Spatiotemporal dynamics of the social structure of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins(Sousa chinensis)in Xiamen waters from 2007 to 2019  

作　　者：Yi Lu Xin-Rong Xu Bing-Yao Chen Thomas A Jefferson Holly Fearnbach Guang Yang 

机构地区：[1]Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Biodiversity and Biotechnology,College of Life Sciences,Nanjing Normal University,Nanjing,Jiangsu 210023,China [2]Clymene Enterprises,Lakeside,California 92040,USA [3]Marine Mammal Research,SR3,SeaLife Response,Rehabilitation and Research,WA 98275,USA [4]Southern Marine Science and Engineering Guangdong Laboratory(Guangzhou),No.1119,Haibin Road,Nansha District,Guangzhou,Guangdong 511458,China

出　　处：《Zoological Research》2024年第2期439-450,共12页动物学研究（英文）

基　　金：supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32030011,31630071);National Key Research and Development Program of China (2022YFF1301600);Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions。

摘　　要：As highly social animals,Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins(Sousa chinensis)exhibit community differentiation.Nevertheless,our understanding of the external and internal factors influencing these dynamics,as well as their spatiotemporal variations,is still limited.In the present study,variations in the social structure of an endangered Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin population in Xiamen Bay,China,were monitored over two distinct periods(2007–2010 and 2017–2019)to analyze the effects of habitat utilization and the composition of individuals within the population.In both periods,the population demonstrated a strikingly similar pattern of social differentiation,characterized by the division of individuals into two main clusters and one small cluster.Spatially,the two primary clusters occupied the eastern and western waters,respectively,although the core distribution area of the eastern cluster shifted further eastward between the two periods.Despite this distribution shift,the temporal stability of the social structure and inter-associations within the eastern cluster remained unaffected.A subset of 16individuals observed in both periods,comprising 51.6%and 43.2%of the population in each respective period,emerged as a foundational element of the social structure and may be responsible for sustaining social structure stability,especially during the 2007–2010 period.These observations suggest that the composition of dominant individuals,an internal factor,had a more substantial influence on the formation of the social network than changes in habitat use,an external factor.Consequently,the study proposes distinct conservation measures tailored to each of the two main clusters.

关 键 词：Social differentiation Social structure Sousa chinensis DYNAMICS CONSERVATION 

分 类 号：Q958[生物学—动物学]