云南拉沙山滇金丝猴的种子传播

灵长类是森林中重要的种子传播者,其行为对于森林植物的更新具有重要的生态意义.虽然大量国外科学家关注了灵长类的种子传播行为,但我国的灵长类种子传播研究依然处于起步阶段,这不利于厘清我国灵长类的种子传播行为特点.本研究以云南拉沙山为研究地,关注滇金丝猴对果实性植物的取食及其对种子的传播作用,通过在夜栖地和午休地收集粪便分析灵长类的种子传播特点.结果表明:滇金丝猴共取食9科14种果实性植物,其中蔷薇科植物相对较多,共有6种,占所有植物种类的42.86%.果实特征影响着滇金丝猴的食物选择,滇金丝猴偏好选择肉质果植物和红色果实植物,分别有12种和8种,各占总数的85.71%和57.14%.不同类型的栖息地中,滇金丝猴粪便排放的种子有所差异,75%的种子被排放至夜栖地,仅有25%被排放至午休地.在夜栖地中,大量完整的蔷薇科植物种子被滇金丝猴排放至冷杉林中,这对于某些阔叶树种子在冷杉林中更新至关重要.本研究初步证实了滇金丝猴作为种子传播者在生态系统植物更新中的重要作用.     

云南无量山黑长臂猿对植物种子的传播作用

2005年9月至2006年4月,对无量山一群黑长臂猿进行观察,研究黑长臂猿在植物种子传播中的作用.观察记录黑长臂猿一天的排便次数并收集粪便.通过直接观察和收集长臂猿粪便确定长臂猿取食的果实种类.以森林中采集的果实种子为对照标本,对粪便中的种子进行鉴定,并记录各种种子的数量,测量其长度、宽度和重量.结果表明观察期间黑长臂猿共取食31种果实,其中有1种在被取食时尚未成熟,另有2种果实的种子在取食后遭到破坏,还有1种植物的种子不能被长臂猿吞食而得不到传播,黑长臂猿可为27种植物传播种子.黑长臂猿个体平均每天排便2次,粪便的平均湿重为22.7 g,每份粪便平均含有1种植物的种子;在不包含小种子(直径<3 mm)的情况下,平均每份粪便中含有12粒种子.总的来说,黑长臂猿是有效的种子传播者.     

云南拉沙山黑白仰鼻猴群体规模对冬春季日移动距离和活动时间分配的影响

生态限制模型（Ecological constraints model）认为随种群规模增加,灵长类种群会增加日移动距离、移动时间和取食时间,减少休息时间。果食性灵长类为取食斑块分布的高质量食物资源（如果实）而存在群内分摊竞争（Within-group scramble competition）,很好地验证了生态限制模型。为了检验温带叶食性灵长类是否适用于生态限制模型,于2018年12月—2019年5月,在云岭省级自然保护区拉沙山采用20 min瞬时扫描取样法收集猴群日活动时间分配,每隔30 min在地形图（1：50 000）上记录猴群活动位点收集其日移动距离数据,比较了同域分布的黑白仰鼻猴较大群（170只）和较小群（100只）冬春季的日移动距离和活动时间分配差异。结果表明,春季和冬季黑白仰鼻猴较大群比较小群的日移动距离更远;虽然春季较大群减少了社交时间、增加了移动时间,但是冬季两群活动时间分配无差异。此外,春季,较大群相比较小群的成年和青少年个体减少了社交时间,成年雌性增加了移动时间;冬季,较大群仅成年雌性增加了休息时间,其他不同年龄—性别组的活动时间分配无差异。本研究证实了黑白仰鼻猴群内存在分摊竞争,且春季分摊竞争的强度更高,符合生态限制模型。此外,群体规模对成年雌性的活动时间分配影响较大,这与其妊娠期相对高的营养和能量需求有关。     

