Abstract
Strategic microhabitat selection allows animals in seasonally cold environments to reduce homeostatic energy costs, particularly overnight when thermoregulatory demands are greatest. Suitable sleeping areas may therefore represent important resources for winter survival. Knowledge of microhabitat use and potential impacts of anthropogenic habitat modification can aid species conservation through development of targeted habitat management plans. Wild, endangered Barbary macaques (Macaca sylvanus) in logged cedar-oak forest were studied to investigate (1) the hypothesis that macaques select winter sleeping areas with microhabitat characteristics that may reduce thermoregulatory costs, and, if so, (2) how to minimize damage to sleeping areas from logging. Macaques slept only in Atlas cedars (Cedrus atlantica). Consistent with predictions, macaques preferred sleeping in sheltered topography and dense vegetation, which may reduce exposure to wind, precipitation and cold, and preferred large trees that facilitate social huddling. This suggests that Barbary macaques employ strategic nocturnal microhabitat selection to reduce thermoregulatory costs and thus suitable sleeping areas may influence winter survival. To minimize negative impacts of logging on macaque sleeping areas, results suggest avoiding logging in topographical depressions and maintaining cedar densities greater than 250 ha−1 with average breast height greater than 60 cm. This study demonstrates how animal behaviour can be used to guide species-specific habitat management plans.
Highlights
Identification of resources important for a species’ survival can allow targeted habitat conservation and management strategies
The aims of this study were to provide the first characterization of wild Barbary macaques’ sleeping areas, determine whether microhabitat selection is consistent with the hypothesis that sleeping areas contribute to winter energy conservation and are valuable to survival, and if so, to provide advice on how to minimize damage to these important resources from timber extraction
No trees were recorded because macaques were already awake when observers arrived or because of not studying the groups the following morning, so the topography of these sleeping sites was recorded, but tree plots could not be sampled, Table 1
Summary
Identification of resources important for a species’ survival can allow targeted habitat conservation and management strategies. Small-scale variations in habitat can produce dramatically different microclimates [5] and so reducing homeostatic energy costs through strategic microhabitat selection can increase the probability of winter survival [5,8,10]. I.e. grouping with other individuals to regulate body temperature, is employed by many animals to reduce cold stress [15,16], but microhabitat characteristics can limit the number of individuals able to participate, which is key to the magnitude of energy conservation that social thermoregulation confers [15]. Strategic selection of winter sleeping areas with sheltered topography, dense vegetation and that facilitate social thermoregulation can reduce nocturnal heat loss and homeostatic energy costs, thereby increasing the likelihood of surviving the period of winter energy deficit. Incorporating knowledge of microhabitat characteristics used by animals to enhance survival into habitat management plans, and understanding how these microhabitat characteristics are influenced by anthropogenic activities, can aid conservation strategies
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
