Publications by authors named "Phaivanh Phiapalath"

Accurately estimating population sizes for free-ranging animals through noninvasive methods, such as camera trap images, remains particularly limited by small datasets. To overcome this, we developed a flexible model for estimating upper limit populations and exemplified it by studying a group-living synanthrope, the long-tailed macaque (). Habitat preference maps, based on environmental and GPS data, were generated with a maximum entropy model and combined with data obtained from camera traps, line transect distance sampling, and direct sightings to produce an expected number of individuals.

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In 2022, long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis), a once ubiquitous primate species, was elevated to Endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. In 2023, recognizing that the long-tailed macaque is threatened by multiple factors: (1) declining native habitats across Southeast Asia; (2) overutilization for scientific, commercial, and recreational purposes; (3) inadequate regulatory mechanisms; and (4) culling due to human-macaque conflicts, a petition for rulemaking was submitted to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to add the species to the US Endangered Species Act, the nation's most effective law to protect at risk species. The long-tailed macaque remains unprotected across much of its geographical range despite the documented continual decline of the species and related sub-species and the recent IUCN reassessment.

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A field survey was launched to identify medicinal plants growing in the Khiat Ngong wetlands and surrounding forested areas of Pathoumphone District, Champasak Province in southern Laos. In this area, 418 plants representing approximately 250 species, belonging to at least 200 genera in 93 families of vascular plants, are used by traditional healers to treat more than 95 symptoms. A large number of species are used for treating fever.

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We examined historical and ecological factors affecting current primate biodiversity in Southeast Asia. In Africa, Madagascar and South America, but not Southeast Asia, primate species richness is positively associated with average rainfall and distance from the equator (latitude). We predicted that Southeast Asia's non-conformance may be due to the effect of dispersed Pleistocene refuges (locations of constricted tropical forests during glacial maxima which today are at least 305 m in altitude).

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In Asian colobines, small one-male groups (OMG) seem to predominate alongside all-male groups (AMG), while larger multimale groups (MMG) are rare, but are reported for Hanuman langurs and red-shanked douc langurs. Recently, however, it has been speculated that the genus Pygathrix could have multilevel societies based on (1) a theoretical extension of the multilevel societies found in Rhinopithecus to all odd-nosed colobines and (2) first data for black-shanked douc langurs. This assumes bands composed of small OMG with a skewed adult sex ratio.

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