Primate Behavior and Ecology Field Course (Summer 2013)
Dates: July 1 - July 27, 2013
Instructor: Christopher A. Schmitt, PhD
Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, UCLA
TA: TBA
Application Syllabus La Suerte Scholarship Email to Enroll Photo Gallery
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will cover the behavior and ecology of primates from an evolutionary perspective. Emphasis will be given to New World primates, especially the three species present at La Suerte: Central American spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi), white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) and mantled howling monkeys (Alouatta palliata). The course at La Suerte offers a wonderful opportunity to gain hands-on field experience in a truly extraordinary setting, surrounded by tropical forest with remarkable diversity of fauna and flora.
This is an intensive field course in primate behavior, and is equivalent to an upper- level undergraduate course. An enjoyment of highly physical outdoor adventures is a must! Many days are spent rising before dawn to hike to the field to begin observations of monkeys or other field activities, eating lunch in the field, and returning mid-afternoon for a couple of hours to study/rest before dinner. Evenings are spent in classroom lectures and discussion. After the first week of the course, students will work with the instructor to develop an independent research project. After the project is approved, students collect a minimum of 25 hours data for their project.
The course is rigorous and, with the exception of a few excursions to other parts of Costa Rica, there isn't much 'free' time to explore the country. [I recommend staying a week after the course ends to see some of the country if you are interested in that.] You will be exposed to a broad spectrum of primate behavior, fieldwork in general, as well as field Primatology, and have the opportunity to interact with local people that live with these primates every day. Our goal is for you to come away with a more integrated and comprehensive perspective of primate behavioral research and conservation. A copy of the following syllabus is available for download at the bottom of this page.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Throughout this course, the importance of the study of primates for the following themes will be emphasized:
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS
The following books are essential for supplementary understanding of primate behavior and ecology, as well as field techniques in primatology. They should be accessible through your university bookshop, and also via internet booksellers:
The following books have excellent general primate information, and some have information and data relevant to the species at La Suerte. Additionally, some discuss field techniques that may prove helpful. These would be excellent for group projects, independent research projects, and for your own interest:
COURSE STRUCTURE
The course will be broken up into two main sections: “primate behavioral ecology/field techniques” and “independent research project”.
1. PRIMATE BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY/FIELD TECHNIQUES: this is the first half of course and is based on classroom lectures, participation in discussions, oral presentations, field exercises, and one exam.
Lectures/Readings
The specific lecture topics will fall under the following general categories:
Readings will be assigned in the texts, and many journal articles (as well as other books) will be available in the Ometepe library for additional information.
Field Exercises
This part of the course involves supervised participation in data collecting techniques, methods, and procedures discussed and practiced under actual field conditions. Students will work closely with the professor and teaching assistant on the following field techniques:
In addition, there will be research methodology exercises that will provide useful practice for various data-taking techniques that will be used during the independent project. You will learn various elements of research design, including how to develop an ethogram (or “behavioral repertoire”), and various behavioral sampling methods.
Journal Article Critique
This assignment will introduce you to the professional primatological literature and give you a sense of current styles of writing and topics of interest in primatology. You will select a journal article from the Ometepe library, from articles I bring with me, or perhaps from something that you bring along. More details will be provided during class.
2. INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROJECT: this takes place during the second half of the course. With the help of our faculty, you will develop and carry out your own field research project. This will be an original project of your own choosing on some topic of primate behavioral ecology, and it will involve researching, developing, writing up, submitting and getting feedback on a specific research proposal, carrying out the project, analyzing and writing up your results, and orally presenting these results to the rest of the class at the end of the field course. I will be available throughout the process to help with research design, and to offer advice during the data collection process.
ASSESSMENT/ GRADING
Attendance is mandatory at all lectures, methodology talks and field exercises. You will receive two grades for this course.
I. The first grade is for PRIMATE BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY/FIELD TECHNIQUES. This part of the course involves supervised participation in collecting techniques, methods and procedures discussed and practiced under actual field conditions (see above) and lecture material on primate topics.
Your Field Techniques grade will be based on:
II. The second grade is for the INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROJECT. This part of the course involves the interpretation, evaluation, and organization of data in field primatology, as well as written proposals and reports on research.
Your Research Design grade will be based on:
JULY 28 students arrive in San José, Costa Rica and we will travel by bus to La Suerte. Anyone coming in the day before or earlier will need to stay overnight on the 28th at a hostel, recommended by Maderas, near the airport.
