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Black‐and‐white snub‐nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) rely on behavioral and dietary flexibility to survive in temperate latitudes at high‐elevation habitats characterized by climate and resource seasonality. However, little is known about how elevation influences their behavioral and dietary flexibility at monthly or seasonal scales. We studied an isolated R. bieti population at Mt. Lasha in the Yunling Provincial Nature Reserve, Yunnan, China, between May 2008 and August 2016 to assess the impacts of elevation on feeding behavior and diet. Across our sample, R. bieti occupied elevations between 3031 and 3637 m above mean sea level (amsl), with a 315.1 m amsl range across months and a 247.3 m amsl range across seasons. Contrary to expectations, individuals spent less time feeding when ranging across higher elevations. Lichen consumption correlated with elevation use across months and seasons, with individuals spending more time feeding on this important resource at higher elevations. Leaf consumption only correlated with elevation use during the spring. Our results suggest that R. bieti do not maximize their food intake at higher elevations and that monthly and seasonal changes in lichen and leaf consumption largely explain variation in elevation use. These findings shed light on the responses of R. bieti to environmental change and offer insight into strategies for conserving their habitats in the face of anthropogenic disturbance. Research Highlights: Black‐and‐white snub‐nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) spend less time feeding in months and seasons when occupying higher‐elevation habitats.Leaves only comprise a higher percentage of the R. bieti diet when occupying higher‐elevation habitats in the spring.Lichen comprise a higher percentage of the R. bieti diet in months and seasons when occupying higher‐elevation habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fallback foods (FBF), categorized into staple and filler types, are suboptimal food sources chosen by animals in response to a scarcity of preferred food items during specific periods. Using lichens as FBF by Yunnan snub‐nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) represents a distinctive ecological adaptation and evolutionary development within nonhuman primates. This study delves into the annual dietary choices of the species to address issues, elucidate the nutritional value, and understand the ecological significance of lichens for this primate species, which resides at the highest altitudes and experiences the coldest weather among global primates. The findings reveal that the lichens consumed by the monkeys serve as the staple FBF, with Bryoria spp. and Usnea longissima being the primary dietary species. The former is the preferred choice, providing higher digestible fiber (neutral detergent fiber) levels but lower tannin, fat, ADF, and energy levels. During the dry season, lichens dominate as the monkeys' primary food and nutritional resources. In the wet season, they act as a fundamental food selection rather than an ideal dietary choice, substituting nutrients from fruits, seeds, and leaves. Compared to other Asian colobine counterparts, this species exhibits the highest lichen consumption but the lowest proportions of leaves, flowers, and seeds. This study provides valuable evidence and information for developing or amending conservation strategies and guidelines for the dietary management of captive breeding of monkeys, one of the world's critically endangered primate species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diversity of nematode-trapping fungi (NTF) holds significant theoretical and practical implications in the study of adaptive evolution and the bio-control of harmful nematodes. However, compared to terrestrial ecosystems, research on aquatic NTF is still in its early stages. During a survey of NTF in six watersheds in Yunnan Province, China, we isolated 10 taxa from freshwater sediment. Subsequent identification based on morphological and multigene (ITS, TEF1-α, and RPB2) phylogenetic analyses inferred they belong to five new species within Arthrobotrys. This paper provides a detailed description of these five novel species (Arthrobotrys cibiensis, A. heihuiensis, A. jinshaensis, A. yangbiensis, and A. yangjiangensis), contributing novel insights for further research into the diversity of NTF and providing new material for the biological control of aquatic harmful nematodes. Additionally, future research directions concerning aquatic NTF are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Disentangling the distribution patterns of biodiversity along altitudinal gradients and their drivers has been a hot topic in ecological research. Different forest strata show multiple distribution patterns influenced by different community assembly mechanisms. Here, we measure the dominant ecological processes affecting three forest strata (tree, shrub, and herb layers) along altitudinal gradients. We sampled plants with different forest strata in 21 plots located from 2500 to 3700 m in Lasha Mountain, northwestern Yunnan. The taxonomic alpha diversity of the herb layer showed a monotonic decreasing trend with increasing altitude, while the shrub layer was characterized by a single peak, and the tree layer showed no significant change with increasing altitude. We observed a decreasing pattern of phylogenetic diversity with increasing altitude in the herb layer, whereas phylogenetic diversity