The Effects of Kin on Primate Life Histories

Abstract

Advances in our understanding of primate life histories and dispersal patterns provide insights into the ways in which facultative responses to local ecological and demographic conditions are mediated by phylogenetic constraints. The long life spans characteristic of primates provide the necessary conditions for overlapping generations of related individuals to maintain extended kin bonds. Dispersal regimes dictate the opportunities for biological kin to interact with one another and define the range of potential reproductive and social partners within and beyond their natal groups. Dispersal patterns also affect variation in components of life histories such as female age at first reproduction, reproductive rates, and trade-offs between investment in current vs. future offspring and extended kin. Understanding these dynamics has important implications for assessing the viability of small populations and the ability of different primates to adapt.