Range expansion as a response to increasing group size in the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey

The Yunnan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti) is characterized by a larger home range and group size than other colobine species. We investigated variations in home range size of a free-ranging group of R. bieti from 1998 to 2007 in the Baimaxueshan National Nature Reserve in Yunnan, China. Group size increased from 160 to 450 over the 10 years. Results also showed a home range shift and yearly home range expansion, although this expansion was very limited. The study group covered a 33.78-km(2) area during the 10-year period, with some areas abandoned and others used repeatedly. The yearly home range increase stopped in 2004 and decreased thereafter. Despite increasing group size usually being coupled with larger yearly home range (>30 km(2)), the group confined itself within a relatively small and stable area (<18 km(2)) during 2005-2007, with a significant portion of their accessible home range discarded. Consequently, the study group showed the highest recorded population density among extant groups of R. bieti. Reasons why the group settled into a substantially smaller home range area remain unclear.     

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。     

The ecology of the introduced patas monkey (Erythrocebus patas) population of Southwestern Puerto Rico

This paper presents the results of a study on the introduced, free-ranging patas monkey population of Southwestern Puerto Rico (SWPR). It describes information on the population size, social group composition, diet, daily ranging patterns, and patas home range during a 3 year period. The patas monkey population in the study area consisted of approximately 120 individuals in four heterosexual groups and several all-male bands. Within their home ranges (26.8 km²), the population density was 4.47 individuals/km². Home range size among the population's four heterosexual groups varied from 3.72 km² to 15.39 km², and minimum daily distance traveled ranged from 0.8–2.0 km. In general, the social structure and mating system of this population parallels what has been described for African populations. However, habitat use, ranging behavior, and the quality of intergroup interactions suggests that patas of this population exhibit territorial behavior. Am. J. Primatol. 45:351–365, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

评估不同尺度下农牧地对滇金丝猴景观连接度的影响

基于图论法原理,综合最小费用距离和猴群的最小家域,建立了滇金丝猴栖息地的潜在扩散廊道及廊道缓冲区。在此区域内,根据遗传距离与栖息地连接最小费用距离的相关性,确定了5个不同管理单元间猴群可能扩散的阈值,并根据此阈值计算获得可能连通性指数(PC)去评估不同尺度下农牧地对滇金丝猴栖息地景观连接度的影响。结果表明:在距离为2.15km的廊道缓冲区范围内,5个不同管理单元间猴群可能扩散的最小费用距离阈值为1600,在两个斑块之间的费用距离小于或等于1600时,两个斑块能够连接,猴群可能在这两个斑块进行扩散,超过费用距离1600时,两个斑块不再连接,即猴群在这两个斑块间不会扩散。景观尺度下,PC指数逐渐增加,意味着未来4种不同的农牧地改善情景(C1,C2,C3,C4)都将促进景观连接度的增加;在斑块尺度下,通过确定出的最佳距离阈值,将整个研究区域分成不同的组分,小于或等于阈值的相邻斑块被划分在同一个组分中,大于阈值则不在一个组分中,研究区域中的5个不同管理单元间的猴群被划分在3个不同的组分中,情景C1,C2中组分数量没有变化,意味着连接度没有发生改变,但在情景C3,C4中,组分数量减少,并与相邻的组分融为一个组分,意味着连接度发生改变,滇金丝猴的活动范围扩大,更有利于猴群的基因交流。研究结果将为滇金丝猴栖息地的保护、未来廊道的恢复建设提供科学依据,同时也能为类似的研究提供方法上的参考。     

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.     

Report on the distribution,population, and ecology of the yunnan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti)

The Yunnan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti), an endangered species in China, has received more protection in theory than in practice. Therefore it is on the very verge of extinction. The population of the species was estimated less than 2,000 individuals spread in 19 distinct groups. It was confirmed that the monkey was confined to the Yunling Mountain System, the area between the Yangtze River (Changjiang, aka Jinshajiang) to the east and the Mekong River (Lancangjiang) to the west. We further concluded that a lowland belt to the east, about 100 km long and 20 – 30 km wide was not suitable habitat for the monkeys, and appeared to serve as the natural ecogeologic barrier for the species. Our results indicated that the southern limit of the distribution was at Longma (26°14′N), and that the northern limit of the distribution was at Xiaochangdu (29°20′N). The distribution area of the species was substantially smaller than previously estimated. There were substantial ecological differences between the southern and northern parts of the species range. The monkey was found only in fir-larch forest.     

