Locomotor activity patterns of takin (Budorcas taxicolor) in a temperate mountain region.

Understanding locomotor activity patterns would reveal key information about an animal's foraging strategy, energy budget and evolutionary adaptation. We studied the locomotor activity patterns of the takin (Budorcas taxicolor) in a temperate mountain region in China using GPS radio-collar technology from 1 July 2014 to 30 June 2015. Our research showed that takin had a bimodal crepuscular locomotor activity pattern, with an especially obvious movement peak at dusk. The takins showed significant seasonal differences in their movement rates, with the lowest movement rate in winter. The animals also showed sexual differences in their movement rates. In spring, the female movement rate was significantly higher than that of males during daytime, while during nighttime the movement rate of males was higher than that of females. The male movement rate was significantly higher than that of females in summer. The movement rate of the takins were correlated to microenvironment temperature and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in each season. These findings suggest that takin could adjust locomotor activity levels adapt to reproductive requirements, temperature variation and forage variability.

Breeding habitat survey of blackthroat (Luscinia obscura) in Foping nature reserve of Qinling Mountains.

We carried out a primary survey by quadrat sampling to quantify breeding habitat characteristics of blackthroat (Luscnia obscura), a poorly documented and vulnerable bird species, in Foping nature reserve on the central southern Qinling Mountains. Tree layer information was collected in 10 m × 10 m plots, bamboo and shrub layer information was collected in 2 m × 2 m plots, and grass and ground layer information was collected in 1 m × 1 m plots. Our observations showed that blackthroat lives in coniferous forest and coniferous broadleaved forest with dense bamboos at the elevation ranging from 2130 m to 2600 m. Shrub cover, density and height, and ground cover in sites with blackthroat were significantly higher than those in random sites, while tree density, grass height and cover in habitat sites were significantly lower than those in random sites. These results suggest that shrub cover, shrub density, and canopy cover may be relevant to breeding habitat selection by these birds. Our study suggests that Qinling Mountains may be an important blackthroat breeding site.