贮草期布氏田鼠采食距离及集群数量对采食量的影响

在内蒙古典型草原区锡林郭勒盟研究了贮草期布氏田鼠(Lasiopodomys brandtii)采食距离及集群数量对采食量的影响。通过人为设置布氏田鼠洞群家族成员数量和采食距离,采用小麦(Triticum aestivum)为采食材料,测定了秋季自由生活状态下,采食距离为5~30 m范围内、每个洞群布氏田鼠数为3~11只范围内,布氏田鼠单次采食量的变化。结果表明,采食距离和家族成员数量对布氏田鼠单次采食量没有明显影响,采食距离和家族成员数量之间也不存在交互作用。布氏田鼠单次搬运麦粒数量平均为8.0粒/次,这可能与田鼠的搬运能力有关。     

大鵟对不同数量布氏田鼠越冬洞群的选择偏好

布氏田鼠(Lasiopodomys brandtii)在冬季会形成数量不同的越冬集群,不同大小的集群会面临着不同的捕食风险。2004年秋季在内蒙古锡林郭勒盟典型鼠害草场,采用鼠洞口数量多少作为布氏田鼠秋季集群大小的指标,分析了大鵟(Buteo hemilasius)对不同大小集群的布氏田鼠集群的捕食选择偏好。结果表明：大鵟优先选择集群数量高的布氏田鼠集群,这表明数量高的布氏田鼠集群更容易吸引猛禽类天敌的捕食,该结果可以解释布氏田鼠在秋季出现的分群行为。由于捕食风险的存在,布氏田鼠借助秋季的分群行为以降低冬季集群大小和被捕食风险,从而避免成为捕食性天敌首要攻击的目标,该结果验证了最优集群理论。     

储草期增加食物对布氏田鼠越冬存活率的影响

布氏田鼠(Lasiopodomys brandtii)是内蒙古典型草原区主要鼠种之一。该鼠种在秋季将食物储存在储草仓内,以此来度过植被贫瘠的冬季。为探究储草期增加食物对布氏田鼠越冬存活率的影响,2004年10月,于内蒙古阿巴嘎旗白音图噶苏木的布氏田鼠鼠害草场随机选取两块100 m×200 m的样地,分别设为增食样地和对照样地。增食样地内给每个布氏田鼠洞群补充食物,每天补充500 g小麦,连续补充2 d共计1000 g。对照样地内则不做任何处理。2004年10月,采用标志重捕法调查两块样地内布氏田鼠种群数量,调查显示,增食样地和对照样地内,布氏田鼠数量分别为310只和318只,以该结果作为计算其越冬存活率的基数。2005年5月,返回样地再次进行标志重捕,分别计算两样地布氏田鼠的越冬存活率。卡方检验显示,储草期增加食物能显著提高布氏田鼠越冬存活率。增食样地布氏田鼠越冬存活率为41.3%,显著高于对照样地布氏田鼠越冬存活率(24.2%,P<0.01)。增食样地雌性和雄性布氏田鼠越冬存活率分别为45.4%和37.3%,均显著高于对照样地雌性和雄性布氏田鼠越冬存活率(25.8%和22.6%,P<0.01)。但样地内雌性和雄性越冬存活率均无明显差异(P>0.05)。本研究结果表明,补充食物可大幅度提升布氏田鼠冬季存活率,增加布氏田鼠越冬存活基数,对来年种群增长起重要作用。     

