Home range variation of two different-sized groups of golden snub-nosed monkeys(Rhinopithecus roxellana) in Shennongjia,China: implications for feeding competition

Knowledge on the home range size of a species or population is important for understanding its behavioral and social ecology and improving the effectiveness of conservation strategies. We studied the home range size of two different-sized groups of golden snub-nosed monkeys(Rhinopithecus roxellana) in Shennongjia, China. The larger group(236 individuals)had a home range of 22.5 km2 from September2007 to July 2008, whereas the smaller group(62 individuals) occupied a home range of 12.4 km2 from November 2008 to July 2009. Both groups exhibited considerable seasonal variation in their home range size, which was likely due to seasonal changes in food availability and distribution. The home range in any given season(winter, spring, summer, or winter+spring+summer) of the larger group was larger than that of the smaller group. As the two groups were studied in the same area, with the confounding effects of food availability thus minimized, the positive relationship between home range size and group size suggested that scramble feeding competition increased within the larger group.     

云南龙马山滇金丝猴(Rhinopithecus bieti)冬季食性分析

2006年11月-2007年12月,对云南云龙县龙马山滇金丝猴(Rhinopithecus bieti)冬季食性进行了研究.采用粪便显微组织学分析技术分析龙马山滇金丝猴冬季采食植物的种类组成和比例,并测定了该猴群主要取食的15种植物(包括两种松萝科植物)(取食食物百分比>1%)和次要取食的10种植物(取食食物百分比<1%)的化学成分.研究结果表明,龙马山滇金丝猴冬季取食的植物共计26科45种,其中云龙箭竹、长松萝、花松萝、实竹、空心箭竹分别占19.78%、10.28%、8.37%、4.93%、4.46%,是滇金丝猴冬季主要取食的植物种类,占取食植物的47.99%.木本植物和草本植物的叶是滇金丝猴的主要食物,在冬季食物中所占百分比最高,达75%.冬季滇金丝猴比较喜欢采食P/F值较高、单宁含量较低的食物,其主要食物比次要食物含有较高的P/F值和较低的单宁(P<0.05).     

Phylogeography and population structure of the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti) inferred from mitochondrial control region DNA sequence analysis

Rhinopithecus bieti, the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey, is the nonhuman primate with the highest altitudinal distribution and is also one of the 25 most globally endangered primate species. Currently, R. bieti is found in forests between 3000 and 4500 m above sea level, within a narrow area on the Tibetan Plateau between the Yangtze and Mekong rivers, where it is suffering from loss of habitat and shrinking population size (approximately 1500). To assess the genetic diversity within this species, its population structure and to infer its evolutionary history, we sequenced 401 bp of the hypervariable I (HVI) segment from the mitochondrial DNA control region (CR) for 157 individuals from 11 remnant patches throughout the fragmented distribution area. Fifty-two variable sites were observed and 30 haplotypes were defined. Compared with other primate species, R. bieti cannot be regarded as a taxon with low genetic diversity. Phylogenetic analysis partitioned haplotypes into two divergent haplogroups (A and B). Haplotypes from the two mitochondrial clades were found to be mixed in some patches although the distribution of haplotypes displayed local homogeneity, implying a strong population structure within R. bieti. Analysis of molecular variance detected significant differences among the different geographical regions, suggesting that R. bieti should be separated into three management units (MUs) for conservation. Based on our results, it can be hypothesized that the genetic history of R. bieti includes an initial, presumably allopatric divergence between clades A and B 1.0-0.7 million years ago (Ma), which might have been caused by the Late Cenozoic uplift of the Tibetan Plateau, secondary contact after this divergence as a result of a population expansion 0.16-0.05 Ma, and population reduction and habitat fragmentation in the very recent past.     

Why Does Rhinopithecus bieti Prefer the Highest Elevation Range in Winter? A Test of the Sunshine Hypothesis