For the first portion of the course we will generally have early breakfast followed by field methodology sessions that will alternate between morning and afternoons for students. Students groups will go with the instructor to the field either in the morning, followed by lunch and then a free afternoon to read/study/rest, or students will have an open morning to read/rest/study and then an afternoon field session with lunch in the field. Lectures will be from 4:30-6:00, followed by dinner and then discussion/student presentations in the evening.
During the second portion of the course, students will be collecting data for their independent study projects. These days will typically be spent rising before dawn to get to the field to begin observations of primates, eating lunch in the field, and returning mid-afternoon for a couple of hours to study/rest before dinner. Evenings will be spent in classroom lectures and discussion.
DAY TOPIC/ACTIVITY
July 1 Arrival to La Suerte BFS; Introduction & orientation to the station, its rules, regulations, safety tips, course
content, etc.
July 2 Lecture 1: Introduction to Primatology
Field: Navigate trails, use of compass
Reading: Strier, Chapter 1
Paterson, Chapter 1 and Chapter 7
July 3 Lecture 2: What is a primate? Primate taxonomy & distribution
Field: Habitat description and mapping (set up phenology plots)
Reading: Strier, Chapters 2 and 3
Paterson, Chapter 2
Journal Club: Wildman et al. 2009 (Al/At/Ce)
*Optional: Night walk.
July 4 Lecture 3: Preliminaries necessary to all research (animal identification, ethogram, & observation)
Field: Animal observations with IDs, aging and sexing, ethogram with capuchin researchers
Reading: Paterson, Chapter 3
Paterson, Exercises 1, 2, 3
July 5 Lecture 4: Natural selection and sexual selection
Field: Primate censusing
Reading: Strier, Chapters 4 and 5
Paterson, Exercise 14
Journal Club: Peres 1999
Pruetz & Leasor 2002 (Al/At/Ce)
Setchell et al. 2005 **
July 6 Lecture 5: Primate social organization and socioecology
Field: Plant phenology & identification
Reading: Strier, Chapters 7 and 8
Paterson, Exercise 15
Journal Club: Hemingway & Overdorff 1999
Sterck et al. 1997
July 7 *Day trip to Cariari
July 8 Lecture: Dominance, social interactions, relationships
Field: Primate observations & project brainstorming
Reading: Strier, Chapter 5
Paterson, Exercises 4-11
Journal Club: Perry 1997 (Ce)
Perry 1998 (Ce)
July 9 Lecture 10: Locomotor and feeding ecology
Field: Primate observations & project brainstorming
Reading: Strier, Chapter 6
July 10 Lecture 8: Field research designs
Field: Design research projects, prepare project proposal presentations
Reading: Paterson, Chapter 2-4
Paterson, Exercises 16-21
*Optional: Night census walk and survey of nocturnal mammals
July 11 Lecture 9: Male-male competition, mate choice, infanticide
Field: Preliminary data collection, present project proposals in the evening.
Reading: Strier, Chapter 5
Paterson, Exercises 16-23
Journal Club: Van Belle et al. 2009 (Al)
Strier 1996
July 12 Lecture 7: Molecular Methods in Field Primatology
Field: Preliminary data collection
Reading: Molecular Primatology, Di Fiore & Gagneux
Journal Club: Bradley & Lawler 2011
Tung et al. 2010
July 13 Lecture 11: Primate development, ontogeny and life history
Field: Data collection for independent research projects
Reading: Strier, Chapter 9
Journal Club: Fairbanks 1993
Setchell et al. 2006
July 14 Lecture: Evolution of intelligence/ Primate communication & cognition
Field: Data collection for independent research projects
Reading: Strier, Chapter 10
July 15 Lecture: Social learning, tool use; culture
Field: Data collection for independent research projects
Reading: Strier, Chapter 10
Journal Club: Perry et al. 2003
Whiten et al. 1999
July 16 Lecture: Primate conservation
Field: Data collection for independent research projects
Reading: Strier, Chapter 12
July 17 Final Comprehensive Exam!
*Free afternoon!
July 18 Data collection for independent research projects
Evening discussion of field observation and data collection methods
July 19 Data collection for independent research projects
Evening discussion of field observation and data collection methods
July 20 Data collection for independent research projects
Evening discussion of field observation and data collection methods
July 21 Data analysis and write up.
July 22 Data analysis and write up. Final Draft due
July 23 Leave for Tortuguero!