did not change in the tree and shrub layers. The phylogenetic structure of these three layers showed the same pattern: phylogenetic clustering at low altitudes and overdispersion at middle and high altitudes. The diversity and phylogenetic structure of the herb layer were driven by climate (average dry season precipitation) and topographic (slope and aspect) factors, while shrub layer diversity was mainly influenced by tree layer richness. Overall, the phylogenetic structure pattern of the three forest strata changed from clustered to overdispersed with increasing altitude, indicating that environmental filtering was the main driver at low altitudes, while interspecific competition dominated at middle and high altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provisioning can significantly affect the ranging patterns, foraging strategies, and time budget of wild primates. In this study, we document for the first time, the effects of provisioning on the activity budget and foraging effort in an Asian colobine. Over 3‐years, we used an instantaneous scanning method at 10‐min intervals to collect data on the activity budget of a semiprovisioned breeding band (SPB) of black‐and‐white snub‐nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) (42–70 individuals) at Xiangguqing (Tacheng), Yunnan, China. We then compared the effects of provisioning in our study band with published data on a sympatric wild nonprovisioned breeding band (NPB) of R. bieti (ca. 360 monkeys) at the same field site. The SPB spent 25.6% of their daytime feeding, 17.1% traveling, 46.9% resting, and 10.3% socializing. In comparison, the NPB devoted more time to feeding (34.9%) and socializing (14.1%), less time to resting (31.3%), and was characterized by a greater foraging effort (1.74 versus 0.96, foraging effort = (feeding + traveling)/resting; see Methods). There was no difference between bands in the proportion of their activity budget devoted to traveling (15.7% vs. 17.1%). In addition, the SPB exhibited a more consistent activity budget and foraging effort across all seasons of the year compared to the NPB. These findings suggest that the distribution, availability, and productivity of naturally occurring feeding sites is a major determinant of the behavioral strategies and activity budget of R. bieti. Finally, a comparison of our results with data on six nonprovisioned R. bieti bands indicates that caution must be raised in meta‐analyses or intraspecific comparisons of primate behavioral ecology that contain data generated from both provisioned and nonprovisioned groups. Research Highlights: We studied the activity budget of a semiprovisioned band of black‐and‐white snub‐nosed monkeys and compared the results with six wild nonprovisioned bands.The semiprovisioned band spent less time feeding, more time resting, and had a lower foraging effort than the nonprovisioned bands.Caution must be exercised in conducting meta‐analyses when using data from both provisioned and nonprovisioned primate bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sampling efficiency, composition and detection biases associated with pitfall-trap and sample plot (standardised hand-collecting) methods were compared at seven high montane sites at Lasha Mountain, Yunnan, China. Rarefaction-interpolation curves showed total species diversity and sample coverage from each method were undifferentiated. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance showed highly overlapping communities. However, of all species collected, just 53% of all species found were shared between the two methods; 30% were exclusive to sample plot samples and 17% were exclusive to pitfall traps. Modelled comparisons of species richness (alpha) and proportion of species from the population (beta diversity) showed differences between methods. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance blocked by site showed community composition differed between methods, defined largely by the presence of a few dominant species. Implications for insect conservation: Our findings suggest that results from the two methods cannot be directly compared and are imperfect substitutes to one another. For long-term monitoring of biodiversity in complex forest mosaic systems, we suggest integrating a suite of complementary methods to achieve more complete representation of ant composition and diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nematode-trapping fungi are widely studied due to their unique morphological structure, survival strategy, and potential value in the biological control of harmful nematodes. During the identification of carnivorous fungi preserved in our laboratory, five novel nematode-trapping fungi were established and placed in the genera Arthrobotrys and Drehslerella based on morphological and multigene (ITS, TEF, and RPB2) phylogenetic analyses. A. hengjiangensis sp. nov. and A. weixiensis sp. nov. are characterized by producing adhesive networks to catch nematodes. Dr. pengdangensis sp. nov., Dr. tianchiensis sp. nov., and Dr. yunlongensis sp. nov. are characterized by producing constricting rings. Morphological descriptions, illustrations, taxonomic notes, and phylogenetic analysis are provided for all new taxa; a key for Drechslerella species is listed; and some deficiencies in the taxonomy and evolution study of nematode-trapping fungi are also discussed herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evolution of carnivorous fungi in deep time is still poorly understood as their fossil record is scarce. The approximately 