Summary
We test the hypothesis that cross-species variation in home range size across primates is determined by the metabolic needs of the animals occupying the home range and by their diet. Metabolic needs are calculated from published records of group structure, time spent in different activities and the metabolic costs of those activities. Data from 20 species demonstrate clear relationships between home range, diet and metabolic needs. Although correlations are in the expected directions, simple models relating diet to home range size and metabolic needs do not predict the functional relationships found. This may be because the data are inadequate or because the models are wrong. An empirical relationship between relative home-range size and diet distinguishes between the arboreal and terrestrial species in the sample.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Clutton-Brock TH, Harvey PH (1977a) Primate ecology and social organisation. J Zool 183:1–39
Clutton-Brock TH, Harvey PH (1977b) Species differences in feeding and ranging behaviour in primates. In: Clutton-Brock TH (ed) Primate ecology: studies of feeding and ranging behaviour in lemurs, monkeys and apes. Academic Press, London, pp 557–584
Clutton-Brock TH, Harvey PH (1979) Home range size, population density and phylogeny in primates. In: Bernstein IS, Smith EO (eds) Primate ecology and human origins. Garland, New York, pp 201–214
Coelho Am, Jr. (1974) Socio-bioenergetics and sexual dimorphism in primates. Primates 15:263–269
Crampton E, Lloyd L (1959) Fundamentals of nutrition. Freeman, San Francisco, CA
Mace GM (1979) The evolutionary ecology of small mammals. D Phil thesis, University of Sussex, UK
Mace GM, Harvey PH, Clutton-Brock TH (1981) Vertebrate home range size and metabolic requirements. In: Swingland I, Greenwood PJ (eds) The ecology of animal movement. Oxford (in press)
McNab BK (1963) Bioenergetics and the determination of home range size. Am Nat 97:133–140
Milton K, May ML (1976) Body weight, diet and home range area in primates. Nature 259:459–462
Passmore R, Durnin J (1955) Human energy expenditure. Physiol Rev 35:801–839
Portman O (1970) Nutritional requirements (NCR) of non-human primates. In: Harris R (ed) Feeding and nutrition of non-human primates. Academic Press, New York, pp 87–116
Sokal RR, Rohlf FJ (1969) Biometry. Freeman, San Francisco, CA
Schoener TW (1968) Sizes of feeding territories among birds. Ecology 49:123–141
Tucker V (1970) Energetic costs of locomotion in animals. Comp Biochem Physiol 34:841–846
Turner FB, Jennrich RI, Weintraub JD (1960) Home ranges and body size of lizards. Ecology 50:1076–1081
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Harvey, P.H., Clutton-Brock, T.H. Primate home-range size and metabolic needs. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 8, 151–155 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00300828
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00300828