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Ecology of Ring-Tailed Lemurs (Lemur Catta)

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Ecology of Ring-Tailed Lemurs (Lemur Catta) University of Colorado, Boulder CU Scholar Anthropology Graduate Theses & Dissertations Anthropology Spring 1-1-2012 Ecology of Ring-Tailed Lemurs (Lemur catta) at the Tsimanampetsotsa National Park, Madagascar: Implications for Female Dominance and the Evolution of Lemur Traits Marni LaFleu University of Colorado at Boulder, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://scholar.colorado.edu/anth_gradetds Part of the Biological and Physical Anthropology Commons, and the Zoology Commons Recommended Citation LaFleu, Marni, "Ecology of Ring-Tailed Lemurs (Lemur catta) at the Tsimanampetsotsa National Park, Madagascar: Implications for Female Dominance and the Evolution of Lemur Traits" (2012). Anthropology Graduate Theses & Dissertations. Paper 16. This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by Anthropology at CU Scholar. It has been accepted for inclusion in Anthropology Graduate Theses & Dissertations by an authorized administrator of CU Scholar. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ECOLOGY OF RING-TAILED LEMURS (Lemur catta) AT THE TSIMANAMPETSOTSA NATIONAL PARK, MADAGASCAR: IMPLICATIONS FOR FEMALE DOMINANCE AND THE EVOLUTION OF LEMUR TRAITS by MARNI LAFLEUR B.Sc., University of Victoria, 2004 M.Sc., University of Victoria, 2008 A thesis submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the presented to the University of Colorado Boulder in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of Anthropology 2012 This thesis is entitled: Ecology of ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) at the Tsimanampetsotsa National Park, Madagascar: Implications for female dominance and the evolution of lemur traits written by Marni LaFleur has been approved for the Department of Anthropology ____________________________________________________ _________________ Michelle Sauther, committee chair Date ____________________________________________________ __________________ Herbert Covert, committee member Date ____________________________________________________ __________________ Frank Cuozzo, committee member Date ____________________________________________________ __________________ Matt Sponheimer, committee member Date ____________________________________________________ __________________ Dennis, Van Gerven Date The final copy of this thesis has been examined by the signatories, and we find that both the content and the form meet acceptable presentation standards of scholarly work in the above mentioned discipline ACU protocol # 1002.09 LaFleur, Marni (Ph.D., Anthropology) Ecology of ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) at the Tsimanampetsotsa National Park, Madagascar: Implications for female dominance and the evolution of lemur traits Thesis directed by Associate Professor Michelle L. Sauther Lemurs are an ancient, extant primate radiation and have a number of traits (e.g. female dominance, low basal metabolic rate, weaning synchrony, cathemerality) which are unusual when compared to other primates, or even other mammals. The Energy Conservation Hypothesis (ECH) posits that the lemur traits are part of an adaptive complex selected to enable lemurs to conserve and extract energy from their seasonally and stochastically resource-poor environments. Data were collected on two groups of ring-tailed lemurs in the dry spiny forests of the Tsimanampetsotsa National Park, Madagascar, and tested aspects of the ECH through the following hypotheses: 1) ring-tailed lemur foods are seasonally and stochastically limited, 2) ring-tailed lemur nutrients and/or calories are seasonally and stochasically limited, 3) ring-tailed lemurs use behavioral mechanisms to save energy, and 4) the dry season is differentially stressful for female ring-tailed lemurs. Results from these data suggest that ring-tailed lemur plant foods, nutrients, and calories are seasonally and stochastically limited. Males appear to use behavioral strategies to conserve energy and females appear differentially stressed by the harsh conditions of the dry season. This study also documented extensive cathemeral activity in the ring-tailed lemurs, which may function to increase food intake, and limit thermoregulatory stress during hot days and cool nights. The aforementioned results are consistent with ECH, indicating that the lemur traits are an adaptive response to the environmental pressures of Madagascar. Furthermore, since dominance facilitates a feeding advantage for female lemurs, this trait likely allows for costly mammalian reproduction during times of predictable resource scarcity. iii For Sid, the lemur that never really had a chance, but slipped through my fingers anyhow. I am deeply sorry and will