archives of biological sciences2015Vol. 67pp. 675-683
525
yanhong2015determinantsarchives
Abstract
Ecological factors are known to influence the activity budgets of Yunnan
snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti). However, little is known about how
activity budgets vary between age/sex classes, because the species is
difficult to observe in the wild. This study provides the first detailed
activity budgets subdivided by age/sex classes based on observations of the
largest habituated group at Xiangguqing in Baimaxueshan Nature Reserve. This
study was conducted from June 2008 to May 2009. We found that adult females
spent more time feeding (44.8%) than adult males (39.5%), juveniles (39.1%),
and infants (14.2%). Adult males allocated more time to miscellaneous
activities (12.5%) than did adult females (3.8%). Infants were being groomed
6.9% of the time, which was the highest proportion among all age/sex classes.
Adults spent more time feeding, while immature individuals allocated more
time to moving and other activities. There are several reasons activity
budgets may vary by age/sex class: 1) differential reproductive investment
between males and females; 2) developmental differences among the age
categories; 3) social relationships between members of different age/sex
classes, particularly dominance. In addition, group size and adult sex ratio
may also impact activity budgets. These variations in activity budgets among
the different age/sex classes may become a selective pressure that shapes the
development and growth pattern in this species.