100-million-year-old Cretaceous Palaeoanellus dimorphus is the earliest fossil of carnivorous fungi ever discovered. However, its accuracy and ancestral position has been widely questioned because no similar species have been found in modern ecosystems. During a survey of carnivorous fungi in Yunnan, China, two fungal isolates strongly morphologically resembling P. dimorphus were discovered and identified as a new species of Arthrobotrys (Orbiliaceae, Orbiliomycetes), a modern genus of carnivorous fungi. Phylogenetically, Arthrobotrys blastospora sp. nov. forms a sister lineage to A. oligospora. A. blastospora catches nematodes with adhesive networks and produces yeast-like blastospores. This character combination is absent in all other previously known modern carnivorous fungi but is strikingly similar to the Cretaceous P. dimorphus. In this paper, we describe A. blastospora in detail and discuss its relationship to P. dimorphus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on positional behavior and canopy use are essential for understanding how arboreal animals adapt their morphological characteristics and behaviors to the challenges of their environment. This study explores canopy and substrate use along with positional behavior in adult black snub-nosed monkeys Rhinopithecus strykeri , an endemic, critically endangered primate species in Gaoligong Mountains, southwest China. Using continuous focal animal sampling, we collected data over a 52-month period and found that R. strykeri is highly arboreal primarily using the high layers of the forest canopy (15–30 m), along with the terminal zone of tree crowns (52.9%), medium substrates (41.5%), and oblique substrates (56.8%). We also found sex differences in canopy and substrate use. Females use the terminal zones (56.7% versus 40.4%), small/medium (77.7% versus 60.1%), and oblique (59.9% versus 46.5%) substrates significantly more than males. On the other hand, males spend more time on large/very large (39.9% versus 22.3%) and horizontal (49.7% versus 35.2%) substrates. Whereas both sexes mainly sit (84.7%), and stand quadrupedally (9.1%), males stand quadrupedally (11.5% versus 8.3%), and bipedally (2.9% versus 0.8%) more often than females. Clamber, quadrupedalism, and leap/drop are the main locomotor modes for both sexes. Rhinopithecus strykeri populations never enter canopies of degenerated secondary forest and mainly use terminal branches in the middle and upper layers of canopies in intact mid-montane moist evergreen broadleaf forest and hemlock coniferous broadleaf mixed forests across their habitat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arthrobotrys is the most complex genus of Orbiliaceae nematode-trapping fungi. Its members are widely distributed in various habitats worldwide due to their unique nematode-trapping survival strategies. During a survey of nematophagous fungi in Yunnan Province, China, twelve taxa were isolated from terrestrial soil and freshwater sediment habitats and were identified as six new species in Arthrobotrys based on evidence from morphological and multigene (ITS, TEF, and RPB2) phylogenetic analyses. These new species i.e., Arthrobotrys eryuanensis, A. jinpingensis, A. lanpingensis, A. luquanensis, A. shuifuensis, and A. zhaoyangensis are named in recognition of their places of origin. Morphological descriptions, illustrations, taxonomic notes, and a multilocus phylogenetic analysis are provided for all new taxa. In addition, a key to known species in Arthrobotrys is provided, and the inadequacies in the taxonomic study of nematode-trapping fungi are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An automated burned area extraction routine that attempts to overcome the particular difficulties of remote sensing applications in complex landscapes is presented and tested in the mountainous region of northwest Yunnan, China. In particular, the lack of burned samples to use for training and testing, the rugged relief, the small size of fires and the constant presence of clouds during the rainy season heavily affecting the number of usable scenes within a year are addressed. The algorithm flows through five phases: creation of standardised difference vegetation indices time series; automatic extraction of multiclass training areas using adaptive z -score thresholds; Random Forests classification; Seeded Region Growing; and spatiotemporal clustering to form polygons representing fire events. A final database spanning the period 1987–2018 was created. Accuracy assessment of location and number of fire polygons using a stratified random sampling design showed satisfactory results with reduced omission and commission errors compared with global fire products in the same region (20 and 22% respectively). Mapping accuracy of single burned areas showed higher omission (27%) but reduced commission (13%) errors. This methodology takes a step forward towards the inclusion of regions characterised by small fires that are often poorly represented in impact assessments at the global scale. A processing routine to extract burned polygons from yearly satellite images is presented. These methods are specifically designed for regions where prior information on fire locations is missing and automatic change detection operations are limited by technical difficulties. Error margins are smaller than 20% for both over- and underestimations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farmland birds are of conservation concerns around the world. In China, conservation management has focused primarily