Doctoral Dissertation Improvement: Testing Theories of Kin and Nonkin Social Bonds in Understanding SocialIinteractions in a Multi-level Society of Sichuan Snub-Nosed Monkey

本课题研究了中国地区一种高度濒危的亚洲孔雀(Rhinopithecus Roxellana)的社会互动和亲缘关系网络模式。本研究的最终目的是通过研究罗氏沼虾罕见的社会结构，探索灵长类社会性的进化，以及亲缘和非亲缘关系与合作在非人类和人类灵长类动物社会网络形成中的作用。据报道，罗氏沼虾呈现出一个由100多个成员组成的多层次社会系统，其中个体形成一个雄性单位(OMU，包括一个成年雄性、几个成年雌性及其后代)、所有雄性单位和带(几个OMU一起旅行、觅食和休息)。多层次社会在灵长类动物中很少见，而且只在另外两个物种中被报道过(美洲狮(Theropithecus Glada)和哈马德里亚狒狒(Papio Hamadryas))。然而，关于促进和维持多层次社会系统成员之间的稳定和宽容的一组社会和生态因素，以及居住在同一OMU和波段的个人之间的关联程度，人们知之甚少。在这个项目中，将进行为期13个月的野外研究，研究对象是一群习化的罗氏沼虾的成虫。粪便样本将从成年乐队成员中收集并提取DNA。两个遗传标记，线粒体DNA(MtDNA)和微卫星DNA，将被用来估计带成员之间的亲缘关系。结合基因数据对附属行为、竞争行为和合作行为的数据进行梳理，将有助于检验亲属选择、互惠、生物市场和副产品互惠的理论，以解释刺梨群落个体之间的社会互动。这项研究的结果将有助于确定形成大型、协调和高度灵活的社会单位对个人的社会和生态成本和收益。此外，还将获得大约50只四川金丝猴的遗传多样性数据。这个物种处于高度濒危状态。关于该物种的社会行为和遗传结构的详细数据将提供关于它们的居住模式、迁移率和扩散距离的信息。这些信息对于罗氏刺参自然保护区的设计和管理至关重要。

This project investigates patterns of social interactions and kinship networks of a highly endangered Asian colobine (Rhinopithecus roxellana) in China. Ultimate goals of this study are to explore the evolution of primate sociality, as well as the role of kin and non-kin affiliation and cooperation in the formation of social networks in nonhuman and human primates by studying the uncommon social structures exhibited by R. roxellana. R. roxellana is reported to exhibit a multilevel social system composed of over 100 members in which individuals form one-male-units (OMUs, which include one adult male, several adult females and their offspring), all male units, and bands (several OMUs that travel, feed and rest together). Multi-level societies are rare in primates, and have only been reported in two other species (geladas (Theropithecus gelada), and hamadryas baboons (Papio hamadryas)). Little is known, however, concerning the set of social and ecological factors that promote and maintain stability and tolerance among members of a multi-level social system, and the degree to which individuals residing in the same OMU and band are related. In this project, a 13-month field study of adult individuals of a habituated band of R. roxellana will be conducted. Fecal samples will be collected from adult band members and extract DNA. Two genetic markers, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and microsatellite DNA, to estimate relatedness among band members will be employed. Combed data on affiliative, agonistic, and cooperative behavior with genotype data, will serve to test theories of kin selection, reciprocity, biological markets, and byproduct mutualism in explaining social interactions among individuals of R. roxellana societies. The results of this study will help to identify the social and ecological costs and benefits to individuals of forming large, coordinated, and highly flexible social units. In addition, data on the genetic diversity in approximately 50 Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys will be obtained. This species is highly endangered. Detailed data on social behavior and genetic structure of this species will yield information on their residence patterns, immigration rates, and dispersal distance. Such information is critical for the design and management of natural reserves for R. roxellana.