Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Habitat quality, population dynamics, and group composition in Colobus Monkeys (Colobus guereza)

  • Published:
International Journal of Primatology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Data from an Ethiopian population of Colobus guerezashow that territory size is fixed by the high density of the population. Groups undergo fission when their size results in fewer than 10 trees per individual within the group’s territory. The daughter groups produced by fission emigrate into suboptimal habitat, which acts as a demographic sink. Comparative analyses using data from other East African populations demonstrate that mean territory size is inversely related to population density and that density, in turn, is a function of the size of the forest block. Since both group size and reproductive rates can be shown to be positively correlated with type of forest, it is concluded that this relationship reflects the fact that local population densities reach their ceiling more rapidly in small forest blocks because the animals’ access to alternative territories is limited. The number of males in a colobus group is shown to be a function of the number of females in it. Multimale groups have lower reproductive rates than one-male groups, probably because the stress generated by competition among the males causes temporary infertility among the females.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbott, D. H., (1984). Behavioral and physiological suppression of fertility in subordinate marmoset monkeys.Am. J. Primatol. 6: 169–186.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Abbott, D. H., Keverne, E. B., Moore, G. F., and Yodyingyuad, U. (1984). Social suppression of reproduction in subordinate talapoin monkeys,Miopithecus talapoin. Int. J. Primatol. 5: 318.

    Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, C. M. (1981). Subtrooping in a chacma baboon (Papio ursinus) population.Primates 23: 445–458.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bauchop, T. (1978). Digestion of leaves in vertebrate arboreal folivores. In Montgomery, C. G. (ed.),The Ecology of Arboreal Folivores, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C., pp. 193–204.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowman, L. A., Dilley, S. R., and Keverne, E. B. (1978). Suppression of oestrogen-induced LH surges by social subordination in talapoin monkeys.Nature (London) 275: 56–58.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Caldecott, J. O. (1986).An Ecological and Behavioural Study of the Pig-Tailed Macaque, Karger, Basel.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clutton-Brock, T. H. (1974). Primate social organisation and ecology.Nature (London) 250: 539–542.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clutton-Brock, T. H., and Harvey, P. H. (1977). Primate ecology and social organisation.J. Zool. (London) 183: 1–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • De Moor, P. P., and Steffens, F. E. (1972). The movements of vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) within the ranges as revealed by radiotracking.J. Anim. Ecol. 41: 677–687.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Ruiter, J. R. (1986). The influence of group size on predator scanning and foraging behaviour of wedgecapped capuchin monkeys (Cebus olivaceus).Behaviour 98: 240–258.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunbar, R. I. M. (1980). Determinants and evolutionary consequences of dominance among female gelada baboons.Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 7: 253–265.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dunbar, R. I. M. (1987).Primate Social Systems, Croom Helm, Beckenham, Kent, and Cornell University Press, Ithaca, N.Y.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunbar, R. I. M., and Dunbar, P. (1974a). Ecology and population dynamics ofColobus guereza in Ethiopia.Folia primatol. 21: 188–208.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dunbar, R. I. M., and Dunbar, P. (1974b). Ecological relations and niche separation between sympatric terrestrial primates in Ethiopia.Folia primatol. 21: 36–60.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dunbar, R. I. M., and Dunbar, P. (1978). Contrasts in social structure among black-and-white colobus monkey groups.Anim. Behav. 24: 84–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Emlen, S. T., and Oring, L. W. (1977). Ecology, sexual selection and the evolution of mating systems.Science 197: 215–223.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Frame, L. H., and Frame, G. A. (1976). Female African wild dogs emigrate.Nature (London) 263: 227–229.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freeland, W. J. (1979). Mangabey (Cercocebus albigena). Social organisation and population density in relation to food use and availability.Folia primatol. 32: 108–124.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • French, J. A., Abbott, D. H., and Snowdon, C. T. (1984). The effect of social environment on estrogen excretion, scent marking and sociosexual behavior in tamarins (Saguinus oedipus).Am. J. Primatol. 6: 155–167.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harcourt, A. H. (1978). Strategies of emigration and transfer by primates: With particular reference to gorillas.Z. Tierpsychol. 48: 401–420.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Harcourt, A. H., Stewart, K., and Fossey, D. (1976). Male emigration and female transfer in wild mountain gorilla.Nature (London), 263: 226–227.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Holmes, R. T. (1970). Differences in population density, territoriality and food supply of dunlin on arctic and subarctic tundra. In Watson, A. (ed.),Animal Populations in Relation to Their Food Resources, Blackwell, Oxford, pp. 303–319.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hrdy, S. B. (1974). Male-male competition and infanticide among the langurs (Presbytis entellus) of Abu, Rajasthan.Folia primatol. 22: 19–58.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huxley, J. S. (1934). A natural experiment on the territorial instinct.British Birds 27: 270–277.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ikeda, H. (1982). Population changes and ranging behaviour of wild Japanese monkeys at Mt. Kawaradake in Kyushu, Japan.Primates 23: 338–347.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iwamoto, T., and Dunbar, R. I. M. (1983). Thermoregulation, habitat quality and the behavioural ecology of gelada baboons.J. Anim. Ecol. 52: 357–366.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kay, R. N. B., Hoppe, P., and Maloiy, G. M. O. (1976). Fermentative digestion of food in the colobus monkey,Colobus polykomos. Experientia 32: 485–486.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • King, J. A. (1955). Social behavior, social organization and population dynamics in a black-tailed prairiedog town in the Black Hills of South Dakota.Contrib. Lab. vert. Biol. Univ. Mich. 67: 1–123.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kinzey, W. G. (1977). Diet and feeding behaviour ofCallicebus torquatus. In Clutton-Brock, T. H. (ed.),Primate Ecology, Academic Press, London, pp. 127–151.

