Primate population dynamics over 32.9 years at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda

We present census data for eight primate species spanning 32.9 years along the same transect at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda, demonstrating major changes in the composition of the primate community. Correlated with an estimated decline of ∼89% in the red colobus population was an increase in encounter rates with chimpanzee parties. Our data, along with the unusually high rates of predation by chimpanzees on red colobus at Ngogo and the fact that the chimpanzee community at Ngogo is the largest ever recorded, support the conclusion that the red colobus decline was caused primarily by chimpanzee predation. This seems to be the first documented case of predation by one nonhuman primate causing the population decline in another. We evaluated disease and interspecific competition as other possible causes of the red colobus decline, but judged them to be relatively insignificant compared with predation by chimpanzees. Notable changes in encounter rates with other primate species may have resulted from forest expansion. Those for mangabeys, redtails, and black and white colobus increased significantly. Encounter rates increased for l'Hoest's monkeys too, but the increased sightings may have been an artifact of increased habituation. Sightings of blue monkey and baboon groups declined. There was no significant change in encounter rates for all species combined. The Ngogo primate community seemed to be in a nonequilibrium state, changing from one dominated by two species, a folivore (red colobus) and a frugivorous omnivore (redtails), to one dominated by three species of frugivorous omnivores (redtails, mangabeys, and chimpanzees). This study demonstrates the importance of long‐term monitoring in understanding population dynamics and the role of intrinsic variables in shaping the species composition of a community. Am. J. Primatol. 73:997–1011, 2011. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/87093/1/20965_ftp.pd

Finding An Accurate Method to Measure Pollinator Visitation Rates

Pollinator visitation rates are a helpful way to monitor the health of ecosystems; however, there lacks a standardized method for obtaining these rates. The pollinator visitation rates for five plant species were collected and the relationship between the standard error of these rates and the time interval was determined. Monarda, Echinacea purpurea, Pycnanthemum muticum, and Baptisia alba all exhibit more accurate pollinator visitation rates as the time interval increased. Trifolium repens exhibited less accurate pollinator visitation rates as the time interval increased

Two red-capped robin-chats Cossypha natalensis imitate antiphonal duet of black-faced rufous warblers Bathmocercus rufus

During my studies of primate behavioral ecology in the Kibale Forest, Uganda, I documented the first cases of red-capped robin-chats Cossypha natalensis imitating an antiphonal duet. In one case two individual robin chats imitated the entire duet of the black-faced rufous warbler Bathmocercus rufus, each giving both the male and female components. In a second case one robin chat gave the male components and another gave that of the female warbler. The lack of temporal separation between the male and female components of the warbler’s antiphonal duet indicates an unusually high level of auditory perception and response time and cognitive ability on the part of redcapped robin-chats.Keywords: auditory perception, response time, cognitive abilitie

Growth rates in the giant rosette plants Dendrosenecio adnivalis and Lobelia wollastonii on the Ruwenzori Mountains, Uganda

Stem lengths of Dendrosenecio adnivalis and Lobelia wollastonii were measured three times over 5.5 years in the Ruwenzori Mountains, Uganda. These are the only growth data for these two species. Both species had highly variable growth rates. Absolute growth rates in D. adnivalis were not related to the number of rosettes, inflorescences or initial height of plants. The D. adnivalis that were shorter at the beginning of the study grew proportionately faster than did taller individuals. Growth rate was positively associated with annual rainfall for D. adnivalis on the Ruwenzori Mountains, D. keniodendron on Mount Kenya, and D. battiscombei on the Aberdare Mountains. Lobelia wollastonii that were taller at the beginning of the study had greater absolute growth rates than did shorter plants. There was no significant relationship between the initial height and proportional increase in height for L. wollastonii. Growth rate and height are unreliable indicators of age for both species. Keywords: Dendrosenecio, Lobelia, growth rates, Ruwenzori Mountain

The Effect of Poverty Simulation Participation on Attitudes Toward Children Living in Poverty for Baccalaureate Nursing Students

Poverty is a major issue in the United States. Because perceived discrimination can impact health and willingness to seek care, it is important for healthcare providers to be educated on and exposed to issues that poverty presents to individuals who are poor. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a poverty simulation on attitudes of undergraduate nursing students towards children living poverty. The study was guided by Albert Bandura’s social learning theory and used a longitudinal, quasi-experimental design and convenience sampling of undergraduate nursing students enrolled in a community health nursing course. Attitudes were measured at the interval level as summed ordinal data utilizing a tool created by Yun and Weaver (2010) was modified for this study. (Yun & Weaver, 2010). Data was collected at the beginning and the end of a simulation on poverty. Independent sample t-tests were used to determine differences in pre- and post-test data. Analysis of results determined that there is no significant change on attitudes towards children living in poverty in undergraduate nursing students pre- and post- poverty simulation

