金丝猴在森林生态系统中的作用

A challenge in ecology has been to study the spatial dynamics of species interactions and food webs, and how human-induced disturbances affect species interactions and food web persistence. The topic is central to biodiversity losses or species extinction from habitat fragmentation/change and understanding ecological responses to species extinction or biodiversity losses. It is widely recognized that rare species are the first to become extinct following human-induced disturbances. However, the functional importance of rare species is still poorly understood, particularly in those non-human primate habitat temperate forest ecosystem. Here, we will investigate the functional important of snub-nosed monkeys in potential spore predators and dispersers of spore plant of lichens, bryophytes, ferns and fungus by using a mix of direct observation and inspecting/culturing fresh feces. We also try to investigate the functional importance of the maintenance of biodiversity in terms of the spatial distribution of spore plant. The project will help to enrich the knowledge on “the role of rare species in ecosystem”, and enhance the future conservation management of the species and ecosystem.

生态学领域最具挑战性的科学问题是揭示物种间相互作用和食物网的空间动态，它对于理解生境变化导致的物种灭绝及其生态后果具有重要意义。尽管人为干扰将导致稀有物种首先灭绝已成共识，但稀有物种（特别是非人灵长类动物）的功能重要性仍然知之甚少。本研究拟以川金丝猴和怒江金丝猴为研究对象，通过跟踪野生猴群收集新鲜粪便培养确定有无/孢子传播功能，通过投食种群个体监测体外孢子潜在传播作用，比较近30年有无金丝猴活动区域普通生境中相关孢子植物物种多样性和丰富度差异确定金丝猴在森林生态系统中物种多样性维系中的作用。研究结果将丰富“稀有物种在生态系统中的功能”的认识，对物种和生态系统保护与管理起到促进作用。

为探讨金丝猴取食地衣、苔藓等孢子植物，是否也对这类孢子植物具有传播作用，本研究选择川金丝猴、滇金丝猴为研究对象，通过跟踪野生川金丝猴和滇金丝猴，收集了新鲜粪便在实验室培养。研究发现培养后32%的粪便能长出部分真菌和藻类，这表明金丝猴能通过粪便传播孢子植物繁殖体或孢子。然而，金丝猴在森林生态系统中孢子植物物种多样性维系中的作用，因为新冠疫情，野外调查数据不足证实金丝猴在森林孢子植物多样性维持中的作用，我们将继续开展此方面的研究。