Potential distribution of the howler monkey (Alouatta palliata) in cocoa agrosystems based on a niche model

Anthropogenic activities have caused habitat fragmentation and loss, which are the main threats to primates. Because of this, ecological niche models have become a widely used tool to determine the potential habitat of species. These models rarely include biotic factors, although vegetation variables such as height and phenology, data derived from remote sensing, were integrated into this research. We developed a model to obtain the potential distribution of the primate A. palliata. Therefore, records of the presence of monkeys in the field were collected, and later data were obtained on the spectral index of vegetation and the height of the canopy, derived from remote sensing, bioclimatic variables were also used. Subsequently, these variables were analyzed using the Variance Inflation Factor to discriminate those with the highest correlation. Finally, we use a Maximum Entropy algorithm included in the Maxent software, together with the presence registration data, vegetation index, height, and bioclimatic data. The predicted distribution of A. palliata was strongly associated with canopy height, vegetation index (RVI), and warmest quarter precipitation (Bio18). The areas with the highest probability of the presence of A. palliata are strongly associated with cocoa agrosystems and certain spaces of natural vegetation such as mangroves. With the integration of the variables derived from remote sensing, the potential distribution model obtained an excellent evaluation, to predict cocoa agrosystems as available habitats of the howler monkey A. palliata, thus identifying areas with a high probability of the presence of this species of primate, and thus offer a tool to decision-makers, to plan future studies and then establish criteria for the creation of areas for the conservation of primates in Mexico.