Primates are optimised to thrive on the primate-appropriate foods most abundant in their environment. Primates have also evolved behaviours which cause them to seek and avail themselves of scarce, higher value sources of nutrients wherever possible.
I believe it's clear that, yes, in an environment with small amounts of highly nutritious foods, creatures can eat less volume/devote less time to nutrition and still thrive.
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Date: 2011-05-24 01:18 am (UTC)Whether primates graze all day long on leaves depends primarily on the type of primate and secondly on the types of food available. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/476264/primate/51434/Diet has a good overview of the variety of diets primates have.
I believe it's clear that, yes, in an environment with small amounts of highly nutritious foods, creatures can eat less volume/devote less time to nutrition and still thrive.