云南省拉市海越冬灰鹤的生境利用研究

2006年2～3月,在云南省丽江拉市海自然保护区对越冬灰鹤 Grus grus生境的利用情况进行了调查.初步了解了越冬灰鹤的生境选择,同时应用模糊综合评价法对鸟类生境进行评价.结果 发现灰鹤对该区域各类型生境均有利用,但对不同特征的生境具有不同的选择性.通过对越冬灰鹤的生境进行因子分析,结果表明:影响越冬灰鹤生境选择的因子依次是食物(贡献率为39.211%),隐蔽性(20.426%),干扰(18.358%),水源(16.967%).因此与之相应的小麦地和豌豆地非常适合灰鹤的越冬需求,评价结果也显示这两类生境状况为"优",而相对差的为杂草地和草滩两类生境.     

贵州草海越冬黑颈鹤觅食栖息地选择的初步研究

本文报道了利用Friedman非参数统计方法,研究越冬黑颈鹤(Grus nigricollis)在贵州草海对其觅食栖息地选择的结果。在草海的黑颈鹤越冬觅食栖息地可分为5种——莎草草甸、浅水沼泽、草地、玉米地和蔬菜地。黑颈鹤对莎草草甸的选择性最高,对玉米地的选择性最差,对其余类型栖息地的选择随地点的不同而不同。草海的人为活动很多,是影响黑颈鹤利用和选择栖息地的一个重要因素。本文也对改善黑颈鹤越冬栖息地的管理和保护提出了一些建议。     

鄱阳湖区稻田生境中灰鹤越冬行为的时间分配与觅食行为

2013年11月—2014年2月,采用瞬时扫描和焦点动物法研究了鄱阳湖区稻田生境中灰鹤越冬行为的时间分配、活动节律与觅食行为。结果显示,觅食(64.09%)行为所占比例最大,其次为警戒(15.97%)、飞行(8.67%)和修整(7.37%)行为。4种主要行为中,觅食行为时间分配随越冬前期(11月)、中期(12月—翌年1月)、后期(2月)逐渐增加,其余行为时间均逐渐减少。各环境因子对主要行为的影响存在显著交互效应,修整行为随各环境因子变化最为明显,日最低温度升高、日最高温度降低、日照长度增加及湿度降低都会使修整行为增加;日照长度增加和湿度降低时,觅食行为增加;日照长度增加时,警戒行为减少。环境因子对成鹤影响效果与总体相同。环境因子仅对幼鹤的觅食行为影响显著,即日照长度增加和湿度降低,幼鹤觅食行为增加。环境因子对行为的影响为非线性关系,致使其影响趋势在不同范围内有所变化。行为节律上,灰鹤昼间各时段觅食行为保持较高水平,觅食高峰出现在11:00—11:59和17:00—17:30。灰鹤觅食生境与其夜宿地分离,致其上午觅食高峰有所推后。幼鹤昼间各时段行为节律与成鹤有较大差异,且各时段觅食行为比例均高于成鹤。灰鹤越冬期在稻田生境的平均啄食频率为(32.06±0.47)次/min,平均步行频率为(6.55±0.35)步/min。啄食频率与步行频率呈极显著负相关。时段和集群类型对啄食频率的影响存在显著交互效应。稻田中食物资源的可利用性逐渐下降,灰鹤的啄食频率随时间逐渐降低,为保证越冬期间获取足够的能量供应,灰鹤采取逐渐增加步行频率和觅食时间的策略。有觅食间隔的抽样单元中,平均警戒次数为(1.37±0.04)次/单元,平均警戒持续时间为(6.02±0.37)s/单元。成鹤花费在警戒的时间多于幼鹤,家庭群中的个体警戒持续时间多于聚集群中的个体。     

基于卫星跟踪个体的越冬灰鹤栖息地选择

开展物种栖息地选择研究,对保护濒危动物和其生境具有重要意义。于2014年冬季,在贵州威宁草海保护区利用卫星跟踪技术和随机森林模型对7只越冬灰鹤(Grus grus)进行了日间栖息地选择研究。结果表明:灰鹤对栖息地(距夜栖地、林地、草地、沼泽、水域和耕地的距离)、人为干扰(距居民点、主干道、村道)、海拔等环境因子存在明显的选择性(P0.05),而对坡度未表现出选择性(P0.05);随机森林模型表明,距主干道距离、距夜栖地距离、距居民点距离和距草地距离对灰鹤的栖息地选择过程影响最大;综合来看,灰鹤在日间喜好在靠近水源(858.86±29.39 m)和夜栖地(1914.70±59.14 m)、并远离居民点(312.87±10.28 m)的区域活动;在距主干道距离和距村道距离两个因子上,灰鹤活动点均显著小于随机点,这可能表明灰鹤在利用耕地作为主要觅食地时,被迫适应道路交通带来的较大干扰;城镇的快速扩张以及道路修建是草海及周边区域威胁灰鹤生存的主要因素。     

