%0 Journal Article %A WANG Guohai %A SHI Zepan %A LI Shengqiang %A LU Changhu %A ZHOU Qihai %T Preliminary observation on the activity rhythm and time budget of the Asiatic brush-tailed porcupine (Atherurus macrourus) based on camera-trapping data %D 2019 %R 10.16829/j.slxb.150164 %J ACTA THERIOLOGICA SINICA %P 62-68 %V 39 %N 1 %X Data on the activity rhythms and time budgets of Asiatic brush-tailed porcupines (Atherurus macrourus)were collected by camera traps between August 2012 and July 2013 in the 15-ha Forest Dynamics Plot and its surrounding area in Nonggang National Nature Reserve. We used a relative activity intensity index to explore the influences of moon phase and other environmental factors on the activity rhythms and time budgets of porcupines. Results showed that activity intensity varied significantly over the course of the day (t=4.666, df=23, P=0.001), with two activity peaks: one from 20:00-21:00 and one from 5:00-6:00. Moving (63.2%) and foraging (23.6%) were the main nocturnal activities. There were significant differences in monthly time budgets (t=8.581, df=11, P=0.001), and significant difference between the rainy season and dry season (Z=-2.166, P=0.03). There were also marked variations in activity frequencies of porcupines during different phases of the moon (χ2=5, df=1, P=0.025), with the highest activity during the new moon and full moon phases. There were significant negative correlations between monthly activity intensity and monthly rainfall,maximum temperature,and minimum temperature (R2=0.440、R2=0.435、R2= 0.457, respectively), and we found the optimal temperature to be between 10℃ and 26℃. This research provides preliminary data for the activity rhythms and time budgets of porcupines in Nonggang, and could help us to understand possible effects on their activity due to ongoing habitat modification and climate change in future research.
%U http://www.mammal.cn/EN/10.16829/j.slxb.150164