July 24 Tortuguero! Evening return to La Suerte
July 25 *Return to San Jose
July 26 San Jose (Volcan Poas?), flights home
July 27 San Jose, flights home
STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
If any member of the class has a disability and needs special accommodations, please let me know ASAP. I will be happy to work with you to ensure that you have a fair opportunity to perform well in the class.
Academic integrity is violated by any dishonesty in submitting field exercises, tests, or the independent research projects. Any clear violation of academic integrity will be met with sanctions.
Instructor: Christopher A. Schmitt, PhD
Center for Neurobehavioral Genetics, UCLA
TA: TBA
Application Syllabus La Suerte Scholarship Email to Enroll Photo Gallery
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course will cover the behavior and ecology of primates from an evolutionary perspective. Emphasis will be given to New World primates, especially the three species present at La Suerte: Central American spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi), white-faced capuchins (Cebus capucinus) and mantled howling monkeys (Alouatta palliata). The course at La Suerte offers a wonderful opportunity to gain hands-on field experience in a truly extraordinary setting, surrounded by tropical forest with remarkable diversity of fauna and flora.
This is an intensive field course in primate behavior, and is equivalent to an upper- level undergraduate course. An enjoyment of highly physical outdoor adventures is a must! Many days are spent rising before dawn to hike to the field to begin observations of monkeys or other field activities, eating lunch in the field, and returning mid-afternoon for a couple of hours to study/rest before dinner. Evenings are spent in classroom lectures and discussion. After the first week of the course, students will work with the instructor to develop an independent research project. After the project is approved, students collect a minimum of 25 hours data for their project.
The course is rigorous and, with the exception of a few excursions to other parts of Costa Rica, there isn't much 'free' time to explore the country. [I recommend staying a week after the course ends to see some of the country if you are interested in that.] You will be exposed to a broad spectrum of primate behavior, fieldwork in general, as well as field Primatology, and have the opportunity to interact with local people that live with these primates every day. Our goal is for you to come away with a more integrated and comprehensive perspective of primate behavioral research and conservation. A copy of the following syllabus is available for download at the bottom of this page.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Throughout this course, the importance of the study of primates for the following themes will be emphasized:
- To understand the social and physical diversity within the order Primates
- To understand the ecological influences on sociality and behavior
- To understand the interplay of natural selection, environment, and behavioral adaptation in non-human primates
- To understand the methods used in primatological research and the issues involved in primate conservation
REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS
The following books are essential for supplementary understanding of primate behavior and ecology, as well as field techniques in primatology. They should be accessible through your university bookshop, and also via internet booksellers:
- Strier, Karen B., Primate Behavioral Ecology, 4rd edition. Allyn and Bacon Publishing, 2010 (ISBN 0205790178)
- Patterson, J.D., Primate Behavior, 2nd Edition, 2001 (ISBN 1-57766-165-6)
The following books have excellent general primate information, and some have information and data relevant to the species at La Suerte. Additionally, some discuss field techniques that may prove helpful. These would be excellent for group projects, independent research projects, and for your own interest:
- Campbell CA, Fuentes A, MacKinnon KC, Panger M, and Bearder SK. 2006. Primates in Perspective. New York: Oxford University Press. (ISBN: 0195171330). I will bring a copy.
- Fleagle JG. 1999. Primate Adaptation and Evolution. Academic Press. (ISBN: 0122603419).
- Fleagle JG, Janson CJ, and Reed KE. 1999. Primate Communities. Cambridge University Press. (ISBN: 0521629675). I will bring a copy.
- Janzen DH. 1983. Costa Rican Natural History. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. (ISBN: 0226393348). Available in the Ometepe library.
- Kricher JC. 1989. A Neotropical Companion. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. (ISBN: 0691009740). Available in the Ometepe library.
- Rowe N. 1996. The Pictorial Guide to the Living Primates. New York: Pogonias Press. (ISBN: 0964882515).
- Smuts BB, Cheney DL, Seyfarth RM, Wrangham R, and Struhsaker TT. 1987. Primate Societies. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. (ISBN:0226767167). I will bring a copy.
- Sussman RW. 2003. Primate Ecology and Social Structure, Vol.2: New World Monkeys (revised 1st edition). Boston, MA: Pearson Custom Publishing. (ISBN 0536743649).
- Terborgh J. 1983. Five New World Primates: A Study in Comparative Ecology. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. (ISBN: 069108338).
