Abstract:

Distribution and availability of food sources dramatically influence home range dynamics. Studies on home range utilization are critical for revealing the ecological adaptations and behavioral complexity in wild animals. From September 2020 to August 2021, we studied one group of Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana, Tianhu group, TH) in Huangshan, Anhui province, China. We directly observed and recorded spatial positions of the study group and monitored habitat conditions, vegetation distribution and food availability. 4 307 GPS positions were obtained and the kernel density estimation of GPS sites revealed that the Tibetan macaque’s home range area decreased from spring to winter, with areas of 7.16 km², 5.09 km², 3.85 km², and 0.35 km², respectively. The average daily ranging distance (d= 1735.67 m ± 288.35 m, n = 12) of the monkeys was positively correlated with food availability, with the longest average daily ranging distance in July and the shortest one in January. Monkeys preferred to stay in the mixed coniferous and mixed evergreen deciduous broadleaf forests. The monkeys used bamboo forests more in spring, mixed coniferous and broad forests in summer and winter, and mixed evergreen deciduous broadleaf forests in autumn. Tibetan macaques use their home ranges to adapt to low altitudes based on food resource distribution, food availability, and other factors.

Key words: Tibetan macaque, Home range, Resource availability, Ecological adaptation

摘要：

食源植物的分布与食物的可获得性影响灵长类动物的家域动态。研究灵长类动物家域利用及其影响因素，对揭示野生动物的生态适应性与行为复杂性有重要意义。2020年9月—2021年8月，利用GPS技术、直接跟踪观察等方法，对黄山低海拔地区的野生藏酋猴群的家域范围进行研究。结果发现藏酋猴家域面积从春季到冬季依次递减，分别为7.16 km²、5.09 km²、3.85 km²、0.35 km²，面积与食物资源可得性呈显著正相关；猴群月平均漫游距离 (d= 1735.67 m ± 288.35 m, n = 12) 与食物可得性呈正相关，且月平均漫游距离在7月最长、1月最短。猴群偏好利用的生境类型为针阔混交林和常绿落叶阔叶混交林，春季主要偏好利用毛竹林和常绿落叶阔叶混交林，夏季和冬季为针阔混交林 (马尾松)，秋季为常绿落叶阔叶混交林。结果表明，藏酋猴会根据食物资源分布、食物可得性等因素来优化家域的时空利用以适应低海拔地区。

关键词: 藏酋猴, 家域, 食物可得性, 生态适应性