赤狐气味对高原鼠兔繁殖的影响

在野外条件下,利用赤狐的粪尿气味增加高原鼠兔的捕食风险,研究捕食风险对高原鼠兔繁殖的影响。结果表明,作为衡量高原鼠兔繁殖投入大小的定量指标,成体高原鼠兔的体重变化在捕食风险处理样方与对照样方之间没有明显的不同,随着繁殖期的延长,两样方内雌雄个体的体重均显减少,说明捕食风险对高原鼠兔的繁殖投入无明显影响,因此,捕食风险对幼体的生长、发育也无明显的作用。捕食风险增加后,高原鼠兔平均每个雌性成体拥有的后代数目、性比和居留率与对照样方比较均无明显不同,但是由于扩散等原因使每个雄性成体拥有的后代数、繁殖期结束后幼体的性比有明显的差异。以上结果并未显示出捕食气味作为捕食风险对高原鼠兔的繁殖产生抑制作用,其主要原因是捕食风险的类型不同和研究期间高原鼠兔本身承受的捕食风险较大,高原鼠兔可能通过行为变化调节捕食风险增加对其产生的不利影响。     

地表覆盖物对高原鼠兔栖息地利用的影响

对地表覆盖物对高原鼠兔栖息地利用的作用进行了研究, 地表覆盖物增加后, 高原鼠兔能依据其程度及毗邻生境状况, 或减少地面活动增加对洞道系统的利用; 或转移到较安全区域; 同时摄食行为也发生变化, 显著增加用于防御的时间, 且取食区域几乎集中于洞口附近。研究表明, 高原鼠兔视地表覆盖物为一种捕食风险源, 并对此具有一定的评估能力, 其行为反应实质上是通过对食物获取与风险大小的权衡而做出的一种行为决策。间接捕食风险是高原鼠兔在选择和利用栖息地时所必须考虑的权衡因子, 也是一个重要的摄食代价。     

植食性哺乳动物觅食功能反应模型机制的检验

植食性哺乳动物在食物密集斑块的觅食为 型功能反应。在新鲜苜蓿叶片构成的食物密集斑块上 ,以高原鼠兔作为实验动物 ,检验植食性哺乳动物的觅食功能反应及其模型机制。食物大小可调节高原鼠兔的口量 ,尽而控制其瞬时摄入率 ;高原鼠兔觅食叶片的口量 S与瞬时摄入率 I存在渐近的函数关系 ,为 型功能反应 ;高原鼠兔的食物收获率 B随口量 S的增加呈非线性递减 ;最大处理速率 Rmax的测定值与模型的预测值极为近似 ;瞬时摄入率 I的测定值与模型的预测值线性回归显著 ( P<0 .0 1 )。研究结果充分验证了提出的假设 :植食性哺乳动物 型功能反应模型能有效地预测其摄入率的动态 ;植食性哺乳动物收获与咀嚼间的竞争能调其收获率和摄入率     

捕食风险对高原鼠兔行为的影响

我们在野外条件下利用赤狐的粪尿增加高原鼠兔的捕食风险 ,采用目标动物抽样法对高原鼠兔的 5种行为进行观察 ,分析天敌动物气味增加与天敌动物数量增加对高原鼠兔行为影响的差异 ,探讨高原鼠兔对捕食风险的权衡能力及面对不同风险的行为决策。 2 0 0 1年 ,在捕食风险处理样方中观察雄性成体 1 8只 ,雌性成体2 5只 ,雄性幼体 35只和雌性幼体 4 2只 ,在对照样方中观察雄性成体 1 4只 ,雌性成体 1 5只 ,雄性幼体 2 2只和雌性幼体 1 1只 ;2 0 0 2年 ,在捕食风险处理样方中观察雄性成体 7只 ,雌性成体 1 2只 ,在对照样方中观察雄性成体 8只 ,雌性成体 1 5只。研究结果表明 :增加赤狐的气味后 ,高原鼠兔通过改变行为策略以适应捕食风险的增加。当气味源刚放入后 ,与对照样方比较 ,高原鼠兔明显增加了观察和鸣叫的频次 ,相应减少了取食的频次 ,且随着时间的推移 ,高原鼠兔并未对气味产生适应性。当天敌动物的数量增加后 ,赤狐气味的增加对高原鼠兔行为的影响较小 ,在捕食风险超出高原鼠兔的耐受范围时 ,高原鼠兔扩散。同时 ,高原鼠兔的行为在雌雄之间、成体与幼体之间没有明显的不同 ,雌雄个体、成幼体均采用相同的行为策略减小捕食风险。以上结果表明 :捕食风险明显影响高原鼠兔的行为 ,高原鼠兔能够权衡捕食     

