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Getting Humans Off Monkeys' Backs: Using Primate Acclimation as a Guide for Habitat Management Efforts
Cynthia L Thompson1, Susan H Williams2, Kenneth E Glander3
1Department of Biomedical Sciences, Grand Valley State University, Allendale, MI, USA.
Integrative and Comparative Biology
|May 30, 2020
Summary
Mantled howling monkeys (Alouatta palliata) show remarkable plasticity, adapting body size, diet, and thermoregulation to environmental changes. This resilience offers hope for their survival amidst climate change and habitat loss.
Area of Science:
- Primate ecophysiology
- Conservation biology
- Climate change adaptation
Background:
- Wild primates face significant conservation threats from habitat loss and climate change.
- Mantled howling monkeys (Alouatta palliata), large Neotropical primates, are predicted to be vulnerable to climate change but exhibit resilience.
- Understanding their adaptive mechanisms is crucial for conservation strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the morphological, physiological, and behavioral mechanisms mantled howling monkeys use to cope with ecological challenges.
- To assess the species' capacity for acclimation to environmental changes driven by climate change and habitat fragmentation.
Main Methods:
- Utilized ecophysiology research on Alouatta palliata at La Pacifica, Costa Rica.
- Analyzed body size modifications, including mass fluctuations and long-term changes.
- Examined dietary flexibility through oral processing alterations and dental microwear.
- Assessed thermoregulatory strategies, including behavioral adjustments and hormonal pathways.
Main Results:
- Howlers demonstrated plasticity in body size, with reduced mass in warmer, drier conditions and seasonal weight changes.
- They can adjust oral processing for varied food material properties, though this may impact dental longevity.
- Behavioral and hormonal mechanisms are employed for daily and seasonal thermoregulation.
- These adaptations collectively indicate significant acclimation potential to environmental pressures.
Conclusions:
- Mantled howling monkeys possess substantial morphological, physiological, and behavioral plasticity, enhancing their resilience to climate change and habitat loss.
- Active management strategies, such as creating interconnected forest fragments with diverse phenology, can support their survival.
- Harnessing their natural acclimation potential is key to mitigating future conservation threats for this species.
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