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Macronutrient balancing affects patch departure by guerezas (Colobus guereza)
Caley A Johnson1,2, David Raubenheimer3, Colin A Chapman4,5
1Department of Anthropology, The Graduate Center, City University of New York, New York City, New York.
American Journal of Primatology
|October 20, 2015
Summary
Colobus guereza monkeys do not use fixed time or fixed amount foraging strategies. Instead, they balance macronutrients across food patches, with protein to energy balance influencing patch residence time.
Area of Science:
- Primate behavioral ecology
- Animal nutrition
- Foraging theory
Background:
- Foraging strategies significantly influence primate social structures and group dynamics.
- Understanding primate patch departure decisions is key to deciphering their ecological niche.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate Colobus guereza foraging strategies, focusing on patch departure decisions.
- To determine if guerezas follow fixed amount or fixed time foraging models.
- To assess nutrient balancing and its role in their foraging behavior.
Main Methods:
- Measured food patch occupancy time and intake rates.
- Analyzed food samples for macronutrient, fiber, and condensed tannin content.
- Correlated patch residence time with diet composition and nutritional parameters.
Main Results:
- Guerezas do not adhere to fixed time or fixed amount foraging strategies.
- Patch residence time varied significantly (1-290 minutes).
- Macronutrient balance across patches was maintained, with protein-to-energy balance predicting patch time.
Conclusions:
- Colobus guereza foraging is driven by macronutrient balancing, not fixed time or amount rules.
- The protein-to-energy ratio in patches is a key factor in their foraging decisions.
- This challenges assumptions about nutritional constraints and social dynamics in folivorous primates.
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