Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
  • 2014Journal Article
    [["dc.bibliographiccitation.firstpage","38"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.journal","Lemur News"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.lastpage","43"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.volume","18"],["dc.contributor.author","Schäffler, Livia"],["dc.contributor.author","Kappeler, Peter M."],["dc.date.accessioned","2018-03-20T12:28:39Z"],["dc.date.available","2018-03-20T12:28:39Z"],["dc.date.issued","2014"],["dc.description.abstract","The largest remaining tract of western dry deciduous forest in Madagascar is located in the region of Menabe Central and harbors a species-rich lemur community. The distribution and abundance of lemur species have never been assessed across the forests of the Menabe Central. We therefore surveyed populations of three species of the family Cheirogaleidae (Cheirogaleus medius, Mirza coquereli, Phaner pallescens) via distance sampling on 35 1-km line transects to estimate overall population densities and to investigate the regional distribution against the backdrop of anthropogenic activities. Corresponding to species-specific ecological demands, we documented divergent spatial population structures for the three species across Menabe Central. Cheirogaleus medius occurred in comparably high population densities in all forest regions, whereas the abundance of M. coquereli and P. pallescens was substantially lower and their distribution more heterogeneous. Moreover, regional distribution patterns revealed differential susceptibilities to human impact: C. medius largely relies on non-degraded habitat and both C. medius and P. pallescens avoid human environments spatially. In contrast to results of earlier studies, M. coquereli appeared to be fairly resilient to disturbances. Thus, this cheirogaleid assemblage varied in composition across heterogeneous habitats and was deprived where anthropogenic pressure was particularly intense. In order to prevent biodiversity loss in Menabe Central, effective protection of Kirindy and Ambadira Forests, and the narrow remaining forest corridor connecting them, will be crucial."],["dc.identifier.uri","https://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gro-2/13099"],["dc.language.iso","en"],["dc.notes.status","final"],["dc.title","Distribution and abundance of three cheirogaleid species in Menabe Central, Western Madagascar"],["dc.type","journal_article"],["dc.type.internalPublication","unknown"],["dspace.entity.type","Publication"]]
    Details
  • 2007Journal Article
    [["dc.bibliographiccitation.firstpage","1007"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.issue","6"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.journal","Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.lastpage","1015"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.volume","62"],["dc.contributor.author","Kappeler, Peter"],["dc.contributor.author","Schäffler, Livia"],["dc.date.accessioned","2017-09-07T11:48:24Z"],["dc.date.available","2017-09-07T11:48:24Z"],["dc.date.issued","2007"],["dc.description.abstract","The primates of Madagascar (Lemuriformes) are unusual among mammals in that polygynous species lack sexual dimorphism, and females dominate males socially in most species. Moreover, lemur groups are relatively small and characterized by even adult sex ratios despite the fact that one male should be able to exclude other males from the group. One hypothesis to explain this combination of behavioral, morphological, and demographic traits (the “lemur syndrome”) postulates that male–male competition is relaxed and, hence, variance in male reproductive success is low. Reproductive skew theory provides a framework for testing this and several related predictions about lemur social evolution. Specifically, low reproductive skew is also predicted if dominant males or adult females make reproductive concessions to subordinates or if the latter group successfully pursues alternative reproductive tactics. However, suitable data on paternity, demography, and behavior for a conclusive test of these predictions have not been available in the past. In this paper, we show that male reproductive success in ten groups of Verreaux’s sifakas (Propithecus verreauxi) was extremely skewed in favor of the dominant male over 9 years. Our genetic analyses also revealed that more than a third of all groups are effectively harem groups because only one male was unrelated to the resident female(s). In groups with two or more non-natal males, the