低数量期布氏田鼠在不同季节中对生境的选择及影响因素的研究

布氏田鼠(Microtus brandti Radde)是近年来国内外研究报道较多的鼠种之一。内蒙古锡林郭勒盟卫生防疫站(1975)、罗泽(日旬)等(1975)、黑龙江草原灭鼠办公室(1976)、刘书润(1979)、ДMиTpиeB(1980)、钟文勤等(1985)均从不同角度报道了该鼠选择生境的生态习性和数量分布特点。在前人工作的基础上,本文着重研究了布氏田鼠在低数量期对生境的选择及主要生态因子的影响。     

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。     

布氏田鼠的生态研究

布氏四鼠(Microtus brandti Radde)在我国锡林格勒盟,呼伦贝尔盟的某些旗县广大草原,是主要的优势鼠种。布氏田鼠数量变化很大,在大量发生年代,每一公顷鼠洞达2000—3000个,它是草原牧场的重要害鼠;我们挖洞发现,每个冬季洞群的仓库储草5—12市斤,如以每公顷10个洞群,每洞群6市斤估计,300平方公里的大队,每年被布氏田     

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。     

大■对不同数量布氏田鼠越冬洞群的选择偏好

2004年10月2~7日在内蒙古东乌珠穆沁旗额和宝力格苏木鼠害草场采用鼠洞口数量作为布氏田鼠(Lasiopodomys brandtii)秋季集群大小的指标,分析了大■(Buteo hemilasius)对不同大小布氏田鼠集群的捕食选择偏好。统计了实验样地内可以观察到的大■蹲守布氏田鼠洞群鼠洞口数量,以及样地内大■没有蹲守的布氏田鼠洞群的鼠洞口数量。运用非参数Mann-Whitney U检验进行分析,大■没有蹲守的布氏田鼠洞群的洞口数量秩和统计量为1 753.5,而大■蹲守的布氏田鼠洞群的洞口数量总秩和为1 406.5,统计量U值为213.5,校正之后的Z值为﹣4.764 26,这表明,两组差异达到极显著水平(P=0.000 002),大■蹲守次数(B)与田鼠洞群洞口数量(N)呈显著的正相关关系,相关式为B=﹣0.733 2+0.044 36 N(r=0.592 65,P0.05)。结果表明,大■优先选择集群数量高的布氏田鼠集群,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,该结果从捕食风险角度支持了鼠类最优集群理论。     

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…     

布氏田鼠动情周期的初步研究

布氏田鼠(Microtus brandti Radde)是我国呼伦贝尔草原的害鼠之一。为配合布氏田鼠的防治工作,我们对该鼠的动情周期进行了研究。关于这个问题,迄今,尚未见国内外有过报道。动情周期的出现,是决定动物是否具繁殖能力的一个因素,弄清这个问题,对阐明布氏田鼠的繁殖规律,具有一定意义。     

布氏田鼠G带染色体研究

布氏田鼠(Microtus brandti Radde)是田鼠亚科中的一种小型野鼠,分布在我国内蒙古东部地区,对牧草和农田危害甚大,同时又是鼠疫的贮存宿主。有关布氏田鼠的染色体研究国内外未见报道。作者得到内蒙古锡盟鼠防     

机械喷饵毒杀布氏田鼠的试验

布氏田鼠(Microtus brandti Radde)是一种数量变动较大,对草原危害重的小型鼠类。在其分布的绝大部分环境中均为优势种。据1971年了解,仅在内蒙古自冶区新巴尔虎右旗就有70％草场被布氏田鼠危害,其中严重地区达     

布氏田鼠种群繁殖的研究

布氏田鼠(Microtus brandti Radde)是一种数量变化幅度大的小型鼠类。研究布氏田鼠种群繁殖及年度变化的特征,对于探索其种群数量变动规律、进而实行有效的预报是很必要的。国内外有关布氏田鼠生态学的研究报道,如内蒙锡盟卫生防疫站(1975)、呼伦贝尔草原鼠害调查组(1975)、罗泽珣等(1975)、黑龙江省革命委员会草原灭鼠办公室(1976)、Reichstein(1962)、(1949,1952A,1952B)、(1948)、(1954)等,涉及上述工作的甚少。近年来,中国科学院动物研究所动物生态室一组(1978,1979)研究了布氏田鼠的种群年龄、性周期、活动领域以及种群密度和肾上腺、生殖腺重量之间的相互关系,对研究布氏田鼠的种群数量变动规律,积累了一些资料。本文着重讨论种群繁殖特征,并在上述研究的基础上,探讨呼伦贝尔草原布氏田鼠的种群周期及其主要支配因素。     

