Demographic study of a large-sized unit-group of chimpanzees in the mahale mountains,Tanzania: A preliminary report

Long-term demographic observations on a large-sized unit-group of chimpanzees in the Mahale Mountains, Tanzania, are summarized. The unit-group, the M group, contains over 100 individuals, which makes it the largest unit-group ever reported. The age-sex composition, natality, mortality and transfers of the M group are analyzed. An attempt is made to illustrate an age-sex pyramid of the group by estimating the ages of all the individuals in the group. The results reveal that: (1) the mortality rate of the male infants within 1 year almost doubled that of female infant; (2) adult male to adult female ratio of the M group is considerably higher than any other unit-groups elsewhere; and (3) the M group contains a relatively large number of old animals over 40 years of age, suggesting that the longevity of wild chimpanzees might be greater than estimated so far.     

Convergence of human age-sex distributions to an equilibrium-state age-sex distribution

The main concern of the paper is to investigate the effects of introducing migration into the process of population growth using an overall net migration rate and an age-sex composition of net migrants (i.e., the net number of migrants) as compared with the case in which there is no migration. It is shown that the convergence to an equilibrium state occurs in the presence of a constant stream of migration with fixed age-sex structure and constant vital rates. The duration of convergence (i.e., the time required for convergence) is less when there is net immigration than when there is no migration but more when there is net emigration, provided the age-sex composition of net migrants contains nonnegative values at all ages for both sexes or at least, for the sex which is assumed to be dominant. If the age-sex composition of net migrants contains positive, negative, and/or zero values, the duration may be less than, or equal to, or greater than that in the case with no migration depending on the actual age-sex composition of the net migrants and the mignitude of the net migration rate. The instrinsic growth rate follows a trend which is opposite to that of the duration of convergence, except when the age-sex composition of net migrants contains zero values at all ages below the oldest age at which reproduction takes place. In the case of this exception, the intrinsic growth rate will remain the same as in the absence of migration provided the net migration rate is not greater than one which is true in demographic applications.     

Demographic Variability in Monkeys: Implications for Theory and Conservation

Demographic parameters of nonhuman primates, like those of all other organisms, vary over time and space. However, many contemporary models comparing multiple species treat these parameters as if they were static. Population density, group size, age-sex composition, natality, and juvenile recruitment all vary considerably within populations that researchers have studied for many years. It is important to describe and to understand the variance not only for the development of more realistic models but also to clarify the status and trends of the populations in order to develop effective conservation management plans. A critical issue is to distinguish real demographic trends from the natural demographic variation that occurs both between sites and within specific sites over time. With few exceptions, demographic data for most nonhuman primates are not amenable to life-table analyses because observation conditions typically prevent collection of the data required and generation time is long. Instead, one must evaluate demographic indices that serve as surrogates for more detailed and accurate data, such as that derived from life-time observations of recognizable individuals of known parentage. Long-term monitoring is essential to understand the extent of and trends in demographic variation. These points are exemplified with case studies from vervets, red howlers, and red colobus as they relate to the likely causal factors of habitat quality, disease, predator-prey imbalance, population compression, and intragroup competition for food.     

Human serial polygyny: Demographic,reproductive, marital,and divorce data

Over 4,000 dyadic groupings in two large shopping malls were classified by age and sex of individual members as they passed along a well-defined exit path. The observations were carried out at times and places when a demographic cross-section of the city was likely to be seen, and where there were no rigid constraints on the group composition that appeared. The data were subjected to computer analysis, and observed frequencies of specified age-sex dyads were compared by chi-square statistics to expected frequencies based on a binomial distribution. A female mating strategy at ages 21–32 years and two different male strategies at ages 24–32 and 39–50 years were revealed. The observed strategies correlate with the reproductive, marital, and divorce statistics of the locale. The results are discussed in terms of inclusive fitness maximized by a preference for monogamy in females and the practice of serial polygyny by some males.     

A standardized two-sex stable population

The “problem of the sexes” has been one of trying to reconcile inconsistent male and female demographic rates. The present paper deals with that question in the context of a two-sex stable population. A “rectangular” population, with equal numbers of persons in each age-sex group, is introduced as a standard, and a standardization relationship expressed in Eq. (3) relates changes in rectangular population rates to changes in age-sex composition. The standardization relationship is shown to satisfy a number of desirable properties and produce a realistic two-sex model. The standardization approach is then applied to data from Sweden 1973 and the United States 1963, and the results and their implications are discussed. In particular, it is seen that the intrinsic growth rate in a two-sex stable population is not necessarily bounded by the growth rate of the associated male and female one-sex stable populations.     