    Google Scholar 

  • Le Beouf, B. J. (1974). Male-male competition and reproductive success in elephant seals.Am. Zool. 14: 163–176.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marier, P. (1969).Colobusguereza: territoriality and group composition.Science 163: 93–95.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marsh, C. W. (1979a). Female transference and mate choice among Tana River red colobus.Nature (London) 14: 163–176.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marsh, C. W. (1979b). Comparative aspects of social organisation in the Tana River red colobus,Colobus badius rufomitratus. Z. Tierpsychol. 51: 337–362.

    Google Scholar 

  • Marsh, C. W. (1981). Ranging behaviour and its relation to diet selection in Tana River red colobu-(Colobus badius rufomitratus).J. Zool. (London) 195: 473–492.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mason, W. A. (1968). Use of space byCallicebus groups. In Jay, P. (ed.),Primates, Holt, Rinehart and Winston, New York. pp. 200–216.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mènard, N., Vallety, D., and Gautier-Hion, A. (1985). Démographie et reproduction deMacaca sylvanus dans differents habitats en Algerie.Folia primatol. 44: 65–81.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Milton, K., and May, M. L. (1976). Body weight, diet and home range area in primates.Nature (London) 259: 459–462.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moore, J. (1984). Female transfer in primates.Int. J. Primatol. 5: 537–589.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myers, J. P., Connors, P. G., and Pitelka, F. A. (1979). Territory size in wintering sanderling: the effects of prey abundance and intruder density.Auk 96: 551–561.

    Google Scholar 

  • Newton, P. N. (1986). Infanticide in an undisturbed forest population of hanuman langurs,Presbytis entellus. Anim. Behav. 34: 785–789.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Oates, J. F. (1977a). The guereza and its food. In Clutton-Brock, T. H. (ed.),Primate Ecology, Academic Press, London, pp. 275–321.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oates, J. F. (1977b). The social life of a black-and-white colobus monkey,Colobus guereza. Z. Tierpsychol. 45: 1–60.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Oates, J. F. (1977c). The guereza and man: how man has affected the distribution and abundance ofColobusguereza and other black colobus monekeys. In H. S. H. Prince Raini-er of Monaco and Bourne, G. H. (eds.).Primate Conservation, Academic Press, New York, pp. 419–467.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oates, J. F. (1978). Water-plant and soil consumption by guereza monkeys (Colobus guereza): A relationship with minerals and toxins in the diet?Biotropica 10: 241–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ohsawa, H., and Dunbar, R. I. M. (1984). Variations in the demographic structure and dynamics of gelada baboon populations.Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 15: 231–240.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rose, M. D. (1978). Feeding and associated positional behavior of black and white colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza). In Montgomery, C. G. (ed.),The Ecology of Arboreal Folivores, Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington, D.C.

    Google Scholar 

  • Schenkel, R., and Schenkel-Hulliger, L. (1967). On the sociology of free-ranging colobus (Colobus guereza caudatus Thomas 1885). In Starck, D., Schneider, R., and Kuhn, H. J. (eds.),Progress in Primatology, Karger, Basel, pp. 185–194.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sharman, M., and Dunbar, R. I. M. (1982). Observer bias in selection of study group in baboon field studies.Primates 23: 567–573.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • StengerWeeden, J. (1965). Territorial behaviour of the tree sparrow.Condor 67: 193–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Struhsaker, T. T. (1967). Ecology of vervet monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops) in the Masai-Amboseli game reserve, Kenya.Ecology 48: 891–904.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Struhsaker, T. T., and Leland, L. (1985). Infanticide in a patrilineal society of red colobus monkeys.Z. Tierpsychol. 69: 277–281.

    Google Scholar 

  • Suzuki, A. (1979). The variation and adaptation of social groups of chimpanzees and black and white colobus monkeys. In Bernstein, I., and Smith, E. O. (eds.).Primate Ecology and Human Origins, Garland STPM, New York, pp. 153–173.

    Google Scholar 

  • Takasaki, H. (1981). Troop size, habitat quality and home range area in Japanese macaques.Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 9: 277–281.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ullrich, W. (1961). Zur Biologie and Soziale der Colobusaffen (Colobus guereza caudatus Thomas 1885).Zool. Gart. Lpz. 25: 305–368.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Schaik, C. P. (1983). Why are diurnal primates living in groups?Behaviour 87: 120–144.

    Google Scholar 

  • van Schaik, C. P., van Noordwijk, M. A., de Boer, R. J., and den Tonkelaar, I., (1983). The effects of group size on time budgets and social behaviour in wild long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis).Behav. Ecol. Sociobiol. 13: 173–181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waser, P. M. (1977). Feeding, ranging and group size in the mangabey,Cercocebus albigena. In Clutton-Brock, T. H. (ed.),Primate Ecology, Academic Press, London, pp. 182–222.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wasser, S. K., and Barash, D. P. (1983). Reproductive suppression among female mammals: Implications for biomedicine and sexual selection theory.Q. Rev. Biol. 58: 513–538.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wrangham, R. W., and Smuts, B. B. (1980). Sex differences in the behavioural ecology of chimpanzees in the Gombe National Park, Tanzania.J. Reprod. Fertil. Suppl. 28: 13–31.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, University of Liverpool, L69 3BX, Liverpool, England

    R. I. M. Dunbar

Authors
  1. R. I. M. Dunbar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dunbar, R.I.M. Habitat quality, population dynamics, and group composition in Colobus Monkeys (Colobus guereza). Int J Primatol 8, 299–329 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02737386

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02737386

Key words

Search

Navigation