Ranging behavior and habitat use of the Assamese macaque (Macaca assamensis) in limestone habitats of Nonggang, China

摘要

Ranging behavior and habitat utilization are important indicators of ecological influences on individual behavior. We collected data on the ranging behavior and habitat use of two groups of Assamese macaques (Macaca assamensis) between September 2005 and August 2006 in a limestone habitat within Nonggang Nature Reserve, Guangxi, China. We evaluated the influences of spatial and temporal distribution of food resources on ranging behavior and habitat utilization. During the study period, total home range sizes for the two focus groups were 53 ha and 65 ha; mean daily path lengths were 590 m and 782 m, much smaller than those observed in other species of macaques. Assamese macaques did not use their home ranges uniformly. Fifty percent of location records occurred within 11% (group 1) and 13% (group 2) of their respective home ranges. A significant and positive correlation was found between the intensity of site use and the distribution of group feeding for both study groups. Macaques spent 71.1% of the daytime hours on cliffs during maintenance activities, including feeding. The differential utilization of the group's home range and more intense occupation of cliffs can be related to the spatial distribution of their staple food resources, the leaves of Indocalamus calcicolus.