黑白仰鼻猴肠道寄生虫感染调查

为了解黑白仰鼻猴野生种群的肠道寄生虫感染现状,对分布于云南塔城境内的一群90只个体的黑白仰鼻猴种群进行了粪便虫卵检查。共采集了225份样品,记录了粪便供体的性别、年龄、所在单元和采集时间,分别采用水洗过滤沉淀法、饱和盐水浮聚法和改良加藤氏厚涂片法进行检查。实验结果表明该猴群感染的寄生虫种类有灵长类肠道常见寄生虫毛首线虫Trichuris sp.,感染率在不同年龄段间存在显著差异;钩虫Ancylostoma sp.和结节线虫Oesophagostomum sp.在黑白仰鼻猴中的感染存在季节性,旱雨季差异性显著;同时粪便样品中还检出了少量的肝毛细线虫Capillaria hepatica和蛔虫Ascaris sp.。     

拉沙山黑白仰鼻猴食物中单宁含量的变化

叶食性灵长类食物选择受食物营养及单宁等次生代谢产物影响,为了探讨单宁对黑白仰鼻猴食物选择的影响,通过磷钼酸-钨酸钠 (F-D) 比色法测定了拉沙山黑白仰鼻猴群 (Rhinopithecus bieti) 2010年4月 - 2012年3月间的食用植物 (192种) 和非食用植物 (188种) 单宁含量。结果表明,黑白仰鼻群全年食用植物中单宁含量低于非食用植物;春季食用植物中单宁含量高于其他季节,而其他季节无差异;不同取食部位单宁由高到低依次为芽、花、叶、果和地衣;不同季节,不同取食部位单宁有差异,春季芽的单宁含量最高,夏秋季果实单宁含量最高,冬季叶单宁含量最高;不同月份,食物单宁也不同,3月食用植物中单宁最高 (8.36% ± 6.22%),2月最低 (1.28% ± 1.19%)。因此,黑白仰鼻猴根据环境食物种类和供给时空特征,可能采取了从高蛋白纤维比/高单宁到低蛋白纤维比/低单宁连续谱觅食策略。     

灵长类动物对植物种子的传播作用

种子传播对植物种群空间分布和群落生物多样性维系有着深远的影响。森林灵长类动物可有效地传播植物种子,其对果实的选择不仅受其自身形态、生理和行为特征的影响,也与果实的形态特征和同域分布的其他动物类群的取食竞争密切相关。灵长类动物传播种子的模式可分为消化道传播、携带传播和颊囊传播,其中消化道传播距离远、种子萌发或幼苗建成率高,是最为有效的传播模式。灵长类动物对种子的传播作用还能促进退化生境的恢复。建议今后研究中应考虑灵长类动物的多途径种子传播和多种因素对种子扩散与萌发的综合影响,同时要更加客观地评估灵长类动物缺失对森林植被更新的影响。     

云南拉沙山黑白仰鼻猴交配行为和出生季节

灵长类的交配模式对于了解和掌握雄性的交配策略和社群的稳定机制非常重要,但是目前有关亚洲灵长类交配模式的数据较少;因此,该研究于2011年1—12月,分别采用全事件取样法和焦点动物瞬时扫描取样法收集了拉沙山黑白仰鼻猴群的交配行为和出生数据。猴群全年交配,有2个峰期,一个是繁殖交配高峰期(8一10月);另一个在出生季节,但其非繁殖交配的生物学意义尚不清楚。雌性通过俯卧/注视雄性或跳落邀配。爬跨射精比为8.8,射精交配稀少(11.4%),这说明雄性并非每次交配都射精,因而支持黑白仰鼻猴交配模式的主体为多次爬跨射精或处于从单次爬跨射精到多次爬跨射精连续谱上段的观点。雄性邀配的射精爬跨多于雌性,说明多次爬跨射精不仅是雄性的一个交配策略,而且可以决定交配模式在连续谱的位置。交配时间后延6~7个月,交配频次与婴猴出生率相关。拉沙山猴群出生模式为严格的季节性,这进一步证实了前人的观点。婴猴出生具有一定的同步性,且不同猴群婴猴出生的同步模式不同。     

