有蹄类食性研究方法的评价

本文对有蹄类食性的研究方法进行了比较,结果得出粪便和胃分析法同样精确,且前者好于后者,加上取样容易,更适于用来研究我国有蹄类的食性,但限于经济条件尚难在我国应用。而利用法因精确性差,只能作为食物组成的定性描述或其他研究方法的补充。     

内蒙古东部地区狼的食性初步研究

本文采用粪便分析法和食痕分析法对内蒙古东部狼的食性进行初步研究。结果表明, 该地区狼的主要食物是大、中型有蹄类（出现频率53.8%, 相对生物量85.17%）, 粪便中家畜出现频率为40.3%, 相对生物量为75.67%。该地区狼的食性同黑龙江狼的食性相比, 存在地区差异。通过饲喂实验, 提出狼粪便中所含猎物的干重与鲜重间的线性回归方程为Y=2.76+0.02x（r=0.99）, 应用此方程可估计出狼消耗各种猎物的相对生物量和数量。在该地区狼对家畜危害比较严重, 要适当猎取同时也应保持其适当数量。     

黑龙江省通河乌龙狩猎场野猪冬季食性的初步研究

野生动物食性的研究,在野生动物保护和管理方面具有重要的基础理论意义。野猪（Sus scrofa）是一种经济价值较高的有蹄类动物。国内对野猪食性的报道,仅见综述性献（巫露平,1980;李振营和罗泽殉,1983;杨伯然,1984）,野猪食性方面的研究尚未多见;国外对野猪食性的研究主要集中在食物组成的定量分析和食物营养质量的评价（Eriksson and Petrov,1995;Foumier-chambrillon et al．,1995;朝日念,1985）。因此,作从2000～2001年,分别在黑龙江省通河乌龙狩猎场收集粪样,利用粪便显微组织学分析方法并结合野外掘食痕迹对野猪冬季食性进行了初步研究。     

粪便学在有蹄类动物数量调查研究中的应用与展望

随着与分子生物学的结合,传统的粪便学不仅拓宽了在种群生态学、行为生态学及保护遗传学等研究时取样的范围,而且能提供更多的有效信息,使得传统的粪便计数方法得以在新的领域里发展。本文对传统粪便学在有蹄类动物数量研究中的应用加以总结,并结合国内外研究现状对分子粪便学在这一领域内的可靠性、局限性及应用前景做了概述。     

内蒙古达赉湖自然保护区狼食性的季节性变化

2004年7月到2005年6月在达赉湖自然保护区收集狼(Canis lupus)的粪便,采用粪便分析法研究食性的季节性变化。由于野生有蹄类动物严重匮乏,家畜已成为该地区狼的主要食物:草青期的频率为74.7%,相对生物量达到94.4%;草枯期的频率为67.6%,相对生物量达到91.8%。该地区的家畜主要有绵羊、山羊、牛和马,狼食性的季节性变化主要与家畜的放牧方式有关。兔类和小型啮齿类动物是狼次要选择的食物。该地区鸟类资源丰富,是狼较稳定的食物(草青期6.2%,草枯期7.8%)。为降低该地区狼对家畜的捕食,建议管理部门合理控制狼的数量,引入牧羊犬及加强对牛、马的管理。     

蒙古野驴的秋季食性分析

2006 年9 月在新疆卡拉麦里山有蹄类野生动物保护区内采集了25 堆蒙古野驴粪便和10 科共29 种植物标本,采用粪便显微组织学分析方法分析了蒙古野驴的秋季食性,并初步探讨了其食性与周围环境的关系。结果表明,蒙古野驴秋季食性广, 共采食8 科26 种植物。这些植物按照其在食物组成中的比例可分为3 大类:主要食物为梭梭、针茅、驼绒藜, 共占食物组成的61.3% ;常采食植物为柽柳、角果藜、蒿、琵琶柴、芨芨草等11种,共占食物组成的33.3%; 少见采食的植物为盐爪爪、獐毛、顶羽菊、黑果枸杞、里海盐爪爪等12 种,共占食物组成的6.7% 。按科别而论,蒙古野驴采食最多的是藜科植物,其次是禾本科植物。从被采食植物的分布区域分析,其采食区域广阔,包括了保护区内所有的生境类型。      

