不同海拔地区高原鼠兔探究性和静止代谢率的差异

环境的差异影响动物种群生活史对策的进化。对地理分布范围广的物种而言,栖息地环境差异大,不同种群的生活史对策亦存在显著差异。个性特征作为生活史的一部分,反映了动物对环境的适应模式。前期研究表明,不同海拔区域的高原鼠兔的生活史对策存在显著差异,然而,其个性特征及与能量代谢的关联性是否也存在差异,目前尚不清楚。2018年9-10月,分别在海拔3268 m的贵南县和3980 m的玛沁县测定当地高原鼠兔的探究性与静止代谢率。结果发现,高海拔雄性高原鼠兔的探究性显著低于低海拔雄性个体;高海拔雌性高原鼠兔体重矫正静止代谢率显著高于低海拔雌性个体。高海拔地区,雌性高原鼠兔的探究性和体重矫正静止代谢率呈显著正相关,雄性高原鼠兔的探究性和体重呈显著负相关;低海拔地区,高原鼠兔的探究性和体重矫正静止代谢率或体重之间均无显著相关性。该结果 表明,调整个性特征和能量代谢及其两者的关联性也是高原鼠兔适应不同海拔栖息地环境差异的生活史对策之一。     

雄性手术不育对布氏田鼠社会行为的影响

利用输精管结扎的方法对雄性布氏田鼠进行了不育处理,并研究了雄性不育后对布氏田鼠社会行为的影响．结果表明,与对照组相比,不育组中布氏田鼠的友好行为频次和对抗行为频次没有发生显著改变,而且不育组内部不育雄性和正常雄性之间在友好行为频次和对抗行为频次上也没有显著差异,说明结扎不育雄性对布氏田鼠的社会行为影响不大。     

高原鼢鼠、高原鼠兔和大鼠肺表面活性物质组成和含量的比较

本研究通过分析肺表面活性物质(pulmonary surfactant,PS)组成和含量探讨高原鼢鼠(Myospalax baileyi)和高原鼠兔(Ochotona curzoniae)的低氧适应机制.高原鼢鼠和高原鼠兔各36只,捕捉于海拔3 600 m左右的青海省海南州贵德县拉脊山地区,36只Sprague-Daw...     

植被覆盖度和土地利用对高原鼠兔觅食与警戒行为的影响

野生动物的自然行为受当地家畜影响。作为与家畜共享一个栖息地、并具有挖掘行为的兔形目高原鼠兔,其行为也受当地高原家畜影响。本文采用了Poisson回归分析方法,确定牦牛、不同土地利用对高原鼠兔行为频次的影响。结果显示觅食、移动频次是高原鼠兔的主要行为频次。在冬季牦牛觅食地高原鼠兔觅食行为频次高于警戒行为频次。相反,在夏季,无论是在牦牛觅食地还是在其夜宿地,高原鼠兔警戒行为的频次高于觅食行为频次。高原鼠兔行为也受不同土地利用、植被覆盖度以及季节因素的影响。植被覆盖度与觅食频次成反比,植被覆盖度高的生境高原鼠兔觅食较少,相反,植被覆盖度较低生境觅食行为频繁。另外当前牧民的定居化趋势造成局域放牧过度,加速了土地荒漠化。因此本文也认为,季节性传统游牧模式对于草地可持续发展具有重要意义。     

Male reproductive success in plateau pikas (Ochotona curzoniae): A microsatellite analysis

In many social species, competition and cooperation between group members may lead to a large variance in reproductive success among individuals, especially for adult male. From April to August 2002, we studied the adult male reproductive success of plateau pikas in Haibei Alpine Meadow Ecosystem Research Station, Chinese Academy of Science, using microsatellite analysis of paternity, mark-recapture and behavioral observations. Our result indicated that the reproductive success of adult males had a large variance. Its average was 6 individuals and range was from 0 to 13 individuals. One-third of males sired 63.22% offspring. There was a hierarchy system in polygynandrous families. Although the reproductive success of dominant males was higher than that of subordinate males, subordinate males still play an important role in the reproductive success of the population.     

