In: Biology
Describe some aspect of primate behavior that shows the influence of the physical environment (e.g., food resource distribution, presence or absence of predators, and so on).
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates.Primates are characterized by large brains relative to other mammals.below are sevral examples which showing the influence of the physical enviornment,
Distribution of Resources Various types of foods are distributed in different ways.Some animals that rely on them usually feed alone or in small groups of two or three.These can most efficiently be exploited by smaller groups of animals, so large groups frequently break up into smaller subunits while feeding.Species that feed on abundantly distributed resources may also live in one-male–multifemale groups, and because food is plentiful, these units are able to join with others to form large, stable communities To the casual observer, these communities can appear to be multimale-multifemale groups. Some species that rely on foods distributed in small clumps are protective of resources, especially if their feeding area is small enough to be defended. Some live in small groups composed of a mated pair or a female with one or two males. Many kinds of food are only seasonally available. Primates that rely on seasonally available foods must exploit a number of different food types and must move about in order to have enough to eat.
Diet Since the nutritional requirements of primates are related to their size and BMR (BASIC METABOLIC RATE)all three evolve together. While small-bodied primates focus on high-energy foods, larger ones don’t necessarily need to. they don’t need to use much energy searching for food, since they are frequently surrounded by it.Body Size larger animals require fewer calories per unit of weight than smaller animals because they have a smaller ratio of surface area to mass than smaller animals. Since body heat is lost at the surface, larger animals can retain heat more efficiently, and so they require less energy overall.BMR body uses energy to maintain all body functions while in a resting state, closely correlated with body size, smaller animals have a higher BMR than larger.
Predation pressure is high and body size is small.Primates, depending size, many types of predators, including snakes, birds of prey, leopards, wild dogs, lions, and even other primates. Their responses to predation depend on their body size, social structure, and the type of predator.
Grouping is beneficial in several ways. Individuals in larger groups are thought to have a decreased risk of predation.Being with other individuals with the same dietary requirements means that animals either fight over food , or one animal in a group beats another to the food, thus when the second animal comes to an area there is simply no food left. In both of these situations it is thought that competition over food leads to animals having to travel farther.An increase in group size will increase the area that must be covered to find adequate food supplies. Thus individuals must travel further and expend more energy if they are in a large group, than if they forage in a smaller group. With an increase in the time spent traveling, a point is approached where the energy spent in travel is too costly and smaller groups become advantageous.
Pattern of sleeping Sites Gorillas are the only nonhuman primates that sleep on the ground. Primate sleeping sites can be in trees or on cliff faces (this may lead to predator avoidance).
Dispersal Dispersal is another factor that influences social structure and relationships within groups. Male dispersal is the most common pattern in primates.Female dispersal is seen in some colobus species, hamadryas baboons, chimpanzees, and mountain gorillas.