对西双版纳野生亚洲象保护问题的探讨

据史料记载,亚洲象在我国的分布在商代曾分布到黄河流域一带,南北朝时期退缩到长江以南,唐宋时期还见于如今的川、黔、滇诸省范围内,到明代的分布虽已缩至云南一省,但数量尚多,被役使于交通运输和战争中,“澜沧江”在西双版纳傣族历史记载中被称为百万头大象栖息的地方。到现在,亚洲象的分布已被压缩、分割在西双版纳自然保护区内的勐养片、尚勇片自然保护区,其数量不超过250头。其次是临沧地区的沧源佤族自治县境内南滚河自然保护区有近15头左右。     

西双版纳亚洲象的栖息地评价

本文利用亚洲象种群野外调查数据,结合3S技术,应用生态位因子分析（Ecological Niche Factor Analysis,ENFA）模型对西双版纳亚洲象的栖息地状况进行评价,并对适宜栖息地做出预测。结果表明：ENFA分析的边界值M=1.375＞1,耐受值T=0.478,说明亚洲象对环境条件有一定选择性和耐受性,但生态位仍不宽,专化程度较高;影响亚洲象栖息地质量的最重要因素为植被因素,尤其是竹林和竹阔混交林;在本研究中,象群在农地中的分布点占所有分布点的45.2%,它们对栖息地预测结果的影响显著,与有农地象分布点所预测的亚洲象栖息地相比,无农地象分布点所预测的亚洲象总栖息地面积共减少2652.5 km²,其中农地面积减少最大,共计1788 km²,所占比例由35.7%降低至6.3%,因此,有农地象分布点所预测得到的亚洲象栖息地分布是人为干扰模式下的亚洲象栖息地状况,而无农地象分布点所预测的亚洲象栖息地是真正适宜亚洲象生存的栖息地;这些栖息地主要分布在西双版纳国家级自然保护区的勐养、勐仑、勐腊、尚勇子保护区和纳板河流域国家级自然保护区内及其周边地区,且已呈现岛屿化,因此急需在勐养子保护区和普洱之间、勐腊和尚勇子保护区之间以及中国-老挝边境地区建立生态廊道以保护亚洲象种群的长期维持和健康发展。     

基于红外相机技术对亚洲象个体识别和种群数量的评估

以云南西双版纳国家级自然保护区尚勇子保护区内亚洲象种群为研究对象,通过自动红外照相技术,估算了该地区亚洲象的最小种群数量。本研究于2016年1月,在研究区域内共布设了27个相机位点,野外安放时间为4个月。调查期间,每台相机的有效捕获日为9-52d不等（均值为24d）,红外相机有效捕获日621d,拍摄到亚洲象照片共1944张。通过红外相机照片开展个体识别,最终估算出尚勇保护区内亚洲象的最小种群数量为69头（其中成年象38头,亚成象15头,幼象16头）。拍到7头活动于中国-老挝边境区域的跨境象群。本文探讨利用红外相机拍摄的亚洲象照片进行个体识别的方法,指出与常规调查方法相比较的优势和不足,作为快速、实时有效的种群评估方法的价值。研究结果丰富了保护区内亚洲象种群数据库,为研究、制定和开展亚洲象保护行动提供重要支撑。     

西双版纳野芭蕉先锋群落优势种群的生态位动态

运用Ｌｅｖｉｎｓ（１９６８）和Ｐｉａｎｋａ（１９７３）提出的方法研究西双版纳小果野芭蕉先锋群落优势种群的生态位动态特征。结果表明,该群落中生态位宽度值列前五位的种群是：小果野芭蕉（１．６１５７）,木奶果,榕树,接骨木和苎麻;小果野芭蕉的生态位宽度值随着演替进行逐渐增大;群落中降小果野芭焦与其余物种间生态位重叠值普遍较大外,接骨木,木奶果、苎麻和榕树和它种植物之间具有较大幅度的生态位重叠;在三个演替     

