Three-dimensional assessment of movement patterns of Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys affected by habitat structure in temperate forests

DEAR EDITOR,Movement patterns can reflect species-specific characteristics of individuals and animal groups at a given scale. Accurate three-dimensional(3D) assessment can quantify the relationship between movement patterns of an animal and its unique habitat. Here, we evaluated the effects of habitat structure on movement patterns of the golden snub-nosed monkey(Rhinopithecus roxellana). We used airborne light detection and ranging(LiDAR) to map the 3D structure of the temperate forest in the Qinling Mountains(Shaanxi, China).

Genetic Bottlenecks of the Wild Chinese Giant Salamander in Karst Caves

The rarity of limestone cave species due to habitat degradation makes them of special interest in conservation biology.The wild Chinese Giant Salamander Andrias davidianus,an evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered species,are nearly all obligate into living in inaccessible mountain caves now.We detected that only 14–29 breeders,with the effective population size of 9–25(5–44 of 95% confidence interval),were in each of three caves,through genotyping 20 microsatellite loci on larvae that were flushed out of caves.Both heterzygosity excess and M(ratios of allele number to allele size range) tests indicated severe genetic bottlenecks among populations.Both mitochondrial,with only one or two haplotypes of D-loop region(770–771bp) in each population,and nuclear genetic structure showed clear divergence between populations.Considering the long life history,small population size,and genetic differentiationof the Chinese Giant Salamander,putting an end to poaching and recovering the karst ecosystem instead of releasing may be the sole measures to save this severely threated species.

Effects of capture and captivity on plasma corticosterone and metabolite levels in breeding Eurasian Tree Sparrows

Background: Bringing free-living animals into captivity subjects them to the stress of both capture and captivity, leading to the alteration of normal physiological processes and behaviors through activation of the hypothalamic– pituitary–adrenal axis. In free-living birds, although elevated plasma corticosterone (CORT) is an important adaptation regulating physiological and behavioral responses during the process of capture and captivity stress, little information is currently available on the effects of such stress on plasma metabolite levels. Methods: We examined the effects of immediate capture and 24-h captivity on body mass, body condition, plasma CORT, and metabolite levels including glucose (Glu), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), uric acid (UA), in breeding Eurasian Tree Sparrows (Passer montanus). Results: CORT and Glu levels were increased significantly by the stress of capture, whereas TC and UA levels decreased. Body mass, body condition declined notably after 24 h in captivity, but CORT, Glu, and UA levels increased. Furthermore, male sparrows had lower TG levels after both capture and captivity than those of females. The relationships between plasma CORT and metabolite levels varied between sexes. Conclusions: Our results revealed that the metabolic status of Eurasian Tree Sparrows could be dramatically altered by capture and captivity. Monitoring the dynamic effects of both capture and captivity on plasma CORT, metabolite levels in a free-living bird contributes to a better understanding of the stress-induced pathways involved in sexdependent energy mobilization.

Effects of age, sex and manual task on hand preference in wild Rhinopithecus roxellana

Golden snub-nosed monkeys(Rhinopithecus roxellana),as typical arboreal group-living Old World monkeys,provide an appropriate animal model to research manual laterality and explore the factors affecting hand preference in non-human primates(NHP).This study investigated hand preference based on63 subjects and four spontaneous manual tasks(including unimanual and bimanual feeding and grooming), and assessed the effects of age, gender and type of task on handedness in R. roxellana.A population-level left-handedness was found not only in the bimanual coordinated tasks(bimanual feeding and grooming), but also in one unimanual reaching task(unimanual feeding). There were no significant differences between the sexes in either direction or strength of hand preference among any task. However, a significant difference between adults and juveniles was found in the unimanual feeding task. This is the first report on handedness in unimanual and bimanual feeding tasks that require bipedal posture in wild R. roxellana. Furthermore,this study demonstrated spontaneous feeding tasks reported previously only in the quadrupedal posture in this species, supporting the importance of factors such as posture and task complexity in the evolution of primate manual lateralization.

The Channel Characteristics Analysis of Two River Types in Lee's Ferry Area

Discovery showed that some of the rivers in Lee's Ferry area run on bedrocks while some are on the alluvium,based on geomorphology,the different kinds of channel characteristics can influence whether these rivers run on bed rock or alluvium. By analyzing the velocity,discharge,width and depth,hydraulic radius and comparing the different channel characteristics of rivers in other areas with Lee's Ferry,it is observed that the channel discharge,velocity and the hydraulic radius play an important role in controlling the transport-limited river and these factors can be inferred to be correct even for all the river channels in Arizona.