新疆北部鹅喉羚的食性分析

2006年10月至2007年8月,作者采用粪便显微分析法研究了新疆卡拉麦里山有蹄类保护区鹅喉羚的四季食性以及冬季绵羊的食性.结果发现:鹅喉羚共采食16科47种植物;不同季节间鹅喉羚食性有明显变化,秋季采食7科24种植物,冬季采食6科17种植物,春季采食16科41种植物,夏季采食12科30种植物;藜科、禾本科植物是鹅喉羚全年的主要食物来源,占鹅喉羚总采食量的38.8～85.1%,非禾本科草本植物也在鹅喉羚食物组成中占有重要地位;春季短命和类短命植物对鹅喉羚有重要意义,占春季采食量的27%.针茅在四季都是鹅喉羚采食的主要植物;春季和夏季鹅喉羚采食较多的驼绒藜,秋季和冬季梭梭被较多采食.由于干旱胁迫,春季、夏季和秋季鹅喉羚喜食含水量较高的多根葱、骆驼蹄瓣、粗枝猪毛菜等非禾本科草本植物.冬季鹅喉羚与绵羊间的生态位宽度相近,食物重叠指数高达76.6%,绵羊与鹅喉羚之间食物竞争明显.     

黑斑羚粪便中碳同位素揭示的食性变化

利用稳定碳同位素数据(δ13C)分析了南非克鲁格国家公园混食性黑斑羚(Aepyceros melampus)时间和空间尺度上的食性变化,验证了两个假说,即有蹄类食性变化是由生境中木本植物与草本植物的相对配比导致;降雨控制有蹄类生态。结果表明:黑斑羚的食性涵盖了精食者-粗食者采食谱系,且食性中木本与草本比例在不同月间、季节、年度和区域间存在很大变化。栖息于开放性热带稀树草原和草原中的黑斑羚通常采食比生境中更高比例的草本,但在时间尺度上并不恒定。在克鲁格北部的一个区域(Punda Maria) ,黑斑羚采食的草本比克鲁格国家公园中其它任何区域都多。与其它生境相比,在河边的黑斑羚采食草本数量更少,尤其是在食性空间变化更为明显的旱季。因此,我们的数据不支持有蹄类食性组成变化是由生境中木本与草本比例不同造成的假说,食性与降雨量间也无明显的关系。我们的结果支持草本中蛋白含量增加引起黑斑羚采食比例的增加这一模型。粪便中氮含量在时间和空间上的变化很小,揭示在可利用食物中,无论木本还是草本,黑斑羚进行选择采食以保证最好的食物质量。基于这些结果,我们认为更具体的食物选择和可利用性最适采食理论能够更好地解释这种生态学变化。     

蒙古野驴、鹅喉羚和家畜的食物重叠

采用粪样显微分析技术研究了新疆卡拉麦里山有蹄类自然保护区及周边区域蒙古野驴、鹅喉羚及家羊、家马和家骆驼3种家养有蹄类春季、秋季和冬季食性组成及食物生态位。结果发现：（1）蒙古野驴、鹅喉羚和家畜主要采食针茅、驼绒藜、蒿和梭梭,但是,它们采食的植物科数和种数都不相同,各植物种类在食谱中所占的比例不同;（2）各个季节有蹄类动物两两之间的食物生态位重叠均在0．8以上,最低为0．832（冬季鹅喉羚和家马）,最高达到0．986（秋季蒙古野驴和家羊;秋季家马和家羊）,五种有蹄类之间的食物生态位重叠度也达到了0．3以上。表明在卡拉麦里山有蹄类自然保护区,上述野生动物及季节性进入该自然保护区的家畜之间均存在食物竞争;冬季积雪深,食物短缺,荒漠有蹄类易因冻饿及疾病等造成死亡。因此,应采取限制秋冬季进入该自然保护区,家畜数量及调整放牧区域等保护管理措施,对该区域荒漠有蹄类动物实施有效保护[动物学报54（6）：941-954,2008]。     

柯氏鼠兔的食性分析

柯氏鼠兔(Ochotona koslowi)是兔形目(Lagomorpha)鼠兔属中最古老的遗留种,也是稀有的濒危物种,自1894年命名以来,国内外对该物种的生存现状、生物学特征知之甚少.2007年10~11月,在藏北地区捕获到13只柯氏鼠兔,通过显微组织分析法对其胃及结肠内容物和收集的60份粪样进行了食性分析.结果表明,柯氏鼠兔胃、结肠内容物和粪便中镜检到可识别植物碎片属6科15种,其中豆科植物碎片占可识别植物碎片的39.44%,藜科植物碎片占36.00%,莎草科植物碎片占16.42%,禾本科、十字花科和菊科植物碎片分别占3.75%、2.67%和1.25%.食性分析表明,柯氏鼠兔偏爱豆科植物.     

