Lisa Gould’s Webpage
Dr. Lisa Gould, Associate Professor. BA, MA (University of
Alberta) Ph.D. (Washington University in St. Louis), Killam
Postdoctoral Fellow (University of Alberta)
Major Subfield : Biological Anthropology/ Primatology
Geographic Interest: Madagascar
Topical Interests: Primate behavioral ecology, demography and
life history of primates, hominid and primate evolution.
Address:
Dept. of Anthropology,
University of Victoria,
Box 3050, Victoria,
BC V8W-3P5
Tel: 250-721-7058
Fax: 250-721-6215
E-mail: lgould@uvic.ca
Research Interests: My research focuses on examining the costs
and benefits of group living in primates, particularly Lemur catta, a
female-dominant species, which lives in mixed-sex groups and
inhabits gallery, xerophytic, and scrub forests in the south and
southwestern Madagascar. Female dominance is rare in mammals,
and one of my long-term research goals has been to understand
how adult males in this species adapt and respond, both
physiologically and socially, to female dominance and its
accompanying conditions, ie. female priority of access to all
resources and social dominance by females. Research that I have
conducted related to this goal includes: patterns of affiliative
behavior in adult males (Ph.D. research) ; sex differences in
vigilance behavior (Post-doctoral research); and an examination of
physiological stress and testosterone levels during mating and postmating periods in groups of wild Lemur catta at the BezaMahafaly Reserve, Madagascar. I have also, along with colleagues
Dr. Michelle Sauther of University of Colorado, and Dr. Robert
Sussman of Washington University, examined life history and
demographic patterns of the Beza Mahafaly ring-tailed lemur
population over a 15-year period. During this period a serious
drought occurred, and we were able to document the effects of, and
subsequent population recovery from this natural disaster (see
publications list). I plan to continue examining costs and benefits
of group living in lemurs by comparing data from previous work
done in gallery forests with new research in scrub and spiny forest
habitat, with a proximal goal of understanding how habitat and
group size influences nutrition, feeding ecology, and anti-predator
strategies in Lemur catta, and ultimately, how habitat variability
may affect survival and reproductive success.
Photo captions:
Lisa Gould collects data on ring-tailed lemurs at Beza Mahafaly
Reserve, Madagascar
“Etoile” female ring-tailed lemur at Beza Mahafaly Reserve,
Madagascar. She lived to 19 years of age, the oldest ring-tailed
lemur of actual known age at this site.
Two lemurs inhabiting gallery forest habitat at Beza Mahafaly
Reserve rest in a tamarind tree on the riverbank.
A Verreaux’s sifaka (Propithecus verreauxi verreauxi) in a
suspensory feeding posture at Beza Mahafaly
A Lepilemur (Lepilemur leucopus) at Beza
Research grants in the past 5 years: Natural Science and
Engineering Research Council of Canada- 5-year operating grant
(2001-2005), National Geographic Research Grant (2001-2002),
Wenner-Gren Foundation for Anthropological Research Grant(2001-2002), University of Victoria Faculty Research Grant.
Courses taught at University of Victoria: Introduction to
biological anthropology, primatology, selected topics in primate
ecology, and graduate seminar in biological anthropology.
Graduate Students:
Sarah Turner (Interdisciplinary M.Sc. 2003) Thesis title: Maternal
investment and disability in Japanese macaques
Renee Bauer (Interdisciplinary M.Sc 2005). Thesis title: Correlates
of dominance rank in female ring-tailed lemurs
Andrea Gemmill (Anthropology MA student) Thesis topic:
Within-group feeding competition in female ring-tailed lemurs
Marni LaFleur ((Interdisciplinary M.Sc. student). Thesis topic:
Nutrition in pregnant Lemur catta in gallery forest habitat
Nick Ellwanger (Anthropology MA student) Thesis topic:
Influence of habitat on ranging, activity budgets and infant care in
Lemur catta.
