Body size and individual development significantly affect positional behavior and substrate use. However, only a few studies have been conducted on immature wild macaques. We studied wild Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) inhabiting Mt. Huangshan, China, to explore the degree of interspecific variation in positional behavior in relation to body weight and individual development. From September 2020 to August 2021, we used instantaneous scan sampling (duration 5 min, interval 10 min) to record age–sex groups, locomotions, postures, and substrate attributes. The results showed that Tibetan macaques used terrestrial substrates in nearly two-thirds of the recorded observations. The main postural modes were sitting and quadrupedal standing. The main locomotor modes were quadrupedal walking and climbing among all age–sex group records. Positional behavior and substrate use in adults only significantly differed from those in juveniles and infants. Although adult males were larger than the other age–sex groups, they did not climb and bridge more frequently than the other age–sex groups. The frequency of climbing, leaping, and suspension was significantly higher in juveniles than in adults. In addition, adult males used terrestrial and larger substrates more frequently, while juveniles and infants used arboreal substrates and terminals more frequently than adult males during traveling and feeding. We hypothesize that the more positional behavioral spectrum of Tibetan macaque juveniles’ may be related to rapid skeletal muscle development. These results suggest that differences in interspecific positional behavior may be caused by the individual development and survival needs of individuals, rather than just body size.

Inter-basin water diversion projects have emerged as a critical solution to address water scarcity crises stemming from the uneven spatial distribution of water resources. The economic feasibility of these projects is significantly influenced by multiple factors, including water source composition, target beneficiaries, and the specific characteristics of diversion routes and distances. This research developed a novel multi-objective optimization framework utilizing a simulation-based optimization methodology designed to formulate efficient joint operational strategies that maximize water supply reliability while reducing operational expenditures. The practicality of this framework is validated through its implementation in the Yangtze to Huaihe River Water Diversion Project (YHWDP) in China. The results revealed that the proposed joint operation rules achieve substantial improvements in both water supply efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Specifically, the model demonstrated the capability to maintain a 95.5% water supply rate while reducing the water pumping volume to only 1.84 × 10⁹ m³. Furthermore, comparative analyses with conventional operation rules showed that the joint operation strategy effectively utilized the runoff regulation capacity of lakes while significantly mitigating water level fluctuations. During the water diversion period, the average variance of the time series of water volume in three lakes decreased by 54.5%, thereby contributing to the preservation of ecological stability for lake flora and fauna. The findings of this research not only provided practical insights for optimizing the operational performance of the YHWDP but also established a valuable framework for developing joint operation strategies in similar long-distance water diversion projects between basins.

Aging can induce changes in social behaviors among humans and nonhuman primates (NHPs). Therefore, investigating the aging process in primate species can provide valuable evidence regarding age-related concerns in humans. However, the link between aging and behavioral patterns in nonhuman primates remains poorly comprehended. To address this gap, the present research examined aging-related behaviors exhibited by Tibetan macaques (Macaca thibetana) in their natural habitat in Huangshan, China, during the period from October 2020 to June 2021. We collected behavioral data from 25 adult macaques using different data collection methods, including focal animal sampling and ad libitum sampling methods. We found that among adult female macaques, the frequency of being attacked decreased with their age, and that the frequency of approaching other monkeys also decreased as age increased. In males, however, this was not the case. Our findings demonstrate that older female macaques exhibit active conflict avoidance, potentially attributed to a reduction in the frequency of approaching conspecifics and a decreased likelihood of engaging in conflict behaviors. This study provides some important data for investigating aging in NHPs and confirms that Macaca can exhibit a preference for social partners under aging-related contexts similar to humans.

The water source protection areas of the Yangtze-to-Huaihe Water Diversion Project (YHWDP) in Anhui Province serve as crucial ecological barriers to water quality protection. Quantifying their eco-environmental quality (EEQ) dynamics and driving mechanisms is critical for sustainable management. This paper calculated the Remote Sensing Ecological Index (RSEI) for the study area using Landsat satellite data (2015–2024). Temporal and spatial variation characteristics were analyzed using the Theil–Sen estimator, Mann–Kendall test, and coefficient of variation. Future trends were predicted using the Hurst exponent. Finally, the Geodetector model was applied to assess the impact of driving factors. EEQ exhibited a declining trend (p < 0.05), with significant intra-regional heterogeneity. Mean RSEI values ranked as follows: (1) Yangtze River–Huaihe River Connection < Yangtze River Water Northward Conveyance < Yangtze River–Chaohu Lake Water Diversion. (2) From 2015 to 2024, eco-environmental quality improved significantly, showing a spatial pattern of “south > north, east > west.” (3) Overall EEQ changes were characterized by slight to moderate fluctuations. Stability rankings: Yangtze River–Huaihe River Connection > Yangtze River–Chaohu Lake Water Diversion > Yangtze River Water Northward Conveyance. (4) Geodetector analysis identified precipitation, impervious area, and vegetation coverage as the primary factors influencing EEQ in the YHWDP’s water source protection areas. This study reveals ecological changes in the YHWDP region and validates the effectiveness of the comprehensive evaluation method. The findings provide actionable insights for ecological protection in large-scale water diversion projects.