Abstract:

The behavioral adaptation of primates to high-altitude habitats has long been a topic of interest in primate research, and recent years have seen a growing focus on behavioral differences of the same species across different habitats. The western black crested gibbon (Nomascus concolor) is a National First-Class Protected Wild Animal in China and boasts the largest population of gibbons in the country. While the species is concentrated in the Mt. Ailao and Mt. Wuliang areas of central Yunnan, there are significant differences in their habitats and social organization between the two locations, and limited research has been conducted on Mt. Ailao gibbons. This study presents the first report on the activity budget, diet, and seasonal variations of a monogamous gibbon group in the high-altitude habitat of Mt. Ailao. Between 2014 - 2015, observations totaling 468 hours were recorded using the instantaneous scanning method at 3-minute intervals. Behavioral data showed that moving behavior was the most prevalent at 38.1%, followed by resting at 36.4%, feeding at 23.3%, singing at 1.9%, and other behavior at 1.3%. Food types were identified in 3 784 feeding behaviors, with leaves accounting for 41.1%, fruit for 33.3%, flowers for 21.0%, epiphytes for 3.9%, and other foods for 0.6%. The study found significant differences in the activity and diet of gibbons between the rainy and dry seasons, with increased fruit consumption during the former and an increased proportion of leaves and flowers during the latter. Additionally, the gibbons increased their resting time and reduced feed and move time during the cold and dry season, while they increased move time and reduced rest and feed time during the hot and rainy season, demonstrating energy-conservative behavioral strategies adopted by gibbons in high-altitude habitats. The results also highlight the influence of habitat food distribution patterns on behavioral strategies, as seen in the comparison with Mt. Wuliang. In conclusion, the study emphasizes the need for systematic research on more monogamous western black crested gibbon groups to gain a full understanding of the adaptive behavior and evolution of social organization in gibbons.

Key words: Nomascus concolor, Monogamy, Activity budget, Seasonal variation, Mt.Ailao

摘要：

高海拔栖息地中灵长类动物的行为适应一直以来都是灵长类研究中的重点内容，同物种在不同栖息地的行为差异也成为近年的热点问题。西黑冠长臂猿 (Nomascus concolor) 是我国国家一级重点保护野生动物，也是我国长臂猿科动物中种群数量最大的物种，滇中哀牢山、无量山是该物种的集中分布区。哀牢山和无量山的西黑冠长臂猿栖息地存在显著差异，且其社会组织不同。本研究首次报道了在哀牢山高海拔栖息地中一个一夫一妻长臂猿群体的活动时间分配和食性季节性变化。2014—2015年，采用3 min间隔瞬时扫描法记录了长臂猿的行为和食性，468 h的行为数据结果表明，移动行为比例最高38.1%，其次是休息行为36.4%，取食行为23.3%，最少为鸣叫行为1.9%和其他行为1.3%。3 784次取食行为可辨识食物类型，总体上叶类食物占41.1%，其次是果实类食物33.3%，花类食物21.0%，附生植物3.9%，其他食物0.6%。长臂猿的时间分配和食性在雨季和旱季均具有显著差异，在低温旱季，长臂猿增加休息时间，减少移动时间，提高叶类和花类食物的取食比例；在高温雨季，长臂猿增加移动时间，减少休息时间和取食时间，取食更多的果实类食物。研究结果支持长臂猿在高纬度栖息地中采取能量保守的行为策略，与在无量山的研究对比，反映出栖息地食物分布模式对行为策略的影响。未来需要对更多一夫一妻长臂猿开展系统的行为生态学研究，这将有助于充分理解长臂猿的适应行为和社会组织演化。

关键词: 西黑冠长臂猿, 一夫一妻, 活动时间分配, 温度, 哀牢山