扎龙自然保护区丹顶鹤(Grus japonensis)巢的内分布型及巢域

为了探讨丹顶鹤繁殖种群的空间分布,2002～2006年的4～5月份,在黑龙江扎龙国家级自然保护区,采用定点观察法、无样地取样法、GPS定位等研究方法和分布距离指数、最近邻体法等衡量指标对丹顶鹤(Grus japonensis)巢的内分布型及巢域进行了研究.结果表明:(1)扎龙保护区丹顶鹤巢的内分布型,I2002=2.140>2,I2003=2.048>2,I2004=2.093>2, I2006=3.263>2,均为聚集分布;(2)在假设扎龙保护区丹顶鹤巢域面积等于领域面积、巢域形状为圆形且所有个体面积大小相等的前提下,丹顶鹤的巢域为(0.510±0.019)km2,年度间有所差异,分别为2002年(0.542±0.257)km2、2003年(0.569±0.067)km2、2004年(0.557±0.054)km2、2006年(0.344±0.119)km2.分析表明,丹顶鹤对于栖息生境的整体分布和繁殖微生境质量的变化具有一定适应和应答的能力.为了更有效地验证本文的研究结果并对丹顶鹤进行保护,还有待于长期监测并进一步研究.     

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.     

Post-juvenile dispersal of Hazel Grouse Bonasa bonasia in an expanding population of the southeastern French Alps

We studied the post-juvenile dispersal of 18 radiotagged juvenile Hazel Grouse Bonasa bonasia (14 males, four females) in an expanding population in the southeastern French Alps between 1998 and 2001. The mean dispersal distances between the capture sites of juveniles in September–October and the centre of the home range in the following spring was 4 km for males (range 0.1–24.9 km) and 2 km for females (range 0.2–5.6 km). The distances recorded for two long-dispersing males (15 and 24.9 km) are greater than those reported to date for Hazel Grouse. Using our radiotracking data, we interpret the pattern of range expansion that has been occurring since the 1950s around our study area. Barriers to dispersal included rocky ground and other alpine habitats above 2000 m and over 1 km wide, but Hazel Grouse did cross open agricultural land at lower elevation. Two patterns of dispersal movements were recognized in juveniles: erratic movements that led to settlement on or near the natal site, and direct movements to a new range relatively far from the natal area. We discuss the adaptive consequences of these different behaviour patterns.     

Home range and habitat use by the serotine bat, Eptesicus serotinus, in England

Serotine nursery roosts with less than 20 bats were found to have home ranges of at least 24 to 77 km² and core areas of activity from 13 to 33 km². The size of the range may have increased further if more individuals had been tracked, as three of the four colonies studied had not reached their asymptotes. The total home-range area covered by four serotine colonies was 127.36 km². Excluding non-breeding bats, a density of one bat per 120 ha was estimated. However, actual density was likely to be higher if there were additional non-breeding females and immatures that were not in nursery roosts. Colonial home ranges and core areas overlapped, with individuals from different colonies feeding at the same sites. Individual home ranges ( n = 32) varied from 0.16 to 47.58 km², but these were not used exclusively by one individual. Around the colonial core area and breeding roosts, home ranges were used by all individuals from a single colony. It is only further from the core area that ranges appeared to be used by individuals. The distance from roost to feeding areas varied by up to 7.4 km, but the bat usually commuted along lines of trees and hedges and over pastures. This resulted in greater distances being travelled than if they had flown by a direct route. On average, individuals commuted distances of 8 km each night between feeding areas, with a maximum distance of over 41 km. They visited between 0 and 10 feeding sites each night (mean = 2.89).     