on natural habitats, whereas little attention has been given to agricultural landscapes. Although agricultural land use is intensive in China, environmental heterogeneity can be highly variable in some regions due to variations in crop and noncrop elements within a landscape. We examined how noncrop heterogeneity, crop heterogeneity, and noncrop features (noncrop vegetation and water body such as open water) influenced species richness and abundance of all birds as well as three functional groups (woodland species, agricultural land species, and agricultural wetland species) in the paddy‐dominated landscapes of Erhai water basin situated in northwest Yunnan, China. Birds, crop, and noncrop vegetation surveys in twenty 1 km × 1 km landscape plots were conducted during the winter season (from 2014 to 2015). The results revealed that bird community compositions were best explained by amounts of noncrop vegetation and compositional heterogeneity of noncrop habitat (Shannon–Wiener index). Both variables also had a positive effect on richness and abundance of woodland species. Richness of agricultural wetland species increased with increasing areas of water bodies within the landscape plot. Richness of total species was also greater in the landscapes characterized by larger areas of water bodies, high proportion of noncrop vegetation, high compositional heterogeneity of noncrop habitat, or small field patches (high crop configurational heterogeneity). Crop compositional heterogeneity did not show significant effects neither on the whole community (all birds) nor on any of the three functional groups considered. These findings suggest that total bird diversity and some functional groups, especially woodland species, would benefit from increases in the proportion of noncrop features such as woody vegetation and water bodies as well as compositional heterogeneity of noncrop features within landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water quality, size, connectivity and other physical properties of hydrological systems might have different functions in the formation and maintenance of biodiversity, but this remains mostly unclear due to the lack of undisturbed sites for experimental modelling. Alpine freshwater habitats such as micro-waterbodies (MWB) represent a kind of natural system suitable for biodiversity research. In order to assess potential linkages between environmental factors, connectivity of MWBs and aquatic species richness, we conducted a pilot study in two separated MWB systems located in Gaoligong Mountain, northwest Yunnan province, China. A total of 27 MWBs have been analyzed, including 22 connected and 5 isolated bodies. 13 conventional environmental factors were tested while all kinds of aquatic macro-organisms were collected and classified. Results showed a high environmental heterogeneity among MWBs and significant differences between the two systems but only a few environmental variables such as the depth of soil bottom, total Nitrogen and altitude were related to species richness and the formation of the community structure. As a benefit from the high environmental heterogeneity, the cascaded MWB systems provided divergent habitats able to support species richness at a higher level than the same number of randomly selected MWBs. This finding supports the idea that habitat connectivity matters also in extremely small aquatic ecosystems. Moreover, although still a preliminary result, a polarization effect within connected chains where edge MWBs host higher taxa and endemic taxa richness as well as larger populations, was detectable. This study gives interesting insights on the spatial processes driving community structure and a new prospective for biodiversity conservation. Since alpine MWBs have significant effects on the maintenance of watershed biodiversity, further research on such small and crucial ecosystems is encouraged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Understanding the patterns of species richness across elevational gradients is a key concept for contemporary research in ecology and evolution, and critical to understanding large-scale trends in biodiversity, global change and conservation. However, patterns of elevational species richness between taxonomic groups, regions and latitudes are inconsistent, so that various, sometimes conflicting hypotheses exist. Several scholars have pointed out that research on elevational distribution patterns is often biased by the sampling design employed. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed species richness of Nematode-Trapping Fungi (NTF) across an elevation gradient at two mountainous sites in western Yunnan Province, P.R. China. We tested for potential differences in the results when using different sampling designs. Results: A total of 3 genera, 17 species, 222 strains of NTF were isolated and identified from Gaoligongshan and Cangshan. Species accumulation curves for both sites and sampling modes had acceptable leveling, demonstrating sufficient sampling effort. At Gaoligongshan, the elevation distribution patterns of NTF were different under two sampling patterns. When reducing the analyzed altitude range in Gaoligongshan, the elevation distribution pattern of the NTF changed. A similar elevation distribution pattern was observed in Cangshan when testing the same altitude range. In general, when treating the same dataset using different sampling designs, the resulting distribution patterns of species richness and occurrence frequencies were clearly different. Moreover, after