Group Composition and Adult Sex-ratio of Hamadryas Baboons (Papio hamadryas hamadryas) in Central Eritrea

During a survey of the geographical distribution and abundance of hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas hamadryas) in central Eritrea, we collected detailed demographic data on six bands at four sites in different ecogeographical zones. The proportions of age-sex classes within the six bands differed only with respect to juveniles. The general social organization of the Eritrean hamadryas baboons is similar to that reported for Ethiopia and Saudi Arabia. Eritrean hamadryas baboons live in a nested fission-fusion system, with one-male units as the basic social entity. Although the baboons were not provisioned, as they are in many places in Saudi Arabia, and habitat quality in Eritrea is lower than that in Ethiopia, sex-ratios and group composition corresponded more to those found in the Saudi Arabian population. Sex-ratios within the study population, in bands and also in one-male units were significantly more female-biased than in Ethiopian ones, and one-male units tended to be larger. Data from Eritrea suggest that these differences are due to a combination of a heavily fluctuating rainfall pattern and differential maturation of the sexes.     

Habitual fission-fusion and social organization of the Hakone troop T of Japanese macaques in Kanagawa prefecture,Japan

To analyze the socioecological factors of habitual fission-fusion of troop members, which is an underreported phenomenon in Japanese macaques, the seasonal pattern of fission-fusion within the Hakone troop T in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, was examined. Although almost all the study troop members were included in a large-sized group in winter, a portion of its members of ten formed small subgroups from spring to autumn. The frequencies and age-sex composition of these subgroups changed seasonally. All troop members participated, more or less, in subgroup formation. Subgroups tended to be composed of animals of the same age-sex class. Troop members did not fission along matrilineal lines. Although the study troop members repeatedly joined with and parted from subgroups, the characteristic social structure of Japanese macaque troops was maintained. Habitual fission-fusion among troop members may be one of a number of foraging strategies that facilitate efficient food gathering when the population density exceeds and /or reaches the carrying capacity of the area. The seasonal variation of pattern and composition type of each subgroup could be attributed to alternation of attractive food plant species, as well as age, rank, and sexual activity of both sexes.     

Ecological and demographic influences on the pattern of association in St. Kitts vervets

A group of St. Kitts vervets (Cercopithecus aethiops) were observed to have an association pattern which involved the formation of spatially separated subgroups which were unstable in composition. Five types of subgroups are described which account for 94% of the associations observed. The size of the subgroups changed when the abundance and distribution of the available resources changed. Based on this observation and on an analysis of the diurnal patterning of subgroups, we suggest that the association pattern of the vervets is a response to the distribution of food resources and that it arose under specific demographic conditions.     

Modification of aggression through socialization and the special case of adult and adolescent male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)

Significant differences exist in the frequencies with which age-sex classes of rhesus macaques engage in agonistic interactions with other age-sex classes. In the study reported here, individuals engaged in significantly more agonistic interactions within their own age-sex classes, but, adult females also showed significantly more aggression toward infants and young females whereas adult males directed significantly more aggression toward adolescent males. Infants directed aggression toward infants of both sexes, but adults showed significantly less aggression toward adults of the opposite sex. These findings are hypothesized to reflect (1) competitive conflict among those individuals in the group most similar to each other (members of the same age-sex class); (2) the protection and socialization of offspring by adult females; and (3) the modification of adolescent male aggressive expression by the selective interference of adult males. As a consequence of adult response to the agonistic behavior of adolescent males, maturing males (1) selectively target other older males, avoid aggression against females and immatures; (2) form alliances with other males; and (3) become progressively isolated from their matrilines.     

Pareuchiloglanis (Teleostei: Sisoridae) from the Pearl River,China with description of three new species