棕色田鼠洞群内社会组织

每月选取农田样方,用洞道内置夹及挖捕法对棕色田鼠洞群内的群体结构进行调查发现,棕色田鼠在不同的季节,洞群内个体组成不同。在4月和10月,同洞群内成年雄性和雌性的数量较多,往往有两个以上的雌性个体参与繁殖,而且亚成体和幼体的数量也较多;而6月至9月,棕色田鼠多呈雌雄一一配对,有些洞群内也有幼体和亚成体,雌雄共巢,而呈现单配制特征。所以其社会组织呈现群居家庭、双亲家庭和单亲家庭3种类型。4月和10月群居家庭最多（60%,61.53%）,6月和9月双亲家庭较多（80%,75%）,双亲家庭所占比例和密度呈负相关,而群居家庭所占比例和密度呈正相关。在不同的季节洞口系数不同,洞口系数和密度呈正相关。     

Reproductive investment under fluctuating predation risk: Microtine rodents and small mustelids

Summary We studied the reproductive investment of microtine rodents (bank vole (Clethrionomys glareolus),Microtus epiroticus andMicrotus agrestis) in western Finland under predation risk from small mustelids. During 1984–1992, the yearly mean litter size of overwintered bank voles was smaller at high least weasel and stoat densities than at low densities (close to 3 versus 4–5). In addition, the annual mean litter size of young bank voles was negatively correlated to the least weasel density. In youngM. agrestis voles, the yearly late summer litter size was negatively associated with the autumn density of small mustelids. In the crash phase of the vole cycle (1989 and 1992), we removed small mustelids (mainly least weasels) from four unfenced areas in late April to late May and studied the reproduction of voles in four removal and comparable control areas (each 2–4 km²). Reduction of small mustelids significantly increased the proportion of pregnant bank vole females, but not that of pregnantMicrotus vole females. We conclude that predation risk apparently reduced reproductive investment of free-living bank vole females; these voles appear to trade their current parental investment against future survival and reproductive prospects. Accordingly, the presence of small mustelids (or their scent) may slow down the reproductive rate of voles. As antipredatory behaviours occurred on a large scale, our results add evidence to the hypothesis that crashes in multiannual vole cycles are driven by small mustelid predators.     

高原鼠兔的家庭结构

哺乳动物的配偶制度,有的是单婚(monogamy)即一夫一妻制,有的是复婚(polygamy)即一妻多夫或一夫多妻制,在婚配育幼阶段有一定的家庭组织,有的还有社会(社群)组织,这些在鳍脚类、有蹄类和灵长类中比较常见,但在小型兽类中则多为杂婚,无固定配偶,由母兽育幼,幼兽独立生活后即行分离。我们研究高原鼠兔(Ochotona curzoniae)时,发现它们似乎有家庭结构,遂进行了一些观察,今将结果报道如下。     

DIET AND DISPERSION OF THE GREAT ARGUS ARGUSIANUS ARGUS

The food and dispersion of Great Argus were studied in two West Malaysian forested areas from 1975 to 1978. Invertebrates on the litter surface lived at low density and were typically large and solitary; those beneath the litter were abundant but typically tiny and colonial. Great Argus feed mainly on fallen fruit but rely for protein on the large, solitary litter-surface invertebrates and were never seen scratching for food. Adult males maintain small, discrete home ranges in which they forage alone. Much of their time is spent resting, which reduces energy expenditure. Females also forage alone and may be similarly inactive. Great Argus are very large and their requisite large invertebrate prey cannot be obtained beneath the litter; scratching has been eliminated as a foraging technique. A strategy of litter-surface searching necessitates solitariness, to avoid intraspecific feeding competition. The large size of Great Argus is related to a low rate of energy turnover and energy conservation by prolonged resting. Both sexes are probably territorial during the breeding season and larger territories then may limit population density.     