removal of the samples located within lower-altitude zones affected by anthropogenic interferences, the distribution pattern of NTF in the two sites tended to become uniform. Conclusion: The sampling design, and in particular the elevation interval between plots, has a significant effect on the assessment of species distribution in mountainous regions. Other factors such as human activities and the multi-dimensionality of biodiversity also contribute to result biases. It is recommended that sampling design is given careful consideration in future studies on the elevational gradients of species richness, using stratified approaches according to the most relevant factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Huize Zn–Pb–Ag deposit in SW China has an ore reserve in excess of 5 Mt. with an ore grade of ≥25 wt% Zn + Pb and 46–100 g/t Ag. This deposit is hosted in Carboniferous dolostone and limestone. Sulfide mineralization is dominated by sphalerite, galena, and pyrite. Four types of pyrite (Py1 to Py4) are temporally and spatially related to mineralization distinguished on the basis of textural features and mineral associations. Pyrite 1 to 3 corresponds to the pyrite-sphalerite sub-stage, whereas Py4 corresponds to sphalerite-galena-pyrite sub-stage. Pyrite 1 shows zoned texture composed of an inclusion-rich core and an inclusion-free rim, whereas Py2, Py3, and Py4 show replacement relic or overgrowth textures. The zoned texture in Py1 was formed by multiple stages of ore fluids, whereas replacement relic texture in Py2 to Py4 was formed by replacement of pyrite by late Pb-Zn-rich fluids. Trace element variation in pyrite results from a combination of mineral inclusions, co-precipitating minerals, and various fluid compositions. Sphalerite, pyrite, and galena have δ34S values of 10.4–23.5‰, suggesting that sulfur was probably derived from the thermochemical reduction of marine sulfates. The Huize pyrite has Co and Ni concentrations (0.02–9.5 ppm and 0.08–143 ppm, respectively) and Co/Ni ratios (~0.01–2.63) similar to pyrite from sedimentary exhalative deposits, submarine hydrothermal vents, and sedimentary pyrite, which may be due to pyrite precipitation from low-temperature (<~250 °C), basin brines or seawater. The Co/Ni ratios of the Huize pyrite are lower than those (~0.2–7.2) of pyrite from Mississippi Valley-type Zn-Pb deposits. The Huize pyrite has Co and Ni contents lower than those associated with volcanogenic massive sulfide, iron oxide copper gold, and porphyry Cu deposits, arguing against the involvement of a magmatic/volcanic component and a direct genetic link between Permian Emeishan basalts and Pb-Zn mineralization. Combining with fluid inclusion temperatures and silver grade, we define the Huize deposit as a transitional type between Mississippi Valley-type and high-temperature carbonate-replacement Zn-Pb deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Camera traps have revolutionized wildlife resource surveys by enabling the acquisition of comprehensive ecosystem information. Camera traps usually produce massive images. Snapshot datasets captured in nature reserves proximate to human habitation often comprise a significant volume of human activity images containing humans or livestock. Manually identifying and labeling wildlife images from large-scale datasets is a labor-intensive task that necessitates a substantial number of professionals and incurs expensive personnel costs. By harnessing the capabilities of deep learning technology to automatically differentiate between wildlife and human activity images, ecologists can solely focus on manually labeling wildlife images that account for a minor fraction of the dataset. This strategic shift can significantly reduce personnel expenses and enhance work efficiency. Existing research usually treats human activity images as ordinary categories and utilizes species recognition methods to automatically identify and filter them. However, when human activity images overwhelmingly predominate the dataset, established species recognition methods are susceptible to misclassifying a substantial proportion of wildlife images as human activity images. This misclassification can potentially result in ecologists missing opportunities to discover or observe wildlife. To tackle this challenge, we proposed an ensemble learning method based on a conservative strategy and current mainstream deep learning frameworks to automatically identify wildlife and human activity images. We validated our method on a camera trap dataset from Lasha Mountain (LSM) in Yunnan, China. The experimental results demonstrated that our method automatically identified wildlife images from the dataset with accuracy, recall, and precision of 95.75%, 94.07%, and 83.89%, respectively. This led to an approximately 80% reduction in personnel costs. • A conservative ensemble strategy used to identify wildlife images is proposed. • An ensemble learning method based on the conservative strategy is proposed. • The method automatically separates wildlife images from human activity images. • The method saves 80% of the personnel costs with 94.05% of recall. • Convolutional neural networks are still the preferred species recognition method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted community interviews and field surveys to determine the distribution and population of the Endangered Shortridge's capped langur Trachypithecus shortridgei, and the threats to the species, in the Dulong and Nu River valleys of north-western Yunnan Province, China. We found that c. 19 groups of T. shortridgei reside in the Dulong valley, mostly located in the southern portion of the valley. According to interview and observational records in the Gaoligong Mountains to the west of the Nu River, 12 individuals and no groups were observed. Family groups consist of one adult male, 2–3 adult females and up to five young. We estimate the population of T. shortridgei in China to be c. 250–370 individuals. Threats to the species include habitat loss and poaching. We suggest several measures to conserve T. shortridgei, such as a review of the Gaoligong National Nature Reserve management strategy, and increasing engagement, education, inclusion of local people in forest management, and the consistency of enforcement. