内蒙古典型草原布氏田鼠营养生态位及其种间关系

研究啮齿动物营养生态位不仅可以了解啮齿动物在生态系统中所占据的营养层,而且可以揭示啮齿动物不同生长发育时期的主要食物来源及变化,通过分析营养生态位的特征及变化,可以探讨多种啮齿动物的种间关系。本研究于2018年7月,在内蒙古典型草原采用铗日法捕获啮齿动物标本4种81只,应用稳定性¹³C、¹⁵N同位素技术对布氏田鼠（Lasiopodomys brandtii）营养生态位及其与达乌尔黄鼠（Spermophilus dauricus）、黑线毛足鼠（Phodopus sungorus）、五趾跳鼠（Allactaga sibirica）的种间关系进行研究。结果表明：（1）布氏田鼠不同年龄组骨骼组织营养生态位宽度即稳定同位素贝叶斯标准椭圆面积,Ⅲ龄组最高（0.802‰²）,Ⅱ龄组次之（0.699‰²）,Ⅳ龄组最低（0.666‰²）,3个年龄组之间营养生态位共同重叠面积为0.064‰²,其共同食物源仅占不到10%;（2）布氏田鼠无论是长期食性或短期食性,与另外3种均不存在食物源竞争,但布氏田鼠生态位宽度较窄对食物的选择性较强,因此一旦食物源成分改变不再适于该鼠,布氏田鼠种群极有可能面临食物源短缺,种群迁移可能是最直接的选择。     

大型野外围栏实验揭示增食对布氏田鼠种群动态的复杂效应

尽管大多数实验都证明增加食物能提高动物的种群密度,但有关增食对动物的繁殖、存活和迁移的影响机制仍然存在争议.建立有效排除种群扩散和天敌捕食引起的复杂效应的野外大型围栏实验是目前解决这一争议必不可少的前提条件.2010~2014年,本课题组调查了增食处理对8个大型野外围栏(每个0.48 ha)内布氏田鼠(Lasiopodomys brandtii)种群动态和植物群落的影响.结果表明,增食通过增加幼体补充数量对种群密度产生正效应.然而,增食对布氏田鼠的存活产生复杂的效应:即在非繁殖季节产生正效应,在繁殖季节产生负效应.另外,增食提高了布氏田鼠植物食物的质量(蛋白质含量增加),但降低了围栏内植物群落中不喜食植物的数量.因此,增食通过增加食物的供给直接对小型啮齿类动物产生正效应.同时,食物引起的种群密度增加又通过密度制约效应间接对动物种群产生负效应,并且通过改变植物群落的结构和数量分布对啮齿动物产生长期的影响.     

内蒙古典型草原4种常见小哺乳动物的营养生态位及相互关系

本文根据布氏田鼠、达乌达鼠兔、达乌尔黄鼠和草兔在自由生活下的食物组成,分别计算了它们之间的实际营养生态位重叠程度及生态位宽度。还计算了布氏田鼠、达乌尔鼠兔和达乌尔黄鼠间的原始营养生态位重叠程度及宽度。由于栖息地资源可利用性的限制,这３种小哺乳动物的实际营养生态位较原始营养生态位穿。分布空间的重叠可导致布氏田鼠与达乌尔鼠兔间实际营养生态位的较高程度重叠。此结果支持了ＭａｃＡｒｔｈｕｒ和Ｗｉｌｓｏｎ（     

内蒙古荒漠草原主要草食动物食性及其营养生态位

为探讨荒漠草原主要食草动物(绵羊、达乌尔黄鼠和亚洲小车蝗)的食性及其种间生态位变化与草原退化的关系,以内蒙古苏尼特右旗荒漠草原为研究对象,于2003年7-8月运用饱和链烷技术研究小针茅群落不同放牧强度下绵羊、达乌尔黄鼠和亚洲小车蝗的食性及其生态位变化.结果表明:随牧压的增大,群落中小针茅数量显著减少,猪毛菜比例随着增加;绵羊、达乌尔黄鼠、亚洲小车蝗3种食草动物的主要食物均来源于猪毛菜,且采食比例随牧压增大而递增;3种食草动物对牧草的选择性指数随牧压的变化而变化,双齿葱和多根葱优先被采食;三者生态位重叠程度很高且生态位宽度随牧压的增加而变窄.重度放牧改变了小针茅群落的植物组成,使其演替为猪毛菜群落,3种食草动物对草地资源存在激烈的竞争,因此,控制鼠、虫的种群密度,防止鼠、虫害的发生对保证放牧家畜的食物安全具有十分重要的现实意义.     

