Potential distribution of Mexican primates: modeling the ecological niche with the maximum entropy algorithm
Francisca Vidal-García1, Juan Carlos Serio-Silva
1División de Posgrado, Instituto de Ecología A. C., Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
Primates; Journal of Primatology
|March 16, 2011
Summary
We modeled the distribution of three Mexican primates: black howler (Alouatta pigra), mantled howler (Alouatta palliata), and spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi). Our findings identify key habitats for conservation planning.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Conservation Biology
- Biogeography
Background:
- Southern Mexico harbors diverse primate species, including black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra), mantled howler monkeys (Alouatta palliata), and spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi).
- Understanding the distribution of these species is crucial for effective conservation strategies in the region.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop potential distribution models for Alouatta pigra, Alouatta palliata, and Ateles geoffroyi in southern Mexico.
- To identify critical habitats and inform conservation planning for these tropical rainforest primates.
Main Methods:
- Utilized the maximum entropy algorithm (MaxEnt) for ecological niche modeling.
- Incorporated occurrence records from scientific collections and various sources.
- Employed 19 environmental variables (precipitation and temperature) from WorldClim to build distribution models.
Main Results:
- Alouatta pigra distribution is strongly linked to the warmest quarter's mean temperature (23.6%).
- Alouatta palliata and Ateles geoffroyi distributions are primarily associated with coldest quarter precipitation (52.2% and 34.3%, respectively).
- Ateles geoffroyi exhibits a broader distribution than Alouatta species; A. pigra and A. palliata favor riparian zones, while A. geoffroyi prefers rainforest habitats.
Conclusions:
- Identified high-probability areas for the presence of these three primate species.
- Provided essential data for future research and the establishment of primate conservation areas in Mexico.
Related Concept Videos
02:02Ecological Niches
All organisms have a position within an ecosystem. The complete set of living and nonliving factors—including food resources, climate, and terrain—that define the position of a given organism are collectively referred to as the organism’s ecological niche.Multiple species cannot occupy the exact same niche within their habitat. If the niches of two or more species overlap to a large extent, the competitive exclusion principle dictates that one species will outcompete the other, forcing it to...
01:12Ecological Niche
Microorganisms occupy diverse habitats and perform essential ecological functions that are defined by their ecological niches. A microbial niche encompasses the organism’s mode of survival, including resource acquisition, reproduction, and interactions with other species in its environment. This concept is vital for understanding microbial community dynamics, biogeography, and ecosystem functionality.The fundamental niche of a microorganism includes the full spectrum of environmental...
00:48Optimal Foraging
How animals obtain and eat their food is called foraging behavior. Foraging can include searching for plants and hunting for prey and depends on the species and environment.
00:53Migration
Migration is long-range, seasonal movement from one region or habitat to another. This common strategy, carried out by many different organisms around the world, is an adaptive response that typically corresponds to changes in an organism’s environment, like resource availability or climate. Migrations can involve huge groups of thousands of animals as well as single individuals traveling alone and can range from thousands of kilometers to just a few hundred meters.
01:23Mechanistic Models: Compartment Models in Individual and Population Analysis
Mechanistic models are utilized in individual analysis using single-source data, but imperfections arise due to data collection errors, preventing perfect prediction of observed data. The mathematical equation involves known values (Xi), observed concentrations (Ci), measurement errors (εi), model parameters (ϕj), and the related function (ƒi) for i number of values. Different least-squares metrics quantify differences between predicted and observed values. The ordinary least squares (OLS)...
02:31Habitat Fragmentation
Habitat fragmentation describes the division of a more extensive, continuous habitat into smaller, discontinuous areas. Human activities such as land conversion, as well as slower geological processes leading to changes in the physical environment, are the two leading causes of habitat fragmentation. The fragmentation process typically follows the same steps: perforation, dissection, fragmentation, shrinkage, and attrition.