We describe three new species of Pareuchiloglanis. Based on a comparison of 17 valid species of Pareuchiloglanis, the genus can be divided into two groups contingent on their gill opening size and the anus position. One group, which we call the large gill opening group, has a large gill opening extending to the base of the first pectoral-fin element; the anus is obviously closer to pelvic-fin insertion than the anal-fin origin; this group includes five species distributed in the Red and Pearl Rivers, China. The other group has a small gill opening extending only to the middle base of the pectoral-fin elements; the anus is usually located at the midpoint of the pelvic-fin insertion to the anal-fin origin or slightly behind. This group includes the other 12 species, which are distributed in the Mekong and Yangtze Rivers. The large-gill-opening group can be divided into two sub-groups based on the length of the caudal peduncle. One sub-group has a long caudal-peduncle and the distance from the anal-fin origin to caudal-fin base is greater than distance from the pelvic-fin insertion. This sub-group is only distributed in the Pearl River drainage. Another sub-group has a short caudal peduncle and the distance from the anal-fin origin to the caudal-fin base is typically smaller than the distance from the pelvic-fin insertion. This sub-group is only distributed in the Red River basin of China and Vietnam. The former will be called the large-gill-opening group with long caudal peduncle in the text and only includes one species P. longicauda. During our ongoing taxonomic work of specimens collected from Nanpan-jiang and Beipan-jiang (upper Pearl River drainage in Yunnan, China), some Pareuchiloglanis specimens that had the characters of the large-gill-opening group with long caudal peduncle represent three undescribed species.     

海北藏系绵羊种群结构及其出栏方案最优化的探讨

配置畜群结构是管理畜牧生产最重要的工作之一。目前我国普遍存在着畜群结构不合理的现象。藏羊是我国第二大绵羊品种,其生产管理落后,种群结构普遍不合理。为组织合理生产,本文用系统分析的方法对藏羊种群结构进行了研究。首先,根据实地调查研究,作者构成了一个矩阵模型,以描述藏羊种群的性别年龄结构状态: N_(t+1)=AN_t-BU_t 其中AN_t反映羊群的自然变动情况,U_t是人为控制量。 然后,以最大羊产品收获为目标,以牧草资源和种群平衡态为限制条件,本文构造了一个线性规划模型,用以计算最优藏羊种群结构及其出栏方案; 除了给出模型这个研究种群结构问题的方法之外,本文使用线性规划模型,利用作者在青海省门源县风闸口地区调查测定的数据,通过计算机,算出了该地最优藏羊种群结构及其出栏方案。在最大能量收获的目标下。最优结构应为,67.80％的繁殖母羊,28.36％的后备母羊,3.84％的种公羊和后备种公 羊。相应出栏方案是每年秋季出栏全部羯羊羔和老弱羊,并且出栏33.17％的成年母羊。在这种方案下,按现有羊只生产能力,出栏率可提高到52.79％,平均从每百公斤牧草中收获合11.72千千卡能量或3.65公斤活重的羊产品。     

An examination of the infracommunities and component communities from impala (Aepyceros melampus) in the Kruger National Park, South Africa

The intestinal helminth parasites of the impala from the Kruger National Park, South Africa, were examined to describe the parasite community structure. Demographic variation and the associated differences in behavior were used to further investigate the patterns of community composition. Monte Carlo simulations were performed to test for differences in species richness and mean abundance between the various demographic groups, and nonmetric multidimensional scaling ordination was used to compare community composition. Seventeen species of nematodes, totaling more than 1.3 million worms, were recovered. Males harbored a greater number of nematode species than did females, but adult females were more heavily infected than their male counterparts. Lambs acquired infections early in life, and their parasite community composition rapidly approached that of the older animals. The parasite community in the juvenile and adult males was significantly different from the community of the adult females. These data suggest that social and feeding behavior of the different age-sex classes structure the parasite component community of impala. Additionally, the distinction between common and rare parasites, and their classification in other herbivores, implies complex transmission dynamics that includes extensive species sharing within the Kruger National Park.     

Experimental biogeography: the role of environmental gradients in high geographic diversity in Cape Proteaceae

One of the fundamental dimensions of biodiversity is the rate of species turnover across geographic distance. The Cape Floristic Region of South Africa has exceptionally high geographic species turnover, much of which is associated with groups of closely related species with mostly or completely non-overlapping distributions. A basic unresolved question about biodiversity in this global hotspot is the relative importance of ecological gradients in generating and maintaining high geographic turnover in the region. We used reciprocal transplant experiments to test the extent to which abiotic environmental factors may limit the distributions of a group of closely related species in the genus Protea (Proteaceae), and thus elevate species turnover in this diverse, iconic family. We tested whether these species have a “home site advantage” in demographic rates (germination, growth, mortality), and also parameterized stage-structured demographic models for the species. Two of the three native species were predicted to have a demographic advantage at their home sites. The models also predicted, however, that species could maintain positive population growth rates at sites beyond their current distribution limits. Thus the experiment suggests that abiotic limitation under current environmental conditions does not fully explain the observed distribution limits or resulting biogeographic pattern. One potentially important mechanism is dispersal limitation, which is consistent with estimates based on genetic data and mechanistic dispersal models, though other mechanisms including competition may also play a role. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Subgrouping Patterns in a Group of Wild <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cebus apella nigritus</Emphasis>

