Male Allocare in Rhinopithecus bieti at Xiaochangdu, Tibet: Is It Related to Energetic Stress?

Male allocare among nonhuman primates has frequently been investigated from the perspective of the caretaker. Here we examined whether male allocare relates to environmental factors or the females＇ energetic stress. We researched the possible differences of allocare between sexes in free-ranging black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys （Rhinopithecus bieti） in Tibet. A combination of stepwise least squares regression analysis was used to identify the influence of ecological factors （temperature, rainfall, etc.） and infant age that best account for seasonal variation of allocare. The results indicate, except for the functions of infant age, however, that male allocare is a negative function of temperature and female allocare is a positive function of temperature. Specifically, we tested the energetic stress hypothesis, which predicts that the energetic burden of females in a severe environment favour an increased rate of male allocare during the seasons of high energetic stress. We analyzed the allocare difference between high energetic stress season （Mar - Apr）, when temperature was low, food availability was scarce, and infants were young, and low energetic stress season （Jun - Aug）, based on data obtained during June 2003 - June 2004. Our results supported the energetic stress hypothesis because male allocare in high energetic stress season was higher than that of in low energetic stress season and female allocate was reverse. Therefore, we propose it is the energetic stress on female that make male allocare possible. Male take these interests for other aims and meet some functional hypothesis, which are addressed from the perspective of the male.

The effect of urbanization and exposure to multiple environmental factors on life-history traits and breeding success of Barn Swallows(Hirundo rustica)across China

In addition to landscape changes,urbanization also brings about changes in environmental factors that can affect wildlife.Despite the common referral in the published literature to multiple environmental factors such as light and noise pollution,there is a gap in knowledge about their combined impact.We developed a multidimensional environmental framework to assess the effect of urbanization and multiple environmental factors(light,noise,and temperature)on life-history traits and breeding success of Barn Swallows(Hirundo rustica)across rural to urban gradients in four locations spanning over 2500 km from North to South China.Over a single breeding season,we measured these environmental factors nearby nests and quantified landscape urbanization over a 1km~2radius.We then analysed the relationships between these multiple environmental factors through a principal component analysis and conducted spatially explicit linear-mixed effects models to assess their effect on lifehistory traits and breeding success.We were particularly interested in understanding whether and how Barn Swallows were able to adapt to such environmental conditions associated with urbanization.The results show that there is significant variation in the exposure to environmental conditions experienced by Barn Swallows breeding across urbanization gradients in China.These changes and their effects are complex due to the behavioural responses ameliorating potential negative effects by selecting nesting sites that minimize exposure to environmental factors.However,significant relationships between landscape urbanization,exposure to environmental factors,and life-history traits such as laying date and clutch size were pervasive.Still,the impact on breeding success was,at least in our sample,negligible,suggesting that Barn Swallows are extremely adaptable to a wide range of environmental features.

Male parent birds exert more effort to reproduce in two desert passerines

Background:Parental investment by birds is limited by the habitat environment,and a male parent increases its effort to reproduce in birds that live in high-altitude areas.Methods:A study of the reproductive behaviour of the Saxaul Sparrow(Passer ammodendri)and the Isabelline Shrike(Lanius isabellinus)was carried out at the Gansu An’xi Extremely Arid Desert National Nature Reserve in northwest China to determine the reproductive input of passerine species in desert habitats.Results:In Saxaul Sparrows,compared to the female parent,the male parent exhibited a significantly higher fre-quency of nest-defense behaviour(chirping and warning)during nesting,hatching and feeding periods.In addition,in comparison to the female parent,the male parent exhibited almost equal frequencies of nesting and incubation but fed nestlings significantly more times.Similar to the male sparrows,the feeding rates of the male Isabelline Shrikes were significantly higher than those of the females.The hatching rate and fledging rate of the Saxaul Sparrow on aver-age in this study were 81.99 and 91.92%,respectively,while those of the shrike were 69.00 and 96.53%,respectively.Conclusions:These two different passerine species living in the same desert environment exhibited the same trend in their reproductive investments.Adapting to desert environments is a strategy that may have evolved in passerines where male parent birds put more effort than females into reproduction to ensure high reproductive output.

Can simple songs express useful signals for mate choice?

Background:As one of the most elaborate and diverse sexual signals,bird songs are prominent among mate choice criteria.Females generally prefer mates with larger repertoire size,which promotes the evolution of song complex?ity.However,there are also some songbirds that have far simpler and less diverse vocalizations,which have not been the focus of scientific scrutiny.Most Phylloscopus warblers are accomplished singers with complex songs.In contrast,Hume's Warbler(P.humei) has extremely simple songs.In order to explore the song's function,its evolutionary sig?nificance and particularly to assess its possible relationship with parental investment,we studied mate choice of the subspecies P.h.mandellii in Lianhuashan National Nature Reserve,Gansu,China.Methods:We recorded body measurements and songs of breeding males and then explored their relationships with the date of clutch initiation,reasoning that the characteristics of males that are involved with early nesting activities reflect female mate preferences.We also recorded egg size and body measurements of nestlings to assess the rela?tionship between parental investment and mate choice.Results:We found that male wing and tail lengths were positively correlated with early clutch initiation as were songs characterized by short duration and rapid rise to maximum amplitude.We also found that early?breeding females did not lay large eggs,but produced more surviving young,which grew up faster.Conclusions:Female mate choice criteria in this bird include both visual signals and song characteristics.Our study supports the hypothesis that females may judge male quality from quite subtle differences.In order to reduce the risk of predation,a preference for such inconspicuous male characteristics may be partially driven by high vulnerability of this warbler to predators as a ground?nesting species.

ECONOMY

Crowdfunding Example China’s largest dark horse movie this summer,Monkey King：Hero Is Back amassed 700 million yuan（$112.7 million）in ticket sales as of July 28,beating Kung Fu Panda 2 as the top-grossing animated film in Chinese cinemas.The film’s novel fundraising channel have impressed many Chinese moviegoers when Monkey King presented a long producer list that included 109 children,whose parents pooled their money to aid in the movie’s marketing.