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The Burmese snub-nosed monkey ( Rhinopithecus strykeri) is one of the most recently discovered primate species, and occurs only along the border of Myanmar and China. Its ecology is largely unknown owing to its harsh and remote habitat. However, study of this new species can contribute to our understanding of how primates adapt to a high-altitude lifestyle. We here describe our preliminary study of a group of R. strykeri, using a mix of direct observation and camera traps, at Pianma, Yunnan, China. From May 2013 to May 2014, we conducted direct observation and deployed 30 camera traps to examine the social characteristics of R. strykeri, estimate group home range via the modified minimum convex polygon method, and estimate the vertical range used. We achieved direct observation on 8 days and obtained 222 camera trap images triggered by the passing of R. strykeri. The cameras captured five one-male, multifemale units and one all-male unit. We observed fusion of units without aggression during both direct observation and camera trapping, suggesting that R. strykeri lives in a multilevel society, similarly to the other members of the genus. The ratio of adults to immatures was high relative to stable populations of Rhinopithecus, suggesting the population is in decline. We estimated the group's home range to be 22.9 km and found that R. strykeri occurred at 2400-3300 m. Our work shows that camera traps can be used effectively to survey rare primates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peripheral populations are valuable for conservation because of their potential genetic distinctiveness and ecological differentiation, but they tend to be smaller and more easily isolated than central populations. The Indochinese gray langurs living in the Wuliang Mountains of southwestern China, which form the northernmost peripheral population of the species, have ecological and behavioral features distinct from those of other such populations. We conducted semistructured interviews and field surveys on the population census and distribution of Indochinese gray langurs in Jingdong County from July 2013 to November 2013. These interviews provided the first large-scale data about the distribution and habitat use of these langurs; however, the group sizes estimated from interview reports were smaller than those obtained from direct counts. We estimate that 43 groups comprising ca. 1960 individual Indochinese gray langurs reside in evergreen broadleaf forests at an altitudinal distribution of 1700-2900 m in Jingdong. Of the 43 langur groups, 21 groups were observed outside the nature reserve or had estimated home ranges that straddle the boundary of the reserve. Because of the intensive conservation efforts to protect sympatric Nomascus concolor, hunting pressure on Indochinese gray langurs is minimal. However, the langur home ranges outside the nature reserve are not protected and remain threatened by deforestation for plantations (walnut, tea, etc.) and forest degradation caused by livestock grazing. More conservation attention than currently applied is needed to conserve langur groups living outside the reserve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Forest mapping over mountainous terrains is difficult because of high relief. Although digital elevation models (DEMs) are often useful to improve mapping accuracy, high quality DEMs are seldom available over large areas, especially in developing countries. In this study, a hierarchical approach coupled with topographic information derived from coarse DEM was developed to improve the efficiency and accuracy of forest mapping over mountainous areas. The overall idea of increasing mapping accuracy over large mountainous areas is to reduce spectral variety over areas to be mapped. The approach consists of three major steps. The first step is to partition a large mountainous area into several small mapping zones. Forest mapping is then conducted in each zone independently. At the second step, forest areas are separated from non-forest areas through a semi-automatic binary classification procedure. At the third step, forested areas are then further classified into detailed forest types by coupling Landsat ETM+ imagery and two topographic variables derived from a coarse DEM (extracted from 1:250,000 digital elevation contour layer, which are readily available). This hierarchical approach was illustrated and evaluated through a case study in Northwest Yunnan, China, a very rugged terrain in the world. Forests and non-forests were separated accurately and efficiently (the overall accuracy is 0.97 and Khat value is 0.94 of whole area). It was found that the inclusion of the coarse topographic data improved the mapping accuracy significantly (overall accuracy from 0.74 to 0.84, from 0.76 to 0.89, from 0.78 to 0.84 in three test areas, respectively), and that the difference in accuracy between the use of coarse DEM data and the use of fine DEM data for the study area is not significant (overall accuracy from 0.84 to 0.86). The results indicate that the hierarchical approach, coupled with coarse DEM information, is effective in increasing the accuracy of forest mapping over very rugged terrains when high quality digital elevation models are not available. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Simple Summary: Mayflies are among the most susceptible insect groups in mountain freshwater bodies, where they are facing different environmental threats, resulting in loss of species assemblage and diversity. In this study, we described the structure of the community of mayflies in three different streams in the dry-hot valley of Baima Snow Mountain, China, and assessed the potential effect of environmental variation over this specific group of insects. The results showed clear shifts in the community structure of mayflies between the streams. From the study area, 18 taxa were identified, with Baetis sp. and Baetiella marginata being the most prevalent. Overall, the Yeri stream hosted suitable habitats for several taxa of mayflies than the other two streams, as demonstrated by the highest species richness and diversity. Moreover, there was high environmental heterogeneity between the streams, in turn influencing the species of mayflies, particularly in the Sharong stream. As expected, the results also showed that some of the environmental factors such as altitude, conductivity, total dissolved solids, water temperature, dissolved silicon, and pH explained most of the variation in species composition. Mountain freshwater ecosystems are threatened all over the world by a range of human-induced stresses, ensuing in a rapid loss of habitats and species diversity. Many macroinvertebrates are reactive to habitat disturbance, and mayflies (Ephemeroptera) are amongst the most sensitive groups. Despite they are susceptible to environmental deviation, knowledge concerning their species richness and diversity is still unknown in remote areas. The objectives of this study were to (1) investigate the mayfly species assemblage and community composition along different mountain streams and assess potential differences, and (2) identify the environmental variation and its influence on the structure of mayfly communities within such freshwater systems. We collected biological and environmental data from 35 sites situated along elevation gradients in the Baima Snow Mountain, northwest Yunnan, China. Multivariate analyses were performed on the environmental variables and the mayfly species composition, as well as on richness and diversity indices. We found that the community composition of mayflies was different across all three watercourses. Among the 18 Ephemeroptera taxa identified, Baetis sp. and Baetiella marginata were highly dominant, accounting for over 50% of the dissimilarity of each stream. In terms of species assemblages, almost all sites in the Yeri stream hosted good-quality habitats for several mayfly species, as reflected by the highest species richness. The Benzilan stream followed, whereas the Sharong stream showed relatively low mayfly assemblage. This variation was explained by the high environmental heterogeneity between the three watercourses. In particular, the RDA model revealed that among the different environmental factors analyzed, altitude, conductivity, total dissolved solids, water temperature, dissolved silicon, and pH explained most of the variation in species composition. Moreover, the altitude alone explained 17.74% of the variation, and in-depth analysis confirmed its significant effect on diversity indices. Further research should focus on evaluating the scale of threats to this important group of insects in the mountain freshwater ecosystem, particularly the impact of human-induced disturbances such as land use/landcover alterations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Few quantitative descriptions of parturition behavior have been reported in wild nonhuman primates because the majority of births occur at night. We have recorded a daytime birth event of a primiparous black-and-white snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti). The partum stage lasted 4min 30s, and the female skillfully severed the umbilical cord, ingested the placenta, and held and licked the newborn infant. During this period, the laboring female received delivery assistance from a multiparous female in same one-male unit (OMU) and female juveniles from same OMU showed great interesting during the partum. Our case study suggested that there might be considerable individual variation in birth-related behaviors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Metal hyperaccumulation is of great interest in recent years because of its potential application for phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soils. In this study, a field survey and a hydroponic experiment were conducted to study the accumulation characteristics of lead (Pb), zinc (Zn) and cadmium (Cd) in Arabis paniculata Franch., which was found in Yunnan Province, China. The field survey showed that the wild population of A. paniculata was hyper-tolerant to extremely high concentrations of Pb, Zn and Cd, and could accumulate in shoots an average level of 2300mgkg−1 dry weight (DW) Pb, 20,800mgkg−1 Zn and 434mgkg−1 Cd, with their translocation