The diet of Impala (Aepyceros melampus) in the Sengwa Wildlife Research Area, Rhodesia

The seasonal variation in the plant morphological part composition of the dict of Impala in the Sengwa Wildlife Research Area, Rhodesia, was determined by the analysis of rumen content samples from shot animals. The grass species composition of the diet was examined by microscopic identification of grass fragments found in the rumens. The seasonal variation in the dicotyledonous species composition of the diet was studied by direct observation of feeding animals. The protein contents of the rumen contents and faeces were used as measures of diet quality. In the wet season, grass was selected in preference to dicotyledonous plants, and grass leaf was the preferred plant part. In the late wet and early dry seasons, forbs were the principal food. The proportion of woody dicotyledons in the diet was at a maximum in the mid-dry season, when diet quality was at a minimum. Diet quality was directly related to the proportion of grass in the diet. Female Impala had a significantly higher quality diet than males, probably as a result of differential habitat selection.     

New insights on diet variability revealed by DNA barcoding and high-throughput pyrosequencing: chamois diet in autumn as a case study

Characterizing the diet of large herbivores and the determinants of its variation remains a difficult task in wild species. DNA-based techniques have the potential to complement traditional time-consuming methods based on the microhistology of plant cuticle fragments in fecal or rumen samples. Recently, it has been shown that a short chloroplast DNA fragment, the P6 loop of the trnL (UAA) intron, can act as a minimalist barcode. Here, we used the trnL approach with high-throughput pyrosequencing to study diet from feces in a wild herbivore, the alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) and showed that the fine resolution in plant determination obtained with this method allows exploring subtle temporal shifts and inter-individual variability in diet composition. First, we built a DNA barcoding database of 475 plants species. Seventy-two percent of plant species can be unambiguously identified to species level, 79% to genus level and 100% to family level using the P6 loop. Second, we analysed 74 feces collected from October to November. Based on 47,896 P6 loop sequences, we identified a total of 110 taxa, 96 in October and 76 in November, with a clear diet shift between October and November. We recognized four and two clusters of feces composition in October and November, respectively, revealing different diet categories among individuals within each month. DNA-based diet analysis is faster and more taxonomically precise than studies based on microhistology, and opens new possibilities for analysing plant-herbivore interactions in the wild.     

两种分析方法在豹猫食物构成中的应用比较

豹猫(Prionailurus bengalensis)作为北京地区的顶级食肉动物,对于维持食物网结构和生态系统稳定性起到重要的生态作用。对于捕食动物食物构成研究,较为简便的方法是粪样内容物检视法,而粪样残余物DNA鉴定技术具有更为准确细致的优势,但也存在不足,探索不同方法的优势互补,将有助于提高技术应用成效。本研究利用DNA宏条形码技术与粪样内容物分析法,对采集自北京市4个自然保护区的71份豹猫粪样进行食物构成分析,比较两种分析方法的特点,了解豹猫的食物资源利用状况。结果显示,DNA宏条形码技术共鉴别出36种猎物,来自10目22科,4个保护区的豹猫食性具有显著差异,百花山、松山、云蒙山保护区的豹猫食物种类的出现比率均以小型哺乳类为主,其中对鼠类的捕食比例最高,对鸟类的捕食次之,而分布于云峰山保护区的豹猫对鸟类捕食比例最高,对鼠类的捕食次之。粪样内容物分析法鉴别出9类猎物,其中包括昆虫和植物两种DNA宏条形码技术未检出的食物,4个保护区的豹猫食物均以鼠类和鸟类为主,且最多检测出鼠类数量为3只、鸟类2只,次要食物则为植物和昆虫。两种方法均显示北社鼠(Niviventer confucia...     