布氏田鼠对主要贮草种类的选储嗜好

布氏田鼠 (Ｍｉｃｒｏｔｕｓｂｒａｎｄｔｉ)为内蒙古典型草原区的主要害鼠 ,其危害主要表现在与牲畜争夺牧草资源[1,3 ,5,6,9] 。该鼠属不冬眠种类 ,冬季主要以洞群贮草仓库中的贮草为食 ,因此 ,研究其秋季集群的贮草习性 ,对于分析和了解该鼠的越冬生态特征具有一定的意义。有关布氏田鼠的贮草习性 ,已有一些报道[4 ,7] 。研究表明 ,在羊草 冷蒿 隐子草草场 ,布氏田鼠的越冬贮草以蒿属 (Ａｒｔｅｍｉｓｉａ)植物为主 ,其中冷蒿 (Ａ .ｆｒｉｇｉｄａ)与黄蒿 (Ａ .ｓｃｏｐａｒｉａ)占贮草比例超过 90 % [2 ] ,但上述研究均未涉及布氏田鼠…     

布氏田鼠越冬集群贮草面积的两种估算方法比较

布氏田鼠 (Ｍｉｃｒｏｔｕｓｂｒａｎｄｔｉ)为内蒙古典型草原区的主要害鼠 ,具贮草越冬习性[2 ,5～ 7] 。因此 ,研究其越冬集群的贮草面积 ,对于分析该鼠的越冬生态特征以及定量衡量其危害程度 ,具有重要的意义。本文提出两种估算布氏田鼠越冬集群贮草面积的方法 ,即黄蒿根计数法和跑道测量法 ,并对两种估算方法进行了比较。1　材料与方法本项研究是于 1 995年度在内蒙古赤峰市克什克腾旗阿其乌拉苏木 ( 1 1 6°2 5′Ｎ ,37°5 1′Ｅ)以及中国科学院内蒙古草原生态系统定位研究站 ( 43°37′Ｎ ,1 1 6°4 1′Ｅ)进行的。1 0月中旬 ,在阿其…     

光周期和温度对布氏田鼠产热的影响

布氏田鼠（Ｍｉｃｒｏｔｕｓ ｂｒａｎｄｔｉ）分组驯化在：（１）长光照温暖环境（ＬＷ,１６Ｌ：８Ｄ,２５℃）;（２）长光照 低温环境（ＬＣ,１６Ｌ：８Ｄ,５℃）;（３）短光照温暖环境（ＳＷ,８Ｌ：１６Ｄ,２５℃）;（４）短光照低温环境（ＳＣ, ８Ｌ：１６Ｄ,５℃）。驯化四周后,长光照动物的体重比短光动物的体重有增加的趋势;四组动物的体温 没有明显差异;低温和短光照均促使静止代谢率（ＲＭＲ）增加;ＳＣ组动物的非颤抖性产热（ＮＳＴ）高 于ＬＷ组。低温诱导肝和褐色脂肪组织（ＢＡＴ）细胞线粒体蛋白增加,短光照再度地增强此作用。短 光照诱导肝细胞线粒体状态－４及状态－３呼吸活力增加,低温没有明显作用。低温和短光照均刺激肝 和ＢＡＴ线粒体细胞色素Ｃ氧化酶活力提高,但后者作用强度大于前者。低温明显激活ＢＡＴ线粒体 的ａ－磷酸甘油氧化酶的活力,短光照无明显影响、结果表明：低温和短光照均能提高布氏田鼠的产 热能力,短光照与低温因子两者的协同作用增强了对布氏四鼠热能代谢的调节。     

配偶数增加对布氏田鼠社会行为的影响

为研究配偶数量对布氏田鼠 (Microtusbrandti)社会行为的影响 ,设置了 6组处理方法 :对照组 1♂+1♀配对组 ,只增加雌性配偶的 1♂ +2♀处理组和 1♂ +3♀处理组 ,只增加雄性配偶的 2♂ +1♀处理组和 3♂ +1♀处理组以及同时增加雌雄配偶的 2♂ +2♀处理组。每个处理各设 10个重复。记录各实验组中布氏田鼠在观察箱内 (两个大小为 37cm× 2 7cm× 17cm的有机塑料箱合并而成 ) 10min内发生的非对抗行为频次和对抗行为频次。结果表明 :与对照组相比 ,其它各组布氏田鼠的非对抗行为频次都明显降低 ,而对抗行为频次都明显增加。有效性比和密度与布氏田鼠社会行为的相关性研究表明 ,配偶数增加主要通过密度的改变来影响布氏田鼠的社会行为 ,配偶数增加引起密度的升高 ,密度的升高导致布氏田鼠社群内非对抗行为显著减少 ,对抗行为显著增加 ,从而引起布氏田鼠社群关系的紧张 ,加大了社群的竞争强度.     