鄱阳湖区灰鹤越冬种群数量与分布动态及其影响因素

1998—2011年,采用地面同步调查法开展了鄱阳湖越冬灰鹤种群监测,并整合1984—2011年鄱阳湖国家级自然保护区历年的越冬灰鹤最大种群数量,分析了鄱阳湖灰鹤越冬种群动态以及影响其数量变化与空间分布的环境因素。结果表明,近13年来鄱阳湖区越冬灰鹤种群平均数量为(2 335±651)只,种群数量呈增长趋势,2011年冬季记录到最大种群数量7 640只。灰鹤越冬种群数量与10月平均最低气温以及10月平均气温存在显著正相关,与10月平均最大风速存在显著负相关,与各月的平均水位没有显著的相关性。每年冬季灰鹤在鄱阳湖呈聚集型分布。大湖池、大莲子湖、三湖、汉池湖、企湖、珠湖、南湖(共青)、大汊湖等8个湖泊是灰鹤的重点活动区,(74.9±5.6)%的越冬灰鹤分布在保护区之外。灰鹤的空间分布与滩地面积存在显著的正相关,与农田面积、人口密度、村庄数量、8月份初级生产力、11月份初级生产力等环境因子存在显著负相关。滩地面积是影响灰鹤空间分布的重要因子,对灰鹤利用频次空间变化的解释率为15.0%,与11月份初级生产力共同解释了灰鹤年平均群体数量空间变化的24.6%。如竞争、小生境结构、干扰等局地尺度的环境要素对灰鹤空间分布的影响研究将有助于更全面地认识鄱阳湖越冬灰鹤种群动态的影响机制。     

贵州草海的越冬鹤类

贵州威宁草海自然保护区是一个天然淡水湖泊,为我国鹤类的重要越冬地。在这里越冬的鹤类有黑颈鹤(Grus nigricollis)、白头鹤(Grus monacha)和灰鹤(Grus grus lilfordi)三种。现将有关研究及其数量消长规律概述如下。1灰鹤的研究在草海所见的三种鹤中,以灰鹤的发现最早(彭燕章等,1963)。王有辉(1986)和吴至康、王有辉(1986)对灰鹤的栖息条件、迁徙时间、生活习性、数量分布、食性、天敌、寄生羽虱,分别作了报道。嗣后,李若贤和李凤山1987年冬与1988年春,对草海灰鹤的越冬行为进行了研究。认为灰鹤在白天活动的时间分配比例是取食占49.7%,…     

云南纳帕海黑颈鹤越冬行为与生境利用初步观察

2005年10月～2006年3月在纳帕海自然保护区对黑颈鹤越冬期行为和生境利用进行了30天观察.采用扫描取样和目标取样对黑颈鹤的行为和生境利用进行了观察.将行为划分为觅食、喂食与索食、伫立、休息、运动、保养、社群等7种.整个越冬期黑颈鹤的主要行为是觅食,觅食行为在越冬中、末期在所有行为所占比例逐渐增加.黑颈鹤的觅食行为60%以上发生在沼泽,其次是沼泽畔的草地.因此,保护好湿地沼泽对黑颈鹤在纳帕海顺利越冬极为重要.     

盐城灰鹤(Grus grus)越冬种群动态及行为观察

为解盐城灰鹤(Grus grus)的越冬种群动态及行为特征,在盐城保护区设置两条样线,自2008年12月始,连续5个冬季每月一次作种群监测,并观察灰鹤家族群的越冬行为。结果显示,近5年来,盐城越冬灰鹤种群(303~707只)较为稳定,沿海开发对其种群似乎并无负面影响,这可能与灰鹤的食性及生境偏好有关。年龄对灰鹤越冬行为影响显著,幼鹤相较成鹤将花费更多的时间用于采食,而用于警戒的时间较少,这与幼鹤所处的生长及学习阶段有关。家族群大小对灰鹤的采食、警戒及群体警戒效率等均无显著影响,说明对于灰鹤而言,两只幼鹤并未显著增加其在警戒行为上的投入。     