放牧对布氏田鼠主要食物选择的影响

动物的食物选择受食物资源量、质量和喜好度决定。尽管放牧可减少鼠类的喜食植物的数量和质量,但其如何影响鼠类的食物选择尚不清楚。本研究于2014年5月至10月,在内蒙古锡林郭勒盟锡林浩特市毛登牧场的大型试验围栏内进行了布氏田鼠的食物选择实验。利用大型实验围栏内5年连续放牧处理所构建的植被变化条件,采用扣笼试验,调查了布氏田鼠对其三种主要植物的取食情况。研究发现：连续放牧后,糙隐子草的盖度增加,而羊草、克氏针茅盖度降低;糙隐子草的盖度显著高于羊草、克氏针茅,成为各季节的优势植物种类。放牧对布氏田鼠取食羊草、克氏针茅和糙隐子草的绝对取食频次均无显著影响。在季节上,布氏田鼠对克氏针茅和糙隐子草的取食在三个季节均无差异,但布氏田鼠对羊草取食的绝对频次夏季显著高于春季和秋季;布氏田鼠对三种植物的喜好程度依次为羊草>克氏针茅>糙隐子草,但季节和放牧因素对布氏田鼠对这三种植物的喜好度无显著影响。结果表明,布氏田鼠的食物选择及食物组成相对稳定,表现为其对放牧或季节因素造成的喜食植物资源量的变化具有很好的适应性,推测是其调整取食努力来实现食物组成的平衡。     

内蒙古天然草原不同放牧压力下亚洲小车蝗的食性及营养生态位（英文）

植物表皮蜡质中的饱和链烷作为内源指示剂广泛用于评价放牧家畜的食性和食量, 但用于天然草原蝗虫食性的评价研究较少。为了探讨天然草原蝗虫的食性及其生态位变化, 本研究以内蒙古天然草原为研究对象, 于2003年7-8月沿降水梯度选择3种典型植物群落（小针茅Stipa klemenzii、 羊草Leymus chinensis和大针茅Stipa grandis群落）, 在每个植物群落不同放牧压力下小区随机做20个植被样方, 样方内植物齐地面刈割, 测定其地上生物量和物种多样性, 取主要植物种测定其链烷模式, 同时采集放牧小区优势蝗虫种亚洲小车蝗Oedaleus asiaticus的粪便, 测定其链烷模式, 运用链烷技术评价蝗虫的食性及其营养生态位。结果表明： 不同植物群落中优势牧草种类及其比例不同, 其链烷模式存在种间差异, 链烷技术可以评价亚洲小车蝗的食性。亚洲小车蝗的食性在不同植物群落及不同放牧压力下存在显著的差异, 在羊草和大针茅群落中, 亚洲小车蝗是禾草采食者, 主要采食羊草和糙隐子草Cleistogenes squarrosa, 且与绵羊的营养生态位重叠指数较低, 分别为0.0619和0.0172; 在小针茅群落中亚洲小车蝗是杂类草采食者, 主要采食无芒隐子草Cleistogenes songorica、 猪毛菜Salsola collina和小针茅, 且与绵羊的营养生态位重叠指数较高, 达到0.1815。因此, 放牧不仅改变了群落的植物种类组成, 而且直接影响了亚洲小车蝗的食物组成, 二者对食物资源利用存在一定程度的竞争。     

花背蟾蜍繁殖种群食物多样性及营养生态位的研究

作者于１９９５年４～５月份在长春市调查了花背蟾蜍繁殖种群不同繁殖时期的食性,并通过食物多样性和营养生态位对食性变化进行了分析。结果表明,繁殖种群繁殖后的食物多样性指数、营养生态位宽度较繁殖期为大;繁殖期和繁殖后的食物百分率相似性指数及营养生态位重叠值小,而食物百分率相异性及营养生态位分离值大。繁殖期雄体的食物多样性指数及营养生态位宽度均大于雌体,繁殖后雌体的食物多样性指数及营养生态位宽度均大于雄体,雌雄个体间的食物百分率相异性指数及营养生态位分离值小。摄食活动性受繁殖影响,并随繁殖结束而增强。     

