Daily Activity Rhythms of Five Species of Sympatric Pheasants in Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve

【Objective】 The activity rhythm of wildlife is to adapt to the changing environmental conditions, reflecting its ecological selection in the time dimension and the timely utilization of resources. Species with similar affinities and sympatric distribution will adjust their activity time, as a survival strategy, to reduce the interspecific competition. Research on their activity rhythms can help to reveal the mechanism of species coexistence, and is of great significance to strengthen the conservation and management of wild animals. This study aims to deeply understand the daily activity rhythms of multiple pheasants in Fanjingshan National Nature Reserve, and explore their time allocation mode and coexistence mechanism of the sympatric pheasants. 【 Method】 We monitored five sympatric pheasant species with 61 infrared camera traps in Fanjingshan from April 2017 to December 2020, and analyzed the daily activity rhythms of the five species of pheasants. 【 Result】 1) The five monitored pheasant species (Syrmaticus ellioti, Tragopan temminckii, Chrysolophus pictus, Bambusicola thoracica, Pucrasia macrolopha) were all diurnal with two activity peaks at morning and dusk, respectively. 2) Only the daily activity rhythm of Tragopan temminckii was significantly different from that of other pheasants. 3) The daily activity rhythm of both Chrysolophus pictus and Pucrasia macrolopha was affected by altitude variation. 4) There was significant seasonal difference in daily activity rhythm of P. Macrolopha in the seasonal change from breeding period to non-breeding period. 5) For those pheasants with distinct sexual dimorphism, the overlapping degree of daily activities of male and female individuals in the reproductive period was higher than that in non reproductive period. Their daily activity rhythms and time allocation were more similar in breeding period. 【 Conclusion】 Through the study on the daily activity rhythm of five species of syndromic pheasants in Fanjing Mountain National Nature Reserve, it is found that the characteristics and difference of the daily activity rhythms of the five sympatric pheasant species are the result of interaction of the environmental factors and the interspecific competition, and are also affected by the breeding time and reproductive strategy. © 2022 Chinese Society of Forestry. All rights reserved.