高寒草甸生态系统中高原鼠兔和高原鼢鼠的捕食风险及生存对策

调查青藏高原高寒草甸生态系统中两种主要啮齿动物及其天敌动物的种群密度,分析天敌动物对两种啮齿类的捕食方式、捕食强度,探讨啮齿类动物的捕食风险及生存对策。研究结果表明,高原鼠兔和高原鼢鼠的种群密度分别为4．97只／hm^2和10．6只／hm^2,而它们的主要天敌赤狐、艾虎和香鼬的种群密度分别为0．16只／100hm^2、0．37只／100hm^2、3只／100hm^2。艾虎和香鼬在取食过程中主要搜寻啮齿类的洞道系统,全部食物几乎都来源于洞道系统内;赤狐或取食地面活动的鼠兔,或挖掘洞口待高原鼢鼠封闭洞口时取食猎物。高原鼠兔在赤狐、艾虎和香鼬的食物中所出现的频次分别为100％、96．1％、100％,高原鼢鼠在3种天敌动物的食物中所出现的频次分别为87．5％、73．2％、0％。3种天敌动物对高原鼠兔和高原鼢鼠的捕食强度分别为0．703％和0．038％,高原鼠兔和高原鼢鼠所承受的捕食风险分别为0．780和0．393。高原鼠兔在高的捕食风险下通过行为对策和繁殖对策增加其适合度,而承受捕食风险较小的高原鼢鼠主要通过封闭的洞道系统和高的存活率增加其适合度。     

捕食风险对东方田鼠功能反应格局的作用

植食性哺乳动物对食物斑块的选择和利用不仅取决于食物的可利用性,且与觅食环境潜存的各种风险紧密关联。捕食风险是否通过作用于动物觅食活动中的警觉影响其功能反应格局。在新鲜白三叶叶片构成的各类食物密集斑块上,测定东方田鼠觅食行为,建立功能反应模型,检验捕食风险对其功能反应格局的作用。结果发现,捕食风险能显著地延长东方田鼠的觅食决定时间,但其摄入率保持稳定,功能反应构型亦未发生改变,仍为Ⅱ型功能反应;除了对照组个体的采食时间随叶片大小增大无明显变动规律外,处理组个体的采食时间及对照组和处理组个体的处理时间、觅食中断时间均随叶片大小及口量的增大呈线性增高趋势,处理组个体的觅食中断时间明显大于对照组个体的;对照组和处理组个体的采食率均随叶片大小及口量呈非线性渐近递减趋势,但处理组个体的采食率较对照组个体的略有降低。结果揭示,在捕食风险压力下,虽然上述觅食参数变异能潜在地降低摄入率,但个体能通过改变觅食活动中各种警觉行为动作如降低嗅闻和静听监视动作的发生频次,增大视觉监视动作比重,以此缓冲捕食风险压力,维持摄入率。摄入率测定值与模型预测值的线性回归极显著,表明,功能反应模型具有良好的预测性。在可利用植物密集斑块,动物觅食活动中的警觉能缓冲捕食风险压力;动物摄入率是由植物大小调控的口量决定的,且受采食与处理食物竞争及觅食中断的制约;其功能反应仍属Ⅱ型功能反应。     

高原鼠兔与达乌尔鼠兔的摄食行为及对栖息地适应性的研究

通过对标志高原鼠兔和达乌尔鼠兔直接观察的方法,对它们的摄食行为及栖息地适应性进行了研究。两种鼠兔的摄食行为链存在着明显趋同的行为程序时间系列。在摄食活动中,前者用于防御敌害的时间分配较多。而达乌尔鼠兔则花费更多的时间于采食。对小生境内的高大植株进行刈割,是高原鼠兔保持其防御视野开阔,降低被捕食风险的适应性策略;达乌尔鼠兔则善于利用栖息地内高大植株覆盖物作为它们的临时隐蔽所,以有效地躲避敌害。这表明它们具有反捕食的行为调控能力,也证明捕食风险强化了物种对栖息地的选择。     