Contrasting phenotypic correlations in food provision of male Tengmalm's owls (Aegolius funereus) in a temporally heterogenous environment

Summary We examined the food provision rate of male Tengmalm's owls,Aegolius funereus, during one 3 year vole cycle consisting of consecutive low, increase and peake vole years. The data were collected in the midnestling period when males provisioned the whole family. In the low vole year, males with a low loading index (g/cm²) of flying area fed their offspring more often than did males with a high loading index, whereas in the peak vole year the opposite trend was evident. Similar relationships were found in the food mass provisioned to the nest. In the increase vole year, male body size had no effect on feeding efficiency. In the peak vole year, when large voles are abundant, heavy males preyed on larger voles than were generally available in their territories, indicating that largeness may increase strike power in hunting attempts. In the low vole year, when breeding is costly due to food scarcity and extensive hunting area, small males are more economical fliers and efficient hunters than large males. The contrasting trends in correlations between male size and feeding efficiency in years of vole abundance versus scarcity suggest that no fixed phenotype may most efficiently cope with variable food supply.     

Modeling the demography of species providing extended parental care: A capture–recapture multievent model with a case study on polar bears (Ursus maritimus)

1. In species providing extended parental care, one or both parents care for altricial young over a period including more than one breeding season. We expect large parental investment and long‐term dependency within family units to cause high variability in life trajectories among individuals with complex consequences at the population level. So far, models for estimating demographic parameters in free‐ranging animal populations mostly ignore extended parental care, thereby limiting our understanding of its consequences on parents and offspring life histories.
2. We designed a capture–recapture multievent model for studying the demography of species providing extended parental care. It handles statistical multiple‐year dependency among individual demographic parameters grouped within family units, variable litter size, and uncertainty on the timing at offspring independence. It allows for the evaluation of trade‐offs among demographic parameters, the influence of past reproductive history on the caring parent''s survival status, breeding probability, and litter size probability, while accounting for imperfect detection of family units. We assess the model performance using simulated data and illustrate its use with a long‐term dataset collected on the Svalbard polar bears (Ursus maritimus).
3. Our model performed well in terms of bias and mean square error and in estimating demographic parameters in all simulated scenarios, both when offspring departure probability from the family unit occurred at a constant rate or varied during the field season depending on the date of capture. For the polar bear case study, we provide estimates of adult and dependent offspring survival rates, breeding probability, and litter size probability. Results showed that the outcome of the previous reproduction influenced breeding probability.
4. Overall, our results show the importance of accounting for i) the multiple‐year statistical dependency within family units, ii) uncertainty on the timing at offspring independence, and iii) past reproductive history of the caring parent. If ignored, estimates obtained for breeding probability, litter size, and survival can be biased. This is of interest in terms of conservation because species providing extended parental care are often long‐living mammals vulnerable or threatened with extinction.

     

Changes in population structure and reproduction during a 3-yr population cycle of voles

Cyclic changes in population growth rate are caused by changes in survival and/or reproductive rate. To find out whether cyclic changes in reproduction are an important part of the mechanism causing cyclic fluctuations in small mammal populations, we studied changes in the population structure and reproduction of field voles ( Microtus agrestis ), sibling voles ( M. rossiaemeridionalis ), bank voles ( Clethrionomys glareolus ), and common shrews ( Sorex araneus ) in western Finland during 1984–1992, in an area with 3-yr vole cycles. We also modelled the population growth of voles using parameter values from this study. The animals studied were collected by snap trapping in April, May, June, August, September, and, during 1986–1990, also in October. We found several phase-related differences in the population structure (age structure, sex ratio, proportion of mature individuals) and reproduction (litter size, length of the breeding season) of voles. In non-cyclic common shrews, the only significant phase-related difference was a lower proportion of overwintered individuals in the increase phase. According to the analyses and the vole model, phase-related changes in litter size had only a minor impact on population growth rate. The same was true for winter breeding in the increase phase. The length and intensity of the summer breeding season had an effect on yearly population growth but this impact was relatively weak compared to the effect of cyclic changes in survival. The population increase rates of Microtus were delayed dependent on density (8–12-month time lag). Our results indicate that cyclic changes in reproduction are not an important part of the mechanism driving cyclic fluctuations in vole populations. Low survival of young individuals appeared to play an important role in the shift from the peak to the decline phase in late summer and early autumn.     

