Effects of high density on spacing behaviour and reproduction in Akodon azarae: A fencing experiment

We studied the short term spacing behavioural responses of Pampean grassland mouse (Akodon azarae) with regard to population density in four 0.25 ha enclosures (two control and two experimental) in the 2011 breeding season. Based on the hypothesis that A. azarae breeding females exhibit spacing behaviour, and breeding males show a fusion spatial response, we tested the following predictions: (1) home range size and intrasexual overlap degree of females are independent of population density values; (2) at high population density, home range size of males decreases and the intrasexual home range overlap degree increases. To determine if female reproductive success decreases at high population density, we analyzed pregnancy rate, size and weight of litters, and period until fecundation in both low and high enclosure population density. We found that both males and females varied their home range size in relation to population density. Although male home ranges were always bigger than those of females in populations with high density, home range sizes of both sexes decreased. Females kept exclusive home ranges independent of density values meanwhile males decreased home range overlap in high breeding density populations. Although females produced litters of similar size in both treatments, weight of litter, pregnant rate and period until fecundation varied in relation to population density. Our results did not support the hypothesis that at high density females of A. azarae exhibit spacing behaviour neither that males exhibit a fusion spatial response.     

几种水生植物种子萌发的聚集效应研究

以10种常见水生植物的种子为材料,研究了种子聚集对其萌发的影响。结果表明,水鳖科植物种子萌发对聚集的响应多为正效应：海菜花（Ottelia acuminata）、出水水菜花（O.emersa）、密刺苦草（Vallisneria denseser-rulata）、水鳖（Hydrocharis dubia）和无尾水筛（Blyxa aubertii）种子聚集后其最终萌发率显著提高;苦草（V.na-tans）和刺苦草（V.spinulosa）种子聚集后最终萌发率虽然没有显著提高,但是其萌发速率得到显著提高。种子聚集对穗花狐尾藻（Myriophyllum spicatum）的种子萌发有显著的抑制作用,而对穿叶眼子菜（Potamogeton perfo-liatus）和水麦冬（Triglochin palustre）的种子萌发无显著作用。水生植物的种子聚集萌发特性可能与其繁殖策略有关。水鳖科植物多进行有性繁殖或者有性繁殖比例较大,其种子也由于粘性物质的包裹为聚集分布,在野外聚集萌发的大量植株形成一个单一物种的斑块,这有利于迅速占领新生境。而穗花狐尾藻、穿叶眼子菜和水麦冬种群维持和扩张基本依靠克隆繁殖。