北朱雀、燕雀和白腰朱顶雀的能量代谢特征和体温调节

本实验采用封闭式流体压力呼吸计 ,测定了环境温度在 5 - 34℃范围内北朱雀 (Carpodacusroseus)、燕雀 (Fringillamontifringilla)和白腰朱顶雀 (Acanthisflammea)的耗氧量、热传导、体温等指标 ,探讨了其代谢产热特征。结果表明 :在环境温度 (Ta)为 5 - 30℃的范围内 ,北朱雀的体温基本维持恒定 ,平均体温为4 0 4 6± 0 1 0℃ ,热中性区为 2 2 5 - 2 7 5℃ ,基础代谢率为 4 30± 0 0 8mlO2 /(g·h) ;环境温度在 5 - 2 0℃范围内 ,代谢率 (MR)与Ta 呈负相关 ,回归方程为MR [mlO2 /(g·h) ]=9 34- 0 2 1Ta (℃ ) ;在此范围内 ,北朱雀的热传导率最低且基本保持恒定 ,平均为 0 2 4± 0 0 0mlO2 /(g·h·℃ )。在环境温度为 5 - 34℃的范围内 ,燕雀的体温基本保持稳定 ,为 4 0 4 0± 0 1 1℃ ,热中性区为 2 5 - 30℃ ,基础代谢率为 4 1 9± 0 0 5mlO2 /(g·h) ;环境温度在 5 - 2 5℃范围内 ,MR与Ta 的回归方程为 :MR [mlO2 / (g·h) ]=1 1 6 4 - 0 2 9Ta (℃ ) ;在 5- 30℃内 ,燕雀的热传导最低 ,平均为 0 2 9± 0 0 1mlO2 / (g·h·℃ )。白腰朱顶雀的热中性区为 2 5 - 2 8℃ ,平均体温为 4 0 4 8± 0 1 1℃ (5 - 34℃ ) ,最低代谢率为 4 4 5± 0 1 4mlO2 / (g·h) ,最低热传导为 0 3     

Stream-bank shade and larval distribution of the Philippine malaria vector Anopheles flavirostris

The principal malaria vector in the Philippines, Anopheles flavirostris (Ludlow) (Diptera: Culicidae), is regarded as 'shade-loving' for its breeding sites, i.e. larval habitats. This long-standing belief, based on circumstantial observations rather than ecological analysis, has guided larval control methods such as 'stream-clearing' or the removal of riparian vegetation, to reduce the local abundance of An. flavirostris. We measured the distribution and abundance of An. flavirostris larvae in relation to canopy vegetation cover along a stream in Quezon Province, the Philippines. Estimates of canopy openness and light measurements were obtained by an approximation method that used simplified assumptions about the sun, and by hemispherical photographs analysed using the program HEMIPHOT. The location of larvae, shade and other landscape features was incorporated into a geographical information system (GIS) analysis. Early larval instars of An. flavirostris were found to be clustered and more often present in shadier sites, whereas abundance was higher in sunnier sites. For later instars, distribution was more evenly dispersed and only weakly related to shade. The best predictor of late-instar larvae was the density of early instars. Distribution and abundance of larvae were related over time (24 days). This pattern indicates favoured areas for oviposition and adult emergence, and may be predictable. Canopy measurements by the approximation method correlated better with larval abundance than hemispherical photography, being economical and practical for field use. Whereas shade or shade-related factors apparently have effects on larval distribution of An. flavirostris, they do not explain it completely. Until more is known about the bionomics of this vector and the efficacy and environmental effects of stream-clearing, we recommend caution in the use of this larval control method.     