Population dynamics of the Smith's red-backed vole in highlands of Shikoku

Population dynamics of theSmith 's red-backed vole predominantly common through uplands of Shikoku have been in some degree disclosed by the use of my own and Government Forest Station's samples collected since 1955 onward. It has proved that the upper-range population reaches its density peak possibly in late summer or early fall, but the lower-range one does probably in October–November as the seasonal trend in usual years. The upper one produced a peak three times at 3–4 year intervals, the first peak being an outbreak followed by a crash, during the last decade. It seems likely that all the populations through the range have, in the gross, fluctuated in phase after 1959 at least. The cyclic fluctuation may readily be explained by the theory of intrinsic mechanism, because no external factors are considered to have exerted a conclusive effect. Except what was concerned in the outbreak, the role of the social stress could be set at naught. The regulation of fecundiy by density was expressed more markedly in litter size and less in active reproductivity rate and incidence of pregnancy. The mean litter size at term as small as 2.00 is contrary to our expectation in view of the supposed prolific potential, nevertheless the observed frequency of litter poduction and intra-uterine survival rate has proved not to be so high as to make up for the small litter size. The problem in the postnatal mortality has remained to be solved.     

Experimental manipulation of breeding density and litter size: effects on reproductive success in the bank vole

1. Reproductive success of individual females may be determined by density-dependent effects, especially in species where territory provides the resources for a reproducing female and territory size is inversely density-dependent.
2. We manipulated simultaneously the reproductive effort (litter size manipulation: ± 0 and + 2 pups) and breeding density (low and high) of nursing female bank voles Clethrionomys glareolus in outdoor enclosures. We studied whether the reproductive success (number and quality of offspring) of individual females is density-dependent, and whether females can compensate for increased reproductive effort when not limited by saturated breeding density.
3. The females nursing their young in the low density weaned significantly more offspring than females in the high density, independent of litter manipulation.
4. Litter enlargements did not increase the number of weanlings per female, but offspring from enlarged litters had lower weight than control litters.
5. In the reduced density females increased the size of their home range, but litter manipulation had no significant effect on spacing behaviour of females. Increased home range size did not result in heavier weanlings.
6. Mother's failure to successfully wean any offspring was more common in the high density treatment, whereas litter manipulation or mother's weight did not affect weaning success.
7. We conclude that reproductive success of bank vole females is negatively density-dependent in terms of number, but not in the quality of weanlings.
8. The nursing effort of females (i.e. the ability to provide enough food for pups) seems not to be limited by density-dependent factors.     

Determinants of reproductive success in voles: space use in relation to food and litter size manipulation

Spacing behaviour of female mammals is suggested to depend on the distribution and abundance of food. In addition, food limitation has been found to constrain the reproductive success of females. However, whether females maximize their reproductive success by adjusting space use in relation to current food availability and reproductive effort (e.g. litter size) has not been experimentally studied. We examined these questions by manipulating simultaneously food resources (control vs. food supplementation) and litter sizes (control vs. plus two pups) of territorial female bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) in large outdoor enclosures. Females with supplementary food had smaller home ranges (foraging area) and home range overlaps than control females, whereas litter size manipulation had no effect on space use. In contrast, the size of territory (exclusive area) was not affected by food supplementation or litter size manipulation. As we have previously shown elsewhere, extra food increases the reproductive success of bank vole females in terms of size and proportion of weaned offspring. According to the present data, greater overlap of female home ranges had a negative effect on reproductive success of females, particularly on survival of offspring. We conclude that higher food availability increases the reproductive success of bank vole females, and this effect may be mediated through lower vulnerability of offspring to direct killing and/or detrimental effects from other females in the population. Moreover, it seems that when density of conspecifics is controlled for, home range sizes of females, but not territoriality, is related to food resources in Clethrionomys voles.