Archived Abstracts
Food eaten by the Sichuan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) in Shennongjia National Nature Reserve, China, in relation to nutritional chemistry
Authors: Xuecong Liu, Craig B. Stanford, Jingyuan Yang, Hui Yao, Yiming Li
The Sichuan snub-nosed monkey (Rhinopithecus roxellana) is considered one of the national animal icons of China due to its distinct golden coat and endangered status. This species is only found in temperate forests at the elevations of 1,000-4,100 m in the mountainous areas on the eastern edge of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Its diet is characterized by lichen, an uncommon food source for nonhuman primates, supplemented by seasonal plant foods. We studied the nutritional basis of food choice in a group of R. roxellana in Shennongjia, Hubei Province, China. Results showed that lichens were an important food source for monkeys living in habitats with limited and seasonally available plant foods. They contained higher concentrations of water soluble carbohydrates than did foliage, with fat concentrations equivalent to those found in plant parts (except fruits/seeds). Meanwhile, fiber concentration, a negative index of food quality, was lower in lichens than in many plant parts, including mature leaves, flowers, and fruits. Although lichens were lower in protein than leaves (except fruits), the monkeys could likely meet their protein requirement from seasonal plant foods rich in protein, including foliage, flowers, buds, and seeds. We also found that fruits were a good source of water soluble carbohydrates and fats, and seeds were a good source of fat. The monkeys appeared to select mature leaves higher in water soluble carbohydrates and lower in fiber. Condensed tannin and total phenolic contents that may reduce digestibility or be toxic to herbivores did not show negative effects on the selection of mature leaves or lichens by the monkeys.
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