Effects of agricultural change on abundance, fitness components and distribution of two arctic-nesting goose populations

Intensification of agriculture since the 1950s has enhanced the availability, competitive ability, crude protein content, digestibility and extended growing seasons of forage grasses. Spilled cereal grain also provides a rich food source in autumn and in winter. Long‐distance migratory herbivorous geese have rapidly exploited these feeding opportunities and most species have shown expansions in range and population size in the last 50 years. Results of long‐term studies are presented from two Arctic‐breeding populations, the Svalbard pink‐footed goose and the Greenland white‐fronted goose (GWFG). GWFGs have shown major habitat shifts since the 1950s from winter use of plant storage organs in natural wetlands to feeding on intensively managed farmland. Declines in local density on, and abandonment of, unmodified traditional wintering habitat and increased reproductive success among those birds wintering on farmland suggest that density‐dependent processes were not the cause of the shift in this winter‐site‐faithful population. Based on enhanced nutrient and energy intake rates, we argue that observed shifts in both species from traditionally used natural habitats to intensively managed farmland on spring staging and wintering areas have not necessarily been the result of habitat destruction. Increased food intake rates and potential demographic benefits resulting from shifts to highly profitable foraging opportunities on increasingly intensively managed farmland, more likely explain increases in goose numbers in these populations. The geographically exploratory behaviour of subdominant individuals enables the discovery and exploitation of new winter feeding opportunities and hence range expansion. Recent destruction of traditional habitats and declines in farming at northern latitudes present fresh challenges to the well being of both populations. More urgently, Canada geese colonizing breeding and moulting habitats of white‐fronted geese in Greenland are further affecting their reproductive output.     

Population structure of an island malaria vector

The impact of islands on the population structure of Anopheles flavirostris (Ludlow) (Diptera: Culicidae), the primary malaria vector in the Philippines, was assessed. A phylogenetic analysis of 16 cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (CO1) haplotypes revealed three clades: one basal clade containing genetically disparate haplotypes from Mindanao, and two derived clades, one of which was largely confined to the largest island, Luzon, and one that was widespread except for Luzon. For the Luzon clade, nested clade analysis revealed an isolation-by-distance effect, and a mismatch distribution analysis diagnosed a recent demographic expansion (sum of squared deviation, SDD = 0.0093, P= 0.075), which mirrors demographic attributes found in mainland primary malaria vectors and could inflate estimates of gene flow from F(ST). For the widespread clade, evidence of range expansion and past fragmentation and/or long distance colonization from the Visayas or Mindanao to Palawan is suggested. A south-to-north range expansion of An. flavirostris is suggested; estimates of coalescence for the Luzon clade was 214 000 years ago (ya) (95% confidence interval 35 600-298 000 ya), i.e. late Pleistocene. Present day rather than Pleistocene island association and some, but not all, sea barriers appeared to be important for An. flavirostris population structure. Our results suggest that endemic island malaria vector species need to be considered before any generalizations are made about the population structure of primary and secondary vectors.     

The effects of simulated spring goose grazing on the growth rate and protein content of Phleum pratense leaves

The effects of simulated goose grazing on Phleum pratense plants were tested in an Iceland hayfield during the spring goose staging period (19 April–11 May 1997). Plants in an area exclosed from the influence of grazing and the nutrient effects of goose faeces were subject to the removal of the youngest lamina once, three and four times during this period. Clipping three and four times resulted in 25–41% increases in cumulative elongation of youngest laminae compared with unclipped plants. Total cumulative lamina growth of entire plants showed no significant difference between unclipped plants and those clipped three and four times, hence no overcompensation occurred. Sequential clipping elevated the protein content of the youngest laminae from 20% to 27–33%, whereas there was no change amongst shoots clipped only once. Because geese only consume the youngest lamina of each Phleum plant, measurements from this experiment showed that regular physical removal of growing biomass doubled the biomass of preferred tissue available to geese and increased the potential protein intake 3.5 times at experimental clipping frequencies similar to levels of sequential harvesting observed amongst staging geese compared to less frequent harvesting. These increases were achieved without any fertilising effects of goose faeces implicated in such effects in previous studies. Received: 26 January 1998 / Accepted: 20 March 1998     

Characterization of microsatellite loci in Anopheles flavirostris,the principal malaria vector in the Philippines

Microsatellites were isolated and characterized from Anopheles flavirostris, the principal malaria vector in the Philippines. Fifty of the 150 positive clones sequenced contained mostly dinucleotide microsatellites and only 16 had trinucleotide repeats. We designed primers from the unique sequences flanking 18 microsatellite loci. Of these, 11 loci produced successful amplification and revealed high levels of polymorphism; 86 alleles were detected with allele number ranging from 2 to 16 at each locus. The high allelic variability will make these microsatellite loci very useful for taxonomic and population genetic studies.     