高原鼠兔对炔雌醚、左炔诺孕酮和EP-1不育药饵适口性

采用单只饲养方法,选择燕麦(Arena nuda)、颗粒饲料和胡萝卜(Daucus carota)为基饵,分别测定了高原鼠兔(Ochotona curzoniae)对10mg/kg浓度的炔雌醚、左炔诺孕酮和EP-1药饵的适口性。结果表明,高原鼠兔对燕麦和颗粒基饵具有较高的取食偏好性;3种不育成分均未显著改变雄鼠对药饵的适口性;炔雌醚显著降低了雌性高原鼠兔对燕麦药饵的取食量(P=0.0128);但左炔诺孕酮和EP-1均未显著降低高原鼠兔对燕麦、颗粒饵料和胡萝卜药饵的取食量。总之,高原鼠兔对含有10mg/kg浓度3种不育成分的燕麦、颗粒饵料和胡萝卜药饵具有很好的适口性,具有潜在应用前景。     

雄性不育对布氏田鼠交配行为和繁殖的影响

利用雄性结扎不育方法研究雄性结扎不育对布氏田鼠交配行为和繁殖的影响。结果表明：雄性结扎不育后不影响布氏田鼠雌雄两性的交配行为;不育雄性的存在对雌性的正常交配产生了干扰,降低了雌性的有效交配次数,并导致雌性怀孕率和产仔数的下降。结果一方面说明结扎不育雄性方法可用于布氏田鼠的不育控制研究,另一方面为不育后的竞争性繁殖干扰假设提供了实验证据。     

Experimental induction of social instability during early breeding does not alter testosterone levels in male black redstarts,a socially monogamous songbird

Testosterone plays an important role in territorial behavior of many male vertebrates and the Challenge Hypothesis has been suggested to explain differences in testosterone concentrations between males. For socially monogamous birds, the challenge hypothesis predicts that testosterone should increase during male–male interactions. To test this, simulated territorial intrusion (STI) experiments have been conducted, but only about a third of all bird species investigated so far show the expected increase in testosterone. Previous studies have shown that male black redstarts (Phoenicurus ochruros) do not increase testosterone during STIs or short-term male–male challenges. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether black redstarts modulate testosterone in an experimentally induced longer-term unstable social situation. We created social instability by removing males from their territories and compared the behavior and testosterone concentrations of replacement males and neighbors with those of control areas. Testosterone levels did not differ among replacement males, neighbors and control males. Injections with GnRH resulted in elevation of testosterone in all groups, suggesting that all males were capable of increasing testosterone. We found no difference in the behavioral response to STIs between control and replacement males. Furthermore, there was no difference in testosterone levels between replacement males that had expanded their territory and new-coming males. In combination with prior work these data suggest that testosterone is not modulated by male–male interactions in black redstarts and that testosterone plays only a minor role in territorial behavior. We suggest that territorial behavior in species that are territorial throughout most of their annual life-cycle may be decoupled from testosterone.     

草地退化影响高原鼠兔血清总IgG水平、肠道寄生物感染及肝脏和肾脏指数

高原鼠兔(Ochotona curzoniae)作为青藏高原高寒草地生态系统中的关键物种,其种群数量随着过度放牧导致的草地退化而暴发式增长。阐明此过程中高原鼠兔天然免疫能力及肝脏和肾脏器官指数的变化,对深入揭示青藏高原草地退化引起的高原鼠兔种群暴发机理具有重要意义。本研究在青海海北高寒草地生态系统国家野外科学观测研究站地区,调查了轻度、中度、重度退化草地中高原鼠兔洞口数量,并测定了成体高原鼠兔血清总IgG含量、肠道寄生物感染状况及肝脏和肾脏指数。结果发现：随着草地退化,高原鼠兔洞口数量和血清总IgG水平显著增加;绦虫和线虫的感染率和感染强度以及肝脏和肾脏指数均显著降低。雄性对绦虫的感染率和肝脏指数显著低于雌性;雌性在重度退化草地中对绦虫和线虫的感染率及感染强度显著低于轻度退化草地。以上结果表明,过度放牧介导的草地退化增强了高原鼠兔的天然免疫功能,缓解了毒素对肝脏和肾脏的损伤,进而可能促进其种群暴发式增长。     

