| White-headed langurs(Trachypithecus leucocephalus)are unique primate inhabiting in the limestone habitat.White-headed langur only distribute in Guangxi,they are limited in a triangle area of 200 km~2 between Zuojiang River and Mingjiang.The white-headed langurs has been influenced by the high-intensitive human activities and habitat fragmentation.As a result,their habitat was limited of food resources.We predict that the increasing of individuals number will intensify the group composition,and group size will influenced the langur's foraging behavior.From September 2016 to August 2017,we collected data on the diet,activity time budget and ranging behavior of four group of White-headed langurs(two large group:G-DS and G-ZWY;two small group:G-LZ and G-NN)in Chongzuo White-headed Langur National Nature Reserve,Guangxi Province,China.We compared of diet,activity time budget and ranging behavior for white-headed langur different group size.To make clear how the effects of group size on feeding behavior,and found the evidence of foraging competition and the ecological constraints of this folivorous primate in the karst habitat.The results were as following:1.The G-DS consumed plant parts from 70.7±15.9 species per month,and a total 137plant species during the study.The G-ZWY consumed 126 species,and 60.5±14.5 species per month.The G-LZ consumed 112 species,and 54.6±11.8 species per month.The G-NN consumed 104 species,and 54.4±11.4 species per month.The large group had a higher dietary diversity and consumed more species per month than the smaller group.2.White-headed langur are typical folivorous primates,leaves were their main food source.Young leaves accounting for 71.5%and mature leaves an additional 15.0%of the large group's diet,at the same time flower accounted for 1.8%,fruit accounted for 5.7%,and other plant parts constituted 6.0%of their diet.The small group's diet was young leaves accounting for 68.1%,mature leaves an additional 16.7%,flower accounted for2.7%,fruit accounted for 7.5%and other plant parts constituted 5.0%.The diet of large group and small group were similar,there was no significant difference in the composition of food parts between large group and small group.3.The large group spent an average of 43.8%of activity time on resting,20.6%on moving,23.8%on feeding,8.4%on grooming,3.2%on playing,and 0.2%on others.And the small group spent an average of 50.7%of activity time on resting,15.4%on moving,24.9%on feeding,8.6%on grooming,0.1%on playing,and 0.3%on others.There were significant difference in their resting and moving time budget.Large group spent more time moving and less time resting than the small group,while others activity budget(feeding,grooming,playing and others)make no significant difference.4.The daily path length were different between different group size.The G-DS has an average daily path length of 455.6±43.8 m,the G-ZWY with 499.1±108.0 m,the G-LZ with 430.4±78.0 m and the G-NN with 63.1±61.4 m.The large group has a longer average daily path length than the small group.5.Group size influenced the feeding behavior of white-headed langur.With the increasing of group size,langurs spent less time resting,more time traveling,longer average daily path length,and increased the diversity of their diet.Our results support the prediction of ecological constraints model on group size. |
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