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Nutritional goals of wild primates
Article first published online: 16 JAN 2009
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2008.01526.x
© 2009 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2009 British Ecological Society
Additional Information
How to Cite
Felton, A. M., Felton, A., Lindenmayer, D. B. and Foley, W. J. (2009), Nutritional goals of wild primates. Functional Ecology, 23: 70–78. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2435.2008.01526.x
Publication History
- Issue published online: 16 JAN 2009
- Article first published online: 16 JAN 2009
- Received 7 April 2008; accepted 17 July 2008Handling Editor: David Raubenheimer
- Abstract
- Article
- References
- Cited By
Keywords:
- non-human primates;
- energy;
- plant secondary metabolites;
- protein;
- nutrient balancing
Summary
- 1Primates meet their nutritional goals by prioritizing certain nutritional parameters when choosing the types and quantities of different foods.
- 2There are five major models applied in primate nutritional ecology, each of which proposes that diet selection subserves a different primary nutritional goal: (i) energy maximization; (ii) nitrogen (protein) maximization; (iii) avoidance or regulation of intake of plant secondary metabolites; (iv) limitations on the intake of dietary fibre; and (v) nutrient balancing.
- 3Here, we review the evidence in support of each of these nutritional goals as drivers of primate diet selection. We discuss some of the costs and benefits associated with different methodological approaches used in primate nutritional ecology.
- 4New approaches developed outside of primatology have provided better frameworks for understanding the nutritional goals of some primate species. We suggest that the field of primate nutritional ecology needs to take greater advantage of the techniques developed by nutritional ecologists working in other fields.
- 5Specifically, we recommend (i) the increased application of the Geometric Framework for nutrition, (ii) the application of methodological approaches that enable the estimation of nutrient and energy availability from food sources, and (iii) continuous follows of individual primates in the wild for determining primary nutritional goals.