Sumatran orangutan (Pongo abelii) habitat use of a historically selectively logged forest in relation to the synergistic relationship between canopy structure and microclimate
Authors: Marsh, C., Korstjens, A.H., Alexander, C., Nowak, M., Wich, S. and Hill, R.
Conference: PSGB Winter Meeting 2016
Dates: 10-12 January 2017
Abstract:Canopy structure governs the amount of solar radiation that permeates the canopy, causing drastic variations in temperature for arboreal vertebrates, especially in equatorial tropical forest. We explore the synergistic relationship between microclimate and canopy structure and how this affects the habitat use of Sumatran orangutans (Pongo abelii) within a historically selectively logged forest in Northern Sumatra using Unmanned-Aerial-Vehicles. Analyses show that 'active' behaviours occur in areas with high canopy rugosity (i.e. areas where travel are energetically more expensive) when temperatures are low, and orang-utans actively avoid such areas and are less active when temperatures are highest.
Source: Manual