Observation of mother-perpetrated infanticide in golden takins(Budorcas taxicolor bedfordi)

DEAR EDITOR,Infanticide by unrelated individuals is widely reported in the animal kingdom;however,little is known about cases perpetrated by a parent,particularly the mother.This article reports on three cases of mother-initiated infanticide in Qinling golden takins(Budorcas taxicolor bedfordi)from video and camera images.Based on previous reports in other animals,we propose that the infanticide events observed in golden takins were related to the parental manipulation mechanism-i.e.

Dispersal behaviors stimulated by habitat alterations in golden snub-nosed monkeys(Rhinopithecus roxellana)in the Qinling Mountains, China

DEAR EDITOR,Combining location data, species distribution modeling(Max Ent), and major conservation events, we analyzed historical distribution changes in golden snub-nosed monkeys(Rhinopithecus roxellana) in the Qinling Mountains of China.

Life-history dependent relationships between plasma alkaline phosphatase activity and body condition in male Eurasian Tree Sparrows

Background: In temperate-breeding birds, individuals must adjust their physiological states from one life-history stage to another in response to changing conditions to maximize ecological fitness. Previous evidences have shown that body mass, size-corrected mass(SCM), and hematocrit(Hct) could be used as estimates of the energetic state of individuals to illustrate life-history trade-offs and individual quality in field physiology. Plasma alkaline phosphatase(ALP) plays critical roles in regulating the metabolism of energy but very limited information is known on its link with body mass or Hct.Methods: We determined the changes of plasma ALP levels in both early breeding and wintering stages of male Eurasian Tree Sparrows(Passer montanus), and examined the relationships between ALP and body mass, SCM, and Hct of the birds.Results: Our study showed that(1) in male Eurasian Tree Sparrows, body mass did not vary with life-history stage but plasma ALP activity significantly increased in the wintering stage compared to the breeding stage;(2) ALP activity was not correlated with individual body mass but was positively correlated with individual SCM and Hct. Such positive correlations, however, only occurred in the wintering but not in the breeding stages.Conclusions: Our results suggest that plasma ALP activities in free-living birds can be used as one of the indicators o body condition or nutritional status for analyzing individual variation in the wintering but not in the breeding stages. The life-history dependent relationships between plasma ALP activity and body condition may contribute to our better understanding of the trade-off between individual survival and reproduction in free-living animals.

A de novo assembled genome of the Tibetan Partridge (Perdix hodgsoniae) and its high-altitude adaptation

The Tibetan Partridge(Perdix hodgsoniae)is an endemic species distributed in high-altitude areas of 3600–5600 m on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau.To explore how the species is adapted to the high elevation environment,we as-sembled a draft genome based on both the Illumina and PacBio sequencing platforms with its population genetics and genomics analysis.In total,134.74 Gb short reads and 30.81 Gb long reads raw data were generated.The 1.05-Gb assembled genome had a contig N50 of 4.56 Mb,with 91.94%complete BUSCOs.The 17457 genes were annotated,and 11.35%of the genome was composed of repeat sequences.The phylogenetic tree showed that P.hodgsoniae was located at the basal position of the clade,including Golden Pheasant(Chrysolophus pictus),Common Pheasant(Phasianus colchicus),and Mikado Pheasant(Syrmaticus mikado).We found that 1014,2595,and 2732 of the 6641 one-to-one orthologous genes were under positive selection in P.hodgsoniae,detected using PAML,BUSTED,and aBSREL programs,respectively,of which 965 genes were common under positive selec-tion with 3 different programs.Several positively selected genes and immunity pathways relevant to high-altitude adaptation were detected.Gene family evolution showed that 99 gene families experienced significant expansion events,while 6 gene families were under contraction.The total number of olfactory receptor genes was relatively low in P.hodgsoniae.Genomic data provide an important resource for a further study on the evolutionary history of P.hodgsoniae,which provides a new insight into its high-altitude adaptation mechanisms.

Human activities and elevational constraints restrict ranging patterns of snub-nosed monkeys in a mountainous refuge

Both natural conditions and anthropogenic factors affect the survivability,distribution,and population density of wildlife.To understand the extent and how these factors drive species distributions,a detailed description of animal movement patterns in natural habitats is needed.In this study,we used satellite telemetry to monitor elevational ranges favored by endangered golden snub-nosed monkeys(Rhinopithecus roxellana),in the Qinling Mountains,central China.We investigated the abundance and distribution of food resources through sampling vegetation quadrats at different elevations and sampled anthropogenic activities using field surveys.Our results indicated that although there was no significant variation in food resources between low-(<1500 m)and middle-elevations(1500–2200 m),monkeys were found most often in areas above 1500 m,where there was less anthropogenic development(e.g.houses and roads);however,monkeys rarely ranged above 2200 m and had limited food availability at this altitude.There was limited human disturbance at this elevation.We suggest that both human activity and ecological constraints(i.e.food resources)have considerable effects on elevational use of R.roxellana in the Qinling Mountains.This study highlights the critical roles these factors can play in shaping the vertical distribution of high-altitude primates.This research provides useful insights for habitat-based conservation plans in which human disturbance management and habitat restoration should be prioritized.