北部湾沙田水域中华白海豚和江豚的同域分布格局及时空变化

北部湾是中华白海豚和江豚的重要分布区,但是对该水域两物种的分布格局及时空变化的研究却比较少,也不清楚这两个物种分布区是否有重叠。2003 ～ 2004 年与2011 ～2012 年期间,我们在北部湾沙田水域进行了船只调查,总计航程4 876.8 km,收集了两个物种空间分布的数据。结果表明,2003 ～ 2004 年仅发现中华白海豚,2011 ～2012 年则同时发现了中华白海豚和江豚。与2003 ～ 2004 年4 ～ 5 月相比,中华白海豚在2011 年4 ～ 5 月份的遇见率明显增加(0.152 vs 0. 028 头次/km)。中华白海豚的MCP、95% FK 家域和50% FK 核心域面积分别为162. 6 km² 、271. 35 km² 和56.78 km² ,2011 ～ 2012 年50% FK 核心家域有所扩大且东移。江豚的MCP、95% FK家域和50% FK 核心域面积分别为97.21 km² 、318.72 km² 和38.18 km² 。江豚主要分布于中华白海豚的外围远岸水域,同时两个物种的分布区有小部分重叠。基于多种因素的分析,我们推测,江豚可能存在季节性迁移以及中华白海豚对河口区有明显的偏好,可能是造成它们分布格局不同的原因。     

Evidence of long-distance dispersal of a gray wolf from the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone

The Chernobyl Exclusion Zone (CEZ) is a ~?4300 km² area in Belarus and Ukraine that remains heavily contaminated with radiation from the nuclear accident of 1986. Long standing controversy persists on the fate of wildlife within the CEZ following human abandonment of the area. Human residency remains extremely sparse, and the CEZ has become a refuge for some populations of wildlife, including gray wolves (Canis lupus). Using GPS telemetry, we documented the first long-distance movements of a young (1–2 years) male wolf from the CEZ into the surrounding landscape. The wolf traveled 369 km from its home range center over a 21-day period in February 2015. In the 95 days prior to dispersal, the wolf maintained a home range of ~?28 km², with daily displacements rarely exceeding 5 km. With the onset of dispersal, daily displacement increased to a mean of 16.8 km. The dispersal of a young wolf is an important observation because it suggests that the CEZ may serve as a source for some wildlife populations outside of the CEZ, and raises questions about the potential spread of radiation-induced genetic mutations to populations in uncontaminated areas.     

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.     

Movement patterns of Cephalopholis cruentata in a marine reserve in St Lucia, W.I., obtained from ultrasonic telemetry

Home range size and shape, and within home range movement patterns were determined from 10 adult graysby Cephalopholis cruentata implanted with acoustic transmitters on two reefs within the Soufriere Marine Management Area, St Lucia. The mean home range area was 2120 m²(range 1200 to 4000 m²) and non‐circular in shape. All fish demonstrated a clear preference for a specific area in their home range where, on average, 72·9% of an individuals position were located. Time spent in this favoured area was correlated with reef complexity. Fish with greater activity and displacement possessed a larger home range. Activity and displacement were higher by night than by day, and consistent with this, fish spent less time in the preferred area of their home range by night than by day. Tagged individuals demonstrated a strong tendency to avoid sand habitat present at reserve boundaries.     

灵长类家域的研究

灵长类家域的研究李保国刘安宏（西北大学生物学系,西安７１００６９）（西安市林业局,７１０００３）ＨｏｍｅＲａｎｇｅＳｔｕｄｙｏｆＰｒｉｍａｔｅｓ．￥ＬｉＢａｏｇｕｏ（ＤｅｐａｒｔｍｅｎｔｏｆＢｉｏｌｇｙ,ＮｏｒｔｈｗｅｓｔＵｎｉｖｅｒｓｉｔｙ,Ｘｉａ...     

云南思茅亚洲象对栖息地的选择与利用

以思茅市境内栖居的一个由5 头雌象(3 头成年体, 1 头亚成体, 1 头幼体) 组成的象群为研究对象, 利用痕迹追踪、样线调查和村庄调查等方法对野生亚洲象的栖息地选择和行为进行了初步研究。在栖息地中共记录到野生高等植物457 种, 组成5 种植被类型。旱季象群的活动区域面积是35.67 km² , 该活动区域中有3 个核心活动区, 面积分别是3.65 km² , 2.79 km² 和3.29 km² , 象群对此3 个活动核心区域循环利用; 在旱季亚洲象经常取食19种野生植物, 其中主要取食的有8 种, 还取食7 种农作物, 对农作物有一定依赖性, 这种依赖的程度随着农田周围森林中野生食物丰富程度的增加而降低; 在季雨林中亚洲象主要取食的植物种类最丰富。雨季象群的活动区域面积是18.42 km² , 该区域中只有1 个核心活动区, 面积9.08 km² 。雨季亚洲象只取食5 种野生植物, 另取食5 种农作物, 农作物为其雨季主要食物。研究结果表明, 思茅地区亚洲象栖息地中的野生食物可能不足, 人类活动对亚洲象的生存干扰较为严重, 亚洲象的行为表现出对栖息地内食物条件和人类干扰的适应。建议尽快遏止日益严重的栖息地片断化趋势, 恢复自然植被并为亚洲象提供充足的野生食物是保护该物种的关键。     