不同海拔高原鼠兔个性特征与SERT基因多态性关联

个性特征是指动物个体间稳定、可遗传的行为差异,与相关基因多态性有关,反映了动物对环境的适应模式,探究个性相关基因变异,将有助于更好地理解动物对环境的适应与进化机制。本文以高原鼠兔 (Ochotona curzoniae) 为对象,研究了5个不同海拔地区高原鼠兔的个性 (探究性、勇敢性和温顺性) 差异特征,并检测了个性相关基因5-羟色胺转运体 (SERT) 的单核苷酸多态性 (SNP) 和mRNA表达。结果发现,高海拔地区高原鼠兔的探究性和勇敢性显著高于低海拔地区,而高海拔地区高原鼠兔SERT基因mRNA表达量显著低于低海拔地区,提示不同海拔高原鼠兔个性特征差异可能与SERT基因mRNA表达有所关联。进一步检测不同海拔地区高原鼠兔SERT基因多态性及其分布差异情况,发现该基因存在6个SNP (其中5个位于外显子3,1个位于外显子5 );不同海拔地区鼠兔基因分布差异分析显示外显子5的c.A1063C 同义突变与海拔之间存在显著相关,高海拔地区该位点CC基因型分布频率显著高于低海拔地区;c.A1063C的基因型虽然与探究性、勇敢性无显著相关,但与温顺性显著相关。综上所述,随着海拔升高,高原鼠兔探究性和勇敢性增加,这有利于动物获取更多的食物资源,进而增加其生存机会。与此同时,SERT基因多态性显示与不同海拔地区的生存环境相适应的特征,且与温顺性有关,暗示不同海拔高原鼠兔个性差异可能与SERT基因SNP的差异有关。本研究从基因表达与突变的角度尝试阐述高原鼠兔适应不同海拔环境的行为差异,显示了不同海拔地区高原鼠兔行为生存策略潜在的分子机制。     

Social and ecological influences on dispersal and philopatry in the plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae)

Benefits and costs of dispersal and philopatry of the socialplateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) were studied on the Tibetanplateau for 3 years. Although short-lived, plateau pikas livein cohesive family groups that occupy burrow systems in sedgemeadow habitat Most (57.8%) plateau pikas were philopatric,and dispersal movements were extremely restricted. No juvenilefemales or adult pikas moved more than two family ranges betweenyears; the greatest observed dispersal distances were by twojuvenile males that moved five family ranges from the familyof their birth. Traversing unfamiliar habitat was not a costof pika dispersal because most dispersers settled in familiesthat they could easily visit before dispersal. Dispersal movementsappeared to result in equalization of density among pika families,an expected result if competition for environmental resourcesinfluenced dispersal. Males did not disperse to gain advantagesin competition for mates, as evidenced by their moving to familieswith significantly fewer females. Females, however, moved tofamilies with significantly more males. Males provide abundantpaternal care, and significantly more offspring per female survivedto become adults from families with more adult males per adultfemale. Evidence concerning the influence of inbreeding avoidanceon natal dispersal was indirect. Some males exhibited natalphilopatry; thus some families had opportunity for dose inbreeding.Males and females that dispersed had no opposite-sex relativesin their new families. Philopatric pikas may have benefitedby remaining in families that exhibited low local densities,and philopatric females might have benefited from social cooperationwith relatives.     

Testosterone, reproductive stage, and territorial behavior of male and female European stonechats Saxicola torquata

We investigated territorial behavior and circulating testosterone (T) levels in a multiple-brooded population of the European stonechat, a socially monogamous passerine bird with biparental care. Between arrival at and departure from the breeding territories, we (1) quantified behavior of both sexes in response to a simulated territorial intrusion (STI) of a male conspecific and (2) measured plasma T concentrations in males and females. Male response scores to a STI and male T concentrations varied with phase, but there was no temporal association between plasma T levels and the intensity of territorial behavior. During both two sexual and two parental phases, at least half of the tested males showed aggressive responses. About 20% of the tested males responded with courtship prior to laying of the first clutch, but none of the males courted during later phases. Age had a positive overall effect on male plasma T. Females also reacted to the STI of a male, but their responses did not vary with breeding phase. Female plasma T varied with phase, being elevated during production of the first but not of the second clutch. As with males, female responses to the STI were not correlated with T levels. Responses of pair partners were positively correlated with each other. We conclude that modulation of male territorial aggression with breeding phase is not regulated by changes of plasma T concentrations. In light of other studies showing reduced male aggression by pharmacological inhibition of cellular actions of T, we propose that T is permissive for male territorial aggression, but does not mediate short-term changes associated with breeding phase. The function of the high female plasma T concentrations during formation of first clutches could be related to the production of eggs with high concentrations of androgens.     

