Positional behavior and habitat use of Peters’ Angola black and white colobus monkey (Colobus angolensis palliatus) in structurally distinct areas of the Diani Forest, Kenya

Positional behavior is the manifestation of both evolutionary and ecological influences. While a number of studies have examined relationships among positional behavior and a variety of ecological variables, the capacity for primates to exhibit intraspecific positional behavior variation in response to changes in forest architecture is not well understood. In order to address this issue, I examined the positional behavior and habitat use of Peters’ Angola black and white colobus monkey (Colobus angolensis palliatus) in the Diani Forest of south coastal Kenya from June-August of 2012 to test the degree to which changes in forest structure influence positional behavior. Three troops inhabiting forest patches characterized by varying levels of degradation were observed. Habitat differences were quantified with regard to tree species composition, tree size, and diversity indices. The behavior of adult males and females was sampled instantaneously at 3 minute time intervals.Overall activity budgets and strata use differed significantly between all troops while support use of one troop was significantly different from that of the others. Overall locomotor and postural behaviors were largely consistent among all habitats. Locomotion was predominantly characterized by arboreal quadrupedal walking and bounding with lesser and relatively equal instances of climbing and leaping. Sitting represented the overwhelming majority of postures and accounted for at least 85% of postural observations for all troops. I conclude that, because significant differences in activity, strata use, support use, but not positional behavior were realized among structurally distinct sites, C. a. palliatus positional behavior is largely constrained by morphology. This allows for more meaningful behavioral reconstructions of fossil primates.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Anthropology

Grantor dc:publisher

The Ohio State University

Year dc:date

2013

Author dc:creator

• Dunham, Noah T.

Contributors dc:contributor

• McGraw, W. Scott

• Physical Anthropology
• positional behavior
• habitat use
• Colobus
• Diani Forest

Statement dc:rights

• unrestricted
• This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws.

Language dc:language

English

Repository record dc:identifier

http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1364549947

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:etd.ohiolink.edu:osu1364549947