马粪海胆对环境变化的耐受性与选择性研究

对采自青岛近岸的马粪海胆进行温度、盐度、光强与底质等因子的耐受及选择实验。结果表明,青岛近岸马粪海胆的适温范围约在8-22℃,对温度的选择受驯养水温的影响;属窄盐性种类,适盐范围约在30-35;喜好弱光环境,饥饿状态的选择光强（8-25lx）较非饥饿状态（10-35lx）低;对粗沙砾底质具明显的正选择,而对细沙性底质呈明显的负选择。     

人工繁殖虾夷马粪海胆生长模型

以虾夷马粪海胆(Strongylocentrotus intermedius)家系为实验材料,对比分析了每个母系从孵化后到17月龄(性成熟)的体重、壳径、壳高的生长情况,并进行了生长性状间的相关分析及预测模型的构建。结果表明:5~15月龄,各家系虾夷马粪海胆在壳径、壳高与体重方面的差异均不显著(P0.05),17月龄时,各家系的生长指标出现差异(P0.05);虾夷马粪海胆壳径、壳高生长呈线性模型,而体重生长呈指数模型;利用虾夷马粪海胆各月龄生长性状数据,进行了虾夷马粪海胆壳径、壳高与体重相关关系分析,R2值为0.68~0.86,而虾夷马粪海胆父母本的生长性状与子代的生长性状相关性较低(0~0.25)。虾夷马粪海胆体重、壳径和壳高的生长预测模型表明,通过11月龄体重预测17月龄体重的准确率可达73.6%;本研究有助于深入了解虾夷马粪海胆的生长发育特征,并为其健康养殖模式构建提供理论依据。     

濒危种螺蛳对典型附着藻的摄食特性及其在洱海流域恢复的可行性

通过实验室小试研究濒临灭绝物种螺蛳(Margarya melanioides)对舟形藻(Naviculaceae sp.)、菱形藻(Nitzschia sp.)、孟氏颤藻(Planktothrixmougeotii)以及四尾栅藻(Scenedesmus quadricauda)4种典型附着藻类的摄食探讨其摄食生态学特性,调查海菜花(Ottelia acumiuate)养殖塘中藻的群落结构及水体的pH值、光照、溶解氧(DO)、温度等环境,从摄食生态学角度分析,探讨螺蛳在洱海流域恢复的可行性。摄食实验结果显示:螺蛳对实验选取四种藻摄食率关系为舟形藻菱形藻孟氏颤藻四尾栅藻。对舟形藻摄食的影响因素研究结果表明在温度为25℃时其摄食强度最大,摄食率(IR)为(2.19±0.16)mg个~(-1)d~(-1);螺蛳在光照为0-100001x的范围内均有较强的摄食活动,摄食活动最适宜的光照强度区间为1000-20001x,摄食率IR均达到3.0mg个~(-1)d~(-1)以上;溶解氧DO对其摄食活动影响显著,当DO大于3.6mg/L时螺蛳摄食活跃,低于1mg/L时螺蛳基本停止摄食;螺蛳摄食率大小跟螺蛳重量呈显著负相关P0.05。洱海流域海菜花塘水体的调查结果得出海菜花塘的pH值、光照、DO、温度以及藻等环境因子均适合螺蛳生存繁衍,可通过构建海菜花湿地来实现螺蛳的保种与扩增恢复。     

虾夷马粪海胆(Strongylocentrotus intermedius)Vasa基因的克隆与表达

Vasa基因是DEAD-box家族成员中的一种ATP依赖的RNA解旋酶编码基因,在生殖系分化过程中发挥重要作用。采用同源克隆和cDNA末端快速扩增技术(RACE),从虾夷马粪海胆精巢中克隆得到Vasa基因3′端cDNA序列。该3′末端cDNA长1057bp,与太平洋牡蛎、紫球海胆、非洲爪蟾、小鼠及虹鳟经同源进行比对,其中与紫球海胆的同源率最高达到95%,并确定其为DEAD-box家族的Vasa亚家族成员。利用实时定量RT-PCR检测Vasa mRNA在虾夷马粪海胆组织和胚胎发育期的表达情况,研究结果表明Vasa基因在生殖腺表达量最高,雌、雄个体生殖腺中转录水平上的表达差异明显,雄性高于雌性,差异显著(P<0.05),在肠、体腔液、肌肉、围口膜、管足中表达量低,其中体腔液表达量最低。胚胎发育期检测发现Vasa基因在16细胞期时表达量最高,16细胞期后表达量呈下降趋势,囊胚期表达量最低。试验结果为虾夷马粪海胆生殖系统起源、分化研究提供科学依据。对于虾夷马粪海胆生殖系分化途径来讲,Vasa可作为一种有利的研究工具,追溯其生殖系的起源和分化。     