相关风险因子对高原鼠兔摄食行为的影响

研究了捕食风险环境中集和洞口距离对高原鼠兔摄食行为的影响。结果表明,集群数量的增加不仅降低了警觉行为,同时也减少了摄食行为,在高风险环境中,集群为1时的取食行为强度最大,低风险环境中,为0时最大,警觉行为主要出现在距洞口2m的范围内,其行为强度与洞口踪影职责负相关,当洞口距离大于3m时,风险处理区的高原鼠兔几乎无警觉行为出现,且该处理区的取食区域几乎压缩的洞口旁,研究结果表明,在捕食风险环境中,高原鼠兔摄食行为与集群和洞口距离之间具有复杂的关系,其行为决策反映了降低风险与摄取食物间的权衡,行为目标是在降低捕食风险的同时尽可能地取食食物。     

高寒地区植食性小哺乳动物的越冬对策

利用多年工作积累的观察资料 ,讨论几种植食性小哺乳动物的越冬对策。其中 ,高原鼢鼠、甘肃鼠兔和根田鼠均贮存食物 ,以减少寒冷条件下的取食暴露。高原鼢鼠以个体为单位贮存和利用贮存食物 ,相互之间不协作 ;而两种地面活动的种类则可能以家庭为单位贮存和分享越冬食物。喜马拉雅旱獭体型较大 ,不贮存食物 ,它以冬眠方式越冬 ,这是一种对食物依赖最小的方式。高原鼠兔 ,既不贮存食物 ,也不进入冬眠 ,而是主要靠增加身体产热能力来保持体温 ,抵御严寒。作者认为 ,动物自身的生理限制、生活方式、环境条件以及捕食风险等诸多因素的综合作用决定动物的越冬对策。     

植食性小哺乳类营养生态学的研究：高原鼠兔的食物选择模式与食物质量

本文报道了高原鼠兔(Ochotona curzoniae)的食物模式,食物选择指数及食物项目的营养成分,并探讨食物质量与食物选择的关系。高原鼠兔主要选食双子叶植物叶片。食物组成与饲料可利用量的比较分析,揭示出高原鼠兔对各种食物项目的选择程度。在排除其它营养因子的作用后,复回归分析的结果表明,食物百分率与磷含量之间具有显著的正相关。各种食物项目不同营养成分与食物百分率之间相关关系不一致。从而进一步验证了食物选择决定于饲料可利用量和食物质量的假设。     

高原鼢鼠和高原鼠兔骨骼无机化学成分的研究Ⅱ.必需微量元素

本文报道了高原鼢鼠和高原鼠兔整体骨骼及头骨、脊柱骨和下肢骨中Ｃｕ、Ｚｎ、Ｆｅ、Ｍｎ、Ｃｏ、Ｎｉ、Ｍｏ、Ｃｒ、Ｔｉ、Ｆ、Ｓｅ和Ｇｅ１２种必需微量元素的含量,并进行了显著性差异和相关性分析。结果表明：只有Ｃｕ的含量在两种动物骨骼中没有显著性差异（Ｐ＞０．０５）,其余１１种元素均有显著性或极显著性差异（Ｐ＜０．０５或Ｐ＜０．０１）,其中Ｚｎ、Ｆｅ、Ｍｎ、Ｃｏ、Ｎｉ、Ｍｏ、Ｆ和Ｓｅ的含量,高原鼢鼠＞高原鼠兔,而Ｃｒ、Ｔｉ和Ｇｅ的含量,高原鼠兔＞高原鼢鼠。微量元素在头骨、脊柱骨和下肢骨中分布很不均衡,以头骨的微量元素最为丰富     

鱼群中饥饿个体比例和模拟捕食风险对德玛森小岩鲷群体行为的影响

研究旨在探讨同质(所有个体均正常摄食或饥饿)或异质(由不同饥饿个体比例组成的鱼群)鱼群的隐蔽所利用及觅食行为差异,以及上述行为对模拟捕食刺激的响应。实验选取喜好集群的德玛森小岩鲷(Chindongo demasoni)幼鱼为研究对象,以设置了隐蔽所臂和食物臂的六臂迷宫为竞技场,考察不同饥饿个体比例鱼群(8尾成员,分别为8F0S、7F1S、4F4S、1F7S和0F8S, F为正常投喂个体, S为饥饿个体),在自发状态及遭遇模拟捕食刺激下在迷宫不同区域的分布和成群动态。研究发现:(1)8F0S鱼群偏好隐蔽所臂;随着鱼群饥饿个体成员比例上升,鱼群在食物臂分布呈线性增加趋势, 0F8S鱼群在隐蔽所臂和食物臂的分布已不再存在差异;(2)隐蔽所臂的鱼群成群频率随饥饿鱼比例的上升呈下降趋势,但食物臂的鱼群成群频率并未随饥饿鱼比例上升而上升,且鱼群单次持续时间和总体时间占比均不受鱼群内部饥饿个体占比的影响;(3)模拟捕食刺激导致实验鱼在隐蔽所臂分布显著上升,应激状态下几乎所有集群均发生在隐蔽所臂,且该变化不受鱼群组成的影响。研究表明:(1)在陌生环境下德玛森小岩鲷的行为策略是优先避敌,其次才是营养需求...     