布氏田鼠婚配制度和繁殖的实验研究

自内蒙正镶白旗捕获３０对越冬鼠,通过在１９９０年５月至１９９１年５月的实验研究,尤其是自由配对实验和雌雄鼠双亲行为的检验,证明了布氏田鼠的婚配制度主要是一雄多雌制。母鼠分娩后第一天即能进入发情期,并能交配成功．在实验室条件下共产５１窝２４１只幼仔,平均每窝产仔数为４．７３±０．２９只,比已有报导自然种群的低。     

布氏田鼠数量和空间分布的年际动态及周期性初步分析

布氏田鼠的分布特点是避开山丘,季节河河床和芨芨草滩;主要分布在季节河两侧,分布区缩小时,向季节河两侧收缩,布氏田鼠年动态是否有周期性尚难以下最后的结论,但存在季节动态是可以肯定的,布氏田鼠在其地理分布中心区和边缘区的种群年际动态可能存在差异,中心区的种群动态相对可能稳定些,边缘区的种群波动可能大些。     

布氏田鼠秋季家群数量与捕食风险的关系

2004年9月25日至10月15日,在内蒙古锡林郭勒盟阿巴嘎旗白音图嘎苏木研究了布氏田鼠(Lasiopodomys brandtii)秋季家群数量与来自艾虎(Mustela eversmanni)的捕食风险。布氏田鼠家群数量调查采用标志重捕法和最小已知存活数估计法(即MNA法)确定,而艾虎对布氏田鼠捕食风险的衡量指标采用在研究期间布氏田鼠洞群区新出现的艾虎粪便和挖掘痕迹。研究区面积4 hm2,涉及91个布氏田鼠家群,658只布氏田鼠,其中,17个布氏田鼠家群有新出现的艾虎粪便,5个家群被艾虎掘开。运用非参数的Mann-Whitney U检验进行数据分析,从艾虎遗留的粪便痕迹来看,未出现艾虎粪便的布氏田鼠家群总秩和为1 096,出现艾虎粪便的田鼠洞群秩和为3 090,统计量U=315,校正Z=﹣3.241,校正P=0.001 2;另外,从艾虎掘开的田鼠家群来分析,没有被艾虎挖掘的布氏田鼠家群秩和为3 757,而被艾虎掘开的田鼠家群秩和为429,统计量U=16,校正Z值为﹣3.514,P=0.000 4。两组差异达到极显著水平,表明艾虎对秋季高数量的布氏田鼠家群具有显著的优先访问和攻击偏好,也意味着高数量的布氏田鼠秋季家群具有更高的被艾虎捕食的风险。     

Does vigilance always covary negatively with group size? Effects of foraging strategy

The possible effects of foraging strategy on the relationship between vigilance and group size were studied in three species of waders with different foraging strategies. I predict that (1) pause–travel species should show no relationship between scanning and group size, because these species scan for prey as well as for predators; (2) continuous-tactile foraging species should show a positive relationship between flock size and vigilance level, because in their large groups vigilance towards other birds could be used to avoid interference and aggression; and (3) continuous-visual searching species should show the general pattern of decreasing vigilance when group size increases as predicted by both the 'many eyes' and the 'predatory risk' hypotheses. Results support the predictions for the influence of foraging strategy on the relationship between vigilance level and group size. The mutual exclusion of foraging and scanning can determine the importance of the 'many eyes' hypothesis. Such exclusion seems to be determined by foraging strategy. The influence of foraging on scanning must be taken into account in future studies on the group-size effect. Electronic Publication     

