Clumping and consistency in primates' patterns of range use: definitions, sampling, assessment and applications

A method for understanding how patterns of range use are related to either environmental or to social factors is first to assess quantitatively characteristics of the patterns with descriptive indices, and second, to use appropriate univariate or multivariate methods to determine the proportion of variation in the patterns associated with immediate ecological or social factors. This paper is focused on methods for quantitative assessment of two characteristics of patterns of range use: the degree to which occupational densities of areas within a range are clumped and the degree to which occupational densities within a range are consistent over time. The method of analysis of patterns of range use advocated in this paper is compared with other, previously used method.