雌性川金丝猴等级受益机制的研究

Dominance rank is a common resource-regulating mechanism in group-living animals, influencing the proportion of advantageous resources possessions among individuals, and leading to individual differences in resource priority. We examine which behavior strategy will be adopted to maximize benefits. By attracting monkeys via feeding, we will observe individuals closely. Based on individual identification and hierarchical relationships, we selected six one-male units (OMUs) of provisioned Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys as targets. By collecting data on resource possession, and on extent of competition behavior on advantageous resources, we examined the characteristics of female rank-related benefits, at the Dapingyu scenic spot in the Guanyinshan Nature Reserve on the south slope of Qinling Mountains, China. We aimed to examine any correlation between the composition of the OMU, or friendly alliances between individuals, and rank-related benefits, and to analyze the factors that influence rank-related benefits. We examine whether Leinfelder’s advantage resource skew model is applicable to this species. Furthermore, we attempt to determine the most useful behavioral strategy employed to maximize benefits in Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys. Ultimately, the research will address problems associated with the theory of natural selection about the evolution of primates regarding the rate of rank-related benefits and the types of individuals involved. The findings will also contribute to more in-depth understanding of resource allocation strategies, as well as the development and improvement of social organization and structure, in Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys. The results will help to provide a scientific basis for the creation of a management scheme for animal feeding and breeding departments housing Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys.

社会等级作为动物资源分配机制的调节因子，常导致群内成员间优势资源占有比例的不平均分布而形成资源优先权的个体差异，能够实现受益最大化的个体获利性行为策略是我们十分关心的问题。通过野外投食招引猴子进行近距离观察，在个体识别和等级关系确认的基础上，我们通过对分布于秦岭观音山自然保护区大坪裕景区颜家沟的川金丝猴群一雄多雌社会单元（OMU）内资源占有的数据收集与资源竞争的行为学观察，确定雌性川金丝猴等级受益的特点，分析社会因素影响等级受益不均衡的机制，建立重层社会体系下不同雌性的利益获取模式，明确群体的优势资源分布格局，验证Leinfelder提出的“优势资源偏斜模型”，揭示川金丝猴为获得自身受益最大化所采取的获利性行为策略，回答灵长类等级受益率与个体类型在进化中的有关自然选择的理论问题，促进重层社会灵长类物种社群维持机制探讨的深入与完善，为动物饲养与繁育部门制定管理方案提供科学依据。

社会等级在群居动物社会性交往中发挥着重要作用，它不仅是群体社会组织结构的表现形式，而且作为动物资源分配机制的调节因子，常常导致群内成员间优势资源占有比例的不平均分布。灵长类作为动物界进化最为高等的类群，能够通过完善的社会等级结构，维持种群的优势资源分布格局。迄今为止，研究发现灵长类中的等级地位差异和优势资源分配不平均现象不仅存在于雄性个体间而且还存在于雌性个体间。川金丝猴常以数百只成群而居，其中一雄多雌单元为其基本社会组织结构，它拥有的这种社群结构不仅意味着OMU内有限资源竞争的存在，而且意味着OMU内雌性优势资源分布不均衡现象的存在，但是单元内雌性间是如何进行优势资源分配？其等级受益特点及影响因素有哪些？人们并不清楚。通过本项目野外艰苦的跟踪观察，应用卫星项圈跟踪定位，结合野外观察发现金丝猴优势资源的不平均分布等实际问题，我们逐步摸清了雌性川金丝猴的等级受益机制。发现在川金丝猴社群中存在优势资源的竞争行为，高等级与低等级个体表现出明显的行为差异性，高等级个体可以获取更为丰富的优势资源。并确定亲缘关系、家庭组成是影响雌性川金丝猴等级受益偏斜的主要因素，明确了群体的优势资源分布格局，揭示了雌性川金丝猴为争取自身受益最大化所采取的获利性行为策略，促进了重层社会灵长类物种社会社群维持机制探讨的深入与完善。.研究成果发表在国际著名Current Biology、Primates等期刊上，被Science、BBC-Earth、New Scientist等国际著名科学媒体进行报道。