New Perspectives in the Study of Mesoamerican Primates : Distribution, Ecology, Behavior, and Conservation

The purpose of this volume is to present a comprehensive overview of recent advances in primate field research, ecology, and conservation biology in Mesoamerica. The overall goal of each contribution is to integrate newly collected field data with theoretical perspectives drawn from evolutionary biology, socioecology, biological anthropology, and conservation to identify how our current knowledge of primate behavior and ecology has moved beyond more traditional approaches. A corollary to this, and an important goal of the volume is to identify geographical regions and species for which we continue to lack sufficient information, to develop action plans for future research, and to identify areas for immediate conservation action. Despite many decades of primate research in Mesoamerica, much is still unknown concerning the basic ecology and behavior of these species, demography, current distribution, and conservation status of local populations, and the effectiveness of conservation policies on primate survivorship. Four major areas of research are the focus of the volume: Evolutionary Biology and Biogeography; Population Demography and Ecology; Behavior; and Conservation and Management Policies.

From the reviews:

"There has, until now, been no synthesis of what is known about Meso-American primates. Which is one of the reasons that New Perspectives in the Study of Mesoamerican Primates is so welcome ... . Part of Springer's excellent ‘Developments in Primatology’ series, the book’s 43 authors cover a wide variety of topics, with a depth and breadth that will be of great use not only to current and future researchers working on primates in the region but form the bases for productive comparisons ... ." (Adrian A. Barnett, Primate Eye, October, 2006)

"New Perspectives in the Study of Mesoamerican Primates is an interesting book covering a wide range of topics with reference to a selected group of primate taxa. It will be an important reference book for primatologists in general and especially for persons working with capuchins, howlers and spider monkeys. Moreover, the book should definitely be in libraries of Mesoamerica, accessible to the Latin American primatologists who, during the next several decades, will bear the responsibility of protecting and preserving them." (E. Fernandez-Dugue, International Journal of Primatology, Vol. 28, 2007)