factors (TFs) all above one. Under the hydroponic culture, stimulatory effects of Pb, Zn and Cd on shoot dry biomass were noted from 24 to 193μM Pb, 9 to 178μM Cd and all Zn supply levels in nutrient solution, while the effects were not obvious in the roots. Chlorophyll concentrations in Pb, Zn and Cd treatments showed an inverted U-shaped pattern, consistent with the change of plant biomass. Pb, Zn and Cd concentrations in the shoots and roots increased sharply with increasing Pb, Zn and Cd supply levels. They reached>1000mgkg−1 Pb, 10,000mgkg−1 Zn and 100mgkg−1 Cd DW in the 24μM Pb, 1223μM Zn and 9μM Cd treatment, respectively, in which the plants grew healthy and did not show any symptoms of phytotoxicity. The TFs of Zn were basically higher than one and the amount of Zn taken by shoots ranged from 78.7 to 90.4% of the total Zn. However, the TFs of Pb and Cd were well below one, and 55.0–67.5% of total Pb and 57.8–83.5% of total Cd was accumulated in the shoots. These results indicate that A. paniculata has a strong ability to tolerate and hyperaccumulate Pb, Zn and Cd. Meanwhile, suitable levels of Pb, Zn and Cd could stimulate the biomass production and chlorophyll... [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Here we provide a detailed description of male birth attendance during a diurnal birth event in nonhuman primate. • The 2nd observed diurnal birth event in Rhinopithecus bieti. • We suggest that infant attraction or 'Aunt behavior' offers the strongest explanation of cases of birth assistance and attendance in nonhuman primates. Birth attendance, or midwifery service, is an important characteristic in human evolution, and has been argued to separate our lineage from other taxa in the animal kingdom. Recent studies, however, indicate that similar or analogous behaviors also may occur in a small number of nonhuman primate species. Here, we report the first case of both male and female attendance and female birth assistance in a wild species of nonhuman primate, the black-and-white snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti). At our field site in Yunnan, China we observed a diurnal birth event in which the leader male of a one-male unit (OMU) remained in close- proximity (0–2 m) to the parturient, groomed her, and remained vigilant over a five hour pre- and postpartum period. In addition, a multiparous female member of the OMU also remained in close proximity to the soon-to-be mother, helped to pull the neonate from the birth canal, took the neonate from the new mother within 15 s of the birth, held the infant for 20 min, and then severed the umbilical cord. For the next several days the leader male traveled in close-proximity to the new mother and four days after the birth event, we observed him to share food with her. Given that diurnal births are extremely rare in this primate species; it remains unclear the degree to which the events we observed commonly occur during nighttime births. We argue that adult male and female black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys are highly attracted to young infants, and birth attendance and birth assistance in this, and certain other primate species, may play a critical role in maternal and infant survivorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A framework for integrating multi-source wildlife data for habitat mapping. • A case study of Rhinopithecus bieti habitat mapping was conducted in Yunnan, China. • Sightings from volunteer villagers and official patrol records were integrated. • Data integration improved habitat mapping accuracy. • The integration framework can support biodiversity monitoring and conservation. Wildlife habitat mapping is a widely used tool for supporting decision making in conservation. It requires data indicating wildlife habitat use to model and map habitat suitability. Collecting wildlife data, however, requires much effort, especially for species in remote mountainous regions of limited accessibility. Such circumstances often necessitate the integration of limited amounts of data available from multiple sources for habitat mapping. To that end, this study presents a framework for integrating multi-source wildlife data for habitat mapping. For evaluating the integration framework, a case study of mapping habitat suitability of the black-and-white snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti) by integrating sightings elicited from local volunteer villagers and obtained from official patrol records was conducted in Yunnan, China. The integration was explored at three levels: data-, knowledge- and model-level following disparate principles. The predicted habitat suitability maps were validated against monkey occurrence data independently collected though field-tracking. Results show the suitability maps predicted based on data integration were more accurate compared to maps predicted based on individual data sources. Data- and model-level integration achieved higher accuracy compared to knowledge-level integration. Further, data- and model-level integration following a conservative principle, i.e., the 'minimum' operator, led to higher mapping accuracy. The integration framework is generally applicable for integrating data from multiple sources for habitat mapping. It is also easy to implement and thus can be conveniently adopted by practitioners. Habitat suitability maps generated based on integrated data from multiple sources could better supporting decision making in biodiversity monitoring and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]