Abstract
Understanding the determinants of ranging patterns in species susceptible to habitat fragmentation is fundamental for assessing their long-term adaptability to an increasingly human-dominated landscape. The aim of this study was to determine and compare the influence of ground-based food availability, remotely sensed plant productivity, and indigenous forest use on the ranging patterns of the endangered samango monkey (Cercopithecus albogularis schwarzi). We collected monthly ranging data on two habituated samango monkey groups, from February 2012 to December 2016, from our field site in the Soutpansberg Mountains, South Africa. We used linear mixed models to explore how food availability, plant productivity, and indigenous forest use influenced monthly ranging patterns, while controlling for group size, number of sample days and day length. We found that as more areas of high plant productivity (derived from remotely sensed EVI) were incorporated into the ranging area, both total and core monthly ranging areas decreased. In addition, both total ranging area and mean monthly daily path length decreased as more indigenous forest was incorporated into the ranging area. However, we found no effect of either ground-based food availability or remotely sensed plant productivity on ranging patterns. Our findings demonstrate the behavioral flexibility in samango monkey ranging, as samangos can utilize matrix habitat during periods of low productivity but are ultimately dependent on access to indigenous forest patches. In addition, we highlight the potential of using remotely sensed areas of high plant productivity to predict ranging patterns in a small ranging, forest-dwelling guenon, over ground-based estimates of food availability.
Highlights
Habitat loss and fragmentation are the most significant causes of global biodiversity loss (Fahrig 2003; Lindenmayer & Fischer 2006)
We found no effect of ground-based food availability (Table 1) or remotely sensed plant productivity (Table 2) on the monthly ranging area, monthly core area, or mean monthly DPL
We explored the influence of food availability, plant productivity, and indigenous forest use on the monthly ranging patterns of the endangered samango monkey in the Soutpansberg Mountains, South Africa
Summary
Habitat loss and fragmentation are the most significant causes of global biodiversity loss (Fahrig 2003; Lindenmayer & Fischer 2006). Many species rely on continuous natural forest patches for foraging, reproduction, and shelter (Saunders et al 1991; Fischer & Lindenmayer 2007) Fragmentation of these patches increases the likelihood of population declines through genetic isolation, microclimate change, decreased availability of resources, increased predation risk, and increased competition (Saunders et al 1991; Fahrig 2003; Haddad et al 2015). In particular, have been shown to have considerable flexibility in their ranging patterns in response to fluctuations in resource availability (CluttonBrock 1975; Di Bitetti 2001; Bartlett 2009) This relationship is more pronounced in frugivorous primates than in folivorous primates (Clutton-Brock 1977) due to the higher spatiotemporal fluctuations in fruit availability compared to leaves (Janson & Chapman 1999), and owing to the fact that fruit has a shorter digestion time than leaves (Demment & Laca 1991). The ability of a species to adapt to habitat fragmentation may depend on their ability to exploit resources within suitable matrix habitat (Law & Dickman 1998; Fahrig 2007)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 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.
