Primate-parasite interactions in a semi-arid environment

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dc.contributor.authorBlersch, Rosemary Anne
dc.contributor.authorUniversity of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science
dc.contributor.supervisorBarrett, Louise
dc.contributor.supervisorHenzi, Peter
dc.date.accessioned2021-11-22T22:27:14Z
dc.date.available2021-11-22T22:27:14Z
dc.date.issued2021
dc.degree.levelPh.Den_US
dc.description.abstractPrimate-parasite ecology is a burgeoning field but relatively little is known about parasitism in primates occupying extreme environments. I combined physiological, environmental, behavioural and parasite data to investigate the correlates of infection in wild vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) living in a semi-arid region of South Africa. I aimed to assess whether our well-established assumptions about primate-parasite interactions hold true in the context of severe ecological stress and how these external stressors may impact how monkeys respond to infection. I found that environmental conditions were the primary drivers of parasitism in the population, with individual-level characteristics playing a diminished role. I also found that while there were links between aspects of behaviour and parasitism, ecological conditions constrained behavioural flexibility. These results highlight the difficulty of generalising across primate populations, and point to the importance of expanding primate-parasite ecology to include animals in more extreme environments. Doing so will allow them to serve as a window into how animals confront climate change-induced environmental changes.en_US
dc.description.sponsorshipThe Leakey Foundation (Franklin Mosher Baldwin Memorial Fellowship), the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, the University of Lethbridge, South Africa’s National Research Foundation and the Canada Research Chairs Program.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10133/6093
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.proquest.subjectZoology [0472]en_US
dc.proquest.subjectEcology [0329]en_US
dc.proquestyesYesen_US
dc.publisherLethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dept. of Psychologyen_US
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Psychologyen_US
dc.publisher.facultyArts and Scienceen_US
dc.relation.ispartofseriesThesis (University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Arts and Science)en_US
dc.subjectAnimal behavior -- Climatic factorsen_US
dc.subjectClimate changes -- South Africaen_US
dc.subjectParasitesen_US
dc.subjectPrimatesen_US
dc.subjectPrimates -- Behavioren_US
dc.titlePrimate-parasite interactions in a semi-arid environmenten_US
dc.typeThesisen_US
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