Identification of the major histocompatibility complex in the ring-necked pheasant, Phasianus colchicus

Reciprocal immunization between parents of an Illinois family of ring-necked pheasants, Phasianus colchicus, resulted in antisera detecting two pairs of alloantigens segregating among 13 progeny. The four alloantigens were tentatively designated as 1 and 2, transmitted antithetically by the sire, and 3 and 4, transmitted antithetically by the dam. Genetic segregation occurring in second-generation progeny demonstrated that these two pairs of antigens belonged to a single genetic system. This alloantigen system was shown to correspond serologically to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) of the chicken by cross-reactivity of the antigens of this system with specific subregional chicken MHC reagents, appropriately absorbed with erythrocytes of individual pheasants. These four haplotypes of the pheasant MHC were subsequently designated as MhcPhco-B1, MhcPhco-B2, MhcPhco-B3 and MhcPhco-B4. Traditional immunogenetic analysis of 30 pheasant families produced in this study disclosed a minimum of 14 pheasant haplotypes of this alloantigen system (MHC) to be segregating in the population under evaluation.     

Polymorphisme biochimique chez le faisan commun (Phasianus colchicus)

Egg white proteins, hemoglobin, serum proteins and enzymes from Phasianus colchicus have been examined by starch gel electrophoresis. All three genetic parameters, mean proportion of loci polymorphic per population (P), mean numbers of alleles per locus (A), and mean proportion of loci heterozygous per individual (H), are given. Comparison were made between the proteins of the related species Coturnix coturnix japonica, and the variation of pheasant proteins is discussed in connexion with the genetic structure of the population studied.     

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers in Elliot's pheasant (Syrmaticus ellioti)

We isolated eight microsatellite loci from genomic DNA in Elliot's pheasant Syrmaticus ellioti using streptavidin‐coated magnetic beads. In the analyses of 53 individuals sampled, these loci displayed polymorphism varying from six to nine alleles per locus and observed heterozygosities ranging from 0.174 to 0.430. The results suggested that these novel microsatellite markers could become useful molecular tools for genetic studies of S. ellioti.     

血雉繁殖期活动区与栖息地特征

采用无线电追踪技术并结合野外观察,对血雉繁殖期活动区与栖息地特征进行了研究。孵卵期(5月)雄鸟的活动区面积为31．90hm^2,雌鸟为8．67hm^2。育雏期一个家族的活动区面积为15．45hm^2(6月)和17．33hm^2(7月)。繁殖季节相邻两个繁殖对的活动区有重叠。血雉繁殖季节喜欢在北坡和东坡活动,这种选择与食物的分布有关。倒木在繁殖期栖息地选择中占有一定地位。用多元总体假设检验、单变量F检验及主成分分析法对实验样方与对照样方间进行了比较分析。结果表明,繁殖期喜选择山脊附近下层空间较为斤阔的灌木林或林间空地。     

暂时与群体分离的个体藏马鸡的反捕食警戒

通过与同伴分担捕食风险 ,生活在稳定群体中的个体动物可以获得长期的适合度利益 ,但同时它们不得不承担食物竞争所带来的潜在代价。这种代价常常取决于食物资源的类型。当好的食物资源出现时 ,一些个体可以离开群体而独享这种资源。了解这些临时游离者如何组织其反捕食行为 ,在进化生态学上是有意义的。藏马鸡 (Crossoptilonharmani)是西藏雅鲁藏布江中游高山灌丛植被的一种典型的非繁殖季节集群鸟类。野外观察表明 ,为了独享好的食物资源 ,一些个体常常远离当前群体的活动范围。分离事件更可能发生于大的群体 ,但其发生率与参与者的数量呈负相关 ;而参与分离的个体愈多 ,分离持续的时间就愈长。分离者的个体警惕水平随着临时群体大小的增加而下降 ,遵从在其它自然大小鸟类群体所发现的一般性规律。分离行为的发生和持续时间被认为是个体对当前食物回报和捕食风险进行权衡的结果。这种利益 -代价权衡也可以解释藏马鸡所具有的强烈集群行为     

Alkali and alkaline earth metals in decomposing macrophytes in a wetland system

The foraging habitat selections of brown-eared pheasant (Crossoptilon mantchuricum) and the common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) were studied in Huanglongshan Nature Reserve Shaanxi, China. Foraging habitat characteristics were measured on the basis of expected differences between species at 183 sites from November to December 2006 and January 2007. The results showed that both species selected foraging habitats with altitude (<1200 m), conifer forest, half sunny and half shady slope, sunny slope, density of trees (<5 individuals/100 m²), cover of shrub (>50%), visibility class (<10%) and distance to water source (<300 m). However, the brown-eared pheasant selected habitats with cover of trees (30–50%), middle or lower slope location, distance to edge of woods (<300 m) and human disturbance (<500 m), and the selection on density of shrub was not observed, compared to the selections on cover of trees (<30%), lower slope location, distance to edge of woods (<500 m) and human disturbance (<300 m), and density of shrub (>500 individuals/100 m²) for common pheasant. We also found that the common pheasant avoid predators by concealment whereas brown-eared pheasant evade predations by running away strategy.     