A brief on the current occurrence of Gorsachius spp.in China's Mainland

So far,three species of night herons have been recorded in China,the White–eared Night Heron(Gorsachius magnificus),the Japanese Night Heron(G.goisagi),and the Malayan Night Neron(G.melanolophus).Both theWhite–eared and the Japanese are regarded the Endangered[EN](Bird Life,2001).Due to the rapid development of bird–watching activities in China's Mainland since the beginning of the century,and,particularly,due to the more

Effects of insect infestation on rodent-mediated dispersal of Quercus aliena:results from field and enclosure experiments

Rodents influence plant establishment and regeneration by functioning as both seed predators and dispersers.However,these rodent-plant interactions can vary significantly due to various environmental conditions and the activity of other insect seed predators.Here,we use a combination of both field and enclosure(i.e.individual cage and semi-natural enclosure)experiments,to determine whether rodents can distinguish sound seeds from those infested with insects.We also demonstrate how such responses to insects are influenced by food abun-dance and other environmental factors.We presented rodents with 2 kinds of Quercus aliena seeds(sound and insect-infested seeds)in a subtropical forest in the Qinling Mountains,central China,from September to No-vember of 2011 to 2013.The results showed that rodents preferred to hoard and eat sound seeds than infested seeds in the field and semi-natural enclosure,while they preferred to eat infested seeds over sound seeds in the individual cages.In addition,both hoarding and eating decisions were influenced by food abundance.Rodents hoarded more sound seeds in years of high food abundance while they consumed more acorns in years of food shortage.Compared with field results,rodents reduced scatter-hoarding behavior in semi-natural enclosures and ate more insect-infested seeds in smaller individual cages.These results further confirm that rodents distinguish infested seeds from non-infested seeds but demonstrate that this behavior varies with conditions(i.e.environ-ment and food abundance).We suggest that such interactions will influence the dispersal and natural regenera-tion of seeds as well as predation rates on insect larvae.

Anti-fertility effect of levonorgestrel and/or quinestrol on striped field mouse(Apodemus agrarius):evidence from both laboratory and field experiments

The effect of combined levonorgestrel(P)and quinestrol(E)on the fertility of stripedfield mouse(Apodemus agrarius)has not been evaluated.We performed a series of experiments in both the laboratory andfield to assess the effect of P and/or E on the fertility of A.agrarius.In the laboratory,to test the time-dependent anti-fertility ef-fects of P and E,as well as their mixtures,90 male stripedfield mice were randomly assigned to 6 treatment groups(n=60),and a control group(n=30).Mice in 3 treatment groups were administered 1 of the 3 compounds(1 mg�kg–1[body weight]EP-1,0.34 mg�kg–1 E,0.66 mg�kg–1 P)for 3 successive days(another half for 7 suc-cessive days)via oral gavage;mice were then sacrificed 15 and 45 days after initiating the gavage treatment.Ourfindings indicated that E and EP-1 treatment,but not P or control treatment,significantly decreased the sperm count in the caudal epididymis,as well as the weight of the testes,epididymides,and seminal vesicles.Additionally,fer-tile female mice mated with E-and EP-1-treated males produced smaller pups.These data indicate that E and EP-1 can induce infertility in male A.agrarius.In thefield,the population density of A.agrarius was significantly influ-enced by EP-1,and the rodent density in the treatment group was lower than that in the control group.Overall,our results indicate that EP-1 is an effective contraceptive in A.agrarius,a dominant rodent species in the farmland.

Sexual interference and allomaternal behavior as predictors of rank recognition in female golden snub-nosed monkeys

Rank recognition allows social animals to adapt to complex and changeable environments and to cope with hierarchical relationships within their societies(Crone 2017).Rank recognition can improve the distribution of advantageous resources,individual adaptation,and social cohesion among group-living animals(Marmolejo-Ramos and Angiulli 2014).Empirical evidence suggests that rank recognition is a basic behavioral manifestation of social cognition adopted by a wide range of insects,birds,and mammals,including nonhuman primates(Schmitt and Fischer 2011;Smith et al.2017).Unlike most other vertebrates,primates have unusually large brains and form complex social groups.

Dead trees as an indicator in tourism risk monitoring at primate ecotourism

Primate ecotourism has become an important conservation tool.Based around tourists observing primates in their natural habitat,it can provide multiple benefits(Lebrão et al.2021).Appropriate ecotourism can improve local residents’living conditions and economic level,heighten awareness about animal conservation,and increase funding for the latter(Stronza et al.2019).

