This research project is within the field of Biological Anthropology, specifically Primatology. In previous years, teams of researchers collected spatial data of observed individuals through Garmin handheld GPS units on two communities of White-Bellied spider monkeys at the Tiputini Biodiversity Station in Amazonian Ecuador. The spatial data has been used to build representations of home ranges and core areas based on the 95%, 80%, and 50% Kernel Density Isopleths (KDEs). The isopleths are then used to assess yearly patterns and changes in space use between mother-son pairs at different age-grade stages (juvenile, subadult, adult). High degrees of overlap in ranges between related individuals would potentially suggest that portions of home ranges and core areas are retained from the juvenile stage into sexual and social maturity. If it is shown that portions are retained, the question of how the development of spatial preferences in Ateles Belzebuth could give insight into learning patterns in Ateles and other non-Ape primates. I believe that a high frequency of return to maternal resources suggests that offspring primarily learn through observation, and that the return to known resource-rich areas increases fitness compared to new exploration. Insight on how New-World monkeys learn will hopefully show some key evolutionary pathing, as their lineage is far stretched from Hominidae and the Great Apes that are often studied for their intellect and similarity to humans. Projects such as this, in the realm of behavioral ecology, are so necessary for ecological studies and zoology as a whole. I am hopeful that work such as this will not only further my interest in the subject, but also contribute to experience I may need in the future.
Author: Maddy Gundrum, Zoology and Sustainability Major
Advisor(s): Kelsey Ellis, Department of Anthropology
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