University Level Course Syllabi
PRIMATE ECOLOGY AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE (Anth. 406. Intro Level)
Robert Sussman, Washington University
PRIMATE ECOLOGY AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE (Anth. 406. Intro Level)
Course Instructor:
Robert Sussman
Department of Anthropology
Washington University
St. Louis, MO 63130
USA
Telephone: 1-212-960-8478
Email: kbsic@cunyvm.bitnet
(Fall, 1995)
Text:
R.W. Sussman
Office Hours:
MW 11-12 and by appointment
Sussman, R.W., 1989. Primate Ecoloqy and Social Structure, in prep,
McGraw Hill, New York
Fleagle, J ., 1989. Primate Adaptation and Evolution (optional)
Grading:
Two-1 hour exams (100 points each)
Outline of Course:
I. General Principles of Ecology - An Overview (Aug. 23 - Sept. 4)
Ecosystems and their major components
Ecological energetics
Some ecological "laws"
Population interactions
Population regulating mechanisms
Coevolution and guilds
Relationships between ecology, behavior, and social structure
Il. Taxonomy and Distribution of the Primates (Sept. 6 - Sept. 22)
Present status and distribution of primates
What is a primate? Taxonomy
Overview of primate social structure in relation to ecology
Ill. Survey of Primate Ecology and Behavior and Field Methods
A. Studies on Nocturnal Primates (Sept. 25-Oct. 6)
Methods of collecting data
Bioenergetics and the principle of competitive exclusion
Population estimation and the determination of social structure
Studies of diurnal prosimians
Habitat preferences and the competitive exclusion principle
Studies of 2 species in one environment and one species in 2
environments
Methods of collecting data which allows comparison between species and
between studies
B. Studies on arboreal Primates (Oct. 9 - Oct. 23)
New World arboreal Monkeys
Callithricidae: A newly defined ecological role
Five species of South American monkeys - community ecology
Social structure of South American monkeys
C. Old World Arboreal Monkeys (Oct. 25 - Nov. 6)
African folivores
Polyspecific associations
D. Controversies and Comparisons in Terrestrial Primate Studies (Nov.
8 - Nov. 13)
The "typical" terrestrial primate and the models of how he uses his
habitat
Problems with this model
Other primate terrestrial adaptations
Problems with statistical methods in studies of terrestrial primates
E. The Anthropoid Apes (Nov. 15 - Dec. 6)
Are there recognizable primate foraging guilds?
Is there a relationship and can we find it?
Review of some of the theories
Ecology and social structure of apes and man
Anthropology 406
OUTLINE OF LECTURES
Aug. 23 Syllabus - Trophic System
25* Ecological Interactions
28 Laws of Tolerance
30 Population Interaction
Sept.1 * Portrait of a Tree (Film)
4 Holiday
6 Primate Taxonomy
8* Slides
11 Slides
13 What is a Primate - Adaptations
15* Life in the Trees (Film)
18 Arboreal Theory
20 Open
22* Island of the Moon (Film)
25 Nocturnal Prosimians- Ecology
27 Nocturnal Prosimians - Social Organization
29* Lemur Film
Oct. 2 Mad. Primates
4 Case Study - Sympatric Lemurs
6* Lemurs again
9 New World Monkeys - Overview
11 Callitrichidae
13* Fall Break
16 Five New World Monkeys
18 Cebidae
20 * Exam
23 Cebidae - Social Organization
25 Old World Monkeys - Overview
27 * Film
30 Interspecific Interactions
Nov. 1 Continued
3* Asian Monkeys
6 Asian Monkeys
8 Ground Species Social Organization
10* Baboon Social Organization (Film)
13 Ground Species Social Organization
15 Great Apes - African
17 * Film
20 Open
22-24* Holiday
27 Great Apes - Asian
29 Great Apes - Open
Dec. 1 * In Search of Great Apes *
4 Great Apes - Social Organization
6 Review
