title: The loss of behavioral diversity as a consequence of anthropogenic habitat disturbance: the social interactions of black howler monkeys.
abstract: To date, no study has investigated how human disturbance affects the size of the behavioral repertoire of a species. The aim of the present study is to illustrate how measurement of behavioral diversity assists in documenting biodiversity loss, demonstrating that human disturbance has a negative effect on behavioral diversity. We studied the social interaction repertoire of 41 adult black howler monkeys (Alouatta pigra) belonging to 10 groups living in different habitats in Campeche (Mexico), and related repertoire size to a proxy of human-induced habitat disturbance, habitat size. The social interaction repertoire of groups living in habitats with higher human-induced disturbance included lower number of behavioral types, and in particular, fewer energy-demanding behaviors. Thus, in addition to a loss in biodiversity, measured through organismal diversity, the disturbance of black howler monkeys' habitats is accompanied by a loss in behavioral diversity. We believe that the study of behavioral diversity as an element of biodiversity will become an increasingly important research topic, as it will improve our understanding of the behavioral strategies displayed by wildlife facing anthropogenic disturbance.
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Ecología del Comportamiento de Primates, Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Av. Dr. Luis Castelazo Ayala S/N, Colonia Industrial Animas, CP 91190, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
authors.forename: Ariadna Rangel
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Negrín
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Ecología del Comportamiento de Primates, Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Av. Dr. Luis Castelazo Ayala S/N, Colonia Industrial Animas, CP 91190, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
authors.forename: Alejandro Coyohua
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Fuentes
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Ecología del Comportamiento de Primates, Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Av. Dr. Luis Castelazo Ayala S/N, Colonia Industrial Animas, CP 91190, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.
authors.forename: Domingo Canales
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Espinosa
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Ecología del Comportamiento de Primates, Instituto de Neuroetología, Universidad Veracruzana, Av. Dr. Luis Castelazo Ayala S/N, Colonia Industrial Animas, CP 91190, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico. paddias@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Pedro Américo Duarte
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Dias
mesh_terms: D000508:Alouatta / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D017753:Ecosystem; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D012919:Social Behavior
keywords: Alouatta; Behavior; Behavioral repertoire; Biodiversity loss; Mexico; Social interactions