Date of Award
Fall 1-2-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
Jessica Rothman
Second Advisor
Emma Thurau
Academic Program Adviser
Joshua Plotnik
Abstract
Exotic plants have both positive and negative impacts on their environment. They may act as additional food sources for the local fauna or as competition for local flora or leading to changes within a landscape or ecosystem. To considere the role of exotics in primate diet, this study focused on the dietary role of exotic plant species in the diet of a leaf-eating foregut fermenting monkey, the black-and-white colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza) in Kibale National Park, Uganda. Int this study, I followed individuals in two groups of black-and-white colobus monkeys for 21 days recording their food intake (0700-1900). I also calculated macronutrient values of exotic and indigenous species utilizing previously collected data from the Wildlife Ecology and Nutrition Project Lab. Across the 21 days, focal animals consumed 13 different food parts from 35 species, including one species with unknown origin unknown origin (Cyrtostachys spp.). Of these 36, 3 were exotic food species and they were consumed on 8 of the 21 days. When comparing the nutritional intakes between days when exotics were consumed and days they were not, the monkeys consumed similar intakes of crude protein (26.4% vs. 25.8%), fiber (45.8% vs. 46.1%), and fat (2.9% vs. 3.2%) on a dry matter basis. The results indicate that while exotic foods were used as a food source, other non-exotic foods were a larger part of the diets of these monkeys and provided similar proportion of nutrients. Thus, if exotics are removed from the protected areas where black-and-white colobus reside, based on this short study, nutrient intake will be unaffected. Building on this study, more research is needed that includes observation across multiple seasons to provide a greater understanding of the nutritional significance of exotic species when other native species are decreased.
Recommended Citation
Gaykov, Michelle, "The role of exotic plants in the diet of black-and-white colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza) in Kibale National Park, Uganda" (2026). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/hc_sas_etds/1427
