秦岭川金丝猴个性特征及其对个体适合度影响的生物学研究

Consistent individual differences in behavior across time and contexts, defined as personality, are shown by many animal species including human beings. Over the past thirty years interest in animal personality has grown up among biologists especially behavioral ecologists. As an attribute of individuals, personality influences individual fitness. Biological research of animal personality not only has ecological and evolutionary significance, but also strong implications for conservation biology in practice. In this study, based on individual identification and clear kinship, we will for the first time investigate personality traits of endangered Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) from the biological perspective. We will focus on a free-ranging habituated population in the Qinling Mountains that we have followed for more than 10 years. We will combine behavioral observations with classical personality tests to collect data in the field. The main goals of this study is 1) to determine how consistent individuals are in their personality traits via the repeatablity test, 2) to investigate differences on age-sex classes and estimate the heritability of these traits,3) to explore the impact of personality traits on individual fitness, and 4) to reveal adaptability on survival from the perspective of personality in R. roxellana. This study promotes our further understanding on the relationship between personality traits and natural selection in nonhuman primates, and is beneficial to making scientific guidances on breeding, administration and conservation of wildlifes, especially that of endanger species.

个性是指同种生物个体间一致性的行为差异，这种行为差异不受时间和环境的影响。个性特征广泛存在于包括人类在内的许多动物物种中。近三十年以来，生物学家特别是行为生态学家日益关注动物个性研究领域，并指出个性作为动物个体的属性，影响着个体适合度。动物个性的生物学研究不仅具有重要的生态和进化意义，而且具有潜在的保护生物学意义。本项目在突破个体识别技术瓶颈和明晰个体间亲缘关系的基础上，首次从生物学角度研究世界濒危灵长类物种川金丝猴的个性特征，综合运用野外行为观察和经典个性行为测试，采用可重复性检验筛选归纳川金丝猴的个性特征，阐明个性特征的年龄性别组差异和遗传性特点，揭示个性特征对个体适合度的影响，从个性研究视角深入探讨川金丝猴的生存适应性，促进非人灵长类研究领域中个性特征与自然选择关系的发展与完善，其研究结果能够为野生动物特别是濒危物种的饲养、繁育、管理与保护提供全新视角的策略性指导。

个性特征广泛存在于包括人类在内的许多动物物种中。动物个性的生物学研究不仅具有重要的生态和进化意义，而且具有潜在的保护生物学意义。本研究项目综合自然行为观察和实验行为测试，分析川金丝猴个性特征的稳定性，阐明川金丝猴个性特征的年龄性别组差异，归纳筛选川金丝猴的个性特征。本研究发现：成年雄性个体的攻击性显著高于其他年龄性别组个体；青少年个体的活跃性高于成年个体，而在性别上无显著性差异；成年雌性个体的社会性显著高于青少年雌性、成年雄性、青少年雄性个体；不同年龄性别组的勇敢性不存在显著性差异；青少年个体的探索性显著高于成年个体，雌性个体的探索性高于雄性个体。本研究首次通过人格个性问卷调查研究归纳得出川金丝猴的个性特征包括开放性、攻击性、社会性、神经质、自信、支配性六项。此外，关于川金丝猴对新奇事物反应的实验研究支持“易食假说”。这些研究结果为川金丝猴的饲养、繁育、管理与保护提供全新视角的策略性指导。