat requirements of Peruvian spider monkeys. First, the results provide an estimate of the position of the macronutrient intake target of monkeys, and suggest that figs (Ficus spp.)…”

Match and mismatch: conservation physiology, nutritional ecology and the timescales of biological adaptation

“…Although no equivalent study has been done in the context of conservation, we have made a start by measuring the responses of two endangered primates to variation in the composition of naturally encountered foods in the wild. Felton et al [136,137] combined field observations with laboratory analyses of food compositions to estimate the intake target of Peruvian spider monkeys (Ateles chamek) and test the responses of these primates to natural variation in food composition. Geometric analysis showed that the monkeys held protein intake considerably more constant than non-protein energy, thus showing a rule of compromise similar to that described for humans (figure 9).…”