Seasonal patterns of group fragmentation, including the size of subgroups and percentage of time spent in subgroups, may provide information on individual decision-making in response to resource distribution. Age-sex class composition of subgroup membership can offer insights into the social dynamics of the group as a whole. At most field sites, capuchins (Cebus spp.) form stable groups with no evidence of group fragmentation. Here I describe seasonal subgrouping patterns, including proportion of time spent in subgroups, subgroup size, age-sex membership, dyadic fidelity, stability of membership, and the effect of subgrouping on individual foraging efficiency, in a group of wild Cebus apella nigritus. From September 1996 to August 1997 the study group at the Estação Biológica de Caratinga, Brazil divided into 148 different subgroups, on 99 of 194 census days. In contrast to expectations for subgrouping patterns as a response to seasonal distribution of resources, the proportion of days spent in subgroups did not vary significantly by season. Subgroup composition was relatively fluid, with multimale multifemale subgroups the most common throughout the year. Unimale multifemale subgroups were restricted to the wet season; in contrast, all-male subgroups and unimale unifemale subgroups occurred in the dry season. For both males and females, low rank predicted membership in smaller subgroups. For males, but not females, subgrouping coincided with increased foraging efficiency, as measured by increased time spent ingesting food and decreased time spent traveling on days with subgrouping compared to days with the group in a cohesive unit.     

Postprocessing of genealogical trees

We consider inference for demographic models and parameters based upon postprocessing the output of an MCMC method that generates samples of genealogical trees (from the posterior distribution for a specific prior distribution of the genealogy). This approach has the advantage of taking account of the uncertainty in the inference for the tree when making inferences about the demographic model and can be computationally efficient in terms of reanalyzing data under a wide variety of models. We consider a (simulation-consistent) estimate of the likelihood for variable population size models, which uses importance sampling, and propose two new approximate likelihoods, one for migration models and one for continuous spatial models.     

Age-Sex Analysis of Activity Budget,Diet, and Positional Behavior in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Alouatta caraya</Emphasis> in an Orchard Forest

Howlers (Alouatta spp.) spend more than half of the daytime resting and their diet consists predominantly of leaves. Associated with a general strategy of energy conservation, their positional behavior is characterized by quadrupedalism as the major locomotor mode, and sitting as the most common resting and feeding posture. However, researchers have sparse information on the degree to which age-sex classes fit the generic trends and the influence of habitat structure on them. We compare the activity budget, dietary composition, and positional behavior by age-sex or age classes in a group of black-and-gold howlers (Alouatta caraya) in a small orchard forest. We collected 26,474 behavioral records via instantaneous scan sampling over 1 yr. The main activity was resting (56%) and the diet comprised mainly leaves (82%); sitting was the most adopted feeding (61%) and resting (52%) posture, and walking was the most prevalent locomotor mode (38%). There are age-sex differences for all major behaviors. Whereas resting tended to increase with body size, moving decreased. We observed no difference in the consumption of major plant parts. There were ontogenetic differences in most positional behaviors. Sitting increased from infants to adults during feeding, whereas the opposite occurred for bridging and hanging. During resting, infants curled more and lay less than the other classes did, whereas adults engaged in more sitting. Adults and subadults walked more than individuals of other ages did; infants climbed and bridged more than others did; and, there were opposing trends in leaping and descending. Habitat structure is a partial explanation of the locomotor behavior of black-and-gold howlers.     

Resource distribution and group size in the common langur Semnopithecus entellus in southern India

We investigated the influence of resource abundance and distribution on the group size and composition of the common langur Semnopithecus entellus in the contiguous forests of Bandipur National Park, Mudumalai Wildlife Sanctuary and Nagarahole National Park in southern India. We also explored any additional effect of predator pressure and the risk of take-over on the same attributes. Data on group composition and vegetation were collected from January to May 2006. The size and composition of 94 bisexual groups were obtained. The group size varied from 7 to 40 and the groups included unimale and multimale groups. Thirty-five all-male groups were encountered. Vegetation was sampled from 17 grids of dimension 1 km x 1 km, each containing twelve 25 m x 25 m plots. The list of food species was compiled from previous studies and observations made during the study period. The mean basal area of all the food trees within each plot and its coefficient of variation at the level of the grid were used to represent resource abundance and distribution, respectively. The number of adult females and males within groups were analyzed separately to test for differential effects on age-sex categories. Group size increased as resources became spatially more heterogeneous. The abundance of resources had a negative effect on group size. This study did not find evidence supporting the direct effect of predator presence or of the risk of take-over. Contrary to what were expected, adult males reacted more strongly and predictably to resources than did adult females. The group attributes and their relationship with food resource abundance and distribution differed between two sites in the study area possibly owing to langur subspecies differences.     

