TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of habitat fragmentation and human disturbance on the population dynamics of the Yunnan snub-nosed monkey from 1994 to 2016
AU - Zhao, Xumao
AU - Ren, Baoping
AU - Li, Dayong
AU - Xiang, Zuofu
AU - Garber, Paul A.
AU - Li, Ming
N1 - Funding Information:
The following grant information was disclosed by the authors: Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences: XDA19050202. National Key R & D Program of China: 2016YFC0503200. National Natural Science Foundation of China: 31821001. State Forestry Administration of China.
Funding Information:
This project was supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDA19050202), the National Key R & D Program of China (2016YFC0503200), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31821001) and the State Forestry Administration of China. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright 2019 Zhao et al.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - In this study, we integrate data from field investigations, spatial analysis, genetic analysis, and Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) to evaluate the effects of habitat fragmentation on the population dynamics, genetic diversity, and range shifts in the endangered Yunnan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti). The results indicate that from 1994 to 2016, R. bieti population size increased from less than 2,000 to approximately 3,000 individuals. A primary factor promoting population recovery was the establishment of protected nature reserves. We also found that subpopulation growth rates were uneven, with the groups in some areas, and the formation of new groups. Both the fragmentation index, defined as the ratio of the number of forest patches to the total area of forest patches (e.g., increased fragmentation), and increasing human population size had a negative effect on population growth in R. bieti. We recommend that government conservation plans prioritize the protection of particular R. bieti populations, such as the Baimei and Jisichang populations, which have uncommon haplotypes. In addition, effective conservation strategies need to include an expansion of migration corridors to enable individuals from larger populations such as Guyoulong (Guilong) to serve as a source population to increase the genetic diversity of smaller R. bieti subpopulations. We argue that policies designed to protect endangered primates should not focus solely on total population size but also need to determine the amount of genetic diversity present across different subpopulations and use this information as a measure of the effectiveness of current conservation policies and the basis for new conservation policies.
AB - In this study, we integrate data from field investigations, spatial analysis, genetic analysis, and Generalized Linear Models (GLMs) to evaluate the effects of habitat fragmentation on the population dynamics, genetic diversity, and range shifts in the endangered Yunnan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus bieti). The results indicate that from 1994 to 2016, R. bieti population size increased from less than 2,000 to approximately 3,000 individuals. A primary factor promoting population recovery was the establishment of protected nature reserves. We also found that subpopulation growth rates were uneven, with the groups in some areas, and the formation of new groups. Both the fragmentation index, defined as the ratio of the number of forest patches to the total area of forest patches (e.g., increased fragmentation), and increasing human population size had a negative effect on population growth in R. bieti. We recommend that government conservation plans prioritize the protection of particular R. bieti populations, such as the Baimei and Jisichang populations, which have uncommon haplotypes. In addition, effective conservation strategies need to include an expansion of migration corridors to enable individuals from larger populations such as Guyoulong (Guilong) to serve as a source population to increase the genetic diversity of smaller R. bieti subpopulations. We argue that policies designed to protect endangered primates should not focus solely on total population size but also need to determine the amount of genetic diversity present across different subpopulations and use this information as a measure of the effectiveness of current conservation policies and the basis for new conservation policies.
KW - Conservation policies
KW - Genetic diversity
KW - Habitat fragmentation
KW - Human disturbance
KW - Human population density
KW - Land use
KW - Population size
KW - Range shift
KW - Rhinopithecus bieti
KW - Spatial analyst
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U2 - 10.7717/peerj.6633
DO - 10.7717/peerj.6633
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85063576396
SN - 2167-8359
VL - 2019
JO - PeerJ
JF - PeerJ
IS - 3
M1 - e6633
ER -