Udzungwa Red Colobus Piliocolobus gordonorum Matschie 1900

No abstract available

Status of Zanzibar red colobus and Sykes's monkeys in two coastal forests in 2005

We censused two discrete subpopulations of the endangered Zanzibar red colobus (Procolobus kirkii) and sympatric Sykes's monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis albogularis) between February 2004 and September 2005 in two coastal forests in Zanzibar, including the northernmost (Kiwengwa-Pongwe Forest) and some of the southernmost (Uzi and Vundwe Islands) extents of P. kirkii's range. Surveys totalled 365 hours and 307.8 km along >16 km of line transects; 472 sightings were made (Red colobus n = 252; Sykes's monkey n = 220). The southern forests (coral rag with adjacent mangrove) of Uzi and Vundwe Islands were found to support P. kirkii at a higher estimated density (29.6 groups/km²) relative to the northern coral rag forest (lacking mangrove) in Kiwengwa-Pongwe (7.5 groups/km²). However, for red colobus in coral rag, up to c.40% these "groups" could be "sub-groups" based on our observations of consistent fission-fusion and small groups seen during the census (6.63 ± 0.4SE in Kiwengwa, 6.64 ± 0.33SE in Uzi) and behavioral follows in this habitat type. We therefore also include density estimates expressed as individuals/km² (49.72 individuals/km2 in Kiwengwa, 196.32 individuals/km² in Uzi). On Uzi and Vundwe Islands, colobus densities were higher than those of Sykes's monkey (Sykes's monkey density = 18.9 groups/km²), while we found no difference between the density of these two taxa in Kiwengwa (Sykes's monkey density = 8.1 groups/km²) where encounters with humans were more frequent, vegetation was more disturbed, and the two species often associated. Although these populations represented a fraction of the historical total population of red colobus and Sykes's monkeys on Zanzibar, their estimated abundance was significant, and their marginal habitat and unprotected status were important in the general context of primate conservation in unprotected and fragmented landscapes

Infanticide and infant defence by males--modelling the conditions in primate multi-male groups

Infanticide by primate males was considered rare if groups contain more than one adult male because, owing to lower paternity certainty, a male should be less likely to benefit from infanticide. Guided by recent evidence for strong variation of infanticide in primate multi-male groups, we modelled the conditions for when infanticide should occur for a group with a resident and an immigrant male. Setting the parameters (e.g. infant mortality, reduction of interbirth interval, life-time reproductive success, genetic representation) to fit the conditions most commonly found in nature, we develop a game-theoretic model to explore the influence of age and dominance on the occurrence of infanticide and infant defence. Male age strongly impacts the likelihood of an attack which is modified by the father's defence. If the new male is dominant he is likely to attack under most circumstances whereas a subordinate male will only attack if the father does not defend. These model scenarios fit the conditions under which infanticide is known to occur in primate multi-male groups and offer an explanation why infanticide is common in some multi-male groups and rare in others. Overall, the benefits for infanticidal males are strongly governed by a reduced interbirth interval while advantages via improved genetic representation in the gene pool contribute but a minor fraction

Long‐term trends in fruit production in a tropical forest at Ngogo, Kibale National Park, Uganda

Fruit production in tropical forests varies considerably in space and time, with important implications for frugivorous consumers. Characterizing temporal variation in forest productivity is thus critical for understanding adaptations of tropical forest frugivores, yet long‐term phenology data from the tropics, in particular from African forests, are still scarce. Similarly, as the abiotic factors driving phenology in the tropics are predicted to change with a warming climate, studies documenting the relationship between climatic variables and fruit production are increasingly important. Here, we present data from 19 years of monitoring the phenology of 20 tree species at Ngogo in Kibale National Park, Uganda. Our aims were to characterize short‐ and long‐term trends in productivity and to understand the abiotic factors driving temporal variability in fruit production. Short‐term (month‐to‐month) variability in fruiting was relatively low at Ngogo, and overall fruit production increased significantly through the first half of the study. Among the abiotic variables, we expected to influence phenology patterns (including rainfall, solar irradiance, and average temperature), only average temperature was a significant predictor of monthly fruit production. We discuss these findings as they relate to the resource base of the frugivorous vertebrate community inhabiting Ngogo.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/155479/1/btp12764.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/155479/2/btp12764_am.pd