Data for habitat use of the white-headed langurs

Understanding how primate species cope with habitat-specific environmental factors can assist in conservation management. We studied the habitat use of four groups (two larger groups and two small groups) of white-headed langurs (<i>Trachypithecus leucocephalus</i>) living in the forest of southwest Guangxi, China between September 2016 and February 2017. Our results showed that the langurs primarily used hillsides (55.91% ± 6.47%), followed by cliffs (29.70% ± 5.48%), hilltops (7.26% ± 3.55%), flat zones (6.99% ± 6.58%), and farmland (0.14% ± 0.28%). During moving, the langurs moved most frequently in hillsides (49.35% ± 6.97%) and cliffs (35.60% ± 9.17%). The hillsides were more frequently used (66.94% ± 7.86%) during feeding. When resting, the langurs occurred more frequently in hillsides (49.75% ± 8.16%) and cliffs (38.93% ± 8.02%). Their use of habitat reflected the balancing of foraging needs, thermoregulation, and predator avoidance across group sizes and seasonal variation. When feeding, they increased the use of hilltops during the rainy season, and the cliffs were more frequently used during the dry season. The larger langur group used cliffs more frequently when moving and resting. The small langur group used hillsides more frequently while resting. While feeding, the langurs in both the large and small groups used the flat zones less frequently. Our findings underline the importance of these ecological factors on habitat use for white-headed langurs and the need to understand how ecological seasonality and group sizes impact their behaviors in the limestone forest.

探究灵长类物种如何适应特定生境的环境因子，可为物种保护管理提供科学支撑。本研究于2016年9月至2017年2月期间，对中国广西西南部石灰岩林区栖息的4群白头叶猴（Trachypithecus leucocephalus）开展生境利用研究，其中包含2个大种群与2个小种群。研究结果显示，白头叶猴的主要活动生境为山坡（55.91%±6.47%），其次为悬崖（29.70%±5.48%）、山顶（7.26%±3.55%）、平地（6.99%±6.58%）与农田（0.14%±0.28%）。移动过程中，白头叶猴最常使用的生境为山坡（49.35%±6.97%）与悬崖（35.60%±9.17%）。取食阶段，白头叶猴对山坡的使用频率最高（66.94%±7.86%）。休息时段，白头叶猴更多选择山坡（49.75%±8.16%）与悬崖（38.93%±8.02%）作为休憩生境。其生境利用策略反映了不同种群规模与季节变化下，对觅食需求、体温调节与天敌规避的平衡考量。取食期间，雨季时白头叶猴会增加对山顶生境的使用，而旱季则更频繁地利用悬崖生境。大种群在移动与休息阶段，对悬崖生境的使用频率更高；小种群在休息阶段则更常使用山坡生境。取食过程中，大、小种群均较少使用平地生境。本研究结果凸显了上述生态因子对白头叶猴生境利用的重要性，同时也指明需进一步明确生态季节性与种群规模如何影响喀斯特石灰岩林区内白头叶猴的行为模式。