IRES -Primate Research on Behavior and Genetics at the Valley of the Wild Monkeys, Huangshan Scenic District, China

Central Washington University, Ellensburg WA

Investigators

Abstract

This award is based on Program Solicitation 04-036, International Research Experiences for Students (IRES), will support participation of students from Central Washington University in conservation-biology research projects at the Mt. Huangshan field station in China. The research involves the study of Tibetan macaques in a conservation park. Students will investigate primate genetics as they relate to the behavior of the monkeys, and the work will be integrated to provide guidance on preservation of the species, especially in an environment that brings them into contact with human observers. The overall objective of the ongoing collaborative research program, which applies behavioral and genetic studies to develop guidelines for conservation of endangered species, is to develop guidelines for management of ecotourism areas. Two graduate students and three undergraduates will spend four weeks at the field station in each of the three years of the program. Students will be prepared on their home campus and required to develop a research plan prior to traveling, and they will receive professional mentoring throughout and after the international experience. This project takes advantage of the on-going collaborative research program with Anhui University in China, and the students will be able to interact directly and immediately with researchers at the field site. The research approach is comprehensive and multidisciplinary and aims to understand the effects of interactions within primate communities and with human observers, such as transmission of disease. The scientific work will be integrated to provide guidance on preservation of the species and to develop scientifically informed recommendations for management of nature parks.