Two Toed Sloths

Thank you for inquiring your data to our organization. We have completed an inventory of the biological diversity in Central America and interpreted the distribution of the Choloepus hoffmanni (two-toed sloth) and Bradypus variegatus (brown-throated three-toed sloths). The possible locations the sloths could be located are, agriculture (AG), low land old growth (LL OG), low land secondary forest (LL SF), mountainous old growth (MTN OG), mountainous secondary forest (MTN SF), and finally clear cut (CC). Our organization totals there to be a total 136 sloths to be in AG, 144 sloths in LL SF, and finally 75 sloths in LL OG. On the other hand, there are no sloths found in MTN OG, MTN SF, and CC. Given the data regarding the location of both the
sloths, our organization hypothesizes both Choloepus hoffmanni Bradypus variegatus are likely to be found in AG, LL SF, and LL OG as it most complement’s the sloth’s biotic, abiotic, and movement factors (BAM).
No two species can occupy the same niche represents the principle of the competitive exclusion principle. Both the sloth’s niche depends on climate, food availability, predators, carrying capacity, and competition. The two species competing for their survival results in the competitive exclusion principle as the two species are likely to occupy one or more region as it may benefit the species well. In order to effectively see whether or not a species is choosing for a specific location, Manly’s Alpha allows our organization to comparatively tell.
Sloths are mainly located in AG, LL OG and LL SF, in comparison to MTN SF, MTN OG, or CC. AG regions contain food, which in turn provides all the nessesary supplies for the sloths to live in. LL OG, contain large trees, canopy layers, various openings in the canopy created by fallen trees allowing sloths to thrive in this environment as well. Finally, LL SF contains younger smaller trees, single canopy layer, few snags, and fewer rotting food on the forest floor still allowing the sloths to thrive. In comparison to these lush environments, both MTN SF, and MTN OG presents problems for the sloths due to being bad thermoregulators. Sloth’s regulate their body temperature around 30 – 34 degrees Celsius, however mountainous regions are well below this range (Enger, 1957). Along with the clear mountainous region, CC is a region where sloths are not found as there are no trees, source of food, or any organisms to provide any source of food.
Choloepus hoffmanni are dietary generalists whose diet mainly composes of leaves, insects, and birds (Mendoza et al.
2015). With this generalist diet, the two-toed sloths exhibit an overall greater plasticity in the tree and habitat use allowing the overall resilience within the ecosystem (Mendoza et al. 2015). Due to the diverse diet, the two-toed sloth’s gut supports a more diverse community of microorganisms. (Dill‐McFarland et al., 2015) With the diverse community of microorganisms, there becomes an un-cohesive SCOA profile in the gut of the sloth which allows a diverse uptake of nutrients (Dill‐McFarland et al., 2015). This in turns allows the two-toed sloths to process a variety of foods hence being considered to have a generalist
diet.
Analysis of Manly’s Alpha Tests allows us to comparatively state why the two-toed sloths are more likely to select for AG and LL OG.
In regards to agriculture, 135 two-toed sloths selected for this location in comparison to the 0 three-toed. The calculated Alpha value shows 0.56, and as the acceptance value is any value above 0.25, two-toed sloths actively choose to live in this location. Additionally, the Alpha value LL OG being 0.34 shows the two-toed sloths activity selected to live in this location. LL SF’s Alpha value fell short of the acceptance value of 0.25 hence the two-toed sloths selected against living in this location. CC, MTN SF, and MTN OG all showed an Alpha value of 0 selecting against. From the analysis of the Alpha values, it can be stated the Choloepus hoffmanni species choose to live in LL OG and AG as these locations satisfies the generalist’s diet and fulfils all the BAM requirements (Figure
1).
Bradypus variegatus are dietary specialists (Mendoza et al. 2015). Because this species includes specialist sloths, they are more prone to extinctions than generalists. In fact, as the three-toed sloths are specialists, their main source of food comes from the leaves of the Cecropia tree (Greene et al., 1989). Cecropia trees mainly thrive in LL OG or LL SF. One of the main characteristics of the Cecropia tree is the natural self-defense against many other organisms. Through the mutualism of the Azteca ants and the Cecropia trees, these ants bite herbivores releasing toxins into the herbivore’s system. In return, Cecropia tree nodules create a home for the ants to live in (Schupp et al., 1986). As the three-toed sloths eat the Cecropia leaves, their ability to filter out the toxins is extremely important. A proposed ability for the three-toed sloths to process the toxins is through the Neisseria species found only in the three-toed sloth’s gut (Dill‐McFarland et al., 2015). Unlike the two-toed sloths gut containing a more diverse microbe, the ability to filter the toxins are more unlikely. Through being the only species contain Neisseria, three-toed sloths contain a niche which allows the ability to dominate a specific area over the two-toed sloths.
The ability to dominate a specific area is calculated through Manly’s Alpha test for the both LL OG and LL SF. The Alpha value LL OG being 0.36 shows the three-toed sloths activity selected to live in this location. LL SF’s Alpha value showing a value of 0.63 addtionally shows the three-toed sloths selected to live in this location. However, CC, MTN SF, and MTN OG all showed an Alpha value of 0 selecting against. From the analysis of the Alpha values, it can be stated the Bradypus variegatus species choose to live in LL SF and LL OG as these locations satisfies the generalist’s diet and fulfils all the BAM requirements (Figure 1).