dominant sired 91% of 33 infants. Together, males pursuing one of several alternative reproductive tactics, such as roaming among several groups or immigrating peacefully, sired only 11% of infants. Thus, female sifakas do not control group composition by offering reproductive opportunities to subordinate males as staying incentives, intrasexual selection is not relaxed, and dominant males prevail in a tug-of-war over subordinate males. Because male reproductive skew in sifakas is even more pronounced than in harem-living anthropoids studied to date, intrasexual selection is clearly not relaxed, and the lemur syndrome is more puzzling than ever."],["dc.identifier.doi","10.1007/s00265-007-0528-6"],["dc.identifier.gro","3150816"],["dc.identifier.purl","https://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?goescholar/3494"],["dc.identifier.uri","https://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gro-2/7609"],["dc.language.iso","en"],["dc.notes.intern","Merged from goescholar"],["dc.notes.status","final"],["dc.relation.issn","0340-5443"],["dc.rights","Goescholar"],["dc.rights.uri","https://goescholar.uni-goettingen.de/licenses"],["dc.title","The lemur syndrome unresolved: extreme male reproductive skew in sifakas (Propithecus verreauxi), a sexually monomorphic primate with female dominance"],["dc.type","journal_article"],["dc.type.internalPublication","unknown"],["dc.type.peerReviewed","yes"],["dc.type.version","published_version"],["dspace.entity.type","Publication"]]
    Details DOI
  • 2015Journal Article Research Paper
    [["dc.bibliographiccitation.firstpage","1"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.issue","7"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.journal","BMC Ecology"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.lastpage","15"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.volume","15"],["dc.contributor.author","Schäffler, Livia"],["dc.contributor.author","Saborowski, Joachim"],["dc.contributor.author","Kappeler, Peter"],["dc.date.accessioned","2017-09-07T11:48:23Z"],["dc.date.available","2017-09-07T11:48:23Z"],["dc.date.issued","2015"],["dc.description.abstract","BackgroundSpatio-temporal distribution patterns of species in response to natural and anthropogenic drivers provide insight into the ecological processes that determine community composition. We investigated determinants of ecological structure in a species assemblage of 4 closely related primate species of the family Cheirogaleidae (Microcebus berthae, Microcebus murinus, Cheirogaleus medius, Mirza coquereli) in western Madagascar by extensive line transect surveys across spatial and temporal heterogeneities with the specific goal of elucidating the mechanisms stabilizing competitive coexistence of the two mouse lemur species (Microcebus spp.).ResultsInterspecific competition between the mouse lemurs was indicated by negative spatial associations in degraded habitat and by habitat partitioning along anthropogenic disturbance gradients during dry seasons with resource scarcity. In non-degraded habitat, intraguild predator M. coquereli, but not C. medius, was negatively associated with M. murinus on the population level, whereas its regional distribution overlapped spatially with that of M. berthae. The species’ interspecific distribution pattern across spatial and temporal heterogeneities corresponded to predictions for agent-mediated coexistence and thus confirmed M. coquereli’s stabilizing impact on the coexistence of mouse lemurs.ConclusionsInterspecific interactions contribute to ecological structure in this cheirogaleid assemblage and determinants vary across spatio-temporal heterogeneities. Coexistence of Microcebus spp. is stabilized by an agent-mediated spatial storage effect: M. coquereli creates refuges from competition for M. berthae in intact habitat, whereas anthropogenic environments provide M. murinus with an escape from resource competition and intraguild predation. Species persistence in the assemblage therefore depends on the conservation of habitat content and context that stabilizing mechanisms rely on. Our large-scale population level approach did not allow for considering all potential functional and stochastic drivers of ecological structure, a key limitation that accounts for the large proportion of unexplained variance in our models."],["dc.identifier.doi","10.1186/s12898-015-0040-1"],["dc.identifier.gro","3150788"],["dc.identifier.pmid","25888023"],["dc.identifier.purl","https://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gs-1/12468"],["dc.identifier.uri","https://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gro-2/7579"],["dc.language.iso","en"],["dc.notes.status","final"],["dc.relation.issn","1472-6785"],["dc.relation.orgunit","Abteilung