- Martin P and Bateson P. 2007. Measuring Behavior: An Introductory Guide, 3rd Edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 0521535638
- Fowler J, Cohen L, and Jarvis P. 1998. Practical Statistics for Field Biology, 2nd Edition. Chichester: Wiley & Sons. ISBN: 0471982962
- Setchell JM and Curtis DJ. 2003. Field and Laboratory Methods in Primatology: A Practical Guide. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 0521820049
COURSE STRUCTURE
The course will be broken up into two main sections: “primate behavioral ecology/field techniques” and “independent research project”.
1. PRIMATE BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY/FIELD TECHNIQUES: this is the first half of course and is based on classroom lectures, participation in discussions, oral presentations, field exercises, and one exam.
Lectures/Readings
The specific lecture topics will fall under the following general categories:
- Research Design: Methodology and Data Collection Techniques
- Primate Evolution
- Taxonomy & Distribution Primate Social Organization & Behavior
- Primate Dietary Ecology
- Primate Communities (niches, polyspecific associations, predators)
- Natural History of the Primates Found at La Suerte (group presentations on genera rather than lectures)
- Primate Conservation
Readings will be assigned in the texts, and many journal articles (as well as other books) will be available in the Ometepe library for additional information.
Field Exercises
This part of the course involves supervised participation in data collecting techniques, methods, and procedures discussed and practiced under actual field conditions. Students will work closely with the professor and teaching assistant on the following field techniques:
- Habitat Description: you will compare different habitats for tree height, crown volume, and canopy cover, and develop a basic habitat profile.
- Plant Phenology & Productivity: you will learn techniques to measure primate food availability, and you will collect and identify plant samples.
- Primate Population Analysis: you will learn how to census primate groups.
- Primate Feeding Ecology: you will learn how to determine what animals are eating, how much they are eating, and how diet differs according to season, age and sex class.
- Primate Observation Techniques and Ethograms: you will learn techniques for aging, sexing, and identifying individual primates, as well as developing a behavioral profile.
In addition, there will be research methodology exercises that will provide useful practice for various data-taking techniques that will be used during the independent project. You will learn various elements of research design, including how to develop an ethogram (or “behavioral repertoire”), and various behavioral sampling methods.
Journal Article Critique
This assignment will introduce you to the professional primatological literature and give you a sense of current styles of writing and topics of interest in primatology. You will select a journal article from the Ometepe library, from articles I bring with me, or perhaps from something that you bring along. More details will be provided during class.
2. INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROJECT: this takes place during the second half of the course. With the help of our faculty, you will develop and carry out your own field research project. This will be an original project of your own choosing on some topic of primate behavioral ecology, and it will involve researching, developing, writing up, submitting and getting feedback on a specific research proposal, carrying out the project, analyzing and writing up your results, and orally presenting these results to the rest of the class at the end of the field course. I will be available throughout the process to help with research design, and to offer advice during the data collection process.
ASSESSMENT/ GRADING
Attendance is mandatory at all lectures, methodology talks and field exercises. You will receive two grades for this course.
I. The first grade is for PRIMATE BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY/FIELD TECHNIQUES. This part of the course involves supervised participation in collecting techniques, methods and procedures discussed and practiced under actual field conditions (see above) and lecture material on primate topics.
Your Field Techniques grade will be based on:
- Mastery of techniques during the six-day rotation (50%)
- Effectiveness and quality of a ten-minute presentation (20%)
- Score on mid-term examination (25%)
- Cooperation and ability to work with others (5%)
II. The second grade is for the INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROJECT. This part of the course involves the interpretation, evaluation, and organization of data in field primatology, as well as written proposals and reports on research.
Your Research Design grade will be based on:
- Research proposal (25%)
- Data collection (25%)
- Data analysis and write-up of report (25%)
- Oral presentation of research results (25%)
JULY 28 students arrive in San José, Costa Rica and we will travel by bus to La Suerte. Anyone coming in the day before or earlier will need to stay overnight on the 28th at a hostel, recommended by Maderas, near the airport.
For the first portion of the course we will generally have early breakfast followed by field methodology sessions that will alternate between morning and afternoons for students. Students groups will go with the instructor to the field either in the morning, followed by lunch and then a free afternoon to read/study/rest, or students will have an open morning to read/rest/study and then an afternoon field session with lunch in the field. Lectures will be from 4:30-6:00, followed by dinner and then discussion/student presentations in the evening.