不同流速和饵料密度下食蚊鱼与唐鱼的摄食率比较

研究通过比较外来入侵物种食蚊鱼（Gambusia affinis）和土著濒危物种唐鱼（Tanichthys albonubes）在不同流速和饵料密度条件下的摄食特点来评价两者对溪流环境的适应能力。实验共设5 个流速梯度（0 bl/s,1.5 bl/s,3.5 bl/s,5.5 bl/s,7.5 bl/s）和3个饵料密度梯度（500 ind/L, 1 500 ind/L, 3 000 ind/L）。摄食一定时间后通过计数鱼体消化管内的丰年虫无节幼体个数来表示鱼的摄食率。实验结果表明,在不同流速和不同饵料密度下,唐鱼摄食率的变化幅度都小于食蚊鱼。食蚊鱼的摄食率显著受到水流速度和饵料密度以及两者交互作用的影响,表现为随着水流速度的上升而极显著地降低,而随着饵料密度的上升而极显著地升高。而唐鱼摄食率则随水流速度的增大而显著下降,但其摄食率不受饵料密度及其与水流两者交互作用的影响。     

皱纹盘鲍的个体能量收支

对皱纹盘鲍的呼吸、摄食、生长及能量收支等实验研究表明, 鲍的耗氧率与壳长、体重、温度及昼夜变化有关, 耗氧率与壳长、体重均呈幂函数关系, 一天中16~4时(夜间)耗氧率高于4~16时(白天)且在18~20时达峰值.同温度下鲍日摄食率与体重呈幂指数关系, 日(相对)摄食率随温度升高而增加, 而日相对摄食率、日相对生长率均随壳长、体重增加呈下降趋势.鲍在14~20℃内对海带的总转化效率为53%.鲍软体部、海带及鲍粪便干品的比能值分别为19.2、8.57和7.23kJ·g^-1.14~20℃皱纹盘鲍摄入能量的34.6~48.6%为粪能, 22.0~38.2%的能量用于自身代谢, 5.6~28.2%用于贝体软体部的生长.     

流速对光棘球海胆行为和生长的影响

海胆在海藻床生态系统结构和功能调控中发挥重要作用。深入理解流速对海胆摄食和生长的影响具有重要的生态学研究价值。研究了长时间(49 d)不同流速(2 cm/s, 10 cm/s和20 cm/s)对光棘球海胆幼胆(Mesocentrotus nudus,壳径：约20 mm)摄食行为、摄食量和生长的影响，以评估不同流速下，海胆摄食行为和生长的差异。实验结果表明，流速对光棘球海胆的存活无显著影响，但显著影响其生长。2 cm/s下海胆的壳径和体重显著大于10和20 cm/s。在实验开始后的第2周和第3周，2 cm/s下海胆的体重和壳径已显著高于20 cm/s。流速显著影响光棘球海胆的摄食量(P<0.001)和觅食行为(20 cm/s,P=0.004),但口器咬合行为未受显著影响(P=0.113)。管足附着时间在流速为10 cm/s和20 cm/s下显著长于其在2 cm/s。同样的，相较于2 cm/s(P=0.02)和10 cm/s(P=0.03),20 cm/s的流速可显著削弱光棘球海胆的翻正行为。综上，高流速(20 cm/s)通过影响海胆管足活动削弱其觅食行为(而非摄食行为),进而降低其...     

侧脑室注射orexin-A对大鼠昼夜摄食的影响

目的:探讨侧脑室注射orexin-A对大鼠昼夜摄食的影响。方法:将Wistar大鼠随机分组,采用单剂量侧脑室注射和连续侧脑室注射以及外周注射法,分别于日间和夜间给药,测量大鼠24小时内各阶段的摄食量以及相应生化指标。结果:在光照期间,侧脑室微量注射orexin-A,大鼠4小时内摄食量显著增加(P0.05),且呈剂量依赖关系(P0.05)。在夜间初期(18:00)侧脑室注射orexin-A,大鼠食物摄入量无显著差异(P0.05)。但在中午12:00给予侧脑室注射orexin-A,注射后4小时内大鼠摄食量显著高于NS对照组(P0.05)。连续8日给予orexin-A侧脑室注射,可使注射后日间摄食量显著增加(P0.05),而夜间摄食量显著减少(P0.05),但24小时内总的摄食量不变(P0.05)。orexin-A并未改变棕色脂肪组织温度、末梢血糖、血浆瘦素等指标的水平。结论:orexin-A对大鼠摄食的调节具有昼夜节律性。     

