Habitat use, movement patterns and energy expenditure of black lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysopygus)

Author(s)

Gabriela Cabral Rezende

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: Rio Claro. 2022-09-23.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Instituto de Biociências. Rio Claro
• Defense date: 2022-08-25
• Advisor: Laurence Marianne Vincianne Culot; Ariovaldo Pereira da Cruz Neto; Luca Börger

Abstract

Changes in the structure of forests resulting from habitat degradation can lead to changes in the movement of animals that depend on these environments, affecting their energy balance and, ultimately, their reproduction rate and survival. Therefore, understanding movement patterns and energy expenditure of species in degraded landscapes can provide useful information for the development of guidelines for habitat management, in order to increase populations viability in these environments. We chose the black lion tamarin (Leontopithecus chrysopygus), endemic to the Atlantic Forest of São Paulo and threatened due to fragmentation, as a model to understand the energetic consequences of habitat fragmentation in arboreal primates. On a broad scale, a) we evaluated how processes of different scales act in the distribution of a forest dependent species; and on a local scale, b) we characterized and compared movement patterns and habitat use of black lion tamarins in different fragments, and c) evaluated how forest structure, abiotic factors and movement patterns influence their energy expenditure. Initially, we used Ecological Niche Models to predict the potential distribution of the black lion tamarin using climate and landscape variables combined. Subsequently, we worked on the issues of movement and energy expenditure of this species, using data collected remotely from GPS and accelerometer devices. We validated, through an experiment in captivity, the use of accelerometers to estimate the energy cost of movement of the black lion tamarin in its natural environment. We then monitored wild lion tamarins to characterize their movement patterns and estimate the movement-related energy expenditure. Our results show that the species is present in less than 1% of its original distribution, suggesting a profound effect of fragmentation. We also identified areas of high climatic and landscape suitability for their occurrence and determined regional priorities in terms of management strategies aimed at their conservation. From the monitoring of four individuals for 1,575 hours and obtaining more than 136 million records, we found that wild black lion tamarins spent, on average, 100.5 (±8.4) kcal per day, while captive ones spent 84.5 (±11.9) kcal/day. The results of field monitoring also suggested an effect of patch size on space use and sharing, and indicated that distance traveled and directionality of movement, as well as temperature, humidity, daylength, and the forest structure and composition influenced the tamarins’ energy expenditure. We found a negative relationship between energy expenditure and structural (DBH, basal area and volume) and compositional (richness) forest variables, corroborating our hypothesis that tamarins spend less energy in better quality forests. This is the first study to estimate the species' metabolic rate, and it indicates how structural complexity affects its energy expenditure. The results allowed us to identify priority areas and actions for the conservation of the black lion tamarin and provide guidelines for habitat management, aiming to favor its movement through the forest and the fragmented landscape. In a broad context, the study validates methodologies for prioritizing areas for forest-dependent species, and the use of remote monitoring technologies in movement and energy expenditure studies, providing relevant results for the conservation of animal species. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/11962-9 - Habitat use, movement patterns and energy expenditure of black lion tamarins (Leontopithecus chrysopygus) in response to landscape fragmentation
• Grantee: Gabriela Cabral Rezende
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate