รุ้งนภา พูลจำปา. Density Estimation, Habitat Use, and Ranging Patterns of Pileated Gibbons (Hylobates pileatus) in Lowland Evergreen Forest, Thailand. ปริญญาเอก(นิเวศวิทยาเชิงอนุรักษ์). King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi. KMUTT Library. : King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, 2010.
Density Estimation, Habitat Use, and Ranging Patterns of Pileated Gibbons (Hylobates pileatus) in Lowland Evergreen Forest, Thailand
Abstract:
Gibbons (Family Hylobatidae) are particularly threatened, with a staggering 100%
of their species threatened with extinction. They are arboreal and frugivorous s rendering
them particularly vulnerable to habitat degradation and fragmentation. Based on their
ecology and behavior, the gibbons represent an ideal family for understanding how forest
characteristics and habitat disturbance affect the abundance of primates as well as how
they might respond to habitat recovery. In addition, they are an excellent model for
study ranging patterns and several aspects of sleeping tree selection.
Here I carried out the pileated gibbon (Hylobates pileatus) study at the Khao
Ang Rue Nai Wildlife Sanctuary (KARN) in southeastern Thailand where one of the
largest remaining populations of this endangered species is found. The study was
divided into three parts;
First, I determined how forest characteristics and habitat disturbance correlate
with the abundance of pileated gibbons. I assessed gibbon density using a new
technique, an auditory method combined with distance sampling. This technique can
perfonn efficiently and repeatedly in the future provided that (l) distances can be
estimated accurately and in areas with steeper topographic relief, (2) techniques can be
developed to assess how calls are likely to travel over different topographic features.
Average gibbon density per site was 1.02 ? 0.16 (SE) groups/knl (range 0-2.74).
Multiple regression analysis suggested evergreen forest cover (p = 0.027) and distance
to boundary (p = 0.098) were the most influential factors. These results suggest a direct
dependence of gibbon densities on mature, undisturbed evergreen forest. While gibbons
can persist in disturbed areas if not pushed to extinction and if the forest is protected, it
appears that recovery to previous densities may take decades. This is likely due to the
slow pace of forest regeneration and/or poor recovery potential of gibbons.
Second, I test how food availability and resource dispersion affect home range
size and daily path length. The results show that home range size depends on food
availability while daily path length relies on resource distribution. The larger than
expected home range size recorded in this study might be explained by the past selective
logging resulting in lower quality forest and, consequently in lower population density.
Our results suggest that as a consequence of low gibbon density, territorial defense is
not a major factor affecting movement patterns.
Third, I investigated sleeping tree selection of pileated gibbons. The gibbons
preferentially selected tall (mean=38.5 m), emergent trees without lianas. The majority
of the sleeping trees (53.5%) were used only once and rarely re-used on consecutive
nights (9.5%). Sleeping trees were closer to the last feeding tree of the evening than to
the first feeding tree of the morning. Sleeping trees were mainly located in the center of
the home range and were less often found in the overlap area with neighbors than
expected based on time spent in these areas. These results suggest avoidance of
predators as the main factor influencing sleeping tree selection in pileated gibbons.
However, other factors such as the location of food trees and avoidance of neighboring
groups and between-group interactions may playa role as well.