Seeing is believing? Comparing plant–herbivore networks constructed by field co‐occurrence and DNA barcoding methods for gaining insights into network structures

Plant–herbivore interaction networks provide information about community organization. Two methods are currently used to document pairwise interactions among plants and insect herbivores. One is the traditional method that collects plant–herbivore interaction data by field observation of insect occurrence on host plants. The other is the increasing application of newly developed molecular techniques based on DNA barcodes to the analysis of gut contents. The second method is more appealing because it documents realized interactions. To construct complete interaction networks, each technique of network construction is urgent to be assessed. We addressed this question by comparing the effectiveness and reliability of the two methods in constructing plant–Lepidoptera larval network in a 50 ha subtropical forest in China. Our results showed that the accuracy of diet identification by observation method increased with the number of observed insect occurrences on food plants. In contrast, the molecular method using three plant DNA markers were able to identify food residues for 35.6% larvae and correctly resolved 77.3% plant (diet) species. Network analysis showed molecular networks had threefold more unique host plant species but fewer links than the traditional networks had. The molecular method detected plants that were not sampled by the traditional method, for example, bamboos, bryophytes and lianas in the diets of insect herbivores. The two networks also possessed significantly different structural properties. Our study indicates the traditional observation of co‐occurrence is inadequate, while molecular method can provide higher species resolution of ecological interactions.     

Diet of a rare herbivore based on DNA metabarcoding of feces: Selection,seasonality, and survival

In herbivores, survival and reproduction are influenced by quality and quantity of forage, and hence, diet and foraging behavior are the foundation of an herbivore's life history strategy. Given the importance of diet to most herbivores, it is imperative that we know the species of plants they prefer, especially for herbivorous species that are at risk for extinction. However, it is often difficult to identify the diet of small herbivores because: (a) They are difficult to observe, (b) collecting stomach contents requires sacrificing animals, and (c) microhistology requires accurately identifying taxa from partially digested plant fragments and likely overemphasizes less‐digestible taxa. The northern Idaho ground squirrel (Urocitellus brunneus) is federally threatened in the United States under the Endangered Species Act. We used DNA metabarcoding techniques to identify the diet of 188 squirrels at 11 study sites from fecal samples. We identified 42 families, 126 genera, and 120 species of plants in the squirrel's diet. Our use of three gene regions was beneficial because reliance on only one gene region (e.g., only trnL) would have caused us to miss >30% of the taxa in their diet. Northern Idaho ground squirrel diet differed between spring and summer, frequency of many plants in the diet differed from their frequency within their foraging areas (evidence of selective foraging), and several plant genera in their diet were associated with survival. Our results suggest that while these squirrels are generalists (they consume a wide variety of plant species), they are also selective and do not eat plants relative to availability. Consumption of particular genera such as Perideridia may be associated with higher overwinter survival.     

A comparison of food habits of two sympatric ruminants of Mt. Yatsugatake,central Japan: sika deer and Japanese serow

Comparison of food habits of sympatric animals provides understanding of interspecific relations. Previous studies of food habits of the two ruminants of Japan, sika deer (Cervus nippon) and Japanese serows (Capricornis crispus), have shown that sika deer are variable, and they are gazers in northern Japan, but browsers in southern Japan, whereas Japanese serows are browsers. However, these studies described the food habits of each species separately, and no study has compared the food habits of these species living in sympatry. Therefore, we examined these species on Mt. Yatsugatake, central Japan, using microhistological analyses and nutritional analyses of feces. Sasa nipponica, a dwarf bamboo, predominated in the fecal composition of sika deer, whereas both S. nipponica and dicotyledonous plants were found in the feces of Japanese serows. Crude protein levels of serow feces were higher than those of deer. The particle sizes of plant fragments in serow feces were smaller than those in deer feces, suggesting that serow fed more selectively on digestible plants than deer did. These results support the suggestions of previous studies conducted in different habitats and show that sika deer are less selective grazers, and Japanese serows are more selective browsers. Thus, food differences are likely explained by the feeding ecophysiology of the animals and not habitat differences.     