放牧影响下羊草草地主要植物种群生态位宽度与生态位重叠的研究

本文采用Shannon—Wiener和Pianka公式,在土壤水分、土壤含盐量和土壤有机质含量三维生态因子梯度上测定了松嫩草原碱化羊草草地放牧演替系列12种主要植物种群的生态位宽度和生态位重叠。结果表明,植物种群长期适应由放牧引起的群落和土壤环境因子梯度变化是种群生态位分化的主要原因。优势种羊草种群生态位宽度最大,三维上生态位宽度分别为0.910、0.869和0.930。五脉山黧豆和湿生植物生态位宽度均很窄。增加种表现出较强的适应环境能力,生态位宽度都较大。在放牧演替的先锋植物中,只有虎尾草生态位宽度较大(三维上平均0.707),角碱蓬和星星草种群生态位宽度均很窄。生态位宽度较大的物种与其它种群间生态位重叠较大。分布于相同或相邻放牧阶段及具有相同或相似环境要求的物种间生态位重叠较大。放牧条件下,羊草群落的演替过程也就是种群生态位分化的过程。     

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]。     

同域分布马鹿与中华斑羚的冬夏季食物构成比较

同域分布的有蹄类动物面临食物资源竞争,而食物又是影响野生动物生存的关键因子之一,研究不同种类动物的食物构成可以反映其对栖息地条件的适应程度。本研究通过粪便显微分析法,对内蒙古赛罕乌拉国家级自然保护区马鹿（Cervus elaphus）和中华斑羚（Naemorhedus griseus）的冬、夏季食物构成进行比较分析。结果显示,马鹿在夏季取食22科48种植物,中华斑羚取食15科31种植物;在冬季,马鹿取食17科32种植物,中华斑羚取食13科23种植物。Pianka重叠指数显示,夏季时马鹿与中华斑羚食物重叠度为85.4%,冬季重叠度为77.6%。使用Levins指数计算,夏季时马鹿与中华斑羚的营养生态位分别是13.71和5.34,冬季时分别是11.08和4.02。在同一季节,马鹿取食植物的丰富度和均匀度均大于中华斑羚。本研究结果表明,马鹿与中华斑羚的食物选择对季节性食物资源变化具有适应性,但马鹿对环境的适应性高于中华斑羚;鉴于马鹿的分布范围广、种群数量多,建议在对物种与栖息地的保护中侧重于中华斑羚。     

肝毛细线虫对雌性布氏田鼠繁殖参数的影响

2005年5月,在内蒙古锡林郭勒盟阿巴嘎旗北部,研究了肝毛细线虫(Capillaria hepatica)对典型草原区雌性布氏田鼠(Lasiopodomys brandtii)繁殖参数的影响。采用标准夹线法捕获鼠类,对捕获的鼠类进行常规生物学解剖,根据虫卵有无确定肝毛细线虫病感染情况,记录鼠类名称、体长、体重、胴体重、繁殖特征以及肝毛细线虫病感染情况。由于体重是划分鼠类年龄的常用指标之一,结合布氏田鼠的繁殖特征研究数据,采用25.1~55.0 g之间的雌性个体作为本研究分析样本,并将其分为25.1~35.0 g、35.1~45.0 g和45.1~55.0 g体重(年龄)组。采用卡方检验比较分析同一体重(年龄)组内,肝毛细线虫病感染情况与雌性布氏田鼠妊娠率的关系,T检验分析感染情况与胎仔数的关系。结果显示,在各个体重(年龄)组中,感染肝毛细线虫组布氏田鼠雌鼠妊娠率均略低于未感染组,但感染情况与妊娠情况无显著相关关系(P0.05);感染肝毛细线虫布氏田鼠胎仔数低于未感染布氏田鼠,感染情况与胎仔数有显著相关关系(P0.05)。结果表明,肝毛细线虫病对布氏田鼠妊娠率无明显影响,但对布氏田鼠胎仔数有明显的负面影响。     

