Altre informazioni si possono recuperare nel sito web di Maderas Rainforest Conservancy,
che organizza questo ed altri corsi.
Le iscrizioni si chiudono ai primi di giugno 2011
Primate Behavioral Ecology and Conservation
(Syllabus session #3 La Suerte, Costa Rica, dal
20 Luglio al 14 Agosto 2011)
Instructor: Dr. Giuseppe Donati
Oxford Brookes University
Nocturnal Primate Research Group
Department of Anthropology and Geography
Oxford OX3 0BP
United Kingdom
Mobile: ++39 3477368095
Email: gdonati@brookes.ac.uk
If you wish to speak to me by telephone, then please email me to arrange a time.
Introduction:
This course will integrate lectures on primate behavioral ecology and conservation with the opportunity to practice field
methods in a tropical forest environment. After an introduction on what a primate is, the course aims to give you an
overview ranging from ecological aspects such as the importance of forest structure and food availability/quality for the
primates to specific behavioral adaptations. Primate societies will be presented through an ecological perspective to
highlight the strict interaction between the forest and our order. You will also learn what the primary threats are to primates,
how to assess levels of threats and what actions are best taken for heir conservation. This course will be an excellent
opportunity to train yourself in behavioral and ecological data collection techniques and to have a “real” experience on what
primatologists do in the field. The theoretical and practical background during the first part of the course will prepare you
for intensive data collection towards the second part. During the execution of your individual projects you will learn how to
plan, collect, analyze, and interpret the results relevant to your research.
During the first part of the course days will generally be structured as follows: There will be a method introduction in the
morning followed by the practice of these methods until mid-day. Lectures will be held in the afternoon.
During the second part of the course (individual projects) the students are expected to work in the forest for 6 up to 12 hours
a day for intensive data collection. Each day we will meet before the evening meal to discuss the day’s experience and share
any tips for good data collection, as well as ways to overcome difficulties in the field.
Learning outcomes:
1.
2.
3.
4.
understand how primate anatomy and behavior relate to their environments, as well as an understanding of the
evolutionary processes that shaped primate adaptations
recognize the role of primates within the forest ecosystem
knowledge the conservation status of primates, and their potential importance in the preservation of human
impacted environments
understand field methods as well as the different phases of a research project
Grading:
Your final mark will be based on the following, and determined out of a total of 310 points:
* one exam (100 points) – 30%
* field exercises (10 points each, 70 points) – 25%
* a written report of your project (100 points) – 30%
* an oral presentation of the project (25 points) – 10%
* co-operation, participation and ability to work with others (15 points) – 5%
Coursework marking can be moderated to accommodate non-US marking systems.
Textbooks:
The following books are important (but not required) for good understanding of primate behavior and ecology, as well as
field techniques in primatology. They should be accessible through your university bookshop, and also on the internet at
www.amazon.com or www.amazon.co.uk.
1.
2.
Strier, Karen B., Primate Behavioral Ecology, Allyn and Bacon Publishing, 2000
Patterson, J.D., Primate Behavior, Second Edition, 2001
The following books are suggested for students who would like to get a deeper understanding of the primate radiation, as
well as updated field and lab techniques for primatologists.
1.
2.
Campbell, C., Fuentes, A., MacKinnon, K., Bearder S., Stumpf, R., Primates in Perspectives, Oxford University
Press, 2010
Curtis, D.J., Setchell, J.M., Field and Laboratory Methods in Primatology: A Practical Guide. Cambridge
University Press, 2011
Syllabus:
Tentative course schedule (subject to change). Attendance is mandatory at all lectures, methodology talks and field
exercises.
20 July Lecture: Orientation regarding safety, procedures and behavior at La Suerte, course goals, and course requirements
Method: use of maps of the forest around the field station, get acquainted with the trail system
Introductory talks: by students, TA and lecturer
21 July Lecture: Introduction to the Primates
Method: discussion on the preparation for a field study (climate data-loggers, habituating, trapping, handling and marking
primates etc.)
Field exercise: GPS, compass, and binocular use in the forest (mapping)
22 July Lecture: Primate Social Organization
Method: what is an ethogram? Case study of the Costa Rican Primates
Field exercise: observe an animal species of your choice, and construct a basic ethogram
23 July Lecture: Primate Locomotion and Positional Behavior
Method: conducting behavioral observations
Field exercise: practice observation methods in the field
24 July Lecture: Non-human Primate Diet and Nutrition
Method: determining primate home ranges and travel pattern
Field exercise: home range determination exercise with compass, GPS and a computer programme
25 July Lecture: Primate Communities and Community Ecology
Method: botanical sampling for primate studies
Field exercise: practice techniques in habitat description and phenology
26 July Lecture: The Primates of Costa Rica
Method: censusing primate and mammal populations
Field exercise: census walk and survey of the diurnal mammals of La Suerte
27 July Lecture: Primate Conservation 1: Hunting and habitat disturbance
Method: studying animals at night
Field exercise: census walk and survey of the nocturnal mammals of La Suerte
28 July Lecture: Primate Conservation 2: Conservation strategies
Small group activity: analysis and discussion of selected research papers.
Group discussion of project titles, preparation of research proposals and data sheets for data collection
29 July Lecture: Data analyses for primatologists
background reading for research project; finish research proposals and data sheets for data collection
30 August preparation for the exam
31 August exam
1 August intensive data collection for final project; additional field method instruction will be incorporated throughout the
next week in small groups
2 August data collection
3 August data collection
4 August data collection
5 August data collection
6 August data collection
7 August data collection
8 August data collection
9 August data collection
10 August work with instructor and teaching assistant(s) and co-operate with students to write up final project
11 August finish writing up and hand in final project at 6pm
12 August presentation of the results of the field project
13 August discussion on what we have learnt during the course