Gursky Sharon, Salibay Cristina, Grow Nanda, Fields Lori
Department of Anthropology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
Folia Primatol (Basel). 2017;88(4):323-332. doi: 10.1159/000479404. Epub 2017 Oct 11.
Over the last 2 decades the Philippine tarsier (Carlito syrichta aka Tarsius syrichta) has had its conservation status revised from Endangered to Data Deficient to Near Threatened. The last status change was based on a study of the species' population density, which suggested that a single natural catastrophe could potentially wipe out the Philippine tarsier. In 2013 typhoon Haiyan hit Bohol, one of the island strongholds for this species. In this study we compare the density of the Bohol tarsier population within the Philippine Tarsier and Wildlife Sanctuary before and after the typhoon. We demonstrate that the typhoon significantly affected the density of the Philippine tarsier in the sanctuary. Before the typhoon, tarsier density was approximately 157 individuals/km2 whereas after the typhoon the density was a mere 36 individuals/km2. Prior to the typhoon, more Philippine tarsiers were found in older secondary forest than in younger secondary forest, whereas after the typhoon all observed individuals were found in relatively younger secondary forest. Vegetation plots where we observed Philippine tarsiers prior to the typhoon contained a mean of 33 trees/m2, with a mean diameter at breast height (DBH) of 24 cm, and a mean height of 4 m. After the typhoon vegetation plots contained an average of 156 trees, had a mean DBH of 6 cm, and a mean height of 2 m. Based on the IUCN Red List criteria, the reduction and fluctuation in the density of this species suggests that the conservation status of the Philippine tarsier should be changed to Vulnerable. This study indicates natural disasters can have a significant effect on the extinction risk of primates, with implications for future effects of anthropogenic climate change.
在过去的20年里，菲律宾眼镜猴（Carlito syrichta，又名Tarsius syrichta）的保护状况从濒危修订为数据缺乏，再到近危。最近一次的状态变化是基于对该物种种群密度的研究，该研究表明一场自然灾难就有可能消灭菲律宾眼镜猴。2013年，台风“海燕”袭击了薄荷岛，这里是该物种的一个岛屿据点。在本研究中，我们比较了台风前后菲律宾眼镜猴和野生动物保护区内薄荷岛眼镜猴种群的密度。我们证明台风对保护区内菲律宾眼镜猴的密度产生了显著影响。台风来临前，眼镜猴密度约为每平方公里157只，而台风过后密度仅为每平方公里36只。在台风来临前，在较老的次生林中发现的菲律宾眼镜猴比在较年轻的次生林中更多，而台风过后，所有观察到的个体都出现在相对较年轻的次生林中。我们在台风来临前观察到菲律宾眼镜猴的植被地块平均每平方米有33棵树，平均胸径（DBH）为24厘米，平均高度为4米。台风过后，植被地块平均有156棵树，平均胸径为6厘米，平均高度为2米。根据世界自然保护联盟（IUCN）红色名录标准，该物种密度的降低和波动表明菲律宾眼镜猴的保护状况应改为易危。这项研究表明自然灾害会对灵长类动物的灭绝风险产生重大影响，这对人为气候变化的未来影响具有启示意义。