Androgen control of social status in males of a wild population of stoplight parrotfish, Sparisoma viride (Scaridae)

In the protogynous stoplight parrotfish (Sparisoma viride), large males defend territories that encompass the home-ranges of several mature females. However, high-quality habitat is in short supply, such that smaller, competitively inferior males do not defend territories. We investigated the role of 11-ketotestosterone (11KT) and testosterone (T) in the regulation of territorial behavior in a wild population of a protogynous reef fish, the stoplight parrotfish, at Glover's Reef, Belize. Radioimmunoassay of plasma samples from individuals of known social status revealed that nonterritorial males have lower levels of T and 11KT than territorial males. Nonterritorial males allowed access to vacant territories underwent pronounced increases in T and 11KT. When sampled 1 week after territory acquisition, levels of T and 11KT in new territorial males were significantly higher than the levels in established territorial males, but by 3 weeks after territory acquisition, there was no significant difference. We further investigated the hypothesis that such short-term increases in androgen levels are a response to intense male-male interactions during territory establishment. Simulated territorial intrusion promoted increased plasma levels of both T and 11KT while access to vacant territories without neighboring territorial males did not. These findings suggest that the endocrine system plays a role in fine-tuning the levels of territorial aggression exhibited by male stoplight parrotfish. We discuss these results in light of recent theory in behavioral endocrinology.     

高原鼠兔对高寒草甸土壤有机质及湿度的作用

为探讨高原鼠兔对土壤理化性质的作用, 本研究于2005年8月, 采用灼烧和烘干法, 分别测定了高原鼠兔栖息及被灭杀地区土壤有机质含量及湿度。结果表明： 高原鼠兔栖息地区, 0～5 cm及6～10 cm土壤层有机质含量和湿度均极显著或显著高于被灭杀地区; 11～30 cm 土壤层, 二者无显著的差异;31～50 cm土壤层, 有机质含量差异极显著, 而土壤湿度则无显著差异。说明, 高原鼠兔活动可增加高寒草甸土壤表层有机质含量和湿度, 进而改变土壤理化性质, 促进生态系统物质循环。     

植物次生代谢物含量的季节性变化及其对高原鼠兔食物选择的影响

2008 年6 ～9 月在中国科学院海北高寒草甸生态系统定位站通过自助餐式食物选择实验测定了高原鼠兔对20 种植物的取食量,采用紫外可见分光光度计法测定了不同季节20 种植物中黄酮、缩合单宁、简单酚和总酚4种植物次生代谢物的含量,分析了植物次生代谢物含量与高原鼠兔食物选择之间的相互关系。结果表明,在选定的20 种植物中高原鼠兔喜食的植物有7 种,可食的植物有7 种,厌食的植物有6 种。植物次生代谢物的含量在不同的植物间表现出一定的差异,且有生长季节早期含量低,随后逐渐增高的季节性变化趋势。高原鼠兔对植物的选择性与植物中黄酮含量有显著的负相关性,喜食植物的黄酮含量显著低于厌食植物,喜食植物的单宁含量显著小于可食植物,可食植物的单宁含量显著大于厌食植物。在喜食植物中,高原鼠兔取食量与简单酚和总酚含量呈显著负相关性。以上结果部分验证了植物次生代谢物作为植物的防御对策明显影响高原鼠兔对食物选择的假说。黄酮类次生代谢物明显抑制高原鼠兔的取食,缩合单宁对高原鼠兔食物选择也有一定的抑制作用,高原鼠兔有少量取食但避免大量取食简单酚和总酚含量高的植物的选择策略。     

高原鼠兔在胚后发育过程中热代谢和褐色脂肪组织(BAT)的变化

高原鼠兔(Ochotona curzoniae)新生个体不能维持稳定的体温,仅具有初步的热调节能力,主要利用小气候环境和BAT产热克服低温压力,随着个体发育高原鼠兔的产热能力和隔热性都得到发展,但隔热能力比产热能力优先发育,同时BAT的重要性相对下降。体重达到成体水平后,最低代谢率高于同体重的Kleiber期望值,热传导率低于同体重的Bradley-Deavers期望值。另外,高原鼠兔通过行为热调节对生理调节加以补充。     