灰鹤的冬季生态观察

灰鹤(Grus grus liffordi)夏季在我国内蒙占及新疆繁殖、冬季迁来南方越冬。笔者于1971—1978年在云南省个旧市大屯坝区对越冬的灰鹤习性、数量变动等方面进行了较为系统的观察,现将结果整理如下。     

云南拉市海灰鹤的越冬行为初步观察

2004年10月～2005年3月初步观察了云南拉市海保护区灰鹤(Grus grus)的越冬行为.灰鹤在拉市海的越冬期为175～180 d.10月初至11月下旬为灰鹤在拉市海的"迁入期",11月底至12月底为"过境停留期",1月初至3月中旬为"稳定越冬期",3月中下旬为"迁出期".越冬期日间活动以取食为主,占据了75.53%左右的时间,其次为警戒14.66%、护理5.05%、休息4.49%,4种行为的时间分配在各时间段之间差异极显著.在越冬个体中,家庭单位中的成鹤和幼鹤都是比集群中的个体利用更少的时间取食和更多时间警戒,说明较大的群体规模可以降低个体面临的捕食风险.     

Genetically-based variation between two spider populations in foraging behavior

Summary Optimal foraging theory is based on the assumption that at least some aspects of foraging behavior are genetically determined (Pyke et al. 1977; Kamil and Sargent 1980; Pyke 1984). Nonetheless, very few studies have examined the role of genetics in foraging behavior. Here, we report on geographical differences in the foraging behavior of a spider (Agelenopsis aperta) and investigate whether these differences are genetically determined. Field studies were conducted on two different populations of A. aperta: one residing in a desert riparian habitat, and the other in a desert grassland habitat. Data from the spiders' natural encounters with prey demonstrated that grassland spiders exhibited a higher frequency of attack than riparian spiders towards 13 of 15 prey types, including crickets and ants. Grassland spiders also had shorter latencies to attack 12 of 15 prey types, including crickets and ants, than riparian spiders. Subsequently, we reared grassland and riparian spiders under controlled conditions in the laboratory and observed their interactions with prey to determine whether the populational differences we found in the field could be genetic. Again, grassland spiders showed a shorter latency to attack prey (crickets, ants) than riparian spiders. These latencies were not significantly affected by the hunger state or age of the spiders. Finally, we reared a second generation (F2) of grassland and riparian spiders in the laboratory and observed their interactions with prey to determine whether the populational differences in the previous generation were due to genetic effects or maternal effects. As before, grassland spiders exhibited a shorter latency to attack prey (crickets) than riparian spiders. We conclude that the foraging differences we observed between these two populations of A. aperta are genetically determined. These differences probably have resulted from either natural selection acting directly on attack frequency and the latency to attack prey, or natural selection acting on traits which are genetically correlated with these aspects of foraging behavior.     

Nitrogen Depletion and Redistribution by Free‐Ranging Cattle in the Restoration Process of Mosaic Landscapes: The Role of Foraging Strategy and Habitat Proportion

In a mosaic landscape in N‐Belgium (W‐Europe), consisting of forest, grassland, and wooded pasture on former agricultural land, we assessed nitrogen redistribution by free‐ranging cattle (±0.2 animal units ha^?1 yr^?1). We examined if the spatial redistribution of nitrogen among habitats by cattle could restore nutrient‐poor conditions in preferred foraging habitats, and conversely whether such translocation could lead to extreme eutrophication in preferred resting habitats. We used nitrogen content of different diet classes, habitat use, foraging and defecation behavior, weight gain, and nitrogen losses in the actual situation to explore four different habitat proportion scenarios and two different foraging strategies to calculate a net nitrogen balance per habitat. An atmospheric deposition of 30 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1 with varying interception factors according to the habitat types was included in an integrated nitrogen balance. All scenarios showed a net nitrogen transport from grassland and wooded pasture to forest habitat. We found that nitrogen redistribution strongly depends on habitat proportion. Nitrogen losses from preferred grassland habitat can be high, given its proportion is small. Depletion is only to be expected at excretion‐free areas and probably is of minor importance to trigger the establishment of woody species. In general, nitrogen transported by cattle was much lower than input by atmospheric deposition, but grazing can compensate for high N inputs in excretion‐free areas and maintain grassland types that support critical loads of 20–25 kg N ha^?1 yr^?1. In none of the scenarios, N transport by cattle resulted in the exceeding of critical nitrogen loads to vulnerable forest ground vegetation.     

