Seasonal variation and synchronization of sexual behaviors in free-ranging male Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) at Huangshan, China

Although seasonal breeding has been documented in many non-human primates, it is not clear whether sexual behaviors show seasonal variation among male individuals. To test this hypothesis, the focal animal sampling method and continuous recording were used to investigate seasonal variation and synchronization of sexual behaviors in five male Tibetan macaques （Macaca thibetana） at Mt. Huangshan from Oct 2005 to Sept 2006. Both copulatory and sexually motivated behaviors （i.e., sexual chase, grimace, and sexual-inspection）, which were significantly higher in the mating season than non-mating season. Furthermore, seasonal variations of sexual behaviors, including copulatory and sexually motivated behaviors, were synchronized among males. The results shed light on sexual competition and tactics for reproductive success of male M. thibetana and other non-human primates with seasonal breeding.

Temporal-Spatial Variances of Holocene Precipitation at the Marginal Area of the East Asian Monsoon Influences from Pollen Evidence

The woodland-steppe ecotone in the. southern Nei Mongol Plateau is located at the northern edge of the east Asian monsoon influences. A marked southeastern - northwestern (SE - NW) precipitation gradient exists in this region. Quantitative reconstruction of palaeo-precipitation of this region is helpful to reveal the development of monsoon climate and to predict die future desertification. Based on modern vegetation and surface pollen studies, a pollen-precipitation transfer function in the study region was established. Pollen data from three sediment sequences within the ecotone were used to reconstruct palaeo-precipitation during the Holocene. The processes of precipitation changes in the three sequences were quite different. There was a tendency of precipitation declined from the onset of the Holocene to 1 100 a BP in Haoluku. But, in Liuzhouwan and Xiaoniuchang, both located south of Haoluku, the annual precipitation reached highest values during 7 800 - 6 200 a BP and 7 200 - 5 000 a BP, respectively. The influences of southwestern (SW) monsoon and the variances of topographical conditions have possibly caused these temporal-spatial variances.

南台银杏 经过风景，下—站天味

一宴饕餮．无非是一场冒险。 开宴以前，你永远无法预知今夜是否酣畅，所到之处可有独一无二的格调，所见之感可有不枉此行的惊喜，甚至所食之味可有俘获唇齿的力量。

Characteristics of seasonal movement of hazel grouse(Bonasa bonasia) in a temperate forest

TThhiiss ssttuuddyy were carried out in the Experimental Forest (37 48?10?N, 127 48?50?E) of Gangwon Forest Development Institute, Gamjeong-ri, Chuncheon, Gangwon-do Province, Korea from Dec. 1999 to Jul. 2002. Eight individuals (three males and five females) of hazel grouse were captured and they were marked with a 14-g necklace-type transmitter. The surveying results showed that females were more active than males throughout the year, but males were more mobile than females in spring. The degree of movement for females and males was similar from summer to winter. The overlap degree of habitat was very large from spring to autumn. Hazel grouse had greater shifts in area use in winter. They used similar area from spring to autumn, made a shift in their habitat use in winter, and then shifted back to the previous habitat.

Seasonal variations in the energy budget of Elliot's pheasant (Syrmaticus ellioti) in cage

This study aimed to discuss the energy budget of Elliot's pheasant Syrmaticus ellioti in different seasons, with life and health, good growth and normal digestion of Elliot's pheasant as the tested objects, The energy budget of Elliot's pheasant was measured by daily collection of the trial pheasants' excrement in the biological garden of Guangxi Normal University from March 2011 to February 2012. The results showed that the gross energy consumption, metabolic energy and excrement energy varied by season, increasing as temperature decreased. There was significant difference in gross energy consumption, metabolic energy, excrement energy between adults and nonages. There was also a trend that food digestibility of pheasants increases as temperature increases. In the same season, the food digestibility of adults was better than that of nonages. Throughout spring, summer, autumn and winter, the metabolic energy of 4-year adults were 305.77±13.40 kJ/d, 263.67±11.89 kJ/d, 357.23±25.49 kJ/d and 403.12±24.91 kJ/d, respectively, and the nonages were 284.86±17.22 kJ/d, 284. 66±15.16 kJ/d, 402. 26±31.46 kJ/d and 420. 30±31.98 kJ/d, respectively. The minimum metabolic energies were 247.65±21.81 g, 265.86±26.53 g, respectively for each group, detected between 4-year adults and 1-year nonages. Further study is needed to determine whether 29.6 C is the optimal temperature for the Elliot's pheasant.

Seasonal variations of rotifers from a high altitude urban shallow water body, La Cantera Oriente (Mexico City, Mexico)

La Cantera Oriente is a shallow freshwater volcanic water body located at an altitude of 2 270 m above sea level in the Ecological Reserve of San Angel Pedregal of Mexico City （Mexico）. In order to ensure the conservation of its biological heritage including zooplankton, the present work was undertaken to quantify the seasonal changes in the diversity and density of rotifers and the selected physico- chemical variables during 2013-2014. Qualitative analysis of the zooplankton samples yielded 68 rotifer species which represented 24 genera in 15 families. Brachionus calyciflorus Pallas, 1766, B. quadridentatus Hermann, 1783, Polyarthra vulgaris Carlin, 1943, Lecane closterocerca （Schmarda, 1859） and Keratella cochlearis （Gosse, 1851） were the most common species. Preston plots of species frequency-density revealed that as many as 30% of the rotifer taxa were dominant throughout the year. The species with high population densities were Brachionus quadridentatus, Lecane closterocerca, Keratella cochlearis, and Lepadellapatella; their peak densities were 2 000, 1 000, 180 and 90 ind./L, all occurring in summer. Canonical correspondence analysis showed that Platyias quadricornis was related to the concentration of phosphates available in the environment and the conductivity, while B. quadridentatus was positively correlated with chlorophyll-a. The trophic status of the lake was eutrophic based on Chl-a content but oligotrophic with relation to the Braehionus： Trichocerca ratio.