Sarah E. Turner

Sarah Turner received her PhD in primatology (Anthropology) from the University of Calgary. Before joining Concordia in August 2017, Sarah was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Biology at McGill University. Her research focuses on the behavioural ecology of nonhuman primates and other animals, and especially on how behaviour is influenced by human-induced environmental change. She conducts fieldwork at the Awajishima Monkey Center in Japan, observing the behaviour of free-ranging Japanese macaques with physical disabilities, testing hypotheses related to behavioural plasticity, mother-infant interactions, habitat use, and social behaviours. She also conducts collaborative field work in northeastern Brazil related to captive welfare, rehabilitation and release of bearded capuchin monkeys, and habitat use and behaviours in Endangered blond capuchin monkeys living in a small fragment of Atlantic Forest. Her students in the Primatology and Interdisciplinary Environmental Studies lab work on a variety of related projects, under the umbrella of animal behavioural flexibility in response to human-induced environmental change.

GEOG 374: Plant Ecology

GEOG/ URBS 491: Honours Seminar

GEOG 479: Primate Behaviour, Ecology and Conservation

HENV 680: Advanced Seminar in Environmental Science

HENV 615/805: Research Proposal Seminar

Publications

Turner SE, Fedigan LM, Joyce MM, Matthews HD, Moriarity RJ, Nobuhara H, Nobuhara T, Stewart BM,* Shimizu K (2023) Mothers of disabled infants had higher cortisol levels in a free‐ranging group of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). American Journal of Primatology;e23500. doi:10.1002/ajp.23500

Ginath Yuh Y,  N’Goran PK,  Beukou GB,  Wendefeuer J, Fuh Neba T, Ndotar AM, Ndomba DLA, Ndadet ACJ, Herbinger I,  Matthews DH, Turner SE (2023) Recent decline in suitable large mammal habitats within the Dzangha Sangha Protected Areas, Central African Republic. Global Ecology and Conservation 42(3).doi:10.1016/j.gecco.2023.e02404

Ginath Yuh  Y, Tracz W, Matthews HD, Turner SE (2023) Application of machine learning approaches for land cover monitoring in northern Cameroon. Ecological Informatics 74, 101955. doi: 10.1016/j.ecoinf.2022.101955 

Joyce MM, Teichroeb JA, Kaigaishi Y, Stewart BM, Yamada K, Turner SE (2023) Spatial movement foraging strategies among free-ranging Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) at the Awajishima Monkey Center, Japan. Primates.

Kumpan LT, Vining AQ, Smeltzer EA, Joyce MM, Aguado WD, Turner SE, Teichroeb, JA (2022) Mild movement sequence repetition in five primate species and evidence for a taxonomic divide in cognitive mechanisms. Scientific Reports 12(1), 1-13.

Espitia-Contreras JP, Fedigan LM, Turner SE (2020) Social grooming efficiency and techniques are influenced by manual impairment in free-ranging Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). PLoS One 15 (2):e0228978. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0228978

Stewart BM, Turner SE, Matthews HD (2020) Climate change impacts on potential future ranges of non-human primate species. Climatic Change 162 (4):2301-2318. doi:10.1007/s10584-020-02776-5

Turner SE, Nobuhara T, Nobuhara H, Nakamichi M, Reader SM (2018) Disability and dominance rank in adult female and male Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). In: Kalbitzer U, Jack KM (eds) Primate Life History, Sex Roles, and Adaptability: Essays in Honour of Linda M. Fedigan. Developments in Primatology: Progress and Prospects. Springer, Cham, Switzerland, pp 133-155

Graham TL, Matthews HD, Turner SE (2016) A global-scale evaluation of primate exposure and vulnerability to climate change. International Journal of Primatology 37 (2):158-174. doi:10.1007/s10764-016-9890-4

Turner SE, Fedigan LM, Matthews HD, Nakamichi M (2014) Social consequences of disability in a nonhuman primate. Journal of Human Evolution 68:47-57. doi:10.1016/j.jhevol.2014.01.002

Turner SE, Fedigan LM, Matthews HD, Nakamichi M (2012) Disability, compensatory behavior, and innovation in free-ranging adult female Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata). American Journal of Primatology 74 (9):788-803. doi:10.1002/ajp.22029

Turner SE, Fedigan LM, Nakamichi M, Matthews HD, KcKenna K, Nobuhara H, Nobuhara T, Shimizu K (2010) Birth in free-ranging Macaca fuscata. International Journal of Primatology 31 (1):15-37, doi:10.1007/s10764-009-9376-8

Matthews HD, Turner SE (2009) Of mongooses and mitigation: Ecological analogues to geoengineering. Environmental Research Letters 4 (4). doi:10.1088/1748-9326/4/4/045105

Turner SE, Fedigan LM, Nobuhara H, Nobuhara T, Matthews HD, Nakamichi M (2008) Monkeys with disabilities: Prevalence and severity of congenital limb malformations in Macaca fuscata on Awaji Island. Primates 49 (3):223-226. doi:10.1007/s10329-008-0083-4

Turner SE, Gould L, Duffus DA (2005) Maternal behavior and infant congenital limb malformation in a free-ranging group of Macaca fuscata on Awaji Island, Japan. International Journal of Primatology 26 (6):1435-1457. doi:10.1007/s10764-005-8861-y