Winter foraging habitat selection of brown-eared pheasant (Crossoptilon mantchuricum) and the common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) in Huanglong Mountains, Shaanxi Province

The foraging habitat selections of brown-eared pheasant (Crossoptilon mantchuricum) and the common pheasant (Phasianus colchicus) were studied in Huanglongshan Nature Reserve Shaanxi, China. Foraging habitat characteristics were measured on the basis of expected differences between species at 183 sites from November to December 2006 and January 2007. The results showed that both species selected foraging habitats with altitude (<1200 m), conifer forest, half sunny and half shady slope, sunny slope, density of trees (<5 individuals/100 m²), cover of shrub (>50%), visibility class (<10%) and distance to water source (<300 m). However, the brown-eared pheasant selected habitats with cover of trees (30–50%), middle or lower slope location, distance to edge of woods (<300 m) and human disturbance (<500 m), and the selection on density of shrub was not observed, compared to the selections on cover of trees (<30%), lower slope location, distance to edge of woods (<500 m) and human disturbance (<300 m), and density of shrub (>500 individuals/100 m²) for common pheasant. We also found that the common pheasant avoid predators by concealment whereas brown-eared pheasant evade predations by running away strategy.     

Cytochrome P450 enzyme activity in five herbivorous,non-passerine bird species

We examined hepatic cytochrome P450 activity in wild and hand-reared grey partridges (Perdix perdix), capercaillies (Tetrao urogallus) and ring-necked pheasants (Phasianus colchicus), as well as the enzyme activity in a variety of tissues of hand-reared Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) and pigeons (Columba livia). Post-mortem decrease in hepatic enzyme activity in the grey partridge was measured. Hepatic 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity was similar in wild and hand-reared grey partridges and pheasants, but the activity was significantly lower in wild than in hand-reared capercaillies, probably resulting from their phenolic-rich diet. In the tissues of both quails and pigeons 7-ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylase exhibited the highest and 7-pentoxyresorufin-O-deethylase the lowest activity. Hepatic enzyme activity was significantly higher than that in other tissues. In the small intestine some activity could be found, reflecting some intestinal detoxication capacity. Enzyme activity decreased by 34-69% during the 30-min sampling period, which confirmed the importance of equalising sampling time to obtain comparable data. Because the hand-reared birds in this study were fed the same commercial diets, we assumed that the enzyme activity values detected reflect species differences without any induction by dietary secondary compounds.     

针阔混交林内白颈长尾雉栖息地利用的影响因子研究

采用无线电遥测和样方法对针阔混交林内白颈长尾雉栖息地利用的影响因子进行了定量研究。结果显示：（１）白颈长尾雉对其栖息地的利用有较强的选择性；（２）白颈长尾雉主要在阳坡春、秋、科三季活动对坡度较平缓，夏季略陡。该雉栖息地利用受水源距离的影响；（３）各种灌枯木、 草本层和地被层因子在白颈长尾雉栖息吉食物条件和隐蔽条件方面发挥重要作用。大叶白纸扇、油茶、山缰、野枇杷、毛冬青、格药柃、乌饭、蔷薇科植物、苔     

Polymorphic microsatellites developed by cross-species amplifications in common pheasant breeds

Genetic variability was analysed in two common breeds of pheasant (Phasianus colchicus L. 1758) by means of cross-species amplifications of microsatellite loci: 154 chicken, Gallus gallus and 32 turkey, Meleagris gallopavo, primers were tested for amplification of pheasant DNA. Thirty-six primers (25 specific for chicken and 11 for turkey) amplified pheasant DNA. Fifteen markers yielded specific products and were tested for polymorphism. Eight of them (55%) were polymorphic, with an average polymorphism of two alleles per locus. Specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products were sequenced; repeats were found in 11 of the 15 markers, although only two loci showed the same repeat and could be homologous to chicken ones.