集群数量和采食距离对储草期布氏田鼠警戒频次的影响

警戒行为是动物对环境中潜在危险做出的反应。为探究影响警戒行为的因素,作者在内蒙古锡林郭勒典型草原区进行了集群数量和采食距离对储草期自由生活状态下布氏田鼠(Lasiopodomys brandtii)警戒频次影响的实验。通过标志重捕法和人工去除法设定3个集群数量梯度(11只、6只和3只),利用人工食物站设置4个采食距离梯度(5 m、10 m、20 m、30 m),共12个梯度组合,每个组合分别观察60次采食过程,共计观察720次,并记录采食过程中的警戒频次。对数据进行双因素方差分析,集群规模和采食距离对布氏田鼠警戒行为频次均有极显著影响(P0.01)。随着集群数量减小,布氏田鼠单次采食的警戒频次显著增加;采食距离越远,单次采食的警戒频次越高;集群数量和采食距离之间还存在极显著的交互作用(P0.01)。集群数量增大意味着采食距离的增加,为保证储草效率,布氏田鼠种群会在增加集群数量和减小采食距离之间权衡,最终集群数量维持在中等水平,支持了最优集群理论。     

Ontogenetic diet shifts of rough scad Trachurus lathami in the North Patagonian shelf (south-west Atlantic Ocean)

Rough scad Trachurus lathami is a key pelagic fish in the Argentinean continental shelf (ACS, south-west Atlantic Ocean), with recent increases in abundance. It is a main prey of fishes and marine mammals, and shares the environment with commercially relevant pelagic species (Engraulis anchoita and Scomber colias), playing an important role linking lower and upper trophic levels in the ecosystem. This study aims to determine the ontogenetic changes in the diet composition, feeding strategy, trophic niche breadth and trophic level of T. lathami in the North Patagonian Shelf (43°–45°30′S). The stomach contents of adult fish (n = 238) were analysed. The results suggest a clear ontogenetic shift in the diet at a size of ~190 mm. Smaller individuals (160–190 mm) were specialized on misidaceans, and showed the highest trophic level, while larger T. lathami (221–230 mm) consumed decapods (Peisos petrunkevitchi) and teleosts (eggs and larvae). Trophic niche breadth was higher at the medium-sized class (191–220 mm), which mainly preyed on copepods (Calanoides carinatus) and chaetognaths (Sagitta spp.), evidencing a more diverse diet and a rather generalist strategy. Updated information on the trophic ecology of T. lathami evidences its extremely plastic feeding behaviour, being able to adapt its trophic niche to the most readily available food items from the mesopelagic community.     

Strong seasonality may attenuate trophic cascades: vertebrate predator exclusion in boreal grassland

We studied the indirect effects of vertebrate predator exclusion on plant communities in boreal grassland in western Finland to find out whether the removal of the top trophic level would result in a trophic cascade. Predators were excluded from 1996 to 2000 by eight predator-proof fences (each 0.5 ha) constructed on old fields. Despite a major increase in vole densities, the expected trophic cascade attenuated rapidly so that the indirect effects of predator exclusion were restricted to a few plant species. The cause for the rapid attenuation of the trophic cascade appeared to be strong seasonality, as peak densities of voles were attained at the end of the growing season of vegetation, and vole populations declined before the next growing season so that the herbivory pressure during the growing season remained low or moderate. Accordingly, most plants escaped the heaviest grazing pressure either in time (plants completed their reproduction and withered before winter) or in space (living parts hidden under frozen ground and ice). However, heavy winter herbivory reduced the biomass of available vegetation and killed woody species (willows) at vole peaks, which implies that predator exclusion may have a strong effect on secondary succession. During summer, voles reduced the coverage of only a few preferred food plants ( Elymus repens , Phleum pratense , Vicia cracca ). Voles also maintained annual and biennial species in the community by creating gaps in the closed vegetation. We conclude that abiotic factors (harsh winter conditions) limited peak numbers of herbivores below a threshold density where herbivores could have caused a community-level decline in the biomass of herbaceous plants during summer.     

