Ecological Partitioning of Cercopithecus campbelli, C. petaurista, and C. diana in the Taï Forest

Abstract

I determined the degree of ecological partitioning among 3 species of guenons (Cercopithecus campbelli, C. petaurista, and C. diana) in the Tai Forest, Cote d’Ivoire and used the partitioning data to understand competitive relationships among them. Over a 13-mo period, I measured ecological partitioning in terms of food and canopy stratum use for 2 habituated groups of each guenon species and also collected data on food availability. I found that the study species diverged primarily in food items consumed and vertical strata occupied. Cercopithecus petaurista ate much more foliage than the other species did and used mostly the middle strata (5–20 m). Cercopithecus diana ate primarily fruit and used mostly the upper strata (>20 m). Cercopithecus campbelli ate mostly fruit together with large amounts of animal matter and primarily occupied the ground and low strata (<5 m). Of the specific pairs, the diets of Cercopithecus campbelli/C. diana overlapped the most overall and decreased during the season of low fruit availability. Cercopithecus campbelli and C. diana age/sex classes also overlapped more than the age/sex classes of other species pairs. The results suggest that the potential for competition was more intense for Cercopithecus campbelli/C.diana relations than it is for other species pairs. I compare my results from Tai with those from other primate and guenon communities and demonstrate that dietary overlaps and seasonal dietary divergence are lower in Tai than in most other guenon communities.