Group size effects on foraging and vigilance in migratory Tibetan antelope

Large group sizes have been hypothesized to decrease predation risk and increase food competition. We investigated group size effects on vigilance and foraging behaviour during the migratory period in female Tibetan antelope Pantholops hodgsoni, in the Kekexili Nature Reserve of Qinghai Province, China. During June to August, adult female antelope and yearling females gather in large migratory groups and cross the Qinghai-Tibet highway to calving grounds within the Nature Reserve and return to Qumalai county after calving. Large groups of antelope aggregate in the migratory corridor where they compete for limited food resources and attract the attention of mammalian and avian predators and scavengers. We restricted our sampling to groups of less than 30 antelopes and thus limit our inference accordingly. Focal-animal sampling was used to record the behaviour of the free-ranging antelope except for those with lambs. Tibetan antelope spent more time foraging in larger groups but frequency of foraging bouts was not affected by group size. Conversely, the time spent vigilant and frequency of vigilance bouts decreased with increased group size. We suggest that these results are best explained by competition for food and risk of predation.     

雷公藤甲素对雄性布氏田鼠繁殖力的抑制效果

为评价植物源鼠类不育剂雷公藤甲素对雄性布氏田鼠的不育效果,本研究采用每千克体重0 mg、0.1 mg、0.2 mg,0.4 mg的雷公藤甲素溶液对雄鼠进行连续7 d灌胃处理,并在停药2周和4周后检测其体重、性腺重、精子密度及配对雌鼠怀孕率与胎仔数.结果表明,雷公藤甲素处理未显著降低雄性布氏田鼠的体重、性腺相对重量、附睾...     

Factors affecting vigilance in springbok: importance of vegetative cover, location in herd, and herd size

Vigilance in vertebrates is often inversely related to group size. We present evidence that distance to bushes and location within the herd are also critical factors in vigilance in springbok (Antidorcas marsupialis) in Etosha National Park, Namibia, where they are the preferred prey of cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus). Most springbok feed in heterospecific herds, both by grazing on grass and browsing on bushes. We studied 1245 animals; variations in vigilance (time alert) were explained by location within the herd, distance to bushes and roads, number of springbok in each herd, and gender and age. Vigilance time decreased with increasing herd size, with increasing distance to bushes and roads, and with density. Springbok on the edge of herds devoted significantly more time to vigilance than did those in other locations, and vigilance in edge animals decreased with group size. Adults were more vigilant than young, and males were more vigilant than females. Position within the herd, and distance from bushes, were the most important variables influencing vigilance. Location in the herd and gender/age affected both browsing and grazing springbok, although other factors accounted for the differences in vigilance between browsing and grazing springbok: 1) group size was not significant for browsers, but it was for grazers, and 2) distances to bushes and road were not significant for browsers, but they were for grazers. These data relate to the risk from predators and the benefits from other group members. Springbok in bushes cannot see all members of the herd, cannot derive early warning from many group members, and are more at risk from predators because the latter can hide in the bushes. Received: 17 May 1999 / Received in revised form: 30 August 1999 / Accepted: 29 November 1999     

Characterization of nine novel microsatellite markers from Brandt's vole (Lasiopodomys brandtii)

Highly polymorphic microsatellite markers are the most powerful tools to infer kinship relations. In this study, a library enriched for (AC)(n) (AG)(n) and (AGAT)(n) was constructed for screening microsatellite markers in Brandt's vole (Lasiopodomys brandtii), and nine novel polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed and characterized. The number of alleles ranged from 4 to 11 per locus and the mean polymorphism information content was 0.7535. The observed and the expected heterozygosity values averaged 0.760 (0.554-0.908) and 0.7914 (0.718-0.845), respectively. Average nonexclusion probability for one candidate parent varied from 0.485 to 0.716. These nine novel markers are highly polymorphic and powerful enough for our future kinship analysis.