Habitat selection by breeding Curlews Nwnenius arquata on mosaic farmland

Territory establishment and habitat use by breeding Curlews Numenius arquata were studied during 1987 and 1988 on mosaic farmland (dominated by dry tillage) at two sites in central Sweden. Curlews preferred to breed in areas with a high proportion of grassland, close to rivers, while dry tillage was avoided. Territories at my study site were larger (mean = 4 5.2 ha) than in areas consisting entirely of grassland. Territory size seemed to depend on the spatial distribution of grasslands, which suggests that habitat fragmentation forces Curlews to establish larger territories in modern farmland than in areas of grassland. The number of territories in patches of grassland was correlated with patch area, and unoccupied patches were more isolated than occupied patches. However, patch area was a more important factor than isolation, since large patches (> 3 5 ha) were always occupied. Sown grassland was used significantly more than expected for foraging early in the season, possibly indicating the strong influence of the nutritional requirements in the pre-breeding period on territory establishment. Habitat selection when foraging seemed to be less important late in the season, since there was no significant habitat preference then. During this period distance to the nest site seemed to be more important than habitat, sinced the preferred foraging fields (including fields of all habitats used more than expected by area) were situated closer to nests than the less preferred fields, probably an adaptation to the high nest predation risk. The same fields were mostly preferred in the pre-breeding period also, suggesting that nests were built close to good foraging areas.
My results indicate that the decline of the Swedish Curlew population since 1950 is caused by changes in land use, resulting in decreased grassland area and increased habitat fragmentation, which probably have affected both breeding and foraging possibilities negatively.     

Effects of crop field characteristics on nocturnal winter use by American woodcock

Since the late 1960s, American woodcock (Scolopax minor) have undergone population declines because of habitat loss. Previous research suggested ridge and furrow topography in conventionally tilled soybean fields provided critical nocturnal cover as birds foraged on earthworms. However, the use of no-till technology has increased and many fields now lack ridge and furrow topography. We assessed woodcock winter nocturnal foraging habitat use given recent changes in agricultural technology, and investigated how field treatment, earthworm abundance, and environmental variables affect the selection of nocturnal foraging sites. We counted woodcock along transects in 5 field treatments twice in each of 67 fields during December–March 2008–2009 and 72 fields during December–March 2009–2010. During both seasons, we collected earthworm and soil samples from a subset of fields of each field treatment. Woodcock densities were at least twice as high in no-till soybean fields planted after corn and in undisked corn fields with mowed stalks than in other field treatments. No-till soybean planted after corn and undisked corn fields contained ridge and furrow topography, whereas other crops did not, and earthworms were at least 1.5 times more abundant in no-till soybean fields than other field treatments. Ridges and furrows in no-till soybean fields planted after corn and undisked corn fields may provide wintering woodcock with thermal protection and concealment from predators. No-till soybean fields planted after corn offered the additional benefit of relatively high food availability. The presence of ridge and furrow topography can be used to predict woodcock field use on the wintering grounds in agricultural areas. Farmers can provide nocturnal winter foraging sites for woodcock by delaying field disking and leaving ridge and furrow topography in crop fields. © 2011 The Wildlife Society.     

Habitat associations of Yellow Wagtails Motacilla flava flavissima on lowland wet grassland

In common with many other previously widespread British birds, Yellow Wagtail Motacilla flava flavissima populations have declined substantially in the UK in recent decades. Recent national data suggest particular problems in grassland. We investigated how habitat management in a grassland area of East Anglia, England, influenced the habitat selection of this species. Breeding territories were associated with fields previously subject to prolonged winter floods and which contained shallow-edged ponds or wet ditches during summer. Territories were also associated with fields with short, sparse swards and high proportions of bare earth within the sward, and these features were themselves associated with previous winter flooding. However, nests were associated with taller swards than were random points within the same field, suggesting that Yellow Wagtails would benefit from within-field heterogeneity of sward height to provide both nesting and foraging habitat. We discuss how grazing, cutting and water-level management regimes could be used to promote optimal sward structure for Yellow Wagtails.     