forever cherish your tooth comb garlic kisses. iv ACKNOLEDGEMENTS This dissertation nearly killed me. Literally. A number of times. As a direct result of this work, I endured the following: inappropriate sinus tachycardia; dengue fever and associated delirium followed by seven months of "break bone" symptoms; malaria; mononucleosis; separate episodes of calcium and magnesium deficiencies, both severe enough to be conducive with heart failure; three fractured molars; heat upwards and beyond 50°C for months on end; several unidentifiable intestinal parasites; a few bouts of food poisoning; countless frightening rashes and inexplicable blisters; a handful of jagged limestone-induced scars; being stuck for the better part of five days in nowhere Madagascar, in a vehicle short a transmission, in the middle of a cyclone; and for lack of a better description, the plagues of mosquitoes, whose memory will forever give me chills. That being said, I am fortunate to of had these opportunities and that I lived to tell the stories, and am indebted to so many people who helped along way... To my academic advisor: Many thanks to Michelle Sauther. You are not only an outstanding and prolific scholar, but an exceptional advisor, and you truly went above and beyond for me. Without your patience, enthusiasm, mad editing skills, and dedication to my success, I would not be where I am today. I am forever indebted for all of the time and energy you bestowed on me, and can only think to repay this service through paying it forward. iv To my academic committee: Thank you to the "beloved" Dennis Van Gervan. I have learned so much from you and am grateful to have been given free reign with the Nubian collection. Driving around 1000 year- old dead people for x-rays really is a once (or twice) in a lifetime opportunity. Though you are an extraordinary educator, I am most grateful for your friendship, kindness, and wisdom. I am certain that I would not be where I am today without your advice, honesty, and sense of humor. In your own words, "it's not dead babies and it's not cancer, so don't worry about it." True dat. Thank you to Herbert Covert for challenging me to think critically, and letting me know that it is ok to love dinosaurs, orangutans, and freezers full of dead things. I admire your conservation work and hope to someday make a difference in primate conservation, as you do. Thank you to Matt Sponheimer for taking the time to review my work and give insightful feedback. You are likely the most intelligent person I have ever or will ever encounter, and in addition to being a tiny bit frightened of your genius, I am truly honored to of had you as a mentor. And many more thanks to Frank Cuozzo for your detailed reviews and insightful suggestions, of much of my work, particularly pertaining to lemur prehistory. I am grateful for your insight, knowledge, and time, though cannot forget what you did to Gary. Those were some of the most frightening 3 minutes of my life. And my unofficial mentors: To Darna Dufour, for taking an interest in me, even through my "I'm not an Anthropologist" academic coming-of-age phase. I am grateful for your ear, advise, and to know that I am not the only one to have had field disasters. You survived a plane crash, for goodness v sake. I also admire your dedication to teaching and will keep many of the thing you taught me through to the next phase in my career as an Anthropologist. To Nayuta Yamashita (Instit für Population Genetik, Veterinary Medicine University Vienna), for laughing with and at me, for always having candy in the field, AND for the human skeleton. You are awesome! Oh, and for your advice and thoughtful review of my methods and written work. Next time I get hit with a plague of mosquitoes, I will heed your advice, and head for the beach. On an unrelated note, don't think for a second that I've forgotten about your involvement in the Gary fiasco. Thank you to Joerg Ganzhorn (Department of Zoology, University of Hamburg) for your advice and generosity with reference to plant nutritional analyses, and also Irene Tomaschewski for performing said analyses. Also thanks to Jacky Youssouf (Département de Sciences Biologie, Université de Toliara). Where to even begin. Jacky, you saved me from so many cestodes and literally welcomed me into your home. I am so grateful for the cultural experiences you've awarded me and your ability to laugh at anything. The dictator, the driver, the extortion. I am proud to be your colleague and look forward to seeing you many times again. And to Rokiman Letsara (Botanical and Zoological Park Tsimbazaza and the California Academy of Science) thank you for your persistence at door 7, facilitation of this research and your vast knowledge of the plants of Madagascar. Thanks also to Chia Tan for inviting me into the San Diego Zoo Global
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