西双版纳国家级自然保护区勐腊子保护区亚洲象种群和栖息地评价

通过社区村寨访问、监测网络、痕迹追踪和生态位因子分析(ENFA)等方法对西双版纳国家级自然保护区勐腊子保护区内亚洲象的种群和栖息地状况进行研究。结果显示:2007年勐腊子保护区的亚洲象种群数量约为25—32头,2009年其数量增至35—42头;2006—2007年期间,亚洲象的分布区包含保护区东南部和东部的两片区域,面积共221 km2,占保护区总面积的19.2%;象群在分布区内开辟了固定的活动路线,总长约65 km,它们利用这些路线巡回取食天然植物和农作物并导致严重的人象冲突;栖息地评价研究表明亚洲象对栖息地具有一定的选择偏好性,保护区内亚洲象喜好的栖息地面积为328.5 km2,仅占保护区总面积的28.5%,且主要被分为两大斑块1和2,分别位于保护区的东南部和西北部。     

西双版纳野芭蕉先锋植物群落的结构特征及其演替动态

对西双版纳勐腊县麻木树地区的热带雨林刀耕火种撂荒后形成的不同演替阶段的野芭蕉先锋植物群落进行了植物种类组成、区系成分、结构特征及种群数量与年龄结构的动态变化分析。结果表明 :在 10 0 0m2 的样地上 ,随着群落的发展和演替的进行 ,群落的科、属、种组成日趋复杂 ,从侵入阶段的 17科 2 7属 30种 ,上升到定居阶段的5 0科 74属 98种 ,至扩散阶段已达 5 5科 87属 113种。 3个不同林龄阶段的群落区系组成可分为 9种类型 ,均以热带区系成分为主 ,占 90 %左右。随着群落的发展 ,泛热带分布、热带亚洲 (印度—马来西亚 )分布所占的比例随林龄逐渐增大 ,而旧世界热带分布及东亚至北美洲间断分布所占的比例在逐渐减少。群落的层次结构由简单趋于复杂 ,野芭蕉的种群数量急剧增长 ,各龄级的个体分布逐渐增多 ,群落正向着湿润性的热带森林方向发展。     

基于DNA条形码评估西双版纳国家级自然保护区对樟科植物进化历史的保护

为评估西双版纳国家级自然保护区对樟科这一重要植物类群进化潜力的保护情况, 揭示将物种进化历史纳入生物多样性保护评估的重要性, 本研究通过对西双版纳地区长期的野外调查并查阅标本记录与文献资料, 整理出该地区樟科13属121种物种的具体分布信息, 以植物条形码ITS序列作为分子标记构建了反映整个西双版纳地区樟科植物系统发育关系的系统发育树。我们以此为基础, 从物种层面分析了各物种的进化特异性(evolutionary distinctiveness, ED), 从区域层面分析了自然保护区内、外以及32个行政乡镇的系统发育多样性(phylogenetic diversity, PD), 并结合物种丰富度(species richness, SR)与物种濒危等级, 综合探讨了西双版纳国家级自然保护区对樟科植物进化历史的保护情况。研究发现, 西双版纳国家级自然保护区仅拥有整个西双版纳地区54.5%的樟科物种数, 却保护了该地区樟科植物约88.8%的进化历史, 没有被列入保护范围但却拥有高系统发育多样性的区域有打洛镇、易武乡等。就物种而言, 进化特异性相对较高的19个物种中, 有5种(26.3%)在自然保护区内没有分布; 濒危等级高的54个物种中, 有20种(37.0%)在自然保护区没有分布, 同时拥有高进化特异性和濒危等级的物种仅有1种不在保护区内分布。结果表明, 虽然西双版纳国家级自然保护区对樟科这一植物类群的系统发育多样性以及高保护价值物种的保护较好, 但仍有部分重要樟科植物的进化历史没有涵盖在现有自然保护区范围内; 按照传统方法设定的自然保护区虽能在一定程度上保护樟科物种的进化历史, 但仍然存在与标准化系统发育多样性保护策略相矛盾的地方。因此, 今后在建立自然保护区时, 应将系统发育多样性考虑在内, 以保护生物多样性应对环境变化的潜力。     

人为干扰对小果野芭蕉群落生物量及多样性的影响

采用标准木法和回归分析法（乔木层）研究了小果野芭蕉群落在演替吕不同的压力条件下生物量和多样性的变化,结果显示,小果野芭蕉的侵入在正常情况下对群落生物量的影响并不显著,但由于人为干扰,可以明显地降低群落生物量。人为干扰是小果野芭焦群落长期保持在一个种群数量较大,物种多样性指较低和重要值较大的状态。轮歇丢荒地小果野芭蕉的侵入和迅速发展,是群落恢复演替过程中一种正常的途径。因此保持小果野芭蕉群落不受人为干扰是使其沿正常演替途径恢复的一种可行方法。     

