Banca de DEFESA: ANAMÉLIA DE SOUZA JESUS
Uma banca de DEFESA de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.STUDENT : ANAMÉLIA DE SOUZA JESUS
DATE: 22/08/2022
TIME: 13:00
LOCAL: Online via Google Meet
TITLE:
Reverse ecology: Evaluating ecological aspects of the diet and parasitism of Amazonian primates through the study of digestive tracts donated by subsistence hunters
KEY WORDS:
Arthropod consumption. Functional morphology of the gastrointestinal tract. Platyrrhini. Seed dispersal. Subsistence hunting. Stomach content
PAGES: 155
BIG AREA: Ciências Biológicas
AREA: Ecologia
SUBÁREA: Ecologia Aplicada
SUMMARY:
Studies on feeding and parasitological ecology of vertebrates in remote and difficult-to-access environments, such as tropical humid forests, are scarce. This gap is partially explained by the high cost of logistical effort for the use of conventional methods, such as the direct observation of animal behavior and/or the collection of faecal samples in high and dense forests, such as in the Amazon. The analysis of viscera gathered from the subsistence hunting activity practiced by local people is an opportunity to study the ecological aspects of free-living wild animals. In this thesis, I assessed ecological aspects of the diet and parasitism in platyrrhine primates (Platyrrhini, Primates) based on the analysis of digestive tracts donated by subsistence hunters in central and western Amazonia. I measured the length of the tubular organs of the digestive system of 289 specimens belonging to 11 genera of primates and evaluated the stomach contents of 178 specimens of nine genera, distributed in the families Atelidae, Cebidae and Pitheciidae. I found adaptations in the morphology of the digestive tracts that reflect different dietary patterns among platyrrhine species. The relative longer small intestine of some species agree with higher rates of animal matter consumption, whereas longer cecum and colon indicate the importance of the intestinal microbiota in the digestion of structural carbohydrates and/or in the detoxification of chemical defenses of different plant items consumed. In terms of animal matter, I identified 12 taxa of ingested arthropods, including insects, spiders, and millipedes. Consumption patterns in terms of richness, diversity and proportion of arthropods in the diet did not meet the classic Jarman-Bell and Kay models. Approximately 95% of the seeds found in the stomachs were whole, emphasizing the importance of these primates in seed dispersal. Seed sizes ranged from 0.5 to 52 mm. Whole seeds of up to 10 mm were found in the stomach contents of all genera analyzed, including in pitheciids which are usually seed predators. On the other hand, seeds >34 mm seem to be dispersed exclusively by larger primates (Atelidae). The diet of Alouatta juara did not differ in terms of proportion of items consumed in the white-water flooded forest or upland forest. However, estimates of the amount of seeds and biomass dispersed daily per km² were higher in white-water flooded forest, possibly due to the higher density of red howler monkeys, but also to the greater richness ingested, likely related to the high primary productivity in this environment. Furthermore, I also detected four taxa of intestinal parasites infecting red howler monkeys. I identified that periods of high river water level are also those of high risk of parasitic infection, since the number of eggs and oocysts, as well as the prevalence of parasites, increase as the rivers water level rises. The results obtained in this thesis contribute to advancing knowledge about the evolutionary aspects of morphological adaptations to diet, feeding and parasitological ecology, as well as to understanding the ecological roles played by platyrrhines. In addition, these studies can support future research on the effects of hunting on the ecosystem services provided by the target primate species.
BANKING MEMBERS:
Interna - 1661748 - ERIKA RENATA BRANCO
Interno - 1305300 - FREDERICO OZANAN BARROS MONTEIRO
Externo ao Programa - 086.615.426-42 - HANI ROCHA EL BIZRI - NÃO INFORMADO
Externo à Instituição - JEAN BOUBLI
Externo à Instituição - RAFAEL MAGALHÃES RABELO
Externa à Instituição - VANESSA BARBISAN FORTES