Affiliation:
1. Key Laboratory for Conserving Wildlife with Small Populations in Yunnan Southwest Forestry University Kunming Yunnan China
2. Key Laboratory of Forest Disaster Warning and Control of Yunnan Province Southwest Forestry University Kunming Yunnan China
3. International Center for Biodiversity and Primates Conservation Dali Yunnan China
4. Nujiang Administration Bureau Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve Liuku Yunnan China
5. Institute of International Rivers and Eco‐security Yunnan University Kunming Yunnan China
6. Department of Anthropology, Program in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology University of Illinois at Urbana‐Champaign Urbana Illinois USA
7. Management and Conservation Bureau of Wenshan National Nature Reserve Wenshan Yunnan China
8. Institute of Eastern‐Himalaya Biodiversity Research Dali University Dali Yunnan China
Abstract
AbstractFood availability and climate represent environmental factors that affect species' social behavior, ranging patterns, diet, and activity budget. From August 2012 to September 2013, we examined the effects of seasonal changes in food availability, temperature, and rainfall on the diet and behavioral ecology of Shortridge's langur (Trachypithecus shortridgei) an Endangered primate species inhabiting moist evergreen broadleaf forests in the Eastern Himalayas. Our field site represents the northernmost latitudinal distribution of this species. Data were collected using scan sampling at 10 min intervals, and analyzed based on generalized linear models. The results indicate that the langurs experienced two feeding peaks (9:00 and 17:00) and two traveling peaks (10:00 and 19:00) during each day. Periods of rest, mainly occurred between 10:00 and 13:00, and overnight. Feeding accounted for 38.5% of the daily activity budget, followed by resting (35%), traveling (24.5%), and socializing (2%). During periods when young leaves were most available, the langurs increased feeding time on young leaves (35% vs. 4%). During periods of maximum fruit availability, the langurs decreased total time spent feeding (36.6% vs. 40.4%), devoted more time to traveling (28.1% vs. 21%), and increased time spent consuming fruit (49.1% vs. 11.8%). During the winter, the langurs increased their consumption of mature leaves (44.5%) and reduced time spent traveling (20.2% vs. 25.4%). Overall, time spent resting was greatest in the spring (47.5%), time spent feeding was greatest during the summer (51.1%), and time spent in traveling was greatest in the autumn (33.2%). The frequency of social interactions remained relatively constant throughout the year. Foraging effort was greatest in the summer, when fruits dominated the diet. Like other species of temperate langurs, T. shortridgei devoted less time to resting, more time to feeding, and was characterized by a greater year‐round foraging effort than tropical/subtropical langurs.
Subject
Animal Science and Zoology,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
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