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titleboxJAMES M. DIETZ titlebox

professor pictureProfessor, Associate Director CONS Program

email:jmdietz@umd.edu
phone:
301.405.6949 (office)
301.405.0583 (lab)
fax:301.314.9358
office:4247 Bio-Psych
graduate programs: Biology, BEES, CONS, MEES
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RESEARCH INTERESTS

Dr. Dietz defines Conservation Biology as the emerging discipline that focuses theoretical concepts derived from studies of ecology and evolutionary biology on problems related to extinctions, biological diversity and the maintenance of ecological processes. He and his colleagues promote these objectives through research and extension activities in regions of high biodiversity and endemism such as the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, as well as through interaction with government and nongovernmental conservation organizations in the nearby Washington community. He also conducts collaborative research projects at the Conservation and Research Center and National Zoological Park of the Smithsonian Institution.

For the past 20 years Dr. Dietz has been studying the behavioral ecology of golden and golden-headed lion tamarins in southeastern Brazil. His research on the evolution of monogamy and helping behavior in this communally breeding primate forms an integral part of an international project targeting the conservation of this endangered species and the biodiversity in its ecosystem. Other components of the program include captive breeding, genetic management of the wild population through reintroduction of captive-born tamarins and translocation, habitat restoration and community education.

Representative Publications

Dietz, J.M. 2004. Kinship structure and reproductive skew in cooperative breeding primates. PP 233-241 In: Kinship and Behavior in Primates. B. Chapais and C. Berman (editors). Oxford U. Press, New York.

Bales, K., French, J.A., McWilliams, J. Lake, R. and Dietz, J.M. 2006. Effects of social status, age, and season on androgen and cortisol levels in wild male golden lion tamarins (Leontopithecus rosalia). Hormones and Behavior 49(1):88-95.

Baker, A.J. and J.M. Dietz. Immigration in wild groups of golden lion tamarins (Leontopithecus rosalia). Amer. J. Primatology 38: 47-56 (1996).

Dietz, J. M., Ecology and social organization of the maned wolf (Chrysocyon brachyurus). Smithsonian Contrib. Zool. 392: 1-51 (1984).

Kleiman, D. G., Beck, B. B., Dietz, J. M. and Dietz, L., Costs of a reintroduction and criteria for success: accounting and accountability in the Golden Lion Tamarin Conservation Program. In: J. H. W. Gipps (ed.), Beyond Captive Breeding: Reintroducing Endangered Species to the Wild (1990).

Baker, A. J., Dietz, J. M. and Kleiman, D. G., Behavioral evidence for monopolization of paternity in multi-male groups of golden lion tamarins. Anim. Behav. 46: 1091-1103 (1993).

Dietz, J. M. and Baker, A. J., Polygyny and female reproductive success in golden lion tamarins (Leontopithecus rosalia). Anim. Behav. 46: 1067-1078 (1993).

Dietz, J. M., Baker, A. J. and Miglioretti, D., Seasonal variation in reproduction, juvenile growth and adult body mass in golden lion tamarins. Amer. J. Primatol. (1994).

Dietz, J. M., Dietz, L. A. and Nagagata, E. Y., The effective use of flagship species for conservation of biodiversity. In: G. Mace, P. Olney and A. Feistner (eds.), Creative Conservation: Interactive Management of Wild and Captive Animals, Chapman & Hall, pp. 32-49 (1993).

Dietz, J.M., C. Peres and L. Pinder. Foraging ecology and use of space in wild golden lion tamarins (Leontopithecus rosalia). Amer. J. Primatology 41: 289-305 (1997).

Bales, K., J. M. Dietz, A.J. Baker, K. Miller and S. Tardif. Effects of allocare givers on fitness of infants and parents in callitrichid primates. Folia Primatologica 71: 27-38 (2000).