My research focuses on the behavior and ecology of non-human primates, including how primates balance cooperation and competition in their breeding strategies. In addition, I examine how animals mitigate the costs of temperature extremes through behavior and the use of microhabitats. Our results help us better understand the vulnerabilities of species facing more extreme weather fluctuations.
Office Location: | 08A Bio Sci Bldg, Durham, NC 27708 |
Office Phone: | +1 919 632 0509 |
Email Address: |
Teaching (Spring 2024): (typical courses)
Ph.D. | University of California, Davis | 1994 |
M.A. | University of California, Davis | 1988 |
BA | University of California, San Diego | 1986 |
Current projects: Methods for Mapping Primate Home Ranges, Behavioral thermoregulation in primates, Comparative Cognition in Lemurs
My research has centered on the evolution primate social and reproductive behavior (including female-female competition) for many years. Working with marmosets and lemurs, I've investigated the evolution of infanticide, mating systems and cooperative breeding. In the last few years I've also begun to study more ecological aspects of behavior, in particular the methods and impact of habitat use by lemurs. One of the themes of this research is the three-dimensional use of space by arboreal primates. Using the natural habitat enclosures of the Duke Lemur Center, we've been able to track (using GPS) the animals and determine a home-range 'volume' that provides a much richer look at habitat use than the traditional two-dimensional home-range areas. We are also working on determining the factors that contribute to the use of different locations and heights within the forest. Using thermography, IR thermometers, and ibuttons that track temperature and humidity, we're investigating how surface and ambient temperatures impact the lemurs' use of their forest habitats. Understanding this type of behavioral thermoregulation and use of microhabitats could have far reaching implications for why animals are restricted to certain types of forest, geographic locations and even how species respond to long-term climate variation.