During the second portion of the course, students will be collecting data for their independent study projects. These days will typically be spent rising before dawn to get to the field to begin observations of primates, eating lunch in the field, and returning mid-afternoon for a couple of hours to study/rest before dinner. Evenings will be spent in classroom lectures and discussion.
DAY TOPIC/ACTIVITY
July 1 Arrival to La Suerte BFS; Introduction & orientation to the station, its rules, regulations, safety tips, course
content, etc.
July 2 Lecture 1: Introduction to Primatology
Field: Navigate trails, use of compass
Reading: Strier, Chapter 1
Paterson, Chapter 1 and Chapter 7
July 3 Lecture 2: What is a primate? Primate taxonomy & distribution
Field: Habitat description and mapping (set up phenology plots)
Reading: Strier, Chapters 2 and 3
Paterson, Chapter 2
Journal Club: Wildman et al. 2009 (Al/At/Ce)
*Optional: Night walk.
July 4 Lecture 3: Preliminaries necessary to all research (animal identification, ethogram, & observation)
Field: Animal observations with IDs, aging and sexing, ethogram with capuchin researchers
Reading: Paterson, Chapter 3
Paterson, Exercises 1, 2, 3
July 5 Lecture 4: Natural selection and sexual selection
Field: Primate censusing
Reading: Strier, Chapters 4 and 5
Paterson, Exercise 14
Journal Club: Peres 1999
Pruetz & Leasor 2002 (Al/At/Ce)
Setchell et al. 2005 **
July 6 Lecture 5: Primate social organization and socioecology
Field: Plant phenology & identification
Reading: Strier, Chapters 7 and 8
Paterson, Exercise 15
Journal Club: Hemingway & Overdorff 1999
Sterck et al. 1997
July 7 *Day trip to Cariari
July 8 Lecture: Dominance, social interactions, relationships
Field: Primate observations & project brainstorming
Reading: Strier, Chapter 5
Paterson, Exercises 4-11
Journal Club: Perry 1997 (Ce)
Perry 1998 (Ce)
July 9 Lecture 10: Locomotor and feeding ecology
Field: Primate observations & project brainstorming
Reading: Strier, Chapter 6
July 10 Lecture 8: Field research designs
Field: Design research projects, prepare project proposal presentations
Reading: Paterson, Chapter 2-4
Paterson, Exercises 16-21
*Optional: Night census walk and survey of nocturnal mammals
July 11 Lecture 9: Male-male competition, mate choice, infanticide
Field: Preliminary data collection, present project proposals in the evening.
Reading: Strier, Chapter 5
Paterson, Exercises 16-23
Journal Club: Van Belle et al. 2009 (Al)
Strier 1996
July 12 Lecture 7: Molecular Methods in Field Primatology
Field: Preliminary data collection
Reading: Molecular Primatology, Di Fiore & Gagneux
Journal Club: Bradley & Lawler 2011
Tung et al. 2010
July 13 Lecture 11: Primate development, ontogeny and life history
Field: Data collection for independent research projects
Reading: Strier, Chapter 9
Journal Club: Fairbanks 1993
Setchell et al. 2006
July 14 Lecture: Evolution of intelligence/ Primate communication & cognition
Field: Data collection for independent research projects
Reading: Strier, Chapter 10
July 15 Lecture: Social learning, tool use; culture
Field: Data collection for independent research projects
Reading: Strier, Chapter 10
Journal Club: Perry et al. 2003
Whiten et al. 1999
July 16 Lecture: Primate conservation
Field: Data collection for independent research projects
Reading: Strier, Chapter 12
July 17 Final Comprehensive Exam!
*Free afternoon!
July 18 Data collection for independent research projects
Evening discussion of field observation and data collection methods
July 19 Data collection for independent research projects
Evening discussion of field observation and data collection methods
July 20 Data collection for independent research projects
Evening discussion of field observation and data collection methods
July 21 Data analysis and write up.
July 22 Data analysis and write up. Final Draft due
July 23 Leave for Tortuguero!
July 24 Tortuguero! Evening return to La Suerte
July 25 *Return to San Jose
July 26 San Jose (Volcan Poas?), flights home
July 27 San Jose, flights home
STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
If any member of the class has a disability and needs special accommodations, please let me know ASAP. I will be happy to work with you to ensure that you have a fair opportunity to perform well in the class.
Academic integrity is violated by any dishonesty in submitting field exercises, tests, or the independent research projects. Any clear violation of academic integrity will be met with sanctions.
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