Interactions and associations between age and sex classes in mouflon sheep (Ovis gmelini) during winter

The fact that sexual segregation can occur in wild ruminants independently of sex-related differences in habitat use suggests that it results at least partly from social mechanisms. One of the simplest mechanisms which can be hypothesised is that individuals avoid the congener classes which frequently try to interact with them (be these interactions 'agonistic' or 'sexual', since courtship behaviour components typically induce withdrawal when performed outside the rut). The aim of the present study was to test, in mouflon sheep (Ovis gmelini), whether the age-sex classes which exchange frequent interactions on meeting occur rarely inside the same groups. Observations were made during winter, on a small population in Germany. Interactions were recorded at an attractive site where all age-sex classes met daily. Foot transects were conducted in parallel over the whole study area in order to determine group composition. As expected, adults of different sexes exchanged frequent interactions at the attractive site and were rarely found in the same groups under free-ranging conditions, while adult females, who interacted little with one another, were quite frequently associated. However, adult males simultaneously exhibited the highest rate of interaction at the attractive site and the highest frequency of association under free-ranging conditions. Unlike female-female and male-female pairs, in which interactions with a clear initiator and a clear recipient predominated, male-male pairs exchanged often spectacular but 'symmetrical' interactions (during which the two individuals behaved in the same way). The hypothesis that sexual segregation results from the avoidance of the congener classes which frequently engage interactions only holds for females. Adult rams interact frequently and seek companions with whom symmetrical interactions can be performed.     

Fitting parameters of stochastic birth-death models to metapopulation data

Populations that are structured into small local patches are a common feature of ecological and epidemiological systems. Models describing this structure are often referred to as metapopulation models in ecology or household models in epidemiology. Small local populations are subject to demographic stochasticity. Theoretical studies of household disease models without resistant stages (SIS models) have shown that local stochasticity can be ignored for between patch disease transmission if the number of connected patches is large. In that case the distribution of the number of infected individuals per household reaches a stationary distribution described by a birth-death process with a constant immigration term. Here we show how this result, in conjunction with the balancing condition for birth-death processes, provides a framework to estimate demographic parameters from a frequency distribution of local population sizes. The parameter estimation framework is applicable to estimate parameters of disease transmission models as well as metapopulation models.     

Quaternary range and demographic expansion of Liolaemus darwinii (Squamata: Liolaemidae) in the Monte Desert of Central Argentina using Bayesian phylogeography and ecological niche modelling

Until recently, most phylogeographic approaches have been unable to distinguish between demographic and range expansion processes, making it difficult to test for the possibility of range expansion without population growth and vice versa. In this study, we applied a Bayesian phylogeographic approach to reconstruct both demographic and range expansion in the lizard Liolaemus darwinii of the Monte Desert in Central Argentina, during the Late Quaternary. Based on analysis of 14 anonymous nuclear loci and the cytochrome b mitochondrial DNA gene, we detected signals of demographic expansion starting at ~55 ka based on Bayesian Skyline and Skyride Plots. In contrast, Bayesian relaxed models of spatial diffusion suggested that range expansion occurred only between ~95 and 55 ka, and more recently, diffusion rates were very low during demographic expansion. The possibility of population growth without substantial range expansion could account for the shared patterns of demographic expansion during the Last Glacial Maxima (OIS 2 and 4) in fish, small mammals and other lizards of the Monte Desert. We found substantial variation in diffusion rates over time, and very high rates during the range expansion phase, consistent with a rapidly advancing expansion front towards the southeast shown by palaeo‐distribution models. Furthermore, the estimated diffusion rates are congruent with observed dispersal rates of lizards in field conditions and therefore provide additional confidence to the temporal scale of inferred phylogeographic patterns. Our study highlights how the integration of phylogeography with palaeo‐distribution models can shed light on both demographic and range expansion processes and their potential causes.