Research Interests:
- Behavioral Ecology: community ecology; subgrouping & group fissioning; male-male affiliation
- Ethnoprimatology: overlapping resource use; human niche construction; human-primate folklore
- Anthropology of conservation: local perceptions of nature/wildlife
Primary Taxa of Interest:
Macaca (Sulawesi macaques); Rhinopithecus (Guizhou snub-nosed monkey)Current Research:
I am currently involved in two field research projects:- Behavioral ecology, ethnoprimatology, and conservation of the Sulawesi macaques
This is an on-going project that comprises field research in two interrelated areas: behavioral ecology and ethnoprimatology & conservation. The behavioral ecological component focuses on patterns of social grouping among the Sulawesi macaques, such as the nature of male-male relationships and subgrouping, and how these relate to ecological conditions. The ethnoprimatological component focuses on overlapping resource use between Sulawesi macaques and humans; the potential role of macaques as seed dispersers for culturally and/or economically important forest resources; and the place of Sulawesi macaques in local folklore and the implications for conservation.
- The Guizhou Snub-Nosed Monkey Project
This is a collaborative field research project between SDSU (Departments of Anthropology and Geography) and the Zoological Society of San Diego Institute for Conservation Research. The project focuses on the behavioral ecology and conservation of the Guizhou snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus brelichi) in Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve (FNNR) in Guizhou province, China. This summer (2009) we began examining niche partitioning between R. brelichi and Tibetan macaques in FNNR. My graduate student, Amanda Sheres, recently conducted her thesis research on overlapping habitat and resource use between R. brelichi and villagers living near the park boundary.
** Potential graduate students: if you are interested in either of these projects, please contact myself (epriley@mail.sdsu.edu) or the graduate advisor (see department website) for more information on the MA program.