10.17617/3.C0HBLR
Bessone, Mattia
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8066-6413
Liverpool John Moores University
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior
Kühl, Hjalmar
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
German Center for Integrative Biodiversity Research
Herbinger, Ilka
Legacy Landscape Fund (LLF)
WWF Germany
N'Goran, Kouame Paul
WWF Regional Office for Africa
Asanzi, Papy
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Da Costa, Barros Pedro
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Dérozier, Violette
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Fotsing, Dadis Bush Ernest
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
University of Fribourg
Primate Expertise
Ikembelo, Beka Bernard
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Iyomi, Mpongo Dieumerci
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Iyatshi, Iyomi Bernard
Insitut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN)
Kafando, Pierre
WWF in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Kambere, Mbangi Augistin
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Moundzoho, Dissondet Baudelaire
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Musubaho, Kako Loving
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
University of Liège
Fruth, Barbara
Liverpool John Moores University
Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior
Assessing the effects of survey-inherent disturbance on primate detectability: Recommendations for line transect distance sampling. Dataset
Edmond
2022
Habitat destruction and over-hunting are increasingly threatening the arboreal primates of Central Africa. To establish effective conservation strategies, accurate assessments of primate density, abundance and spatial distribution are required. To date, the method of choice for primate density estimation is line transect distance sampling. However, primates fleeing human observers violate methodological assumptions, biasing the accuracy of resulting estimates. In this study, we used line transect distance sampling to study 5 primate species along 378 km of transects in Salonga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo. We tested the effect of different levels of survey-inherent disturbance (i.e. cutting) on the number of observed i) primate groups, and ii) individuals within groups, by counting groups at 3 different time lags after disturbance of the transect, i) a minimum of 3 hours, ii) 24 hours, iii) a minimum of 3 days. We found that survey-inherent disturbance led to underestimated densities, affecting both the number of encountered groups and of observed individuals. However, the response varied between species due to species-specific ecological and behavioural features. Piliocolobus tholloni and Colobus angolenis resumed an unaltered behaviour only 24 hours after disturbance, while Lophocebus aterrimus, Cercopithecus ascanius and Cercopithecus wolfi required a minimum of 10 days. To minimize bias in density estimates, future surveys using line transect distance sampling should be designed considering survey-inherent disturbance. We recommend evaluating the factors driving primate response, including habitat type, niche occupation and hunting pressure, peculiar to the survey specific area and primate community under study.