
In the Laboratory for Primate Dietary Ecology and Physiology, we study how ecological variation influences the behavior (feeding and social), morphology, and physiology of non-human primates. We have three main goals:
- Determine the selection pressures that have led to the variation in primate dietary traits and behavior
- Bridge the fields of ecology, behavior, physiology, and morphology to better understand energy acquisition and use in non-human primates
- Explore how primate behavior can inform us about human evolutionary hypotheses
These goals are driving our field and laboratory research on diverse subjects in anthropology, ecology, and evolutionary biology. In the LPDEP lab, we primarily use non-invasive biological samples that have been collected from wild primate to examine a variety of hormonal and energetic markers that are related to stress, nutrition, energetics, and inflammation (e.g., testosterone, cortisol, C-peptides of Insulin, a variety of cytokines, neopterin, markers of oxidized stress, T3 hormone, and urea concentration). We are always open to explore new questions and conduct new analyses in the LPDEP lab.
Contact:
Laboratory for Primate Dietary Ecology and Physiology Website
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