皱纹盘鲍的个体能量收支

对皱纹盘鲍的呼吸、摄食、生长及能量收支等实验研究表明, 鲍的耗氧率与壳长、体重、温度及昼夜变化有关, 耗氧率与壳长、体重均呈幂函数关系, 一天中16~4时(夜间)耗氧率高于4~16时(白天)且在18~20时达峰值.同温度下鲍日摄食率与体重呈幂指数关系, 日(相对)摄食率随温度升高而增加, 而日相对摄食率、日相对生长率均随壳长、体重增加呈下降趋势.鲍在14~20℃内对海带的总转化效率为53%.鲍软体部、海带及鲍粪便干品的比能值分别为19.2、8.57和7.23kJ·g^-1.14~20℃皱纹盘鲍摄入能量的34.6~48.6%为粪能, 22.0~38.2%的能量用于自身代谢, 5.6~28.2%用于贝体软体部的生长.     

藻类种类和浓度对中华哲水蚤(Calanus sinicus)摄食和消化酶活性的影响

通过饵料浓度差法在实验条件下研究了不同浓度的金藻、三角褐指藻和巴夫藻对中华哲水蚤(Calanus sinicus)摄食和消化酶活性的影响,结果表明:不同藻类和浓度对中华哲水蚤的摄食有明显的影响.(1)中华哲水蚤对3种饵料藻的摄食存在一饱和浓度,低于饱和浓度,摄食率随着食物浓度的增加而增加;高于饱和浓度,摄食率呈下降趋势.实验浓度下,中华哲水蚤对金藻、三角褐指藻和巴夫藻的最大摄食率分别为4664、6021 cells ml-1和4524 cells ml-1.滤水率随着食物浓度的增加而呈单一性的下降.(2)中华哲水蚤消化酶活性随藻类种类和浓度的变化而变化.不同藻类和浓度下,昆布多糖酶活性都明显高于麦芽糖酶和纤维二糖酶的活性,而麦芽糖酶活性又稍高于纤维二糖酶的活性.不同藻类喂养条件下,中华哲水蚤3种消化酶的活性发生了不同程度的变化,以巴夫藻喂养时酶活性稍高.     

Diel variation in food intake and diet composition of three native fish species in floodplain lagoons of the Macintyre River,Australia

The feeding periodicity of three species of fishes in floodplain lagoons of the Macintyre River varied during 24 h cycles, however, peak feeding activity (around midday and late afternoon) was similar among the species studied, despite differences in their trophic position. In contrast, sampling season and site seemed to have a stronger effect on the composition of the diet than time of day. These findings have implications for studies of trophic dynamics and food web structure in floodplain lagoons.     

Being a generalist herbivore in a diverse world: how do diets from different grasslands influence food plant selection and fitness of the grasshopper Chorthippus parallelus?

1. Generalist insect herbivores occupy a variety of habitats that differ in food plant composition. Dietary mixing has been proposed as a possibility for generalists to overcome nutritional deficiencies of single plant species, but only a few studies have investigated herbivore feeding and fitness for diets that resemble natural scenarios. We studied feeding behaviour, survival, and reproduction of the generalist grasshopper Chorthippus parallelus raised on food plants of four typical habitats. 2. Grasshopper diet consisted of grasses (92.5%), legumes (6.7%) and, in small quantities, other forbs (0.8%). Diet selection differed between the four food plant mixtures, and depended on grasshopper sex and developmental stage. There was no correlation between the relative abundance of plant species in the field and the fraction of these species in the grasshopper diet. 3. Grasshoppers survived on average for 40.4 ± 1.0 days before maturity, grew 106.8 mg until maturity moult, and females laid 4.1 ± 0.4 egg pods, each of which contained 8.5 ± 0.4 eggs. However, despite the differences in feeding behaviour, grasshopper fitness was the same in all of the four food plant mixtures. While the digestibility of ingested food was similar in the four different treatments, indices indicated differences in the conversion efficiency to body mass. 4. Our results show that C. parallelus is a plastic feeder with no fixed preferences in diet composition. The results emphasise that generalist herbivores can counteract putative quality deficiencies of single food plants by selective dietary mixing.     