西双版纳不同演替状态热带次生林土壤节肢动物群落特征

采用样地调查法,对西双版纳4种不同演替状况热带次生林：中平树(Macavanga denticulate)、崖豆藤(Millettia laptobotrya)、野芭蕉(Musa acuminata)与黄竹(Dendrocalamus membranaceae)林的土壤节肢动物群落结构与季节变化进行了研究．结果表明,4类不同演替状况次生林土壤节肢动物群落在数量优势类群组成上无较大差异,蜱螨目为所有4类林地的突出优势类群,膜翅目、弹尾目和鞘翅目在不同林地中分别为不同数量等级的次优势类群,而在常见和稀有类群的组成上,各林地表现出较大的差异．土壤节肢动物类群数、个体数和DG多样性指数以正向演替的崖豆藤林最高,偏途演替的黄竹林最低,但中平树、崖豆藤和野芭蕉林的差异不大．4类林地土壤节肢动物类群数和个体数的垂直分布分别以凋落物层和土壤表层(0～5cm)最高,其它各层分布因林地不同各异,并存在明显的季节差异．各林地土壤节肢动物个体数和类群数的季节消长总体表现出干季和雨季初期与末期高于雨量最大的雨季中期,由于不同林地植被结构、凋落物数量和质量以及土壤水热状况不同,其季节变化显现样地差异,除了受林地降水量和温度变化影响外,食物的丰欠和栖息场所的干扰状况也有重要的影响作用．     

西双版纳片断山地雨林蚁科昆虫群落研究

西双版纳是中国具有热带雨林的３个地区之一。采用样地调查法对西双版纳自然保护区山地雨林和３块山地雨林片断的蚂蚁群落作了比较研究。目的是揭示保护区与各片断间距离对蚂各落的影响。在４种样地中共计采集蚂蚁６亚科３５属７４种。与保护区距离不等的片断各有自己的特有种（１０－１１种）,各片断的特圾种少于自然保护区（１５种）。随着片断与自然保护区的距离增加,片断与保护区共有物种数减少（从５种、３种至２种）;最重要     

中国亚洲象取食植物种类统计与分析

2016年1月至2017年12月,分别采用样线法和跟踪调查法对中国境内分布的野生亚洲象和云南西双版纳亚洲象种源繁育与救助中心的10头圈养亚洲象放养时取食植物进行调查,经分类鉴定,共收集到亚洲象取食植物111种,分属29目、42科、77属,其中新增亚洲象取食植物57种,分属于21目、32科、44属。与文献中记载的中国亚洲象植物性食物进行了汇总,统计得到新的中国亚洲象植物性食物名录,共计32目、62科、162属、240种。多样性分析结果显示,G-F多样性指数为0.84,表明中国野生及圈养亚洲象取食的植物具有较高的多样性,这些植物涉及蕨类植物门、裸子植物门和被子植物门。其中,圈养亚洲象采食植物种类共84种,西双版纳境内圈养亚洲象以禾本科(Gramineae)的甘蔗(Saccharum spp.)、玉米(Zea mays)、马唐(Digitaria spp.)、象草(Pennisetum purpureum)、粽叶芦(Thysanolaena latifolia)等为主要食物,而国内其它地方(北京动物园、广州动物园和昆明动物园)圈养的亚洲象主要饲喂高粱属(Sorghum)的高粱(S.bicolor)或苏丹草(S.sudanense)等。因此,在将来开展野生亚洲象栖息地保护、恢复及食物源基地项目规划与建设时应规避农作物和经济作物,优选亚洲象喜食、速生、生物量大的土著物种,如野芭蕉、棕叶芦、董棕、构树、重阳木、中平树、马唐属及竹类等植物,按照不同季节进行套种,为亚洲象提供更多可口食物。对于圈养亚洲象,需要设计足够面积的食物源基地供放养,补充食物种类,增加运动量,增强体质,提高其生活质量。     

Evaluation and selection of microsatellite markers for an identification and parentage test of Asian elephants (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Elephas maximus</Emphasis>)

