Research
Our research focuses on questions and topics in animal behavior and ecology. We mainly study lemurs and other Malagasy vertebrates as well as New World primates. Most of our research projects are carried out in the field in Madagascar or Peru.
|
Behavioral Biology Our studies on primates address fundamental issues related to the diversity of social systems: how are individuals of a species distributed in space and time, what sex-specific mating strategies are beneficial under those conditions, how do individuals interact and communicate, and which factors and cognitive skills ultimately shape their interactions? |
Ecology On the one hand, the study of primate ecology provides information on the ecological context of the various social systems, life histories, and cognitive performance and health (parasitic) risks. On the other hand, it contributes to the understanding of the ecological functions that primates perceive in their predominantly tropical and subtropical habitats, e.g. as seed dispersers. Finally, ecological research on primates is an essential part of biodiversity and population conservation efforts |