Natterer's bats prefer foraging in broad-leaved woodlands and river corridors

We studied habitat selection by radio tracking Natterer's bats Myotis nattereri foraging in a grassland–woodland landscape. We tested the hypothesis that selection of foraging habitat is random at two levels: firstly, the selection of individual foraging ranges and secondly, the choice of foraging habitats made by individuals within these foraging ranges. Habitat selection was random at neither level. When selecting foraging ranges, bats maximized the area of semi-natural broad-leaved woodland and improved grassland and minimized that of dense coniferous plantations. During foraging, semi-natural broad-leaved woodland and river corridors were preferred, while dense coniferous plantations were avoided. Within individual foraging ranges, the intensity of foraging activity over river corridor habitat and semi-natural broad-leaved woodland was 8.2 and 3.8 times higher, respectively, than that over improved grassland. For successful management of Natterer's bat populations, semi-natural broad-leaved woodland should be retained. Clear felling of large blocks of native broad-leaved woodland should be avoided and conifers should not be used for reforestation. Tree cover along river banks should be encouraged and protected.     

Foraging in a landscape mosaic: selection for energy and minerals in free-ranging cattle

Several studies have indicated the potential importance of nutrients, other than energy, in determining foraging decisions. A model was developed to test this idea, on the assumption of an intake maximization for different nutrients (energy, sodium and phosphorus). The model predictions were tested using field data from cattle grazing in a landscape mosaic of Pleistocene cover-sand and riverine grassland. Observations on foraging behaviour, food intake and diet composition were collected in thirteen 4-day-periods over 2 years. Habitat selection was determined by comparing the proportion of grazing time in different vegetation units with the available area proportion of the units. Two levels of habitat selection were examined: a micro-level (fine-scale, where vegetation units were considered separately) and a macro-level (coarse-scale, where vegetation units were combined to give selection at the landscape level). At the micro-level of habitat selection, no selection was apparent between the vegetation units of the riverine landscape, but the Deschampsia flexuosa unit was significantly selected for in the cover-sand landscape. At the landscape (macro-) level, the animals preferred the riverine landscape. The model revealed poor predictions of habitat occupancy on a micro-level. A much better prediction was obtained when vegetation units were combined at a macro-level. The D. flexuosa unit provided a higher energy intake, whereas the intake of sodium was higher in riverine grassland. Phosphorus proved relatively significant in determining habitat occupancy. Based on energy maximization alone, the model was a very poor predictor of habitat occupancy. It is argued that selection occurred mainly at the macro-level. The incorporation of different nutrient constraints in foraging models can then prove fruitful when seeking explanations of habitat occupancy. At the micro-level, difficulties for the animal in assessing nutrient availability may result in a less selective foraging pattern. However, the costs of increased selectivity may be greater than the benefits.     

大鸨繁殖期觅食地的选择

2000年和2001年的4～7月,在内蒙古自治区科尔沁右翼前旗东南部的草原地带,采用样方法研究了火烧地和非火烧地上繁殖期大鸨的觅食地选择.结果表明,在火烧地和非火烧地,大鸨觅食地的植株高度均为13cm左右,最高高度不超过30cm,植被结构上具有共性;植物种类丰盛密集,盖度较大,喜食的植物和昆虫丰富.但在喜食食物选择上,火烧对大鸨有一定影响.在非火烧地,大鸨多关注动物性食物的丰盛;而在火烧地则关注植物性食物的丰盛.     

Earthworms,spiders and bees as indicators of habitat quality and management in a low-input farming region—A whole farm approach

The benefits of low input farming on biodiversity and ecosystem services are already well-established, however most of these studies focus only on the focal field scales. We aimed to study whether these benefits exist at the whole farm scale, to find the main environmental driving effects on biodiversity at the whole farm scale in farms of different grassland grazing intensity, applying three well-known species diversity indicator groups of different ecological traits.Edaphic (earthworms), epigeic (spiders) and flying (bees) taxa were sampled in each identified habitat type within 18 low-input farms in Central Hungary, 2010. The number of habitat types, the number of grassland plots, the cumulative area of grasslands and habitat type had an effect on the species richness and abundance of spiders, while grassland grazing intensity influenced the species richness of bees. Both bees and spiders were sensitive to vegetation and weather conditions, resulting in more bees on flower-rich farms and those having higher temperature; and more spiders on farms with more heterogeneous vegetation structure and in low-wind areas. Relatively few earthworms were found in the whole study, and their abundance was not influenced by any of the farm composition and management variables.We conclude that local field management (grazing intensity of grassland patches) can have a farm scale effect, detectable on species diversity indicators that have high dispersal ability and strong connection to grasslands as important foraging sites (bees). However, other farmland biota (spiders) is also strongly determined by farmland composition and habitat diversity, therefore the maintenance of a mosaic within-farm habitat structure is strongly recommended. The application of earthworms as farmland composition or management indicators is strongly restricted because of their special needs of soil conditions.