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To breed or not to breed—food competition and other factors involved in female breeding decisions in the pair-living nocturnal fork-marked lemur (Phaner furcifer)

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An Erratum to this article was published on 13 November 2003

Abstract

Differential access to food resources is thought to be the main determinant of differences in female reproductive success but is poorly studied in both pair-living and nocturnal primates. The modes of food competition within and between families were investigated following the principles proposed by the “ecological model” using 3 years of field data from seven fork-marked lemur (Phaner furcifer) families. The major food resources were identified from year-round feeding observations and the strength and mode of competition were inferred from differences in physical condition. The most important food resource of fork-marked lemurs were tree exudates which occurred in small, defendable food patches, characterized by fast depletion and rapid renewal. These characteristics led to strong within-group contest and scramble competition, which were found to yield a positive dominance effect and a negative group-size effect on female net energy gain. Differential physical condition, however, did not translate directly into differential reproductive success. Low female fertility was best predicted by large family size associated with delayed dispersal by previous offspring. Although there is no obvious benefit from full-grown offspring in their territory, adults tolerate delayed natal dispersal, probably because dispersal poses extraordinary costs for the offspring. These costs are likely to accrue from decreased foraging efficiency in unfamiliar habitats because exudate feeding requires very rigid feeding itineraries. In conclusion, the presented evidence for group-size effects on reproductive success in pair-living females opens a new area for research on the costs and benefits of delayed dispersal and female reproductive decisions.

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Acknowledgements

The study is part of the dissertation work of the author presented to the University of Würzburg. I thank the Commission Tripartite of the Malagasy Government, the Direction des Eaux et Forêts Madagascar for research permits, the Centre de Formation Professionelle Forestiére de Morondava for hospitality and Professor B. Rakotosamimanana from the Université d’Antananarivo and Felix Rakotodraparany at PBZT Antananarivo for their co-operation. R. Rasoloarison and L. Razafimananzoa provided invaluable logistic support. I gratefully acknowledge the help of Jean-Claude from Beroboka, Alpha from Marofandilia and Remy from Bekopaka during capture sessions and during identification of plants—without them the study would have been impossible. I thank J. Fietz and the botanists at PBZT Antananarivo for help with identification of some plants, C. Borries, E.W. Heymann, P.M. Kappeler, A. Koenig, J. Ostner for discussion, and E.H.M. Sterck and two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments. Financial support was generously provided by Deutsches Primatenzentrum Göttingen. The study complies with the current laws of the countries where it was conducted.

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  1. Oliver Schülke

    Present address: Anthropology Department, SUNY at Stony Brook, S537 SBS Building, Stony Brook, NY 11794-4364, USA

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  1. Department of Behaviour and Ecology, German Primate Center, Kellnerweg 4, 37077 , Göttingen, Germany

    Oliver Schülke

  2. Department of Animal Ecology and Tropical Biology, University of Würzburg, Am Hubland, 97074, Würzburg, Germany

    Oliver Schülke

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  1. Oliver Schülke
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Correspondence to Oliver Schülke.

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An erratum to this article can be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00265-003-0730-0

Communicated by E.H.M. Sterck

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Schülke, O. To breed or not to breed—food competition and other factors involved in female breeding decisions in the pair-living nocturnal fork-marked lemur (Phaner furcifer). Behav Ecol Sociobiol 55, 11–21 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00265-003-0676-2

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