• Find People
  • Campus Map
  • PiratePort
  • A-Z
    • About
    • Submit
    • Browse
    • Login
    View Item 
    •   ScholarShip Home
    • Dissertations and Theses
    • Master's Theses
    • View Item
    •   ScholarShip Home
    • Dissertations and Theses
    • Master's Theses
    • View Item
    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

    Browse

    All of The ScholarShipCommunities & CollectionsDateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsTypeDate SubmittedThis CollectionDateAuthorsTitlesSubjectsTypeDate Submitted

    My Account

    Login

    Statistics

    View Google Analytics Statistics

    Dietary patterns and stable isotope ecology of sympatric Verreaux’s sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) and ring-tailed (Lemur catta) inhabiting the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve

    Thumbnail
    View/ Open
    MA Anthropology Thesis Nora Sawyer Newest Version.pdf (1.583Mb)

    Show full item record
    Author
    Sawyer, Nora W
    Abstract
    Primatologists have long been captivated by the study of the inter-relationships between nonhuman primate (NHP) biology, behavior, and ecology. To understand these interplays, primatologists have developed a broad toolkit of methodologies including behavioral observations, controlled studies of diet and physiology, nutritional analyses of NHP food resources, phylogenetic reconstructions, and genetics. Relatively recently, primatologists have begun employing stable isotope analyses to further our understanding of NHPs in free-ranging settings. Stable carbon ([delta]¹³C) and nitrogen ([delta]¹⁵N) isotope values are recorded in the tissues and excreta of animals and reflect their dietary patterns. This study incorporates the [delta]¹³C and [delta]¹⁵N fecal values of the ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) and Verreaux's sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) that inhabited the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve in southwest Madagascar. The statistical program R was used to measure the impacts of anthropogenic disturbance and season (wet vs. dry) on the [delta]¹³C and [delta]¹⁵N fecal values of these primates. Furthermore, this project attempted to measure the accuracy of using feeding observations in comparison to stable isotope analysis to infer diet. In order to do so, this project integrated the feeding observations of L. catta and P. verreauxi with the [delta]¹³C and [delta]¹⁵N values of the plants they ate and compared these vales to their [delta]¹³C and [delta]¹⁵N fecal values. Based on feeding observations and [delta]¹³C and [delta]¹⁵N plant values, an equation was developed to predict the fecal [delta]¹³C and [delta]¹⁵N values of the ring-tailed lemurs and Verreaux's sifaka. However, the predicted fecal values did not always align accurately with those that were observed. Nonetheless, the [delta]¹³C and [delta]¹⁵N values reflected diverging dietary trends and differences in habitat use patterns among the social groups of the ring-tailed lemurs and Verreaux's sifaka at the reserve. Thus overall, the results of this study demonstrated that both primates partition their resources differently, allowing them to live in sympatric associations. Ultimately, these data are useful for modeling Malagasy lemur behavior, especially those species or populations which are severely impacted by human behavior.
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/10342/8725
    Date
    8/5/2020
    Citation:
    APA:
    Sawyer, Nora W. (January 0008). Dietary patterns and stable isotope ecology of sympatric Verreaux’s sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) and ring-tailed (Lemur catta) inhabiting the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve (Master's Thesis, East Carolina University). Retrieved from the Scholarship. (http://hdl.handle.net/10342/8725.)

    Display/Hide MLA, Chicago and APA citation formats.

    MLA:
    Sawyer, Nora W. Dietary patterns and stable isotope ecology of sympatric Verreaux’s sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) and ring-tailed (Lemur catta) inhabiting the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve. Master's Thesis. East Carolina University, January 0008. The Scholarship. http://hdl.handle.net/10342/8725. August 16, 2022.
    Chicago:
    Sawyer, Nora W, “Dietary patterns and stable isotope ecology of sympatric Verreaux’s sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) and ring-tailed (Lemur catta) inhabiting the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve” (Master's Thesis., East Carolina University, January 0008).
    AMA:
    Sawyer, Nora W. Dietary patterns and stable isotope ecology of sympatric Verreaux’s sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi) and ring-tailed (Lemur catta) inhabiting the Beza Mahafaly Special Reserve [Master's Thesis]. Greenville, NC: East Carolina University; January 0008.
    Collections
    • Master's Theses
    Publisher
    East Carolina University

    xmlui.ArtifactBrowser.ItemViewer.elsevier_entitlement

    East Carolina University has created ScholarShip, a digital archive for the scholarly output of the ECU community.

    • About
    • Contact Us
    • Send Feedback