Environmental factors that affect spatiotemporal distribution patterns of animals usually include resource availability, temperature, and the risk of predation. However, they do not explain the counterintuitive preference of high elevation range in winter by the black-and-white snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti). We asked whether variation of sunshine along with elevations is the key driving force. To test this hypothesis, we conducted field surveys to demonstrate that there was a statistically significant pattern of high elevation use during winter. We then asked whether this pattern can be explained by certain environmental factors, namely temperature, sunshine duration and solar radiation. Finally, we concluded with a possible ecological mechanism for this pattern. In this study, we employed GIS technology to quantify solar radiation and sunshine duration across the monkey's range. Our results showed that: 1) R. bieti used the high altitude range between 4100-4400 m in winter although the yearly home range spanned from 3500-4500 m; 2) both solar radiation and sunshine duration increased with elevation while temperature decreased with elevation; 3) within the winter range, the use of range was significantly correlated with solar radiation and sunshine duration; 4) monkeys moved to the areas with high solar radiation and duration following a snowfall, where the snow melts faster and food is exposed earlier. We concluded that sunshine was the main factor that influences selection of high elevation habitat for R. bieti in winter. Since some other endotherms in the area exhibit similar winter distributional patterns, we developed a sunshine hypothesis to explain this phenomenon. In addition, our work also represented a new method of integrating GIS models into traditional field ecology research to study spatiotemporal distribution pattern of wildlife. We suggest that further theoretical and empirical studies are necessary for better understanding of sunshine influence on wildlife range use.     

川金丝猴遗传多样性的蛋白电泳及其保护生物学意义

利用同功酶粉凝胶电泳技术检测了严自甘肃摩天岭和陕西秦岭两个地区的１９只川金丝猴（Ｒｈｉｎｏｐｉｔｈｅｃｕｓｒｏｘｅｌｌａｎａｅ）的４４个遗传座位,没有发现多态座位。其平均遗传杂合度为０。这与滇金丝猴的平均遗传杂合度处于同一水平。     

云南纳帕海湿地越冬斑头雁活动区

活动区范围反映了动物在个体水平上的空间需求,开展相关研究对物种保护以及理解动物与环境之间的关系具有重要意义。于2017、2018和2019年共3个越冬季,在云南纳帕海湿地对7只斑头雁（Anser indicus）进行了卫星遥测,运用动态布朗桥模型构建了斑头雁越冬期活动区,并结合遥感技术分析了水域面积变化对斑头雁活动区的影响。结果表明：所跟踪斑头雁的总活动区域中有54.7%位于保护区范围内,其余活动区域则分布于保护区外围的草地或沼泽中;斑头雁越冬期的平均活动区面积和核心活动区面积分别为（5.98 ± 0.63）km2和（0.55 ± 0.12）km2（n = 8,2017年越冬季1只个体数据、2018年越冬季6只个体数据和2019年越冬季1只个体数据）,核心活动区面积仅占活动区面积的9.2%;最大活动区面积为8.22 km2,最小仅为3.38 km2,最大核心活动区面积为1.21 km2,最小为0.12 km2;斑头雁活动区面积受纳帕海湿地水域面积变化影响较大,随着水域由南向北退缩,沼泽及草甸增多,斑头雁的活动范围变大,且会向着水域退减的方向移动;2639号斑头雁在2018年和2019年两年越冬季相同时间段的活动区面积和分布均存在显著差异,2018年越冬季活动区的面积（5.98 km2）小于2019年（8.22 km2）,核心活动区的面积（0.61 km2）同样也小于2019年（1.21 km2）,并且其两年越冬季活动区面积的重叠度指数IO仅为0.31。鉴于斑头雁是H5N1高致病性禽流感的重要携带者和传播者,建议保护区增加保护区管理范围,对与斑头雁活动区重合较大的村庄,包括云南省迪庆州香格里拉市建塘镇的开松、纳公和打日觉等重点管理,避免家猪与斑头雁混群觅食,倡导在冬季时对家猪进行圈养,防止可能引起的禽流感交叉传播。     

样本量与研究范围变化对MaxEnt模型准确度的影响——以黑白仰鼻猴为例

MaxEnt模型是过去几年最为流行的物种分布预测模型之一。针对一些濒危物种、入侵种和模拟数据的研究表明,MaxEnt模型均能在小样本的分布数据下得到较准确的预测结果。此外,研究范围的变化也会影响MaxEnt模型的构建。 然而,基于动物的实际分布数据来评估MaxEnt模型的研究甚少。 我们以黑白仰鼻猴 (Rhinopithecus bieti)为例,以11个猴群的分布数据为训练数据（样本量从1到10个猴群）,在不同研究范围内构建MaxEnt模型,通过其它5个的猴群分布数据验证,分析样本量和研究范围变化对模型准确度产生的影响。 结果表明,随样本量和研究范围增大,MaxEnt模型准确度及稳定性都有增加。 此外,研究范围变化对模型准确度有一定影响。 应用Maxent进行物种分布预测时,训练数据应尽可能涵盖该物种可能出现的全部环境梯度。构建模型所需的背景数据点选择,应与建模使用的物种出现点形成有效对照。     

Seasonal home range changes of the Sichuan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) in the Qinling Mountains of China

The seasonal changes in home range and habitat use of the Sichuan snub-nosed monkey, Rhinopithecus roxellana, have been studied by radio tracking and direct observation in the Qinling Mountains of China. The home range size was 14.1 km(2) in spring, 9.5 km(2) in summer, 12.1 km(2) in autumn and 12.3 km(2) in winter; the total area used was 22.5 km(2). The area of the home range is closely correlated with the distribution and abundance of food resources. Seasonal change in the home range area is correlated with the phenology of the vegetation. An unusually large home range is a unique characteristic of this monkey.     