中国灵长类学文献计量分析和学科展望

该文使用文献计量学方法,分析了中国学术期刊全文数据库(CNKI)和Web of Science (WOS)两个数据库中中国灵长类文献的特征。结果表明,行为、进化和保护是当前中国灵长类研究的主要方向;中英文文献中,猕猴和仰鼻猴都是研究最多的类群,其中普通猕猴、金仰鼻猴和黑白仰鼻猴的研究成果最多;与类群相对应,秦岭、太行山、神农架和云南是主要的研究地点;从WOS数据库看,灵长类的研究成果体现了很好的国内外机构合作态势,但从CNKI数据库看,国内机构合作还有待加强。未来中国灵长类学发展建议着重以下几个方面:一致化物种中文命名,促进保护和提升研究影响;创新研究方法,开展长期生态监测,覆盖更多物种;加强野外调查,完善中国灵长类多样性和保护信息;加强合作研究。     

鸟类取食中国沙棘果实的方式及其对种子的传播作用

2003年9月～2004年3月,定期观察取食中国沙棘果实的鸟类及其取食方式。共记录取食中国沙棘果实的鸟类18种,其取食果实的方式主要有：1)直接在树冠上吞食果实,有时候在吞食后将种子呕出;2)将果实从树上衔走后,在栖息处吞食或啄食;3)将果实啄落至地面,然后取食果肉和种子,留下果皮;4)啄破果皮,吸食果肉,留下果皮及种子;5)从顶端将果皮啄破后,仅取食里面的种子。不同的取食方式决定了它们对沙棘种子的传播作用不同。收集鸟粪便中的种子与完整的干果实及人工剥离果肉和内果皮的种子做萌发对比实验,结果表明,鸟类消化道过程对种子的萌发有一定影响,但萌发率仍较高。沙棘为多种鸟类提供食物,而鸟类则为沙棘传播种子,它们之间形成一种互利关系。     

土壤pH值对秦岭川金丝猴食土行为的影响

食土行为广泛存在于灵长类动物中,关于灵长类的食土行为有很多功能性的假说,包括补充矿物质、有毒物质吸附、抗腹泻、抗体内寄生虫感染及肠胃酸性中和等假说。为了解秦岭川金丝猴取食黏土的影响因子和功能假说,于2013年9月至2015年1月采用扫描观察法和瞬时记录法收集食性数据,记录取食黏土个体的性别年龄及取食位置,并采集秦岭川金丝猴取食的黏土和对照黏土样品。于2016年07月采用电位法测定土壤样品的pH值。食性结果表明不同性别年龄个体,从1岁的婴幼猴到成年个体都存在取食黏土的行为;秦岭川金丝猴取食黏土的pH显著高于对照样品的pH值。因此,本研究结果与肠胃酸性中和假说更为契合,秦岭川金丝猴取食偏碱性的黏土,有利于中和取食大量芽和叶摄入的酸性物质。     

The role of nocturnal omnivorous lemurs as seed dispersers in Malagasy rain forests

Fruit-eating animals play important roles as seed dispersal agents in terrestrial systems. Yet, the extent to which seed dispersal by nocturnal omnivores may facilitate germination and the recruitment of plant communities has rarely been investigated. Characterizing their roles in seed dispersal is necessary to provide a more complete picture of how seed dispersal processes affect ecosystem functioning. We investigated the roles and impacts of two species of nocturnal omnivorous lemur species, Microcebus jollyae and M. rufus, on seed dispersal in Madagascar's rain forests, through analysis of fecal samples and germination experiments. Data show that these lemur species, which are among the world's smallest primates, dispersed 22 plant species from various forest strata and that the defecated seeds germinated faster and at higher rates than control seeds for the eight plant species we tested. Even though mouse lemurs dispersed both native and non-native plant species, non-native plant species represented a relatively small proportion (17%). These results demonstrate that overlooked nocturnal omnivores can act as important seed dispersers, which may have critical implications for forest regeneration and the maintenance of plant diversity in fragmented/degraded forests. Finally, we provide critical insights into the previously unobserved behavior and diet of endangered nocturnal lemurs for their effective conservation.     