Ökosystemmodellierung"],["dc.relation.orgunit","Abteilung Ökoinformatik, Biometrie und Waldwachstum"],["dc.rights.access","openAccess"],["dc.rights.holder","Schäffler et al.; licensee BioMed Central."],["dc.subject.gro","Agent-mediated coexistence"],["dc.subject.gro","Competition"],["dc.subject.gro","Ecological structure"],["dc.subject.gro","Interspecific interactions"],["dc.subject.gro","Intraguild predation"],["dc.subject.gro","Lemurs"],["dc.subject.gro","Spatial storage effect"],["dc.subject.gro","Species assemblage"],["dc.title","Agent-mediated spatial storage effect in heterogeneous habitat stabilizes competitive mouse lemur coexistence in Menabe Central, Western Madagascar"],["dc.type","journal_article"],["dc.type.internalPublication","yes"],["dc.type.peerReviewed","yes"],["dc.type.subtype","original_ja"],["dc.type.version","published_version"],["dspace.entity.type","Publication"]]
    Details DOI PMID PMC
  • 2009Journal Article
    [["dc.bibliographiccitation.firstpage","13"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.journal","Lemur News"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.lastpage","16"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.volume","14"],["dc.contributor.author","Dammhahn, Melanie"],["dc.contributor.author","Schäffler, Livia"],["dc.contributor.author","Fichtel, Claudia"],["dc.contributor.author","Kappeler, Peter"],["dc.date.accessioned","2017-11-13T14:33:39Z"],["dc.date.available","2017-11-13T14:33:39Z"],["dc.date.issued","2009"],["dc.identifier.uri","https://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gro-2/9943"],["dc.language.iso","en"],["dc.notes.status","final"],["dc.subject","Microcebus; Lepilemur; distribution; northern Menabe; conservation"],["dc.title","Rapid lemur survey in northern Menabe"],["dc.type","journal_article"],["dc.type.internalPublication","unknown"],["dspace.entity.type","Publication"]]
    Details
  • 2021Journal Article
    [["dc.bibliographiccitation.artnumber","585781"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.journal","Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.volume","9"],["dc.contributor.author","Schäffler, Livia"],["dc.contributor.author","Kappeler, Peter M."],["dc.contributor.author","Halley, John M."],["dc.date.accessioned","2022-10-06T13:26:42Z"],["dc.date.available","2022-10-06T13:26:42Z"],["dc.date.issued","2021"],["dc.description.abstract","Ecological communities are structured by interactions between coexisting species that mutually influence their distribution and abundance. Ecologically similar species are expected to exclude one another from suitable habitat, so the coexistence of two mouse lemur species in an assemblage of several closely related cheirogaleid primates in the central Menabe region of Madagascar requires explanation. We assessed the occurrence of Madame Berthe’s mouse lemurs (\n Microcebus berthae\n ) and Gray mouse lemurs (\n Microcebus murinus\n ), and of two larger cheirogaleids, Coquerel’s giant mouse lemur (\n Mirza coquereli\n ) and the western fat-tailed dwarf lemur (\n Cheirogaleus medius\n ), by nocturnal line transect walks between 2003 and 2007. We explored interspecific interactions for four different scenarios with varying resource availability (degraded and non-degraded habitat in the wet and dry season), both on the regional spatial scale and on a finer local (transect) scale. We tested whether the interspecific distribution of mouse lemur individuals indicates interspecific competition and whether their regional coexistence might be stabilized by interactions with\n M. coquereli\n or\n C. medius\n . We developed the “Inter-Species Index of Attraction” (ISIA) to quantify the observed interspecific interactions within transects and determined if these were significantly different from a null model generated by a combination of randomization and bootstrapping to control for intraspecific aggregation. For the two mouse lemurs, interspecific spatial exclusion was most pronounced during the resource-poor dry season, consistent with the hypothesis of feeding competition. Seasonally varying distribution patterns indicated resource tracking in a spatio-temporally heterogeneous environment. The interspecific distribution of individuals suggested that the larger cheirogaleids benefit\n M. berthae\n at the expense of the more abundant\n M. murinus\n : spatial associations of both,\n