Numbers of the Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) population are declining due to poaching, human-elephant conflicts, capture of wild calves for tourism and export and habitat destruction, which also may cause inbreeding in fragmented populations. In order to contribute to a reversal of this trend, we have developed an identification and parentage test by evaluation and selection of markers from 43 microsatellite loci that have been previously described for Asian or African elephants. Testing these markers on a panel of 169 Asian elephants comprising the 23 mother-offspring, 13 father-offspring and 13 parents-offspring pairs yielded 26 polymorphic markers. However, only 14 of these were found to be suitable for an analysis of molecular diversity, 12 of which will be implemented for an identification and parentage test to control the capture of wild calves in Thailand and neighboring countries.     

元江-李仙江流域亚洲象生境适宜性评价——基于荟萃分析和遥感大数据分析

生境适宜性评价是物种保护和生境管理与规划的基础。近几十年来,云南境内野生亚洲象数量剧增,外扩迁移事件频发,而新迁入区域生境适宜状况因物种出现点数据缺乏而难以评价,掣肘迁移亚洲象保护与风险防范应急。以亚洲象新近迁入的元江-李仙江流域为案例区,采用荟萃分析统计亚洲象生境评价因子,结合相关性分析和方差膨胀因子独立性检验,筛选出生境评价因子;基于开源遥感数据产品量化生境因子,综合主成分分析和层次分析计算生境评价因子权重,采用生境适宜性指数(Habitat Suitability Index, HSI)模型评价元江-李仙江流域亚洲象生境适宜性,并分析其景观格局。结果表明：(1)元江-李仙江流域亚洲象生境适宜性空间格局主要表现为由下游至上游呈递减趋势,最适生境主要分布于流域下游段,而流域上游段适宜生境少;(2)元江流域生境适宜性低于李仙江流域,且其生境斑块连接度更低、破碎化更严重;(3)2021年“北移象群”北迁沿程生境适宜性由西南向东北呈下降趋势。基于亚洲象生境适宜性评价结果,科学引导野生亚洲象迁入适宜生境区,以规避人象冲突,保障外迁亚洲象群及其活动区居民生命财产安全,服务于区域生物多样性保护与...     

Elefantenhaltung in Europa und Indien – ein Vergleich

In none of the countries of origin Asian elephants are taken any more from the wild. Instead breeding stations arise. In India the methods of keeping elephants have become subject of scientific investigations. As a result elephants in the long run will be allowed to be held only in forest camps. The concepts of elephant husbandry are discussed and developed also outside the countries of origin. Under consideration of their biological, ecological and social requirements elephants have to be managed in groups. It is the author's opinion that protected contact will be the method of the future.     

A Comparison of Social Organization in Asian Elephants and African Savannah Elephants

Asian and African elephant species have diverged by ca. 6 million years, but as large, generalist herbivores they occupy similar niches in their respective environments. Although the multilevel, hierarchical nature of African savannah elephant societies is well established, it has been unclear whether Asian elephants behave similarly. Here we quantitatively compare the structure of both species’ societies using association data collected using the same protocol over similar time periods. Sociality in both species demonstrates well-defined structure, but in contrast to the African elephants of Samburu the Uda Walawe Asian elephants are found in smaller groups, do not maintain coherent core groups, demonstrate markedly less social connectivity at the population level, and are socially less influenced by seasonal differences in ecological conditions. The Uda Walawe Asian elephants, however, do maintain a complex, well-networked society consisting of ≥2 differentiated types of associates we term ephemeral and long-term affiliates. These findings imply we must broaden our recognition of multilevel social organization to encompass societies that fall along a gradient of nestedness, and not merely those that exhibit hierarchical nesting. This in turn suggests that multilevel structures may be more diverse and widespread than generally thought, and that phylogenetic comparisons within species-rich clades, such as that of primates, using the methods presented can provide fresh insights into their socioecological basis.     