高原鼠兔刈割行为与栖息地植物群落的关系

采用观察法和样条法对不同栖息地高原鼠兔刈割植物的行为、相对频次、生物量百分比以及刈割植物与鼠兔冬季食物组成之间的关系进行了分析,并阐述了高原鼠兔刈割植物的生物学意义。结果表明:高原鼠兔刈割植物始于每年的6 月下旬,早于其它草原小型哺乳动物贮草时间。不同栖息地鼠兔对植物的刈割频次和生物量比例并非完全一致。在矮嵩草草甸,鼠兔刈割频次较高的为垂穗披碱草、二柱头藨草、甘肃棘豆、短穗兔耳草、铺散亚菊和鹅绒萎陵菜;这些植物生物量所占比例亦较高,仅短穗兔耳草比例较低;在垂穗披碱草草甸,鼠兔刈割频次较高的为垂穗披碱草和早熟禾;垂穗披碱草生物量较高;而在杂类草草甸,鼠兔主要刈割植物为铺散亚菊、大籽蒿、黄帚橐吾、长茎藁本和圆齿狗娃花,生物量比例较高的主要为铺散亚菊。相似性分析结果表明,不同栖息地间鼠兔刈割植物频次和生物量比例差异较大,相似性系数最大分别为0. 7862 和0. 6100, 最小仅为0.1422 和0. 1035,而同一栖息地间鼠兔刈割植物频次和生物量差异相对较小,相似性系数最高达0. 9203 和0. 8490,最小亦达到0. 6662 和0. 4440,表明栖息地变化对鼠兔刈割植物频次和比例有明显的影响作用。鼠兔刈割主要植物频次和生物量比例与冬季主要食物组成的相关分析结果表明,生物量比例与主要食物组成呈显著的正相关(r =0.8412,df = 6, P <0. 05),而刈割植物频次与主要食物相关不显著。     

青海门源地区大(狂鸟)和雕鸮的食性比较

1999～2002年的6～8月份,在青海门源地区收集了大(狂鸟)和雕鸮的吐弃块(pellets)和残留食物(food remains),带回实验室进行分检鉴定、研究分析.大(狂鸟)食物中共有736个猎物,其中高原鼢鼠28只、高原鼠兔139只、甘肃鼠兔142只、田鼠科动物422只、雀形目鸟类4只、香鼬1只;各猎物对大(狂鸟)食物的生物量贡献率分别为14.26%、40.79%、17.39%、26.99%、0.22%、0.35%.雕鸮食物中共有330个猎物,其中高原鼢鼠17只、高原鼠兔77只、甘肃鼠兔44只、田鼠科动物183只、雀形目鸟类2只、红脚鹬2只、高原兔5只;各猎物对雕鸮食物的生物量贡献率分别为11.83%、30.87%、7.36%、16.00%、0.15%、0.62%、33.17%.雕鸮的食物生态位宽度与大(狂鸟)的食物生态位宽度相近,食物生态位高度重叠,但是它们捕食同种猎物的比例显著不同.     

Effects of predation environment and food availability on somatic growth in the Livebearing Fish Brachyrhaphis rhabdophora (Pisces: Poeciliidae)

Variation in somatic growth rates is of great interest to biologists because of the relationship between growth and other fitness‐determining traits, and it results from both genetic and environmentally induced variation (i.e. plasticity). Theoretical predictions suggest that mean somatic growth rates and the shape of the reaction norm for growth can be influenced by variation in predator‐induced mortality rates. Few studies have focused on variation in reaction norms for growth in response to resource availability between high‐predation and low‐predation environments. We used juvenile Brachyrhaphis rhabdophora from high‐predation and low‐predation environments to test for variation in mean growth rates and for variation in reaction norms for growth at two levels of food availability in a common‐environment experiment. To test for variation in growth rates in the field, we compared somatic growth rates in juveniles in high‐predation and low‐predation environments. In the common‐environment experiment, mean growth rates did not differ between fish from differing predation environments, but the interaction between predation environment and food level took the form of a crossing reaction norm for both growth in length and mass. Fish from low‐predation environments exhibited no significant difference in growth rate between high and low food treatments. In contrast, fish from high‐predation environments exhibited variation in growth rates between high and low food treatments, with higher food availability resulting in higher growth rates. In the field, individuals in the high‐predation environment grow at a faster rate than those in low‐predation environments at the smallest sizes (comparable to sizes in the common‐environment experiment). These data provide no evidence for evolved differences in mean growth rates between predation environments. However, fish from high‐predation environments exhibited greater plasticity in growth rates in response to resource availability suggesting that predation environments may exhibit increased variation in food availability for prey fish and consequent selection for plasticity.     