高原鼠兔对退化草地植物群落结构及恢复演替的影响

2009 年4 月至2011 年9 月采用围栏封育和去除法,对去除高原鼠兔的处理组和鼠兔扰动(对照组)区域植物群落结构、物种组成和地上生物量进行了比较分析,旨在阐明高原鼠兔对草地植物群落结构和群落演替的影响。结果表明:去除高原鼠兔处理组和对照区域植物群落平均高度和种盖度逐年上升,均在2011 年达到最大值,平均高度分别为6. 5 cm 和4. 2 cm,二者差异极显著(F =127. 80,df = 1,10,P < 0.01),种盖度分别为126. 5%和117. 9% ,差异不显著;植物群落组成中,处理区域禾草和莎草地上生物量比对照区域分别增加了1 965.1% 和33. 2% ,二者差异极显著(F = 41. 29,df = 1,10,P < 0.001),豆科植物和杂类草分别下降了89. 9% 和30.7% ;处理区域植物群落生态优势度发生了显著变化,由以杂类草为主改变为以禾草为主,而对照组均以杂类草为主,变化不明显。相似性指数2009 - 2011 年在对照区域年间变化范围为0.7168 - 0. 7550,在去除高原鼠兔处理区域年间变化范围为0.6464 - 0. 6732;对照区域和处理区间变化范围为0. 5354 - 0. 8956。根据试验结果我们认为,高原鼠兔的扰动可以有效降低植物群落的平均高度和植物种盖度,但植物种类组成主要以杂类草为主,年间变化不明显,表明鼠兔的扰动延缓了植物群落的恢复演替。     

高原鼠兔对垂穗披碱草及豆科植物生长特性的影响

高原鼠兔通过取食对高寒草甸产生广泛的影响,从而影响高寒草甸植物的个体生长特征。2012年在青海省果洛州矮嵩草草甸,以高原鼠兔喜食植物(豆科和垂穗披碱草)为研究对象,通过小区控制研究高原鼠兔取食（对照组、低密度处理组、中密度处理组、高密度处理组）对植物个体生长特征的影响。研究显示：在实验前期（5月和6月）,喜食植物个体特征基本上无明显规律;在实验后期（7月和8月）,随着高原鼠兔取食强度增大,高原鼠兔喜食植物的地上生物量、平均高度、分蘖枝数、分蘖枝长度、丛幅均呈下降趋势;叶片长度和叶片数均呈先上升后下降态势。2.高原鼠兔喜食植物个体特征的增长率对照组显著高于高密度处理组（P<0.05）。以上结果表明(1)高寒草甸豆类植物在其生长后期与高原鼠兔的取食强度呈一定的负相关关系;高原鼠兔取食强度在阈值（中、低密度）内有利于垂穗披碱草的生长,但超过其阈值的取食强度不利于其生长。(2)高原鼠兔高强度的取食对其喜食植物个体的生长率有明显的抑制作用。     

不同剂量炔雌醚对小鼠器官鲜重、繁殖生理和肝肠CYP3A4酶含量的影响

为探究不同剂量炔雌醚对小鼠器官、激素和肝肠药解酶的影响,分别以0.008 mg/kg、0.04 mg/kg、0.2 mg/kg、1.0 mg/kg和5.0 mg/kg的炔雌醚油溶液连续3d灌胃小鼠,首次给药7d后解剖取材,检测其器官鲜重、雄鼠精子数量、血清中激素浓度、小肠和肝脏中CYP3 A4酶含量的变化.结果 发现:...     

高原鼠兔挖掘活动对植物种的丰富度和地上生物量的影响

用空间序列代替时间序列的方法,分析了高原鼠兔挖掘形成的鼠丘上和鼠丘间植物群落物种丰富度、物种组成和地上生物量的变化,探讨鼠兔挖掘活动对植物群落的影响。结果表明:多年鼠丘上植物种类丰富度较高,分别比两年鼠丘和对照增加25. 0% 和17. 5% ;多样性指数变化趋势为对照> 多年鼠丘> 两年鼠丘,种的均匀度变化趋势为对照>多年鼠丘> 两年鼠丘;两年鼠丘和多年鼠丘、对照之间群落系数较低,分别为0.346 2和0.285 7,显示了它们在植物种类组成上存在较大差异;地上生物量变化趋势为多年鼠丘> 两年鼠丘> 对照,且多年鼠丘上植物地上生物量显著高于两年鼠丘和对照(F_{多年- 对照}= 13.544 0,F_{多年- 两年}= 11.768 2,P < 0. 05),分别增加了66.3% 和77. 8% 。高原鼠兔的挖掘活动有利于增加物种丰富度和自身的适应性,但就高原鼠兔栖息地植物群落而言,考虑到一定数量当年鼠丘的存在,地上生物量呈下降趋势。