高黎贡山赧亢白眉长臂猿春季栖息地利用

2006年3月24日—5月6日,在高黎贡山赧亢片区共设置利用样地与可利用样地各30个,跟踪观察白眉长臂猿栖息地利用行为。定性因子分析表明,白眉长臂猿偏爱在东坡(Ei=0.344)活动,可能与其能提供避风的温暖微生境有关;偏爱栓皮栎(Ei=0.455)和拟樱叶柃(Ei=0.068)等乔木,可能是由于这些树种的树冠面积大,可为白眉长臂猿提供连续的移动路线和大的活动空间。定量因子分析表明,利用和可利用样地中共有12个因子(坡度,乔木和竹平均高度,乔木平均胸围,乔木和灌木盖度,乔木、竹和藤本密度,距水源、道路和草果地距离)存在显著差异,说明白眉长臂猿对栖境的空间结构具有高度的选择性。判别分析结果显示,坡度、乔木平均胸围、竹密度、距水源距离和乔木平均高度是判别利用和可利用样地的关键因子,即为影响其生境利用的主要因子,判别正确率为98.3%。作为树栖灵长类,具有一定基面积的连续乔木[高度(14.14±3.19)m,胸围(90.72±26.12)cm]树冠层是白眉长臂猿的适宜生境;较大的坡度(39.98±8.10°)减少了来自地面的干扰;而竹林是白眉长臂猿春季重要的取食地。     

高黎贡山大塘白眉长臂猿春季栖息地利用及与赧亢的比较

2007年3月9日～4月7日调查了高黎贡山大塘片区白眉长臂猿的生境利用情况.对1雌1雄 (均为成体) 家群和1只雌性独猿跟踪观察.设置利用样地和对照样地各30个,测量了4个定性因子和19个定量因子.判别分析结果显示,在大塘影响白眉长臂猿春季生境利用的关键因子是藤本密度和坡度2个因子;影响赧亢与大塘白眉长臂猿的则是距空旷地距离、竹子平均高度和距水源距离等3个因子.据地形因子分析结果,大塘和赧亢的白眉长臂猿对避风和趋阳坡有共同需求.比较两地白眉长臂猿对与植被结构有关的8个生态因子的利用结果提示,赧亢适宜白眉长臂猿栖息的生境呈破碎化分布,而大塘的植被均匀性和完整性较高.两地白眉长臂猿对优势乔木的选择都具有相同的外貌形态特征,树形高大、树冠连续、郁闭度高的乔木可为它们提供更多的移动路线、更广的活动空间和更好的隐蔽条件.白眉长臂猿对两个分布区林下竹灌层选择差异的原因一方面是人为干扰强度不同所致,另一方面是对林下竹灌层的利用方式不同.藤本是白眉长臂猿在乔木层与竹灌层之间活动的主要交通媒介和连接纽带.人为干扰强度的不同亦是导致两地白眉长臂猿生境利用差异的重要原因之一.     

Diet of Alouatta belzebul discolor in an Amazonian Rain Forest of Northern Mato Grosso State, Brazil

Prior field studies of Alouatta showed the highest frugivory in A. belzebul. During 10 mo between October 1999 and October 2000, we studied the feeding ecology of a group of 7–9 red-handed howlers (Alouatta belzebul discolor) in a primary forest on the banks of a tributary of the Teles Pires River, near Paranaíta, MT, Brazil (9°34S; 56°19W). The howlers used 3 types of habitat: upland (terra firme) forest, flood plain forest (igapó) and palm forest (açaizal). During 45 complete days of observation, the group fed on 67 plant species (N = 2039 feeding records) in 24 families. The 2 most used families were Leguminosae and Moraceae, with 17 species each. Fruits predominated (40–80%) in every month, except June, when young leaves accounted for 54% of the diet. Dialium guianense (Leguminosal, Caesalpinioideae) was the most consumed species. Flower (6%) and mature leaf (5%) consumptions were low. Tree bark, live and decayed wood, and woody twig monthly consumption varied from 0 to 26%, and occurred only in igapó, where they used mostly Macrolobium acaciaefolium (Leguminosae, Caesalpinioideae), Clitoria amazonum (Leguminosae, Papilionoideae) and Licania cf. canescens (Chrysobalanaceae). Our study on Alouatta belzebul discolor complements the high frugivory in A. b. belzebul and documents uncommon dietary items for the species. Although there is intraspecific variation in howler diets and new studies have shown higher frugivory for more folivorous species, Alouatta belzebul seems to be the most frugivorous howler species, in spite of its wide geographical distribution and, in this case, sympatry with Ateles chamek, a frugivore.     