Graduate Studies Opportunities - Students interested in
undertaking graduate studies under my supervision, with a research
focus in primatology, have the following options: 1) the
Department of Anthropology offers a Masters of Arts degree in
Anthropology--see Graduate Studies in Anthropology website:
http://web.uvic.ca/anth/master.php
OR
2) Interdisciplinary MA, MSc. or Ph.D.--see Interdisciplinary
Studies Website:
http://registrar.uvic.ca/grad/admission/special/intd/Interdisciplinary
GraduatePrograms.html
The Department of Anthropology is also currently working on a
proposal for a Ph.D. program which will likely begin in the next
few years.
List of Publications:
In press: Gould, L. and Sauther, M.L. Lemuriformes: Malagasy
Primates in the 21st Century. In: Primates in Perspective. S.
Bearder, C. Campbell, A. Fuentes, K. C. MacKinnon, M. Panger
(eds.) Oxford University Press. Expected date of publicationSpring, 2006.
In press: Turner, S.E., Gould, L., Duffus, D. Maternal behavior and
infant congenital limb malformation in a free-ranging group of
Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) on Awaji Island, Japan.
International Journal of Primatology- will appear in Dec. 2005
volume
Gould, L., Ziegler, T. and Wittwer, D. (2005). Effects of
reproductive and social variables on fecal glucocorticoid levels in a
sample of adult male ring-tailed lemurs (Lemur catta) at the Beza
Mahafaly Reserve, Madagascar. American Journal of Primatology
67: 5-23.
Gould, L., Sussman, R.W., and Sauther, M.L. (2003).
Demographic and life-history patterns in a population of ringtailed
lemurs (Lemur catta) at Beza Mahafaly Reserve, Madagascar: a
15-year perspective. American Journal of Physical Anthropology
120: 182-194.
Gould,L. and Overdorff, D.J. (2002). Adult male scent-marking in
Lemur catta and Eulemur fulvus rufus. International Journal of
Primatology 23:575-586.
Gould, L. (2000). Adoption of a wild orphaned ringtailed lemur
infant by natal group members: Adaptive Explanations Primates
41:413-420.
A. Jolly , S. Caless , S. Cavigelli , L. Gould , M.E. Pereira ,
A. Pitts, R.E. Pride, H.D. Rabenandrasana , J.D. Walker and T.
Zafison. (2002). Infant killing, wounding, and predation in
Eulemur and Lemur. International Journal of Primatology 21:2140.
Gould, L., Sussman, R.W., and Sauther, M.L. (1999). Natural
disasters and primate populations: the effects of a two-year drought
on a naturally occurring population of ringtailed lemurs in
southwestern Madagascar.International Journal of Primatology
Vol. 20: 69-84.
Sauther, M.L., Sussman, R.W., Gould, L. (1999). The
Socioecology of the Ringtailed Lemur: Thirty-Five Years of
Research. Evolutionary Anthropology 8:120-132.
Gould, L. (1999). How female dominance and reproductive
seasonality affect the social lives of adult male ringtailed
lemurs(Lemur catta) In: The Non-Human Primates, P.J. Dolinhow
and A.Fuentes (eds). Mayfield Press:MountainView CA
Gould, L. (1997). Affiliative relationships between adult males and
immature group members in naturally occurring ringtailed lemurs
(Lemur catta ). American Journal of Physical Anthropology
103:163-171.
Gould, L., Fedigan, L.M., Rose, L.M. (1997). Why be vigilant?
The case of the alpha animal. International Journal of Primatology
: 18: 401-414.
Gould, L. (1997). Intermale affiliative relationships in ringtailed
lemurs (Lemur catta ) at the Beza-Mahafaly Reserve, Madagascar.
Primates 38: 15-30.
Gould, L. (1996). Male-female affiliative relationships in naturally
occurring ringtailed lemurs (Lemur catta) at the Beza-Mahafaly
Reserve, Madagascar. American Journal of Primatology, 39:63-78.
Gould, L. (1996). Vigilance behavior in naturally occurring
ringtailed lemurs (Lemur catta ) during birth and lactation season.
International Journal of Primatology, 17: 331-347.
Gould, L. (1992). Alloparental care in free-ranging Lemur
catta at Berenty Reserve, Madagascar. Folia Primatologica. 58:
72-83.
Gould, L. (1990). The social development of free-ranging infant
Lemur catta at Berenty Reserve, Madagascar. International
Journal of Primatology 11: 297-317.
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