Diet and feeding behavior of a group of high-altitude rhesus macaques: high adaptation to food shortages and seasonal fluctuations

作     者：Kechu Zhang Fazal Karim Zuxiang Jin Hongtao Xiao Yongfang Yao Qingyong Ni Bajin Li Wangjia Pu-Cuo Zhonghao Huang Huailiang Xu 

作者机构：College of Life ScienceSichuan Agricultural UniversityNo.46 Xinkang RoadYucheng DistrictYa'anSichuan 625014China Key Laboratory of Ecology of Rare and Endangered Species and Environmental Protection(Guangxi Normal University)Ministry of EducationNo.1Yanzhong RoadYanshan DistrictGuilingGuangxi 541006China College of Animal Science and TechnologySichuan Agricultural UniversityNo.211 Huimin RoadWenjiang DistrictChengduSichuan 611130China Gexigou National Nature Reserve AdministrationYajiang Forestry and Grassland AdministrationNo.88 Jiefang RoadYajiang CountyGanziSichuan 627450China 

出 版 物：《Current Zoology》 (动物学报（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2023年第69卷第3期

页      面：304-314页

核心收录：

学科分类：0710[理学-生物学] 07[理学] 071002[理学-动物学] 

基　　金：This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31870355 31960106) 

主　　题：diet foraging strategy fallback food high-altitude habitat Macaca mulatta 

摘      要：Diet and feeding behavior data are crucial to a deep understanding of the behavioral response and adaptation of primates to a high-altitude *** August 2019 to June 2021,we collected data on the feeding behavior of a high-altitude rhesus macaque Macaca mulatta group from Yajiang County,Western Sichuan Plateau,which has an altitude of over 3,500 *** results showed that feeding(33.0±1.8%)and moving(28.3±2.6%)were the dominant behavior of rhesus *** ate 193 food items,comprising 11 food categories from 90 *** study found that plant roots(30.9±30.1%)and young leaves(28.0±33.1%)were the main foods eaten by *** preferred foods of rhesus macaques were young leaves,fruits,and seeds,and the consumption of these items was positively correlated with its food *** the availability of preferred foods was low,macaques took plant roots,barks,and fallen leaves as fallback *** particular,roots were a dominant food item in winter,and this way of feeding became a key survival *** results suggest that,facing the relative scarcity and strong seasonal fluctuations of food resources in high-altitude habitat,macaques adopt active foraging strategies,relying on a variety of food species and adjusting flexibly their food choices based on food availability,which may help to maximize the energy efficiency of high-altitude macaques.