Seasonality in Reproduction of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lepilemur edwardsi</Emphasis>

Sportive lemurs are threatened species in the IUCN Red Data Book. However, quantitative information on their reproduction, urgently required for conservation, has been lacking. We collected first data on reproductive activity of Milne-Edwards’ sportive lemurs in a population inhabiting the dry deciduous forest of the Ankarafantsika National Park in northwestern Madagascar during 1998, 2001, and 2003. The species showed a seasonal reproduction. The main mating season extended from May to June, as indicated by the presence of males with high testes volumes and estrus females. In the mating and early postmating season and in the postparturition season, sexes did not differ in body mass. Females had a significantly higher body mass than males in August and November, indicating pregnancy, which together with the presence of small infants in October and November implies that gravidity in females lasted for about 4–5 mo. All litters consisted of singletons. Individuals with body mass at the lower limit of the population either did not develop measurable testes volumes (males) or were not in estrus (females). They were probably juveniles from the previous birth season that achieved sexual maturity not before their second year after birth. The first data on reproduction suggest a low reproduction rate for Lepilemur edwardsi and a request for a higher conservation status than previously attributed and the need for further management strategies.     

Primate Group Size and Abundance in the Caatinga Dry Forest, Northeastern Brazil

The Caatinga dry forest poses a series of ecological challenges for mammals in general and primates in particular. The erratic rainfall pattern impacts on plant diversity and phenological patterns; from year to year there is marked variability in fruit production and failure to fruit is common. The harshness apparently accounts for the impoverished mammalian fauna. However, data on primate abundance, distribution, and possible environmental effects on primate density are lacking in this type of dry forest. I censused the primate community in 3 habitats of the Serra da Capivara National Park, Piaui, NE Brazil, over a total distance of 318 km. Overall, the abundance of primates in the Caatinga dry forest is very low as a consequence of low abundance of food resources both in space and time. Alouatta caraya (predominantly folivorous) occurs at extremely low density, and during the dry season are apparently confined to canyon areas, where trees retain their leaves. Callithrix jacchus has morphological feeding specializations for gum-eating, and gum is an important resource during food bottleneck periods. Nonetheless, Callithrix jacchus occurs at comparatively low densities. Group sizes for howlers and marmosets in the Caatinga are significantly smaller than in other forest types. Contrarily, Cebus apella libidinosus had an average group size within the range reported for Amazonian and Atlantic forests. Researchers consider the generalized diet of capuchins as the explanation for their similar abundance in different habitats, indicating relative independence from ecological constraints. However, I suggest that capuchin foraging style and cognitive abilities are important factors accounting for their unreduced group size and density even under extreme conditions.     

Influence of different sugars on the longevity of Bathyplectes curculionis (Hym., Ichneumonidae)

Abstract:  Floral nectars, homopteran honeydews and honey are known to increase parasitoid longevity. However, these foods are composed of several sugars which may differentially affect longevity. We tested the effects of individual sugars and mixtures on the longevity of Bathyplectes curculionis Thomson (Hym., Ichenumonidae), a natural enemy of the alfalfa weevil. There was a significant difference in the longevity of female wasps on the various diets. Glucose or fructose alone appeared to have the most benefits while trehalose and melezitose were not as useful for increasing wasp longevity. Suitability of these sugars for provisioning food for parasitoids in the field is discussed.     