云南富合山地区滇金丝猴游走模式的季节性差异

从 2 0 0 0年 11月至 2 0 0 2年 1月 ,我们在云南富合山 (99°2 0′E ,2 6°2 5′N)记录了滇金丝猴 (Rhinopithe cusbieti)的游走以及其他行为 ,以描述猴群行为模式的季节性变化及其对温带环境的适应。由于季节间行为方式的相似 ,我们将冬季和春季、夏季和秋季的数据合并表述。猴群终年以取食树叶为主 ,多在过夜地附近活动。在冬 -春季 ,猴群一般在低海拔的南部地区活动 ,同时缩短日行走距离 ,花费较多的时间取食树叶、竹叶和竹笋 ;而在夏 -秋季猴群的活动模式与冬 -春季相反 ,并取食大量果实。我们将富合地区猴群的季节性游走模式以及食性看作是食物供给和温度变化之间折中的结果 ,这些行为特征和其它温带灵长类的相似。此外 ,过夜地的分布也会影响猴群利用家域内各方格的方式     

青海湖棕头鸥(Larus brunnicephalus)夏秋季活动区研究

2006年4～9月,采用无线电遥测技术对青海湖重要繁殖水鸟棕头鸥(Larus brunnicephalus)在不同繁殖阶段的活动性,以及与人和鸟的关系进行了研究.对6只棕头鸥个体的遥测结果表明,繁殖初期棕头鸥的活动区较大,进入繁殖中期,活动区明显变小;随后繁殖后期的活动区面积有所增加,到了迁徙前期,活动区面积已接近繁殖初期.不同阶段活动区核心面积(50%Fixed Kernel)与活动区变化趋势基本一致.繁殖初期、中期、后期和迁徙前期活动区面积分别为(15.48 km2±4.54 km2)、(1.61 km2±0.41 km2)、(3.53 km2±2.63 km2)和(11.61 km2±9.36 km2).棕头鸥在不同繁殖阶段的日活动区大小有显著差异.繁殖初期,棕头鸥经常活动于鸬鹚岛、蛋岛和布哈河口,它们都是棕头鸥较好的取食地,鸬鹚岛和蛋岛由于有许多游客投喂食物;在繁殖中期,棕头鸥进入孵化阶段,活动区较繁殖前期明显缩小.由于湟鱼返回布哈河口一带产卵繁殖,棕头鸥经常聚集在此地取食;在繁殖后期,棕头鸥需要寻找大量的食物进行育雏,因此活动范围再度扩大;进入迁徙前期,幼鸟已经长大并学会飞翔,其活动区进一步扩大,与繁殖初期较为接近.     

Social Organization and Range Use in the Yunnan Snub-Nosed Monkey Rhinopithecus bieti

We studied social organization, behavior, and range use of the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti) at Wuyapiya (99°12E, 28°30N, the People's Republic of China) over 12 months between May 1992 and June 1994. The Wuyapiya band contained 175 members and had two levels of social organization. At one level, the monkeys formed multifemale, one-male units (OMUs) similar to those of many other colobines. At another level, 15 to 18 OMUs traveled together in a cohesive band. Unlike the bands of other species of Rhinopithecus, the Wuyapiya band of R. bieti did not show seasonal fission–fusion, although some social behavior, such as male–male aggression, was seasonal. With regard to range use, the Wuyapiya band had a large home range and long daily travel distances compared with other colobines. Minimum range size in 1 year at Wuyapiya is 16.25 km ² , although there is no asymptote for range size as a function of observation time. Range size for the Wuyapiya band is 25.25 km ² over the 2-year study and appeared to cover 100 km ² between 1985 and 1994. The primary food of R. bieti at Wuyapiya is lichens, which are ubiquitous in fir trees. The multitiered social organization of R. bieti appears to result from the interaction of food resource characters with the forces of mate competition, with band sizes based on female responses to the spatial and temporal characteristics of lichens and subdivisions within bands based on male competition for mates.     