Black-and-white snub-nosed monkey (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhinopithecus bieti</Emphasis>) feeding behavior in a degraded forest fragment: clues to a stressed population

Rapid global deforestation has forced many of the world’s primates to live in fragmented habitats, making the understanding of their behavioral responses to degraded and fragmented habitats a key challenge for their future protection and management. The black-and-white snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti) is an endangered species endemic to southwest China. The forest habitat ranges from near-continuous to fragmented. In this study, we investigated the activity budget and diet of a R. bieti population that live in an isolated and degraded habitat patch at Mt. Lasha in Yunnan Province, near the current southern limit of the species. We used our data along with data from six other sites in more-continuous habitats across its range to model factors that predict stress, including feeding effort and time feeding on lichens against potential predictive parameters. Models showed feeding effort across all sites increased with increasing altitude and latitude, and with decreasing food species diversity. There was also a strong positive relationship between feeding effort and time feeding lichens. The Mt. Lasha R. bieti population exploited a total of 36 food species, spending 80.2% of feeding time feeding on lichens, Bryoria spp. and Usnea longissima. These figures are more comparable to those living in the north than those living in the mid- and southern part of the species’ range. Given the models for feeding effort and time feeding on lichens, the unexpectedly high time spend feeding on lichens and feeding effort relative to latitude and elevation are suggestive of a stressed population at Mt. Lasha.     

Seed dispersal by the Florida box turtle (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Terrapene carolina bauri</Emphasis>) in pine rockland forests of the lower Florida Keys,United States

Seed dispersal by animals is one of the most important plant-animal mutualisms, but saurochory, the dispersal of seeds by reptiles, has received little attention. We investigated the role of the Florida box turtle (Terrapene carolina bauri) as a seed dispersal agent in pine rockland forests of the lower Florida Keys and examined the effect of turtle digestion on seed germination. We obtained seeds of 11 species with fleshy fruits and 2 species with non-fleshy fruits (a grass and legume) from the feces of 145 box turtles collected on Key Deer National Wildlife Refuge from 1999 to 2000. We planted the seeds of nine species and germination percentage (percentage of seeds that germinated during the experiment) varied from 10% to 80%. Comparative germination experiments were conducted with Thrinax morrissii, Serenoa repens, and Byrsonima lucida. We compared the germination percentage and germination rate (number of days from planting to seedling emergence) of seeds from three treatments (seeds recovered from feces, control seeds with pulp, and control seeds without pulp) and continued these experiments for up to 2 years. Passage through the box turtle digestive tract greatly enhanced the germination percentage and germination rate of S. repens, but decreased the germination percentage of B. lucida and T. morrissii, and decreased germination rate for T. morrissii. Subsequent destructive seed viability tests revealed that many ungerminated T. morrissii seeds remained viable, suggesting long-term seed dormancy may occur, even after passage through the turtle digestive system. In addition, the proportion of ungerminated seeds which remained viable was greater for seeds recovered from turtle feces than from control seeds with pulp. Furthermore, removal of fleshy pulp either manually or by the turtle digestive system may allow T. morrissii to escape insect predation.     

Effects of Seed Dispersal by Three Ateline Monkey Species on Seed Germination at Tinigua National Park, Colombia

We examined the effect of seed ingestion by three ateline primates: woolly monkeys, Lagothrix lagothricha; spider monkeys, Ateles belzebuth; and, red howler, Alouatta seniculus on germination rates and latency periods of seeds of several plant species in Tinigua National Park, Colombia. We collected dispersed seeds from feces and control seeds from the parental trees and washed them for germination trials. For the majority of plants, dispersed seeds germinated as well or better than control seeds did. Although spider monkeys depend more heavily on fruits than the other monkey species do, they were not more efficient than howlers or woolly monkeys at improving germination rates. A considerable proportion of the seeds dispersed by howlers and woolly monkeys showed reduced latency periods to germination, but spider monkeys showed less effect on reducing germination time. This result may be related to longer gut retention times, but such a trend has not been observed in other primate species. We conclude that, like many other primates, ateline monkeys are effective seed dispersers in terms of their effects on the seeds they swallow because they rarely decrease their germination rates. We discuss problems that make interspecific comparisons difficult, such as inappropriate control seeds and differences associated with germination substrates, and we stress the importance of studying other components of seed dispersal effectiveness.     

