What the study found
Temperature-related changes in behavior were more pronounced than changes in diet among age-sex classes of black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys. Adult females fed more, juveniles moved more and rested less, and adult males moved less and rested more than other age-sex classes.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that intra-annual temperature variation may amplify different physiological demands across age-sex classes, leading to larger shifts in activity patterns than in diet composition. The study suggests this is relevant for understanding how Asian colobines respond to seasonal climate change.
What the researchers tested
The researchers studied an isolated population of Rhinopithecus bieti at Mt. Lasha in the Yunling Provincial Nature Reserve, Yunnan, China. They used instantaneous and scan sampling over 32 months, from May 2008 to August 2016, to examine how monthly temperature was associated with activity budgets and diet across and within age-sex classes.
What worked and what didn't
Adult females spent more time feeding, juveniles spent more time moving and less time resting, and adult males spent less time moving and more time resting than the other age-sex classes. No significant variation in diet across age-sex classes was detected. In colder months, the population spent more time feeding and less time moving and resting, but these temperature-related effects were only detected within age-sex classes for moving and resting, not feeding. The population also spent more time feeding on lichen in colder months than in warmer months.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe specific limitations beyond the study being based on one isolated population. It also notes that the increase in lichen feeding during colder months cannot be explained by temperature-related dietary shifts within age-sex classes, because diets remained stable throughout the year.
Key points
- Adult females spent more time feeding than other age-sex classes.
- Juveniles spent more time moving and less time resting.
- Adult males spent less time moving and more time resting.
- No significant diet differences were found across age-sex classes.
- Colder months were associated with more feeding and less moving and resting at the population level.
- Feeding on lichen increased in colder months, while diets stayed stable across the year.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Temperature linked to activity shifts in black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys
- Authors:
- Jacob B. Kraus, Zhi Pang Huang, Yan Pang Li, Liang Wei Cui, Shuang Jin Wang, Jin Fa Li, Feng Liu, Yun Wang, Karen B. Strier, Wen Xiao
- Institutions:
- Washington and Lee University, Dali University, Southwest Forestry University, Yuxi Normal University, Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve, Research Institute of Forestry, Jiangxi Province Forestry Survey Planning Institute, University of Wisconsin–Madison
- Publication date:
- 2026-03-10
- OpenAlex record:
- View
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