生境破碎化对黑白仰鼻猴种群数量的影响

从1999年4月至2002年6月间,对黑白仰鼻猴种群的分布和生境状况进行了调查。与十年前的调查结果相比,本次调查新发现了4个猴群,但有5个以前存在的猴群已经消失,现存种群数量为13个猴群,总体数量约为1200─1700只。从西藏的芒康到云龙的龙马山,随着海拔的降低,猴群可利用的植被类型也随之多样化。但由于砍伐、放牧、开矿等因素的影响,猴群的适宜生境破碎化程度较高,连接猴群的生境走廊状况通常较差,多数猴群孤立分布,并且存在小种群问题,生境走廊的维护和恢复已成为该物种保护成功与否的关键。种群的总体数量下降了32%,其中4个猴群数量下降,4个猴群持平,1个猴群有所增长,5个猴群消失,这不容乐观的状况给我们的保护工作敲响了警钟。     

传统文化和社会经济活动对生物保护的正面影响: 来自西藏黑白仰鼻猴的实例研究(英文)

黑白仰鼻猴(Rhinopithecus bieti)是仅存于滇西北和藏东南的横断山脉的濒危灵长类动物,目前仅有野外15群约2500只个体,并且西藏红拉雪山自然保护区的小昌都群也许是自1988年调查以来唯一数量保持稳定的种群。通过调查访问、以及分析社会经济数据中隐含的保护信息,该文通过实例研究探讨了传统文化和社会经济发展模式对红拉雪山自然保护区小昌都猴群的影响,试图探讨传统文化和人类活动对该猴群种群保持稳定的正面影响:1)研究结果表明传统的生产方式对黑白仰鼻猴的生境保护有益,例如主要依靠畜牧业和非木材的林产品而不是毁林开荒种植青稞;2)受印度教和佛教影响的藏传佛教对生灵的敬畏,避免当地村民对黑白仰鼻猴的猎杀;3)一妻多夫的大家庭,其人均资源消耗(特别是薪柴,建房木材等)明显比一夫一妻的小家庭少,这种婚俗也许可以缓解人类索取相应自然资源时对黑白仰鼻猴的生境破坏。因此,考虑到小昌都是唯一种群稳定的群,我们认为是当地的社会生产方式、宗教文化以及婚俗习惯让小昌都群长期维持在该生境的最大容纳量。     

Home ranges of European mink<Emphasis Type="Italic">Mustela lutreola</Emphasis> in southwestern Europe

We radiotracked 7 European minkMustela lutreola Linnaeus, 1761 (5 males and 2 females), to determine their distribution, size and temporal changes of their home range in an area of southwestern Europe, where American minkM. vison was not established. Size of home ranges varied from 11 to 17 km along watercourses in males and were 0.6 and 3.6 km in females. Home ranges of males were larger than those found in previous studies. Most females captured (either radiotracked or not) were found within the home range of males. Males occupied adjoining river sections with minimal range overlap, suggesting an intrasexually exclusive spacing pattern for males. Each month males used new river stretches, mainly along tributaries; meanwhile they showed a steady use of their stem river section. Resting sites were mainly beneath dense brambles ofRubus patches located in the river bank.     

Home range of the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in southern Finland

Home ranges, relationships between individuals and dispersal among raccoon dogs ( Nyctereutes procyonoides ) were studied in southern Finland in 1989-91. The average maximum home range, calculated by the harmonic mean method. was 9·5 km² and the core area (85% utilization) 3·4 km². There were no statistically significant annual. seasonal or sexual differences in the size of the average core area of adults, but the home ranges of juveniles in autumn were larger than those of adults. However. the maximum home ranges of adults were larger in autumn than in summer, especially those of males, which were conspicuously small in summer and large in autumn. The core areas of adjacent pairs did not usually overlap in the pup-rearing season. but in autumn some home ranges shifted and there was much more overlap. The home ranges of the male and female of a pair overlapped almost totally, and a male and a female sharing the same home range also travelled together or close to each other, thus supporting the idea that the raccoon dog is monogamous in Finland. None of the adults left the study area, but 38% of the juveniles were recovered further than 10 km from the marking place during the first autumn.     