Frugivory and Seed Dispersal by Four Species of Primates in Madagascar's Eastern Rain Forest1

In the unique faunal assemblage of the Malagasy rain forest, lemurs appear to play particularly important roles as seed-dispersing frugivores. A three-month study of feeding ecology and seed dispersal by four species of lemurs in Madagascar's eastern rain forest found that three species, Eulemur rubriventer, Eulemur fulvus, and Varecia variegata were seed dispersers, and the fourth, Propithecus diadema, was a seed predator. In germination trials, seeds passed by lemurs sprouted significantly faster and in greater numbers than those not passed by lemurs. Analysis of fruit morphologies of 69 local plant taxa producing fleshy fruits during the study period found that these fruits fell into two well-defined color categories that correlated significantly with fruit size. Seventy seven percent of fleshy fruits greater than 10 mm in diameter were colored green, brown, tan, purplish, or black, while all fruits less than 10 mm in diameter were colored red, yellow, orange, pink, blue, or white. Three introduced exotic plant species provided exceptions to this pattern, producing fruits which were larger than 10 mm and pink or orange. Fruits chosen by the primates in this study were usually larger than 10 mm in diameter and were in nearly all cases colored green, brown, tan, purplish, red, or some combination of these colors. Morphological traits shared by fruits of multiple plant taxa in the diets of seed-dispersing lemurs suggest possible coevolved relationships between Malagasy rain forest plants and lemurs.     

Seed dispersal by white-tailed deer: implications for long-distance dispersal,invasion, and migration of plants in eastern North America

For many plant species in eastern North America, short observed seed dispersal distances (ranging up to a few tens of meters) fail to explain rapid rates of invasion and migration. This discrepancy points to a substantial gap in our knowledge of the mechanisms by which seeds are dispersed long distances. We investigated the potential for white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus Zimm.), the dominant large herbivore in much of eastern North America, to disperse seeds via endozoochory. This is the first comprehensive study of seed dispersal by white-tailed deer, despite a vast body of research on other aspects of their ecology. More than 70 plant species germinated from deer feces collected over a 1-year period in central New York State, USA. Viable seeds included native and alien herbs, shrubs, and trees, including several invasive introduced species, from the full range of habitat types in the local flora. A mean of >30 seeds germinated per fecal pellet group, and seeds were dispersed during all months of the year. A wide variety of presumed dispersal modes were represented (endo- and exozoochory, wind, ballistic, ant, and unassisted). The majority were species with small-seeded fruits having no obvious adaptations for dispersal, underscoring the difficulty of inferring dispersal ability from diaspore morphology. Due to their broad diet, wide-ranging movements, and relatively long gut retention times, white-tailed deer have tremendous potential for effecting long-distance seed dispersal via ingestion and defecation. We conclude that white-tailed deer represent a significant and previously unappreciated vector of seed dispersal across the North American landscape, probably contributing an important long-distance component to the seed shadows of hundreds of plant species, and providing a mechanism to help explain rapid rates of plant migration.Electronic Supplementary Material Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at     

The role of Orii’s flying-fox (Pteropus dasymallus inopinatus) as a pollinator and a seed disperser on Okinawa-jima Island, the Ryukyu Archipelago, Japan

The role of the Orii’s flying-fox (Pteropus dasymallus inopinatus) as a pollinator and a seed disperser on Okinawa-jima Island was investigated by direct observations and radio-tracking from October 2001 until January 2006. We found that Orii’s flying-fox potentially pollinated seven native plant species. Its feeding behavior and plant morphological traits suggested that this species is an important pollinator of Schima wallichii liukiuensis and Mucuna macrocarpa. The flying-fox also dispersed the seeds of 20 native plant species. The seeds of all plants eaten by the flying-fox were usually dropped beneath the parent tree, although large fruits of four plant species were occasionally brought to the feeding roosts in the mouth, with the maximum dispersal distance—for Terminalia catappa—estimated to be 126 m. Small seeds of 11 species (mostly Ficus species) were dispersed around other trees, during the subsequent feeding session, through the digestive tracts, with the mean dispersal distance for ingested seeds estimated at 150 ± 230.3 m (±SD); the maximum dispersal distance was 1833 m. A comparison of the seed dispersal of available fruits according to the size of flying-foxes and other frugivores suggested that the seed dispersal of eight plant species producing large fruits mostly depended on Orii’s flying-fox. On Okinawa-jima Island, the Orii’s flying-fox plays an important role as a pollinator of two native plants and as a long-distance seed disperser of Ficus species, and it functions as a limited agent of seed dispersal for plants producing large fruits on Okinawa-jima Island.     

