Time budgets and foraging in a Malagasy primate: do sex differences reflect reproductive condition and female dominance?
Time budgets and foraging in a Malagasy primate: do sex differences reflect reproductive condition and female dominance?
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DOI：
10.1007/s002650050566
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发表时间：
1999-03-01
影响因子：
2.3
通讯作者：
Hemingway, CA
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Hemingway, CA
雌性哺乳动物通常采用调节活动水平和觅食行为的行为策略来对抗繁殖的能量负担；这些行为变化反映为两性之间的差异。马达加斯加灵长类动物的传统观点认为，高额的生殖成本选择了雌性的优势，这保证了精力紧张的雌性优先获得资源。我使用马达加斯加东南部的两组Milne-Edwards‘s sifaka(Propithecus Diadema Edwardsi)测试了有关生殖影响的预测，时间预算和觅食行为的性别差异。与雄性相比，雌性在孕期或哺乳期既不增加进食时间，也不增加休息时间。在所考察的所有觅食时间变量(时间、持续时间、采食率)中，性别差异基本不存在。相比之下，在某些月份，性别之间的饮食构成存在差异。必须通过营养分析进一步阐明雌性选择特定食物项目以增加营养和能量摄入量以满足生殖期间增加的需求的可能性。在两个研究组中的一组中，植物部分选择的性别差异与哺乳时间一致。因此，白纹伊蚊摄食模式的性别差异的时机只部分支持了性别差异在雌性能量需求最大的时期最为显著的预测。一项比较审查表明，在马达加斯加灵长类动物中，雌性优势与觅食的性别差异之间没有紧密的联系。传统的女性支配理论无法解释观察到的模式。我的研究结果，加上最近的证据表明，涉及能量节约和储存的非行为策略需要进一步关注，作为雌性狐猴应对繁殖成本的机制。
Female mammals commonly employ behavioral tactics of modulating activity levels and foraging behavior to counter the energetic burden of reproduction; these behavioral changes are reflected as intersexual differences. Traditional views of Malagasy primates posit that high reproductive costs select for female dominance which guarantees to energetically stressed females priority of resource access. I tested predictions regarding reproductive influences on sex differences in time budgets and foraging behavior using two groups of Milne-Edwards' sifaka (Propithecus diadema edwardsi) in southeastern Madagascar. Compared to males, females increased neither feeding nor resting time during gestation or lactation. Sex differences were essentially absent in all foraging time variables examined (time, duration, rate). In contrast, dietary composition diverged between the sexes in some months. The possibility that females selected particular food items to boost nutrient and energetic intake to meet increased requirements during reproduction must be further clarified with nutritional analyses. Sex differences in plant part choices coincided with lactation in one of the two study groups. Thus, the timing of sex differences in feeding patterns of P. d. edwardsi only partially supports the prediction that sex differences are most pronounced during the period of greatest female energetic demand. A comparative review indicated no tight association between female dominance and sex differences in foraging among Malagasy primates. Traditional female dominance theory falls short of explaining the observed patterns. The results of my study coupled with recent evidence suggest that nonbehavioral tactics involving energy conservation and storage require further attention as mechanisms by which female lemurs cope with reproductive costs.