Ecology and *behavior of the Niger Delta red colobus (Procolobus badius epieni).
Item
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Title
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Ecology and *behavior of the Niger Delta red colobus (Procolobus badius epieni).
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Identifier
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AAI9986392
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identifier
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9986392
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Creator
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Werre, Jan Lodewijk R.
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Contributor
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Adviser: John F. Oates
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Date
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2000
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Language
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English
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Publisher
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City University of New York.
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Subject
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Anthropology, Physical | Biology, Ecology
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Abstract
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I studied the ecology and social organization of a group of red colobus in the Niger Delta, Nigeria. This population was new to science, being discovered in 1993. I conducted a survey that attempted to determine the red colobus distribution area, the condition of the forest, and socio-economic activities conducted in the distribution area. I found that the local population had already been exploiting the timber resources in the area for sale on the national market over more than two decades. As a result few sections of the forest remained in relatively undisturbed condition.;After selection of a study area a grid system a grid system was completed and a vegetation enumeration and two phenology samples, one for the swamp and one for the dry-land area, were established. Around the same time habituation of a red colobus, group was started and the first of 12 monthly follows took place in September 1996.;Because the survey indicated that the red colobus distribution was restricted to only a small section of the delta I wanted to determine what, if any, ecological variables could be responsible for this. To achieve this I also established a vegetation enumeration and phenology sample in a section of forest near Ukubie, about 10 km from Gbanraun, where the red colobus did not occur. A comparison of these two forest blocks would assist in the identification of ecological variables that determine habitat availability in the Niger Delta.;A comparison of the two vegetation enumerations and phenology samples indicated that the forests were similar in terms of species composition and phenology, but that they differed in a number of spatial aspects. The forest in Ukubie showed lower densities for the top 10 species and less clumping. The forest in Gbanraun showed very high densities for the top three tree species, but lower densities for the remaining species. The most common large tree in both Gbanraun and Ukubie was not only more common, but also showed a more clumped distribution at Gbanraun. As a result the forest at Gbanraun contained a larger number of Ctenolophon (a tree which young leaves provided around 40% of the study group's diet) food patches.;The data collected on the behavior and ecology of the study group indicated that they were similar in behavior and ecology to other populations inhabiting rain forest. The greatest deviation this population showed from the observed red colobus patterns was that this group traveled significantly longer distances during each month.;A number of patterns in feeding behavior and range use were detected which all indicated that Ctenolophon food patches played a central role in the study group's ecology. This confirmed that Ukubie was unavailable for the red colobus because it lacked these patches, or patches of other species that could have performed the same role.;It is suggested, therefore, that the presence of food patches is a requirement for red colobus habitat availability, and that this explains the gaps, which lack these food patches, in the red colobus distribution.
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Type
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dissertation
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Source
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PQT Legacy CUNY.xlsx
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degree
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Ph.D.