Diet and feeding behavior of Rhinopithecus bieti at Xiaochangdu, Tibet: adaptations to a marginal environment

The diet and feeding ecology of a wild subpopulation of black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) were studied at Xiaochangdu in Honglaxueshan Nature Reserve, Tibet. This region is climatologically harsher than any other inhabited by non-human primates. Black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys fed on 48 parts of 25 plant species, at least three species of lichens and seven species of invertebrates. The number of food items exploited varied markedly among seasons, with dietary diversity being greatest in spring and summer. In winter, black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys had to subsist on fallback foods such as dried grass and bark. Ubiquitous lichens formed a major dietary constituent throughout the year, contributing about 75% of feeding records. Even though lichens act as a staple, our findings signify that the monkeys at Xiaochangdu prefer feeding on foliage, which is higher in protein content than the former. We provide evidence that black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys are able to cope with an array of food items other than lichens and hence can be regarded as feeding generalists. We discuss the results with reference to previous studies on other subpopulations living in habitats that are floristically more diverse and offer more plant food items than the marginal habitat at Xiaochangdu.     

The use of supplementary foods by Australian magpies Gymnorhina tibicen: Implications for wildlife feeding in suburban environments

Abstract The provision of foods to wild birds is an extremely common practice among householders throughout the Western world. Nonetheless, concerns over potential impacts of the practice are currently being raised, including the possibility that some species may become reliant on human‐provided food. We compared the foraging and breeding ecology of pairs of fed and unfed Australian magpies Gymnorhina tibicen living in suburban environments in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Detailed behavioural observations of both foraging and chick provisioning were made for males and females of both groups throughout the breeding season. Natural foods dominated the diets of both fed and unfed magpies, making up 76% and 92% of all items consumed respectively. During the morning, fed magpies obtained fewer food items during ground foraging than did unfed birds, apparently because they visited suburban feeding stations more often during the early part of the day. At other times, the amount of food items obtained during foraging was similar for both fed and unfed birds. Magpies utilizing suburban feeding stations started all breeding activities significantly earlier than unfed magpies, except during the fledgling phase. Both fed and unfed magpie parents provisioned their chicks predominantly with natural food. Magpies were not reliant or dependent on supplementary food provided by wildlife feeders at any time during the breeding season. Although many magpies did utilize suburban feeding stations extensively, they continued to forage for and provision their chicks with natural food.     

Lateralization in feeding is food type specific and impacts feeding success in wild birds

Current research suggests that hemispheric lateralization has significant fitness consequences. Foraging, as a basic survival function, is a perfect research model to test the fitness impact of lateralization. However, our understanding of lateralized feeding behavior is based predominantly on laboratory studies, while the evidence from wild animals in natural settings is limited. Here we studied visual lateralization in yellow‐footed green pigeons (Treron phoenicoptera) feeding in the wild. We aimed to test whether different types of food objects requiring different searching strategies elicit different eye/hemisphere biases. When feeding on relatively large, uniformly colored food objects (mahua flowers) which can be present or absent in the viewed patch, the majority of pigeons relied mostly on the left eye–right hemisphere. In contrast, when feeding on smaller and more abundant food objects, with color cues signaling its ripeness (sacred figs), right‐eye (left‐hemisphere) preference prevailed. Our results demonstrate that oppositely directed visual biases previously found in different experimental tasks occur in natural feeding situations in the form of lateralized viewing strategies specific for different types of food. The results suggest that pigeons rely on the hemisphere providing more advantages for the consumption of the particular type of food objects, implying the relevance of brain lateralization as a plastic adaptation to ecological demands. We assessed the success of food discrimination and consumption to examine the link between lateralization and cognitive performance. The use of the preferred eye resulted in better discrimination of food items. Discrimination accuracy and feeding efficiency were significantly higher in lateralized individuals. The results showed that visual lateralization impacted pigeons’ feeding success, implicating important fitness benefits associated with lateralization.     