Ranging of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhinopithecus bieti</Emphasis> in the Samage Forest,China. I. Characteristics of Range Use

We quantified the home range and explored the style of ranging of black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) in the subtropical-temperate montane Samage Forest (part of Baimaxueshan Nature Reserve) in the vicinity of Gehuaqing. Over 14.5 mo, we took positional records of the study band via a GPS receiver at 30-min intervals, and found that they covered an area of 32 km². Over a 10-yr period, the group even ranged in an area of 56 km², which is among the largest home range estimates for any primate. The large home range was probably due to the combined effects of large group size (N > 400) and forest heterogeneity, with seasonally food-rich areas interspersed with less valuable areas. The subjects did not use their home range uniformly: 29% of the grid cells had more location records than expected based on a uniform distribution, thus representing a core area, albeit a disjunct one. A continuous 1-mo group follow in the fall revealed that the band traveled on average 1.62 km/d and that days of concentrated use of a particular forest block were followed by more extensive marches. Neither climate nor human disturbance parameters correlate significantly with monthly estimates of the group’s home range size. Even though there is no significant correlation between temporal availability of plant phenophases and range size, our observations implicate temporal and spatial availability of food as a determinant of home range use of the focal group. Winter, spring, and summer home ranges are equally large: 18.2, 17.8, and 18.6 km², respectively. Home range decreased markedly in fall (9.3 km²), probably because the band obtained sufficient food resources (fruit) in a smaller area. The large winter range is best attributed to the exploitation of dispersed clumped patches of mature fruits. Cyril C. Grueter and∙Dayong Li contributed equally to the paper.     

Spatial organisation and dynamics of the pine marten Martes martes population in Białowieza Forest (E Poland) compared with other European woodlands

We studied factors affecting density and spacing patterns in the pine marten Martes martes population inhabiting temperate forests of Bia?owieza National Park, eastern Poland. From 1985/1986 to 1995/1996 marten densities ranged from 3.63 to 7.57 individuals 10 km^?2 (mean 5.4) and were positively correlated with abundance of forest rodents in the previous year. The rate of marten population growth was inversely density‐dependent and positively related to rodent density. Annual mortality rate averaged 0.384 and tended to be negatively related to marten densities. Mean annual home range of males (2.58 km², SE=0.24) was larger than that of females (1.41 km², SE=0.20). Seasonal home ranges also differed significantly between males and females. Both sexes held the smallest ranges in December–January. Female ranges increased in April–May, whereas those of males increased in June–September when they were mating. Fidelity of pine martens to their home ranges was very high. The mean shift between arithmetic centres of seasonal ranges was 0.25 km, and the ranges recorded in two consecutive seasons overlapped, on average, by 87–90%. We observed very little home range overlap between neighbouring male (mean 4–6%) or female (mean 6%) marten. Year round the neighbouring individuals of the same sex neither avoided nor attracted each other. Females attracted males only during the spring‐summer mating season. A review of other studies has documented that winter severity and seasonal variation in ecosystem productivity were essential factors shaping the biogeographic variation in pine marten densities between 41^o and 68^oN. The density of marten populations increased in areas with mild winters and lower seasonality. Maximum population densities (indicative of habitat carrying capacity) were correlated with mean winter temperature. In Europe, male home ranges increased with decreasing forest cover in a study area, whereas female ranges varied positively with rodent abundance.     

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.     

黄腹角雉活动区的无线电遥测研究

1987年11月至1988年6月,在浙江省乌岩岭自然保护区,对9只黄腹角雉进行了无线电遥测研究。结果表明:黄腹角雉月活动区大小为0.015—0.30km~2,夏季的活动区明显小于冬春季,这种变化与取食有密切关系;黄腹角雉不存在季节性垂直迁移现象;即使繁殖期来临,雄性黄腹角雉活动区之间仍存在较大重叠,说明并非所有雄鸟在繁殖期来临后都占区;黄腹角雉对水源丰富的区域更为喜爱。