金丝猴的牙齿

牙齿对古生物、古人类研究是十分重要的。牙齿也是动物分类学所依据的重要特征之一,它所提供的亲缘证据和来自其他方面的材料多是相吻合的。在讨论和评价现生灵长类时,牙齿同样是不可缺少的材料之一。就目前所知,已发表的金丝猴(Rhinopithecus)牙齿的研究资料较少。Hooiier(1952)和Swindler(1976)对川金丝猴的牙齿只作了一个简单的记录和扼要的形态描述。至于滇金丝猴和黔金丝猴牙齿的研究纯属空白。为此,有必要对这三个类群牙齿的形态结构作一个简要的比较观察,试图找出它们之间和属间的异同点,为今后的综合性探讨提供基本材料。     

Seasonality of reproduction of wild black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) at Mt. Lasha, Yunnan, China

Black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) inhabit one of the harshest habitats by any nonhuman primate. Reliable predictive cues to initiate reproduction may be particularly critical for R. bieti because they inhabit such seasonally energetically challenging environments. To better understand the seasonal distribution of and predictive cues to reproduction, we collected breeding and birth data in a population of R. bieti at Mt. Lasha in Yunling Nature Reserve, Yunnan, China, from January 2008 to May 2010, using a combination of 10-min instantaneous scans and ad libitum observations. We examined variations in temperature, rainfall, and food availability, as well as photoperiod differences between Mt. Lasha and the more northerly Xiaochangdu to identify environmental influences on the timing of reproductive events. Our data show the area exhibited distinct seasonal fluctuations in rainfall, temperature, and food availability. Mating occurred year-round, but peaked in August, coinciding with the end of the period of highest temperatures and food availability, and during the peak rainfall. Copulation frequency peaked 1 month after corresponding peaks in staple foods, rainfall, and minimum temperatures, and 3-4 months after peaks in high-quality foods. Births were significantly seasonal, with a birth peak from mid-February to early April, and a mean birth date of 14 March. Eleven births occurred in 41 days in 2009, and 16 births occurred in 52 days in 2010. Births occurred during periods of increasing temperatures and food availability. Our findings are suggestive of at least one environmental control of conception timing, and support the notion that food availability during key reproductive stages is an ultimate factor for birth seasonality, but provide no supporting evidence for photoperiod during the conception season as a proximate cue to reproduction in R. bieti.     

中国云南塔城滇金丝猴的社会结构

在云南塔城附近的山地森林中,我们利用摄象机记录了一群滇金丝猴通过山谷和在水源地饮水的过程。我们利用这些记录分析这群滇金丝猴的种群大小、组成成员以及个体的空间分布,并利用连续通过个体之间的时间间隔来揭示社会结构。塔城滇金丝猴群由366个个体组成,是目前所知最大的滇金丝猴群体。猴群内雌性个体较多。猴群可以分为26个单位,其中有19个单雄多雌单位、5个多雄多雌单位和2个全雄单位。统计结果表明单位内个体间的时间间隔显著比单位间的短。2/3以上的亚成年雄性个体和全雄单位一起活动。猴群在地面活动时全雄单位位于猴群的外围,充当前卫和后卫。塔城猴群的生命表组成结构与吾牙普亚猴群的大致一样,同样是多层社会结构,单雄多雌和全雄单位构成猴群的主体。亚成年雄性多数与全雄单位一起活动,表明雄性可能会从其出生的单雄多雌单位中迁移出来。     

白马雪山自然保护区响古箐滇金丝猴的食性

2008 年6 月至2009 年5 月,采用扫描瞬时取样法对云南白马雪山自然保护区响古箐滇金丝猴群的食性进行了研究。研究表明,该滇金丝猴群的食物主要由42 个科105 种植物组成。滇金丝猴全年的食物构成如下:松萝50.6% ,成熟叶16.3% ,果实/种子10.5% , 嫩叶8.4% ,竹笋7.9% , 芽3.0% , 花1.9% ,树皮/ 叶柄/茎0.8% ,真菌类0.5% 。研究还表明,滇金丝猴的食谱具有一定的季节性:即夏季取食的植物种类最多,冬季取食的植物种类最少,嫩叶是滇金丝猴春季的主要食物,而果实/ 种子在响古箐的滇金丝猴秋季食物中占有重要的比重。此外,发现竹笋是滇金丝猴夏季的主要食物资源。研究还发现,除松萝以外,对其食物贡献率最大的10科植物的比重达到39.6%,而蔷薇科的取食则高达17.57% ,表明响古箐滇金丝猴对不同种类的食物具有明显的选择性。以上结果表明,响古箐滇金丝猴的取食行为受食物资源季节性变化的影响。     

云南老君山金丝厂滇金丝猴群栖息地的环境特征

通过在云南省西北部老君山金丝厂滇金丝猴栖息地设置标准样方,调查该滇金丝猴群栖息地的环境特点,研究表明,金丝厂滇金丝猴群栖息地是以长苞冷杉和毛柱红棕杜鹃为主的亚高山寒温性针叶林,该群落发育较好,高大树木占有较大的比例,林下箭竹密度大.这些特征对该滇金丝猴群的安全和生存起着重要的作用.