Modeling population viability of captive elephants in Myanmar (Burma): implications for wild populations

Captive Asian elephants Elephas maximus , used as work animals, constitute up to 22–30% of remaining Asian elephants. Myanmar has the largest captive population worldwide (∼6000), maintained at this level for over a century. We used published demographic data to assess the viability of this captive population. We tested how this population can be self-sustained, how many elephants must be supplemented from the wild to maintain it, and what consequences live capture may have for Myanmar's wild population. Our results demonstrate that the current captive population is not self-sustaining because mortality is too high and birth rates are too low. Our models also suggest ∼100 elephants year⁻¹ have been captured in the wild to supplement the captive population. Such supplementation cannot be supported by a wild population of fewer than 4000 elephants. Given the most recent expert estimate of ∼2000 wild elephants remaining in Myanmar, a harvest of 100 elephants year⁻¹ could result in extinction of the wild population in 31 years. Continued live capture threatens the survival of wild and captive populations and must stop. In addition, captive breeding should be increased. These measures are essential to slow the decline and extinction of all of Myanmar's elephants.     

我国哺乳动物就地保护状况评估

自然保护区被公认为是生物多样性就地保护最有效的方式之一。基于全国自然保护区基础调查,通过分析我国自然保护区内野生哺乳动物种群数量的分布情况,在全国尺度上对自然保护区内591种哺乳动物的就地保护状况进行了评估。根据评价指标体系,将我国哺乳动物就地保护水平划分为"有效保护""较好保护""一般保护""较少保护""未受保护""保护状况不明""未予评价"等7个等级。结果表明,除未予评价的35种外,其余参评的556种物种中,共有534种在自然保护区内得到一定程度的保护,占总数的90.36%。其中有效保护、较好保护、一般保护、较少保护的物种分别有145、60、100种和229种,分别占总数的24.53%、10.15%、16.92%和38.75%。此外,有22种物种保护状况不明。针对不同保护体系中的哺乳动物的就地保护状况进行评价,研究共涉及国家重点保护野生动物140种和列入中国物种红色名录的427种,其中分别有109种和409种在保护区内得到不同程度的保护。总体来说,虽然有90.36%的哺乳动物在保护区内得到不同程度的保护,但保护状况良好(包括有效保护和较好保护)的比例明显较低,保护状况仍然不容乐观,保护力度有待加强;对于保护状况不明的物种,有必要对保护区开展更加全面、细致的科学考察以进一步确定其保护现状;对于确未受到自然保护区就地保护的物种,需要通过完善保护区网络,将其纳入自然保护体系之中。     

Working with mahouts to explore the diet of work elephants in Myanmar (Burma)

At an elephant camp in central Myanmar (Burma), we interviewed mahouts and veterinarians to describe the diet of Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) in a mixed-deciduous forest. Elephants showed a broad dietary breadth (103 plant species from 42 families); consumed mostly browse (94% of plant species); and were very selective about plant parts [e.g., many trees were eaten exclusively for their bark (22%) or fruits (14%)]. The fruits from 29 plant species were recorded to be eaten by elephants. Several of these were found as fruit remains, seeds, or seedlings in elephant dung, suggesting a role of Asian elephants in seed dispersal. Work elephants and their mahouts prove to be a rich source of information to understand wild elephant ecology.     

Elephant Genomes Reveal Accelerated Evolution in Mechanisms Underlying Disease Defenses

Disease susceptibility and resistance are important factors for the conservation of endangered species, including elephants. We analyzed pathology data from 26 zoos and report that Asian elephants have increased neoplasia and malignancy prevalence compared with African bush elephants. This is consistent with observed higher susceptibility to tuberculosis and elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) in Asian elephants. To investigate genetic mechanisms underlying disease resistance, including differential responses between species, among other elephant traits, we sequenced multiple elephant genomes. We report a draft assembly for an Asian elephant, and defined 862 and 1,017 conserved potential regulatory elements in Asian and African bush elephants, respectively. In the genomes of both elephant species, conserved elements were significantly enriched with genes differentially expressed between the species. In Asian elephants, these putative regulatory regions were involved in immunity pathways including tumor-necrosis factor, which plays an important role in EEHV response. Genomic sequences of African bush, forest, and Asian elephant genomes revealed extensive sequence conservation at TP53 retrogene loci across three species, which may be related to TP53 functionality in elephant cancer resistance. Positive selection scans revealed outlier genes related to additional elephant traits. Our study suggests that gene regulation plays an important role in the differential inflammatory response of Asian and African elephants, leading to increased infectious disease and cancer susceptibility in Asian elephants. These genomic discoveries can inform future functional and translational studies aimed at identifying effective treatment approaches for ill elephants, which may improve conservation.