Primatology in China

China is one of the countries with the greatest diversity of nonhuman primate species: 22 species with 30 subspecies, in 6 genera and 3 families. Primatology in China started in 1862, but fruitful study began only in the 1950s. More than 2,000 academic papers have been published, covering systematics, evolution, ecology, etho-ecology, conservation, reproduction and neuroscience. We review primatology in China over the past century, concentrating mostly on systematics, etho-ecology, conservation and reproduction. We aim to share this information with international colleagues and to seek possibilities for collaboration in the future.     

Tree Climbing Strategies for Primate Ecological Studies

Primate ecological studies can benefit from accessing the canopy to estimate intra-tree and inter-tree variation in food availability and nutrient value, patch and subpatch depletion, foraging efficiency, as well as nest structure and nesting behaviors, parasitic transmission and predator detectability. We compare several ways to access the canopy and examine their suitability for studies of primates. Two of them—the Single Rope Technique and the Climbing Spur Method—allow people to safely access almost all kinds of trees, regardless of their size, height or shape. Modern climbing gear and contemporaneous safety protocols, derived from rock climbers, speleologists, and industrial arborists, are reliable and appropriate for primate ecological studies. Climbing gear is specialized and still expensive for students, but tree climbing can be dangerous during specific maneuvres. Consequently, formal training and preliminary experience are essential before attempting to collect data. We discuss the physics of falling, risk assessment associated with a fall, knots, gear and safety precautions. Finally, we propose a Tree Climbing Safety Protocol adapted for 2 climbing methods and primate field ecology. Researchers should be aware that climbing safety depends on their own judgment, which must be based on competent instruction, experience, and a realistic assessment of climbing ability. Therefore, the information we provide should be used only to supplement competent personal instruction and training in situ. Although most primate observations have been and will mostly be done from the ground in the future, canopy information complements the observations. Canopy data will add a significant new dimension to our knowledge of primates by providing strategic information otherwise unavailable.     

Effects of tsaoko (Fructus tsaoko) cultivating on tree diversity and canopy structure in the habitats of eastern hoolock gibbon (Hoolock leuconedys)

In this study, the quadrat method was used to study the effects of tsaoko(Fructus tsaoko) plantation on tree diversity and canopy structure of two natural habitats of eastern hoolock gibbon(Hoolock leuconedys): Nankang(characterized by extensive tsaoko plantation) and Banchang(relatively well reserved and without tsaoko plantation). Totally, 102 tree species from 25 families and 16 woody liana species from 10 families were recorded in Nankang, whereas 108 tree species from 30 families and 17 woody liana species from 12 families were recorded in Banchang. Although the tree species between two habitats is different, both habitats are characterized by enriched food resources for eastern hoolock gibbons, sharing similar dominant plant families. Due to tsaoko plantation, tree density proportion and diversity of forest layerⅠ(20 m) in Nankang were both significantly decreased, but the tree density of layerⅡ(10-20 m) increased. Likewise, in conjunction with these behavioral observations, we also address potential impacts of tsaoko plantation on the behavior of eastern hoolock gibbon.     

Landscape patterns of species-level association between ground-beetles and overstory trees in boreal forests of western Canada (Coleoptera, Carabidae)

Spatial associations between species of trees and ground-beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) involve many indirect ecological processes, likely reflecting the function of numerous forest ecosystem components. Describing and quantifying these associations at the landscape scale is basic to the development of a surrogate-based framework for biodiversity monitoring and conservation. In this study, we used a systematic sampling grid covering 84 km(2) of boreal mixedwood forest to characterize the ground-beetle assemblage associated with each tree species occurring on this landscape. Projecting the distribution of relative basal area of each tree species on the beetle ordination diagram suggests that the carabid community is structured by the same environmental factors that affects the distribution of trees, or perhaps even by trees per se. Interestingly beetle species are associated with tree species of the same rank order of abundance on this landscape, suggesting that conservation of less abundant trees will concomitantly foster conservation of less abundant beetle species. Landscape patterns of association described here are based on characteristics that can be directly linked to provincial forest inventories, providing a basis that is already available for use of tree species as biodiversity surrogates in boreal forest land management.