Feeding habits of the horn shark Heterodontus francisci (Girard, 1855) in the northwest of Baja California Sur,Mexico

The feeding habits of the horn shark, Heterodontus francisci (Girard, 1855), were examined in the area of Bahía Tortugas, Baja California Sur, Mexico in the spring, summer and fall of 2014. A total of 78 stomachs were collected, of which 46 (59%) contained food and 32 (41%) were empty. According to the percent Index of Relative Importance (%IRI), the most important prey categories in H. francisci's diet were anomurans (66%), cephalopods (7.2%), lobsters (4.7%), fishes (4.2%) and sea urchins (2.3%). The main prey were the anomuran Blepharipoda occidentalis (65.2%), the octopus Octopus bimaculatus (5.4%), the lobster Panulirus interruptus (4.7%) and the sea urchin Echinometra vanbrunti (2.6%). According to the Levin standardized Index (Bi), the trophic niche breadth in H. francisci is low (B_i = 0.21), making it a specialist predator. The species was classified as a tertiary consumer (trophic position = 4.06).     

Diet differentiation between European arvicoline and murine rodents

Small European muroid rodents are generally divided into species which feed on seeds and/or invertebrates and species which feed on green plant material; however, there is considerable plasticity in feeding behavior among species. Here, we analyze diets of 14 low-latitude rodent species from Western Europe based on published studies. The 77 studies were submitted to principal component analysis in order to compare diet plasticity within and between the 14 species. We observed variations in food composition of arvicoline and murine rodents which are associated with differences in morphology and habitat use. Most arvicoline rodents eat mainly green matter of the herbaceous layers of open habitats whereas most murine species are able to use a greater diversity of high energetic plant tissues from denser habitats, where they can exploit the different vegetation layers. Despite its phylogenetic position among arvicoline rodents, the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) shows morpho-physiological and ecological traits which tend to be more similar to murine species. These intermediate evolutionary characters seem consistent with the fact that bank voles are able to exploit a wide spectrum of trophic resources from low energetic lignified tissues to high calorific invertebrate prey. This results in a very diverse diet, which is intermediate between true herbivorous arvicolines and typical seed- and invertebrate-eating murine species. More investigations on genetic affiliation and ecological driving forces will help understand this intermediate position of bank vole diet, and further investigations among other arvicoline species will help determine if bank voles and other Myodes species are unique.     

Interpopulation trophic niches and ontogenetic shifts of a mangrove fish predator

Fish trophic niches reflect important ecological interactions and provide insight into the structure of mangrove food webs. Few studies have been conducted in mangrove fish predators to investigate interpopulation trophic niches and ontogenetic shifts. Using stable isotope analysis and two complementary approaches, the authors investigated trophic niche patterns within and between two ontogenetic groups (juveniles and sub-adults) of a generalist predator (Acentrogobius viridipunctatus) in four mangroves with heterogeneous environmental conditions (e.g., tidal regimes, salinity fluctuations and mangrove tree community). The authors hypothesized that the trophic niche between populations would vary regionally and trophic position would increase consistently from juvenile to sub-adult stages. The results revealed that both δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values varied greatly across populations and between ontogenetic groups, and complex spatio-ontogenetic variations were expressed by Layman's metrics. They also found some niche separation in space, which is most likely related to resource availability in spatially diverse ecosystems. In addition, trophic niche position increased consistently from juveniles to sub-adults, indicating ontogenetic feeding shifts. The isotopic plasticity index and Fulton's condition index also showed significant spatial-ontogenetic variation, which is consistent with optimal foraging theory. The findings highlight that trophic plasticity has a high adaptive value for mangrove fish predators in dynamic ecosystems.     

可可西里地区藏羚羊、藏原羚和藏野驴的营养生态位

2004年8月,在可可西里自然保护区的楚玛尔河至五道梁一带观察藏羚羊、藏原羚和藏野驴的行为活动,并收集其粪便,运用粪便显微分析法对其食性进行研究,计算3种动物的营养生态位宽度和营养生态位重叠指数.结果表明：藏羚羊、藏原羚和藏野驴所采食的植物种类基本相似,但在食谱中所占的比例不同,禾本科植物在藏羚羊、藏原羚和藏野驴的食谱中所占的比例分别为58.7%、44.57%和9228%.藏羚羊、藏原羚和藏野驴的营养生态位宽度分别为0.878、0.735和0.695.藏羚羊和藏野驴、藏羚羊和藏原羚、藏野驴和藏原羚的营养生态位重叠值(FT)分别为0.869、0.985和0.785.结合藏羚羊、藏原羚和藏野驴的生态习性,从营养生态位的角度探讨了它们之间竞争与共存的关系.