Using unmanned aerial vehicles with thermal-image acquisition cameras for animal surveys:a case study on the Sichuan snub-nosed monkey in the Qinling Mountains

Following significant developments in technology,alternative devices have been applied in fieldwork for animal and plant surveys.Thermal-image acquisition cameras installed on unmanned aerial vehicles(UAVs)have been used in animal surveys in the wilderness.This article demonstrates an example of how UAVs can be used in high mountainous regions,presenting a case study on the Sichuan snub-nosed monkey with a detection rate of 65.19%for positive individual identification.It also presents a model that can prospectively predict population size for a given animal species,which is based on combined initial work using UAVs and traditional surveys on the ground.A great potential advantage of UAVs is significantly shortening survey procedures,particularly for areas with high mountains and plateaus,such as the Himalayas,the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,Hengduan Mountains,the Yunnan-Gui Plateau and Qinling Mountains in China,where carrying out a traditional survey is extremely difficult,so that species and population surveys,particularly for critically endangered animals,are largely absent.This lack of data has impacted the management of endangered animals as well as the formulation and amendment of conservation strategies.

Seed traits and rodent community interact to determine seed fate:evidence from both enclosure and field experiments

Animal-mediated seed dispersal is an important ecological process in which a strong mutualism between animals and plants can arise.However,few studies have examined how a community of potential seed dispersers interacts with sympatric seed trees.We employed a series of experiments in the Qinling Mountains in both semi-natural enclosure and the field to assess the interactions among 3 sympatric rodent species and 3 Fagaceae tree seeds.Seed traits all showed similar tannin levels but markedly different physical traits and nutritional contents.We found that seeds with heavy weight,thick coat,and high nutritional contents were less likely to be eaten in situ but more often to be eaten after dispersal or hoarded by rodents.These results support both the handling time hypothesis and the high nutrition hypothesis.Surprisingly,we also found that rodents,maybe,preferred to consume seeds with low levels of crude fiber in situ,and to harvest and hoard those with high levels of crude fiber for later consumption.The sympatric rodent species,Cansumys canus,the largest rodent in our study,harvested and hoarded more Quercus variabilis seeds with high physical and nutritional traits,while Apodemus draco,the smallest rodent,harvested more Q.serrata seeds with low physical and nutritional traits,and Niviventer confucianus harvested and hoarded more Q.aliena seeds with medium physical and nutritional traits.Our study demonstrates that different seed traits play different roles in influencing the seed fate and the shaping of mutualism and predation interactions within a community of rodent species.

Facial expression recognition in golden snub-nosed monkeys

For socialized animals,such as prinlates,emotions arc the expression of internal states,which may be recognized by others to adjust an in dividual's potential actions(Girard and Bellone 2020).Facial expressions are therefore important signals in communication(e.g.,happy or in pain)and can help individuals understand potential meanings between each other(Dolensek et al.2020).Facial expressions can be expressed and processed freely and are useful in social interactions and bonding(Waller et al.2016).

Female preferences for male golden snub-nosed monkeys vary with male age and social context

Age is a key factor affecting sexual selection,as many physical and social traits are age-related.Although studies of primate mate choice often consider particular age-related traits,few consider the collective effects of male age.We tested the hypothesis that female golden snub-nosed monkeys Rhinopithecus roxellana prefer prime aged males(10-15 years)over younger and older males.We examined a habituated,provisioned troop during a 3-year study in the Qinling Mountains,China.Prime age males were more likely to be resident males of 1-male units(OMUs)than males of other ages.Since females are free to transfer between OMUs,the number of females per OMU can be indicative of female preferences.We examined the number of females per OMU,and found that it increased with resident male age up to 7-8 years,and declined after 12 years,such that prime age resident males had more females than other resident males.Females also initiated extra-unit copulations with high-ranking prime age males at significantly higher rates than with other males.Nevertheless,females tended to transfer from OMUs with high-ranking,older resident males to those with low-ranking,younger resident males.Thus,females appear to use different strategies when choosing social mates and extra-unit mates(i.e.,different social contexts).We speculate that females may perceive early signs of aging in males and trade off the benefits and costs of high rank versus male senescence.This study lays the groundwork for future studies that examine possible direct and indirect benefits of such strategies.

Infanticide in golden snub-nosed monkeys with multilevel society

Infanticide,killing unweaned offspring in conspecifics,occurs widely among mammals,such as rodents,ungulates,and carnivores,especially in primates(Lukas and Huchard 2014).Such scenarios are often triggered by intruders that have replaced the former dominant males in nonhuman primates(Borries 1997).It has widely been viewed that infanticide is one of the solutions of sexually driven evolutionary selection:males kill infants to end lactational amenorrhea of the victim's mothers,forcing them to return to estrus and providing infanticidal males with the opportunities to sire their new offspring(Hrdy 1979).There is a broad spectrum regarding the patterns and mechanisms causing such events,referring to alternative breeding behaviors and mating systems-monogamy,polyandry,polygyny,and promiscuity(Qi et al.2020).