An alternate and reversible method for flight restraint of cranes

Flight restraint is important for zoos, safaris, and breeding centers for large birds. Currently used techniques for flight restraint include both surgical and non-surgical approaches. Surgical approaches usually cause permanent change to or removal of tendon, patagial membrane, or wing bones, and can cause pain and inflammation. Non-surgical approaches such as clipping or trimming feathers often alter the bird's appearance, and can damage growing blood feathers in fledglings or cause joint stiffness. We observed microstructure of primary feathers of the red-crowned crane (Grus japonensis) and found that the width of barbs is a determinative factor influencing vane stiffness and geometric parameters. We hypothesized that partial longitudinal excision of barbs on the ventral surface of the primary feathers would reduce the stiffness of the vane and render the feathers unable to support the crane's body weight during flight. Furthermore, we hypothesized that this modification of barbs would also change the aerodynamic performance of feathers such that they could not generate sufficient lift and thrust during flapping to enable the bird to fly. We tested this hypothesis on a red-crowned crane that had normal flight capability by excising the ventral margin of barbs on all 10 primaries on the left wing. The bird was unable to take off until the modified feathers were replaced by new ones. Removal of barbs proved to be a simple, non-invasive, low-cost and reversible method for flight restraint. It is potentially applicable to other large birds with similar structural characteristics of primary feathers.     

Red coloration in young tropical leaves associated with reduced fungal pathogen damage

The adaptive significance of red coloration in tropical forest leaves remains unclear. In vivo assays show that there is a significant negative correlation between anthocyanin pigments in young leaves and fungal pathogen damage. This supports a previous hypothesis that anthocyanins may protect young leaves from fungal damage during the vulnerable period of leaf expansion.     

苏北地区丹顶鹤越冬种群数量及栖息地分布动态变化

利用资料追踪和历史时期土地利用变化数据深入研究了有资料记载以来苏北地区丹顶鹤越冬种群数量变化与栖息地分布的时空响应。结果显示,20世纪80年代之初,丹顶鹤越冬种群广泛分布于苏北地区,尤其是长江中下游的内陆湖泊、沼泽及江苏沿海滩涂湿地;20世纪90年代之后丹顶鹤分布区域逐渐向沿海滩涂湿地转移,主要分布于盐城市的射阳县境内;进入21世纪,丹顶鹤分布区域集中于盐城国家级珍禽保护区核心区。与此同时,丹顶鹤越冬种群数量也经历了十分明显的变化过程,与20世纪90年代相比,数量减少50%以上。丹顶鹤越冬种群数量及栖息地分布变化与栖息地分布点周围的土地利用方式及人为干扰有关,栖息地面积丧失和景观破碎化是丹顶鹤越冬种群数量减少的主要原因。     

丹顶鹤越冬栖息地数学模型的建立

利用地理信息系统及遥感卫片通过建立数学模型的方法来模拟及预测盐城自然保护区丹顶鹤越冬栖息地的分布。经验证,模型的正确预测率为７２．６３％,认为模型基本上能够反映丹顶鹤栖息地的分布情况。     

Genetic differentiation in a captive population of the endangered Siberian crane (Grus leucogeranus Pall.)

DNA fingerprinting, followed by multivariate analysis of data, was used to characterize genetic heterogeneity in captive populations of the endangered Siberian and sandhill cranes. The genetic structure revealed reflected the natural population and species distributions. The relevant groups differed not only from each other, but also from interspecies and inter-population hybrids bred in captivity. In this study we have tested an approach to the analysis of population structure based on individual genotypes. Interpretation of fingerprinting data by means of the analytical system applied here is a useful and reliable procedure for the estimation of genetic relationships between individuals.     

丹顶鹤与白枕鹤的领域比较

有７种濒危鹤类受到现代人的威胁［２０］,丹顶鹤（Ｇｒｕｓｊａｐｏｎｅｎｓｉｓ）和白枕鹤（Ｇｒｕｓｖｉｐｉｏ）是其中两种,分别为我国的Ⅰ、Ⅱ级保护动物。在中国丹顶鹤主要在黑龙江省的乌裕尔河下游和三江平原等地繁殖,数量在４８２～５０２之间［７］。吉林省的向海也有４０余只繁殖鹤［８,９］。它们在长江中下游的江苏盐城、高邮湖、洪泽湖,安徽省的城东湖、石臼湖、菜子湖越冬［５］。白枕鹤繁殖区在中国东北的乌裕尔河下游、向海、达里诺尔湖以及乌苏里江以东俄罗斯的沿海边区［２０］。我国已知的繁殖区内数量不多［１］,…     

黑颈鹤(Grus nigricolus)种群生态及濒危等级评估

黑颈鹤的种群总量有５０００～６０００只个体,主要分布在青藏高原和云贵高原,分布区约２２×１０５ｋｍ２,占有面积约５４００ｋｍ２。青藏高原北部和西部为其繁殖区,越冬区主要在雅鲁藏布江河谷中段、喜马拉雅山脉南坡及云贵高原部分区域,青藏高原东部为其迁徙途径之地。越冬时以家族、同种群及混合群（主要与灰鹤Ｇｒｕｓｇｒｕｓ和斑头雁Ａｎｓｅｒｉｎｄｉｃｕｓ）形式集群活动。繁殖期分化为非繁殖群和繁殖对（Ｂｒｅｄｉｎｇｐａｉｒ）两种类型。繁殖对能否成功地占有领域是繁殖成败的关键。笔者认为该物种依ＩＵＣＮ（１９９４）标准应列为易危级（Ｖｕｌｎｅｒａｂｌｅ,ＶＵ）     

黑颈鹤越冬期间植物性食物的显微分析

黑颈鹤与草海越冬期间共取食４７种植物。莎草科植物是主要食物,占７６．５４％,栽培植物仅占２．１４％。植物地一块茎是黑颈鹤取食的主要部位,占３５．１４％,其次为秆状茎,花果和叶。块状戏几乎全来自莎草科植物。酸模的种子占全部花果类食物２７．５４％。比重很大,尤其在越冬前期。我们还对５种主要食物植物或其部位进行了方差分析,得出的结论是食物的性差异是主要的,且非常显著。