两种雀形目鸟类孵化行为对子代质量的影响

对高寒草甸地面营巢的小云雀 (Alaudagulgula)和灌丛筑巢的黄嘴朱顶雀 (Acanthisflavirostris)繁殖方式的研究表明 :①小云雀孵化异步性较弱 (1d) ;平均卵重与产卵顺序不显著相关 ,但最后 1枚卵最重 ;出壳顺序与雏鸟生长率极显著正相关 (P <0 0 1) ;出壳顺序对幼鸟的雏期和离巢体重无显著影响 (P >0 0 5 )。②黄嘴朱顶雀孵化异步性较强 (2～ 3d) ;平均卵重与产卵顺序显著正相关 (P <0 0 5 ) ,最后 1枚卵最重 ,第 1枚次之 ;出壳顺序对雏鸟生长率、雏期和离巢体重均无显著影响 (P >0 0 5 )。结果分析表明 ,2种雀形目鸟类都选择了异步孵化和加强窝雏数对策的繁殖模式。     

Molecular systematics of the Philippine malaria vector Anopheles flavirostris

Allozyme and molecular sequence data from the malaria vector Anopheles flavirostris (Ludlow) (Diptera: Culicidae) were analysed from 34 sites throughout the Philippines, including the type locality, to test the hypothesis that this taxon is a single panmictic species. A finer-scaled allozyme study, of mainly Luzon samples, revealed no fixed genetic differences in sympatric sites and only low levels of variation. We obtained data from partial sequences for the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) (483 bp), the third domain (D3) (330 bp) of the 28S ribosomal DNA subunit and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) of mitochondrial DNA (261 bp). No sequence variation was observed for ITS2, only a one base pair difference was observed between Philippine and Indonesian D3 sequences and An. flavirostris sequences were unique, confirming their diagnostic value for this taxon. Sixteen COI haplotypes were identified, giving 25 parsimony informative sites. Neighbour-Joining, Maximum Parsimony, Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian phylogenetic analysis of COI sequences for An. flavirostris and outgroup taxa revealed strong branch support for the monophyly of An. flavirostris, thus confirming that Philippine populations of this taxon comprise a single separate species within the Minimus Subgroup of the Funestus Group. Variation in the behaviour of An. flavirostris is likely to be intraspecific rather than interspecific in origin.     

The movements of the Kittiwake

Capsule During winter songbirds were far more abundant in game cover crops than conventional agricultural habitats.

Aims To quantify game crop use during winter by farmland songbirds when compared with conventional farmland at a regional scale.

Methods Songbirds were counted on 20 farms in eastern Scotland. The number of songbirds using game crops was compared with a sample of nearby conventional crops – with particular emphasis on set-aside and cereal stubbles.

Results Game crops supported up to 100 times as many birds per hectare, of significantly more species, than the other two habitat categories. Many of these species were those currently causing concern because of their declining populations.

Conclusion Game crops could provide opportunities for increasing food resources to songbirds whose populations may be limited by food availability and possibly arrest population declines. At present, the only measures likely to facilitate this are the government's various agri-environment schemes.     

中国鸦雀的系统分类研究

本文对我国的鸦雀,提出一个新的分类系统,列有4个亚属,14种;同时还报道一个新亚种,即黄嘴鸦雀贡山亚种。从鸦雀在国内外的分布情况及棕头鸦雀亚种组的形成,推测鸦雀的起源地可能是在我国西南区的横断山脉。