Primate Behavior and Ecology
(Syllabus Summer #3 July 20 to Aug 2 — La Suerte)

Instructor: Roberto A. Delgado, Jr.
Associate Editor, Journal of Human Evolution
Assistant Professor, Department of Anthropology
Program in Integrative and Evolutionary Biology
University of Southern California
Los Angeles CA 90089
radelgad@usc.edu
Tel: 213.740.4395       Fax: 213.747.8571

REQUIRED TEXTBOOKS

PRIMATE BEHAVIORAL ECOLOGY, 2nd Edition. Karen B. Strier (2003). Allyn & Bacon
PRIMATE BEHAVIOR, An Exercise Workbook, 2nd Edition. J.D. Paterson (2001). Waveland Press

Dolhinow, P. & Fuentes, A. (1999) The Nonhuman Primates. Mayfield Publishing
Jolly, A. (1985) The Evolution of Primate Behavior. Macmillan.
Napier, J.R. & Napier, P.H. (1994) The Natural History of the Primates. MIT Press
Richard, A. (1985) Primates in Nature. W.H. Freeman & Company
Sussman, R. (2000) Primate Ecology and Social Structure, Vol. 2: New World Monkeys. Pearson Custom.

GRADING: You will receive two grades for this course.

I. The first grade is for Field Techniques in Biological Anthropology. This part of the course involves supervised participation in data collecting techniques, methods and procedures discussed and practiced under actual field conditions. The course provides instruction and experience in the following field techniques: (1) Mapping a field site, (2) Methods of vegetative sampling and for collecting information on temporal changes in resource availability, (3) Methods of censusing primates and for determining population demography and (4) Methods of collecting data on the behavior of free-ranging non-human primates.

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 (10%)
· Score on mid-term examination (35%)
· Cooperation and ability to work with others ( 5%)

II. The second grade is for Research Design and Data Analysis. This part of the course involves the interpretation, evaluation, and organization of field 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%)

ASSIGNMENTS

(1) Rotations. We will rotate through each of the field methods. Each field technique rotation will last roughly one and one half days.
(2) Lectures. There will be lectures almost every day until data collection begins. Then, only selected topics. These lectures will be approximately 50-75 minutes long and will start at 16:00. Attendance to all lectures, presentations and discussions is REQUIRED.

(3) Article presentation. You will have ten minutes to present a detailed summary of the main points of a research article (i.e. introduction, methods, results, discussion/conclusions). Please review and summarize the contents of either an article that you have brought with you, or please select one from the La Suerte library. If you decide on the latter, please sign out your chosen article and return AS SOON AS YOU ARE DONE; your classmates will likely need to use these same articles for their proposals and research papers. As soon as you have chosen a research article, please give me the title and author(s) so that other students do not select the same paper. Please be prepared for questions and comments following each presentation. There will be three presentations each evening until all students have presented.

(4) Midterm examination. A two-hour essay exam will be given on information presented in lectures, rotations and assigned readings.

(5) Research proposal. A five-page LEGIBLY written proposal. This will include the following sections with a title and headings: (1) Background to question, including the theoretical context and a brief summary any previous research (2) Objectives and goals of research, (3) Research questions and hypotheses, with predictions, (4) Methods and (5) Significance of research. I will provide more specific instructions during the first week of the course. RESEARCH PROPOSALS MUST BE APPROVED BEFORE YOU BEGIN DATA COLLECTION. Please take advantage of the TAs in writing your proposal.

(6) Data collection. You will receive detailed instructions and assistance from the instructor and teaching assistants regarding data collection for your independent project. In order to collect enough data, please budget 6 to 8 hours of fieldwork each day once you begin data collection. There are eight days of data collection scheduled. These 6-8 hours include both search time and contact time (collecting data).

(7) Data analysis and research report. An approximately 10-page, single-spaced, LEGIBLY handwritten paper is required. This report needs to be written in scientific format and should include: Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Conclusion(s) and References cited. I will provide specific guidelines during the week of data collection.

(8) Final presentation of independent project. This includes a 12-15 minute oral presentation of your findings. Please be prepared for a 3-minute question and answer session following your presentation. Please use visual aids where appropriate.

(9) Reading assignments. You will have readings from two assigned texts. Please make sure you stay up with readings as you will be tested on the material during the midterm examination. In addition, the information in these readings will be useful in formulating your proposals and for writing up your research report.

ASSIGNED READINGS

STRIER Ch. 1-2, p1-68
STRIER Ch. 4-6, p94-199
STRIER Ch. 7-10, p200-310
STRIER Ch.11-12, p315-354
Specific Readings from the PATERSON text will be assigned during the Field Methods rotations.

TENTATIVE LECTURE TOPICS

Lecture 1: Introduction to Primates
Lecture 2: Strepsirhines and New World Monkeys
Lecture 3: Old World Monkeys & Apes
Lecture 4: Functional Morphology & Positional Behavior
Lecture 5: Ecology of Non-human Primates
Lecture 6: Predation
Lecture 7: Primate Life Histories
Lecture 8: Primate Communication
Lecture 9: Mating Systems & Group Living
Lecture 10: Dispersal & Philopatry
Lecture 11: Primate Social Systems & Sexual Selection
Lecture 12: Primate Social Evolution
Lecture 13: Dominance, Aggression & Reconciliation
Lecture 14: Infanticide
Lecture 15: Primate Cognition
Lecture 16: Primate Communities
Lecture 17: Primate Conservation