Environmental and geographic correlates of the taxonomic structure of primate communities

Previous research has shown that both environmental and historical factors influence the taxonomic structure of animal communities; yet, the relative importance of these effects is not known for primates. Environmental characteristics shape the possible niches in a community, providing suitable habitats for some species and not others. Therefore, communities found in similar environments should display similar species compositions. Additionally, geography may be viewed as a surrogate for historical processes. For instance, as the geographic distance between communities increases, dispersal between sites is more limited, and the probability of historical vicariance increases. Therefore, communities in close proximity to each other should exhibit similar species compositions. The geographic location, environmental characteristics, and species composition of 168 primate communities were gathered from the literature. Canonical correspondence analyses were conducted to examine the relative effects of geographic distance and environmental variables on the taxonomic structure of communities. In addition, UPGMA cluster analyses were conducted to better visualize the taxonomic similarity of communities. Spatial variables were significant predictors of community structure in all regions. Rainfall patterns explained African, Malagasy, and Neotropical community structure. In addition, maximum temperature was also correlated with community structure in Madagascar and the Neotropics. No climatic variables predicted Asian community structure. These results demonstrate that both historical and environmental factors play a significant role in structuring modern primate communities; yet, the importance of environmental factors depend on the region in question. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.