Ecological specialization and niche overlap of subterranean rodents inferred from DNA metabarcoding diet analysis

Knowledge of how animal species use food resources available in the environment can increase our understanding of many ecological processes. However, obtaining this information using traditional methods is difficult for species feeding on a large variety of food items in highly diverse environments. We amplified the DNA of plants for 306 scat and 40 soil samples, and applied an environmental DNA metabarcoding approach to investigate food preferences, degree of diet specialization and diet overlap of seven herbivore rodent species of the genus Ctenomys distributed in southern and midwestern Brazil. The metabarcoding approach revealed that these species consume more than 60% of the plant families recovered in soil samples, indicating generalist feeding habits of ctenomyids. The family Poaceae was the most common food resource retrieved in scats of all species as well in soil samples. Niche overlap analysis indicated high overlap in the plant families and molecular operational taxonomic units consumed, mainly among the southern species. Interspecific differences in diet composition were influenced, among other factors, by the availability of resources in the environment. In addition, our results provide support for the hypothesis that the allopatric distributions of ctenomyids allow them to exploit the same range of resources when available, possibly because of the absence of interspecific competition.     

Detection and monitoring of anaerobic rumen fungi using an ARISA method

Aim: To develop an automated ribosomal intergenic spacer region analysis (ARISA) method for the detection of anaerobic rumen fungi and also to demonstrate utility of the technique to monitor colonization and persistence of fungi, and diet‐induced changes in community structure. Methods and Results: The method could discriminate between three genera of anaerobic rumen fungal isolates, representing Orpinomyces, Piromyces and Neocallimastix species. Changes in anaerobic fungal composition were observed between animals fed a high‐fibre diet compared with a grain‐based diet. ARISA analysis of rumen samples from animals on grain showed a decrease in fungal diversity with a dominance of Orpinomyces and Piromyces spp. Clustering analysis of ARISA profile patterns grouped animals based on diet. A single strain of Orpinomyces was dosed into a cow and was detectable within the rumen fungal population for several weeks afterwards. Conclusions: The ARISA technique was capable of discriminating between pure cultures at the genus level. Diet composition has a significant influence on the diversity of anaerobic fungi in the rumen and the method can be used to monitor introduced strains. Significance and Impact of the Study: Through the use of ARISA analysis, a better understanding of the effect of diets on rumen anaerobic fungi populations is provided.     

Fecal DNA analysis for identifying species and sex of sympatric carnivores: a noninvasive method for conservation on the Tsushima Islands, Japan

Fecal analysis is a useful tool for the investigation of food habits and species identity in mammals. However, it is generally difficult to identify the species based on the morphological features and contents of feces deposited by mammals of similar body size. Therefore we developed noninvasive DNA analysis methods using fecal samples for identification of the species and sex of four small sympatric carnivores living on the Tsushima Islands of Japan: the leopard cat (Felis bengalensis), Japanese marten (Martes melampus), Siberian weasel (Mustela sibirica), and feral cat (Felis catus). Based on DNA sequence data from previous phylogenetic studies, we designed species-specific primers for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of the partial mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (112-347 bp) to identify the species and primers for the partial SRY gene (135 bp) to determine the sex. Due to the adjustment of PCR conditions, those specific DNA fragments were successfully amplified and then applied for species and sex identification. Nucleotide sequences obtained from the PCR products corresponded with cytochrome b sequences of the carnivore species expected. The protocol developed could be a valuable tool in the management and conservation of the four carnivore species occurring on the Tsushima Islands.     

Food habits of giraffe in Tsavo National Park, Kenya

In the context of a broader ecological investigation, food habits of giraffe were studied in Tsavo National Park (East). The only method employed was direct observation of feeding animals in the field. Each instance in which one animal fed on one individual plant was counted as one food record for this plant species; 4025 records are analysed. A total of sixty-six plant species was found to be eaten, the great majority being trees and shrubs, with a few creepers and vines. There were marked seasonal differences in the diet of giraffe, deciduous trees, shrubs and vines being dominant in the green season, evergreen plants (partly in riverine forest) in the dry season. All the trees and larger shrubs common in the study area were eaten by giraffe, while few records for very small shrubs and none for herbs and grasses were obtained. An analysis of the available vegetation was made in part of the dry-season habitat, and for twenty species the frequency in the habitat was compared with the frequency in the giraffe's diet, revealing selection for or against certain species. Giraffe utilized the upper vegetation layers, where available, but overall c. 50% of all browsing was below 2 m above ground, i.e. within reach of smaller browsers. Results of this study are compared with what is known on food habits of giraffe in other areas. Possible competition of giraffe with other browsers and the relationship between giraffe and their habitat are discussed. Continued survival of giraffe, and other browsers, in Tsavo National Park depends primarily on (1) adequate control of fire, and (2) the impact of future vegetation changes on the amount and variety of available browse plants.