Primates

, 50:131 | Cite as

Feeding rate as valuable information in primate feeding ecology

Review Article Special contributions to commemorate the 60th anniversary of Japanese primatology
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Abstract

In this review I outline studies on wild non-human primates using information on feeding rate, which is defined as the food intake per minute on a dry-weight basis; further, I summarize the significance of feeding rate in primate feeding ecology. The optimal foraging theory has addressed three aspects of animal feeding: (1) optimal food patch choice, (2) optimal time allocation to different patches, and (3) optimal food choice. In order to gain a better understanding of these three aspects, the feeding rate itself or its relevance indices (e.g., rates of calorie and protein intake) could be appropriate measures to assess the quality of food and food patches. Moreover, the feeding rate plays an essential role in estimation of total food intake, because it varies greatly for different food items and the feeding time is not a precise measure. The feeding rate could also vary across individuals who simultaneously feed on the same food items in the same food patch. Body size-dependent and rank-dependent differences in the feeding rate sometimes cause individuals to take strategic behavioral options. In the closing remarks, I discuss the usefulness of even limited data on feeding rate obtained under adverse observational conditions in understanding primate feeding ecology.

Keywords

Feeding rate Feeding success Food intake Food quality Optimal foraging 
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Notes

Acknowledgments

I am much honored to have been given the opportunity to write a paper for the memorable issue of “Primates” that celebrates the 60th anniversary of Japanese Primatology and the 50th anniversary of the Japan Monkey Center. I am grateful to Toshisada Nishida, Editor-in-chief, and other editorial board members of Primates for their invitation. I also thank the three reviewers of “Primates” for their constructive comments. This research was financially supported in part by the Global Center of Excellence Program “Formation of a Strategic Base for Biodiversity and Evolutionary Research: from Genome to Ecosystem” of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, and Technology (MEXT), Japan.

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Copyright information

© Japan Monkey Centre and Springer 2009

Authors and Affiliations

  1. 1.Laboratory of Human Evolution Studies, Division of Biological Science, Department of Zoology, Graduate School of ScienceKyoto UniversityKyotoJapan

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