Chimpanzee seed dispersal quantity in a tropical montane forest of Rwanda

We describe chimpanzee seed dispersal in the tropical montane forest of Nyungwe National Park (NNP), Rwanda, for a total of three years from January 1998 through May 2000 and May 2006 through March 2007. Relatively few studies have examined chimpanzee seed dispersal in montane communities where there are generally fewer fruiting tree species than in lowland forests. Such studies may reveal new insights into chimpanzee seed dispersal behaviors and the role that they play in forest regeneration processes. Chimpanzees are large‐bodied, highly frugivorous, and tend to deposit the seeds of both large‐ and small‐seeded fruits they consume in a viable state. We found that chimpanzees dispersed a total of 37 fruiting species (20 families) in their feces, 35% of which were large‐seeded trees (≥0.5 cm). A single large‐seeded tree, Syzygium guineense, was the only species to be dispersed in both wadges and feces. Based on phenological patterns of the top five large‐seeded tree species found in chimpanzee feces, our results indicate that chimpanzees do not choose fruits based on their availability. There was, however, a positive relationship between the presence of Ekebergia capensis seeds in chimpanzee feces and S. guineense seeds in chimpanzee wadges and their respective fruit availabilities. Our data reveal that proportionately fewer chimpanzee fecal samples at NNP contained seeds than that reported in two other communities in the Albertine Rift including one at mid‐elevation and one in montane forest. As in other chimpanzee communities, seeds of Ficus spp. were the most common genus in NNP chimpanzee feces. Our data do not support previous studies that describe Ficus spp. as a fallback food for chimpanzees and highlights an intriguing relationship between chimpanzees and the large‐seeded tree species, S. guineense. Am. J. Primatol. 71:901–911, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Forest amount,not structure,influences fruit removal of two pioneer species in Atlantic forest remnants

Fruit removal is a key component of the seed dispersal process with direct consequences for plant recruitment. Anthropogenic disturbances might affect removal rates by changing frugivore diversity and their behavior. Here, we investigated the effects of local forest structure and landscape context on fruit removal of two common pioneer species of Melastomataceae family, Clidemia capitellata and Henriettea succosa in 14 Atlantic forest sites. We evaluated local forest structure, measured as canopy openness and conspecific density, and the amount of forest cover at the landscape scale measured in 2000 m buffer radius. Our results showed that the landscape context was more important than local features to explain fruit removal. The percentage of fruits removed from both species sharply decreases with forest loss and increases again in highly deforested landscapes. We demonstrate changes in fruit removal due to forest loss and suggest that both Melastomataceae species rely on the absence of other plant species, and consequently, in a less competitive environment to increase fruit removal and seed dispersal. Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.     

Endozoochorous seed dispersal by sympatric mustelids, Martes melampus and Mustela itatsi, in western Tokyo, central Japan

We investigated seed dispersal by two sympatric mustelid species, the Japanese marten (Martes melampus) and Japanese weasel (Mustela itatsi), along an intercity forest path in western Tokyo, central Japan, from Jul 2007 to Jul 2008. We aimed to investigate the effect of food/habitat preference of these mustelids (martens are semi-arboreal frugivores while weasels are terrestrial carnivores) on their seed dispersal characteristics, which determine their efficacy as seed dispersers. In total, we analyzed 478 fecal samples collected from the two mustelids (N_marten = 381, N_weasel = 97). The proportions of feces containing seeds for martens and weasels were 81.4% and 55.7%, respectively. The number of plant species whose seeds were found within the feces were 28 and 17, respectively. Almost all seeds within feces of both mustelids were intact. The number of plant species whose seeds were found within a single fecal sample ranged from one to four, but no significant difference was detected between the two mustelids. However, marten feces contained a significantly greater number of seeds of most plant species as well as total number of seeds than did weasel feces. The numbers of plant species and seeds represented in marten feces varied seasonally, but those represented in weasel feces did not. Our findings suggest the possibility that both mustelids act in some ways as seed dispersers, although martens seem to disperse a greater diversity and total amount of seeds.