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Li WB, Yang PP, Xia DP, Huffman MA, Li M, Li JH. Ecotourism Disturbance on an Endemic Endangered Primate in the Huangshan Man and the Biosphere Reserve of China: A Way to Move Forward. BIOLOGY 2022; 11:biology11071042. [PMID: 36101421 PMCID: PMC9312286 DOI: 10.3390/biology11071042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary How to realize the sustainability of economic development and animal protection is a significant problem faced by Man and the Biosphere reserves. Although there are many theoretical frameworks, there is still a lack of supportive ecological evidence. This study analyzed aspects of the local human population, economic growth, number of tourists, and ticket income data of Huangshan Man and Biosphere Reserve (HMBR) as well as population and distribution changes in the flagship species (Tibetan macaque) in HMBR over a 30 year period. We found that after 30 years of implementing a sustainable development strategy in HMBR, the local economy and the population of Tibetan macaques have increased simultaneously. With economic growth, more funds for protection have been invested, improving the local environment significantly and expanding the existing distribution of the Tibetan macaque population. This study provides strong evidence for the sustainable development of Man and Biosphere reserves. We propose that economic and wildlife population growth and distribution area measures constitute a critical standard for the evaluation of sustainable development. Abstract The primary purpose of the Man and the Biosphere Program is the sustainable development of both the economy and nature conservation activities. Although the effectiveness of eco-tourism to reach this goal has been proposed, due to the lack of long-term monitoring data and a model species, there has been no obvious mechanism to evaluate the effectiveness of this policy. This study explored the effectiveness of the sustainable development policy of HMBR based on 30 years data of monitoring the Tibetan macaque, local human population, visitors, and annual ecotourism income in Huangshan by estimating species habitat suitability and the impact of ecotourism. The results showed increases in the income for the local human population, the number of visitors, and annual eco-tourism. Simultaneously, the reserve’s Tibetan macaque population size and suitable habitat areas increased. The macaques expanded their habitat to the low-altitude buffer zone (400–800 m), an area with lower eco-tourism disturbance. Scenic spots had a significant negative impact on habitat suitability (the substantially increased contributions of scenic spots from 0.71% to 32.88%). Our results and methods provide a suitable evaluation framework for monitoring the sustainable development and effectiveness of eco-tourism and wildlife conservation in Man and the Biosphere reserves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Bo Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China;
- International Collaborative Research Center for Huangshan Biodiversity and Tibetan Macaque Behavioral Ecology, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, No. 111, Jiulong Road, Hefei 230601, China;
| | - Pei-Pei Yang
- International Collaborative Research Center for Huangshan Biodiversity and Tibetan Macaque Behavioral Ecology, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, No. 111, Jiulong Road, Hefei 230601, China;
| | - Dong-Po Xia
- International Collaborative Research Center for Huangshan Biodiversity and Tibetan Macaque Behavioral Ecology, School of Life Sciences, Anhui University, No. 111, Jiulong Road, Hefei 230601, China;
| | - Michael A. Huffman
- Wildlife Research Center, Inuyama Campus, Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan;
| | - Ming Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China;
- Correspondence: (M.L.); (J.-H.L.)
| | - Jin-Hua Li
- International Collaborative Research Center for Huangshan Biodiversity and Tibetan Macaque Behavioral Ecology, School of Resources and Environmental Engineering, Anhui University, No. 111, Jiulong Road, Hefei 230601, China;
- School of Life Sciences, Hefei Normal University, No. 1688, Lianhua Road, Hefei 230601, China
- Correspondence: (M.L.); (J.-H.L.)
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Priority areas for conservation of primates in a threatened Amazonian savanna. J Nat Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jnc.2021.126109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Povill C, de Assis Passos Oliveira M, de Melo FR, Bonvicino CR. Phylogenetic relationships, population demography, and species delimitation of the Alouatta belzebul species complex (Atelidae: Alouattinae). Primates 2021; 63:65-78. [PMID: 34716855 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-021-00959-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Howler monkeys (genus Alouatta) exhibit the most extensive distribution among platyrrhines, comprising Mesoamerican and South American species groups, with the South American group including the Brazilian endemic A. belzebul species complex encompassing A. belzebul, A. discolor, and A. ululata. We herein analyzed their phylogenetic relationship, nucleotide and haplotype diversity, and population demography based on the mitochondrial gene cytochrome b. The phylogenetic and median-joining network analyses distinguished A. discolor, distributed in the west bank of the Xingu River, from A. belzebul on the east bank. This river is a zoogeographic barrier for these species. We did not find evidence of phylogenetic structure between the A. belzebul populations of opposite banks of the Tocantins River, likely related to the changes in the position of this river to the northeast in the late Pleistocene. The A. belzebul along this river showed great morphologic and haplotype diversity, and A. belzebul from the Amazon have kept a larger population size than A. discolor. We herein describe the karyotype of A. discolor, which was similar to those described for A. ululata and A. belzebul. Our results showed two well-defined and supported clades for A. discolor and A. belzebul. However, a new assessment of A. ululata across a large distribution of sampling is required due to the lack of a clear phylogenetic structure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cintia Povill
- Department of Genetics, Institute of Biology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | | | - Cibele Rodrigues Bonvicino
- Genetics Program, National Cancer Institute, Rua André Cavalcanti, 37, 4°. Andar, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 20231-050, Brazil.
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