M. coquereli\n and\n C. medius\n , with\n M. murinus\n were negative in most scenarios and across spatial scales, but neutral or even positive with\n M. berthae\n . Thus, our study revealed that coexistence among ecologically similar heterospecifics can rely on complex density-mediated interspecific processes varying with habitat quality and season. With regard to the stability of animal assemblages, this insight has major implications for biodiversity conservation."],["dc.description.sponsorship"," Deutsches Primatenzentrum http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004938"],["dc.description.sponsorship"," Primate Conservation http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100003282"],["dc.description.sponsorship"," Conservation International http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100008647"],["dc.identifier.doi","10.3389/fevo.2021.585781"],["dc.identifier.uri","https://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gro-2/115143"],["dc.notes.intern","DOI-Import GROB-602"],["dc.relation.eissn","2296-701X"],["dc.relation.orgunit","Deutsches Primatenzentrum"],["dc.rights.uri","https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"],["dc.title","Mouse Lemurs in an Assemblage of Cheirogaleid Primates in Menabe Central, Western Madagascar – Three Reasons to Coexist"],["dc.type","journal_article"],["dc.type.internalPublication","unknown"],["dspace.entity.type","Publication"]]
    Details DOI
  • 2014Journal Article
    [["dc.bibliographiccitation.firstpage","557"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.issue","2"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.journal","International Journal of Primatology"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.lastpage","572"],["dc.bibliographiccitation.volume","35"],["dc.contributor.author","Schäffler, Livia"],["dc.contributor.author","Kappeler, Peter"],["dc.date.accessioned","2017-09-07T11:48:33Z"],["dc.date.available","2017-09-07T11:48:33Z"],["dc.date.issued","2014"],["dc.description.abstract","The distribution of most recently discovered or described lemur species remains poorly known, but many appear to have small geographical ranges, making them vulnerable to extinction. Research can contribute to future conservation actions on behalf of these species by providing accurate information on local distribution and abundance. The distribution of the world’s smallest primate, the endangered Madame Berthe’s mouse lemur (Microcebus berthae), is limited to the Menabe Central region of western Madagascar. This species was discovered in the 1990s, but many fundamental aspects of its ecology remain unknown. The aims of our study were therefore to determine the actual distribution of Microcebus berthae across the forests of this region, to estimate population density, and to examine the species’ response to anthropogenic activities. We established 35 1-km line transects across Menabe Central, on which we surveyed mouse lemurs by distance sampling and live trapping. Microcebus berthae does not occur in all remaining forests of this small region and its population density is highly heterogeneous, both across its geographic range and locally. Within its area of occupancy, the population of Microcebus berthae not only was distributed according to spatial heterogeneities of the habitat, but also responded to anthropogenic disturbances and varied seasonally. Our results indicate that Microcebus berthae is susceptible to habitat degradation and avoids human environments spatially. As none of the forest remnants in which the species still occurs were officially protected until recently, immediate conservation actions should focus on effectively protecting Kirindy and Ambadira forests."],["dc.identifier.doi","10.1007/s10764-014-9768-2"],["dc.identifier.gro","3150860"],["dc.identifier.pmid","24719496"],["dc.identifier.purl","https://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gs-1/12120"],["dc.identifier.uri","https://resolver.sub.uni-goettingen.de/purl?gro-2/7654"],["dc.language.iso","en"],["dc.notes.intern","Merged from goescholar"],["dc.notes.status","final"],["dc.relation.issn","0164-0291"],["dc.rights","Goescholar"],["dc.rights.uri","https://goescholar.uni-goettingen.de/licenses"],["dc.title","Distribution and Abundance of the World's Smallest Primate, Microcebus berthae, in Central Western Madagascar"],["dc.type","journal_article"],["dc.type.internalPublication","unknown"],["dc.type.peerReviewed","yes"],["dc.type.version","published_version"],["dspace.entity.type","Publication"]]
    Details DOI PMID PMC