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Why does Rhinopithecus bieti prefer the highest elevation range in winter? A test of the sunshine hypothesis
Rui-Chang Quan1, Guopeng Ren, Jocelyn E Behm
1CAS Key Laboratory of Tropical Forest Ecology, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Mengla, Yunnan, China.
Plos One
|September 15, 2011
Summary
Black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) prefer high elevations in winter. Increased sunshine at higher altitudes helps melt snow faster, exposing food and influencing their habitat selection.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Animal Behavior
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Spatiotemporal distribution of animals is influenced by resources, temperature, and predation.
- The high-elevation winter range preference of the black-and-white snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti) is counterintuitive given typical environmental factors.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if sunshine variation with elevation drives the winter habitat selection of Rhinopithecus bieti.
- To determine the correlation between environmental factors (temperature, sunshine, solar radiation) and the monkeys' high-elevation winter range.
Main Methods:
- Field surveys were conducted to observe and record the monkeys' distribution patterns.
- Geographic Information System (GIS) technology was employed to quantify solar radiation and sunshine duration across elevations.
- Statistical analyses were used to correlate environmental variables with habitat use.
Main Results:
- Rhinopithecus bieti occupied higher altitudes (4100-4400 m) in winter compared to their overall range (3500-4500 m).
- Solar radiation and sunshine duration increased with elevation, while temperature decreased.
- Habitat use in winter was significantly correlated with solar radiation and sunshine duration, especially after snowfall.
Conclusions:
- Sunshine is the primary factor influencing the high-elevation winter habitat selection of Rhinopithecus bieti.
- A "sunshine hypothesis" was proposed to explain similar patterns in other endotherms.
- The study highlights the integration of GIS with field ecology for understanding wildlife distribution.
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