Feeding Habits in Soil Nematode Families and Genera—An Outline for Soil Ecologists

Because research on nematode involvement in trophic interactions, foodweb structure, and biodiversity is constrained by lack of an overview of nematode feeding habits, this outline presents a consensus of current thought on nematode feeding habits. The source of food is fundamental to trophic interactions and provides the basis for our definitions of the essential feeding types: 1) plant feeder, 2) hyphal feeder, 3) bacterial feeder, 4) substrate ingester, 5) predator of animals, 6) unicellular eucaryote feeder, 7) dispersal or infective stage of parasites, and 8) omnivore. Lists of families and genera with their presumed feeding types are given. Major gaps in knowledge of feeding in the smaller tylenchids and many dorylaims are noted.     

Female feeding priority in bonobos, Pan paniscus, and the question of female dominance

The question of whether bonobos show feeding priority and female dominance has been proposed and examined, both in the wild and in captive studies, with differing results. The relationship between female dominance and female feeding priority has been best studied in prosimian primates. These studies use established criteria of females consistently evoking submissive behavior from males in dyadic encounters for determining female dominance. Although the relationship is complex, female dominance in prosimians is associated with preferential access to food. Data from studies of wild habituated bonobos in the Lomako Forest, Democratic Republic of the Congo, are examined for evidence of both female feeding priority and female social dominance using similar criteria as used for prosimians. Bonobos showed evidence of female feeding priority in small, but not in large, food patches. Male-male competition for mating opportunities at the start of the food bout was related to some, but not all, differences in time spent feeding between the sexes. Female dominance similar to that seen in prosimians was not observed in these bonobos. Males were consistently dominant in dyadic interactions. Female feeding priority with male dyadic social dominance implies that male deference during feeding cannot be excluded as one explanation of interpretations of female dominance in bonobos. Additionally, dominance of male bonobos by females appears to require the presence of female coalition partners. As in other primates with female feeding priority, bonobo females express this trait where food is economically defendable. Unlike prosimians, however, bonobo female feeding priority may result from male deference and the importance of female coalitions in nondyadic interactions.     

Carnivory and resource-based niche differentiation in anuran larvae: implications for food web and experimental ecology

1.  Food webs represent the paths of material and energy flow through organisms in an ecosystem. Anuran larvae are important components of pond food webs: they are abundant, consume large quantities of food and serve as prey for many organisms. However, there are very basic uncertainties about the feeding ecology of anuran larvae; for instance, as to which trophic level they belong and whether species differ in resource use. Because anuran larvae have been employed in model systems in experimental ecology for decades, these uncertainties could lead to misinterpretation of published experiments, or inadequate designs of experiments directed at general, conceptual issues in ecology.
2.  Using ¹³C and ¹⁵N stable isotope and gut content analyses of free-ranging and enclosed tadpoles of four ranid species ( Lithobates sylvaticus , L. pipiens , L. clamitans , L. catesbeianus ) in the food webs of six wetlands, we tested the following null hypotheses: (i) that anuran larvae are strict primary consumers; (ii) that they are non-selective feeders and therefore exhibit little feeding niche differentiation; (iii) that they are opportunistic consumers and (iv) that their diet remains unchanged through ontogeny.
3.  All four species consumed and assimilated substantial amounts of animal food; bullfrog larvae, in particular, appear to be predatory. Significant feeding niche differentiation among species occurred with respect to the sources of carbon, consumption of animal matter and nutritional quality of food ingested. We further documented opportunistic feeding habits and ontogenetic shifts in diet.
4.  Collectively, these studies revealed complex trophic relationships that might require a reconsideration of the role of anuran larvae in pond food webs, as well as a reinterpretation of results of previous studies employing anuran larvae in model experimental systems.     

Feeding ecology and foraging behaviour of impala Aepyceros melampus in Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda

Intersexual and seasonal variation in foraging behaviour of impala (Aepyceros melampus), was studied in the Lake Mburo National Park, Uganda. There was a moderate seasonal difference in foraging efficiency (as measured by ‘acceptable food abundance’), with a minimum in dry season and a maximum in Rainy season. The variation between sexes was more distinct with a pronounced minimum in time spent browsing of males in early wet season. By distinguishing between feeding time spent grazing and feeding time spent browsing the seasonal variation was confirmed. The proportion of foraging time spent feeding (expressed as ‘food ingestion rate’) showed an inverse pattern with a maximum in the late dry season (75.5%), decreasing values throughout the Rainy season and a minimum in early dry season (57.8%). Differences between sexes were explained in terms of reproductive demands and seasonal balance in terms of moderate climate throughout the year. Impala foraging patterns in the bimodal tropics (two Rainy seasons) is discussed and compared with unimodal tropics. The findings are matched against current ideas on optimal foraging.