What keeps insects small?—Size dependent predation on two species of butterfly larvae

Insect size usually increases greatly in the latter stages of development, while reproductive value increases strongly with adult size. Mechanisms that can balance the benefits associated with increased growth are poorly understood, raising the question: what keeps insects from becoming larger? If predation risk was to increase with juvenile size, it would make an extension of development very risky, favouring smaller final sizes. But field measures of juvenile mortality seldom show any general patterns of size dependence. We here therefore try to estimate a mechanistic relationship between juvenile size and predation risk by exposing the larvae of two closely related butterflies to a generalist invertebrate predator in a laboratory experiment. Predation risk increased with larval size but was not affected by the species-specific growth rate differences. These results indicate that predation risk may increase with the size of the juvenile even when predators are relatively small. By basing a model simulation on our data we also show that size dependent predation of the kind found in this study has potential to stabilise selection on body size in these species. Thus, these findings suggest that more detailed studies of the size dependence of predation risk on juvenile instars will increase the understanding of what it is that keeps insects small.     

Nest predation risk and growth strategies of passerine species: grow fast or develop traits to escape risk?

Abstract Different body components are thought to trade off in their growth and development rates, but the causes for relative prioritization of any trait remains a critical question. Offspring of species at higher risk of predation might prioritize development of locomotor traits that facilitate escaping risky environments over growth of mass. We tested this possibility in 12 altricial passerine species that differed in their risk of nest predation. We found that rates of growth and development of mass, wings, and endothermy increased with nest predation risk across species. In particular, species with higher nest predation risk exhibited relatively faster growth of wings than of mass, fledged with relatively larger wing sizes and smaller mass, and developed endothermy earlier at relatively smaller mass. This differential development can facilitate both escape from predators and survival outside of the nest environment. Tarsus growth was not differentially prioritized with respect to nest predation risk, and instead all species achieved adult tarsus size by age of fledging. We also tested whether different foraging modes (aerial, arboreal, and ground foragers) might explain the variation of differential growth of locomotor modules, but we found that little residual variation was explained. Our results suggest that differences in nest predation risk among species are associated with relative prioritization of body components to facilitate escape from the risky nest environment.     

An experimental test of predator–parasite interaction in a passerine bird

Experimental studies incorporating multiple trophic levels are scarce but of increasing interest for understanding ecological communities. Here we investigated interactive effects of perceived predation risk and parasite pressure on life‐history traits in a hole‐nesting bird, and the effects of predation risk on parasite success. In a 3 × 2 experimental design we increased perceived predation risk for breeding great tits Parus major via simulations of either nest‐predators (woodpeckers) or post‐fledging predators (sparrowhawks) close to nests, and used a non‐predatory species (song thrush) as a control. Concurrently, half of the nests in each treatment were either infested with ectoparasites, or kept parasite‐free. Regarding the predation risk – parasite interaction, exposure to nest‐predators tended to lower wing and sternum growth rates of nestlings in the absence, but not the presence, of parasites. In the presence of parasites, exposure to a post‐fledging, but not to a nest‐predator, led to significantly reduced wing growth. Mass and tarsus length were not affected by predator exposure, but ectoparasites had slight positive effects on mass gain. In the last third of the nestling period, overall nestling size was significantly smaller when exposed to a post‐fledging predator than to a nest‐predator, but neither differed from the control. Parental feeding rates were not affected by the treatments, but parents became less selective towards food items under either predation risk. Hen‐flea population sizes (adult or larvae) in nests were not affected by predation risk treatment of hosts. In summary, we found some evidence for an interactive effect of predation risk and parasite pressure on nestling growth. The complexity of the interaction, combined with certain inconsistencies of the effects and potential statistical artifacts, prevent however a straightforward interpretation of the results. The insights from the study are useful for designing additional experiments to further investigate the complexity of predator–parasite interactions in wild populations.