松鸦的繁殖生态

在安徽合肥紫蓬山区,对松鸦的繁殖生态进行了观察,并研究了雏鸟的生长发育特征。结果表明,松鸦4月初开始营巢,巢筑在阔叶树或针叶树主干顶端枝杈处,巢呈碗状,由细树枝、须根、苔藓和草编织而成。4月中下旬开始产卵,平均每窝产5枚卵,孵化期16－17d,育雏期19d。体重、嘴峰、翅、跗跖、尾、飞羽及飞羽羽缨等形态学参数适合用Logistic曲线方程拟合,对应的拟合方程分别为：W＝120／[1 e^-0.329(t-8.1)]、L=23/[1 e^-0.2011(t-4.5)]、L=107/[1 e^-0.334(t-9.1)]、L=40/[1 e^-0.293(t-4.5)]、L=49/[1 e^-0.377(t-13.7)]、L=76/[1 e^-0.462(t-12.4)]、L=49/[1 e^-0.544(t-17.8)]。曲线的增长率和拐点的参数分析表明,与飞行密切相关的器官在雏鸟发育的后期仍有较大程度的增长,而与取食相关的器官在雏鸟早期就有较大程度的发育。     

Storage of stones by Jays Garrulus glandarius

The aims of this study were to test whether or not Jays Garrulus glandarius store stones and, if so, to examine the conditions under which they store stones. By directly observing the behaviour of five captive Jays that were housed individually in flight cages, we found that stones were stored only in the absence of food items or when food items were no longer available to store and that there was a strong preference for storing stones that resembled acorns in both size and appearance (in terms of colour, shape and smoothness of the surface) and were undamaged rather than heavily chipped. These results are discussed in terms of Tinbergen's classic ethological model in which animals respond selectively to certain key features and ignore other features of the stimulus.     

Responses of breeding Reed Warblers Acrocephalus scirpaceus to mounts of Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus, Cuckoo Cuculus canorus and Jay Garrulus glandarius

Mounts of a Cuckoo Cuculus canorus , a Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus and a Jay Garrulus glandarius were presented at nests of Reed Warblers Acrocephalus scirpaceus at all breeding stages. Response strength could best be classified according to approach distance (to the mount) and vocalizations used. Warblers reacted much more aggressively to a mount on the nest than to one 3 m adjacent; they approached much more closely, were less likely to sing but often gave a frenzied-sounding rasp (which was never given to an adjacent mount). Reaction was more aggressive to a Cuckoo, which was often attacked, than to a Sparrowhawk, of which they were wary; response to a Jay was intermediate. Reaction was more aggressive after the clutch had been completed than before. After the brood had fledged, parents still responded strongly to the Jay and Sparrowhawk, but responded to the Cuckoo only briefly before ignoring it. These results are consistent with the Reproductive Value-Stimulus Value hypothesis. They also demonstrate that Reed Warblers can tell Cuckoos from Sparrowhawks, as can many non-host species. The close resemblance of these two species is often suggested to be mimicry of the Sparrowhawk by the Cuckoo but, if this is so, it is not successful. Alternatively, the similarity could be mimicry to reduce predation on the Cuckoos themselves, a chance resemblance, or due to similar selective forces acting on both species, as each would presumably benefit from reduced conspicuousness.     

Red Squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) Respond to Alarm Calls of Eurasian Jays (Garrulus glandarius)

Recognition of heterospecific (interspecific) alarm calls has been demonstrated in birds and mammals, but bird–mammal interactions have rarely been studied. Here, I tested the hypothesis that red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) are able to recognize alarm calls of a sympatric bird species, the Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius), and respond adequately with anti‐predator behaviour. Both animals are preyed upon by the same predators. To test whether squirrels would react to heterospecific alarm calls, I recorded squirrels behaviour during playbacks of jay alarm calls, control playbacks (territorial songs of sympatric songbirds) and during silence. Differences between the control treatment (songbirds) and silence were not significant. Seven of the 13 squirrels responded with escape after broadcasting alarm calls of jays. Further, squirrels spent less time in the patch, expressed a higher vigilance, and showed more rapid head and body movements. These results suggest that squirrels recognize heterospecific alarm vocalizations of jays and discriminate them from equally loud non‐threatening sounds.     

Seasonal patterns of food limitation in Daphnia galeata: separating food quantity and food quality effects

Food limitation for the cladoceran Daphnia galeta was measuredgrowing them with natural lake seston for one growing seasonunder standardized conditions in the laboratory. Growth rateswere related to several measures of food quantity. Particulateorganic carbon (POC) <30 µm was the best predictorof total food availability measured. It was better than chlorophyll-a(Chl-a) of the same size fraction, algal volume calculated fromcell counts or total particle volume from Coulter Counter measurements.Daphnids were also grown with Scenedesmus acutus under the sameconditions and their growth rates were compared. Sestonic carbonconcentrations were related to Scenedesmus carbon concentrations,that provided equal growth rates. The ratio of the carbon concentrationsof both food types (seston, Scenedesmus) represented the foodquality of seston. Thus, the nutritional quality of naturallake seston relative to a standard alga was determined overone growing season. Growth rates of seston fed animals revealedthat they were food limited during long periods of the year.This was also ascertained by standard clutch sizes of fieldanimals. However, the causes of food limitation varied withinthe duration of the studied period. Whereas during the clear-waterphase the food quantity was limiting (while the quality washigh: 100% Scenedesmus), shortly after on 10 June and 17 Junefood conditions were close to threshold concentrations due tolow food quality. For the remainder of the summer, a POC of0.3–0.6 mg C I^–1 with a quality of     

Spatial memory in a food storing corvid

This work suggests how food storing corvids use spatial memory to relocate caches, and how they can do this after some landmarks surrounding caches have become hidden due to leaf fall, snow fall or plant growth. Experiments involved training European jays (Garrulus glandarius) to find buried food, the location of which was specified by an array of 12 landmarks. Tests were then performed with the array rotated, or with certain landmarks removed from the array. The main findings were: (1) birds primarily remembered the position of the goal using the near tall landmarks (15–30 cm from the goal and 20 cm high); (2) birds obtained a sense of direction both from the landmark array and something external to the array; (3) birds did not use smell or marks in the surface of the ground to find the goal. Memory of near tall landmarks is likely to be functional for these birds since (a) nearer landmarks provide a more accurate fix, and (b) taller landmarks are less likely to be completely obscured by snow fall, leaf fall or intervening vegetation. The work also demonstrates the use of G.I.S. software for the analysis and representation of animal search patterns.     

Seasonal variation of feeding patterns and food selection by crop-raiding elephants in Zimbabwe

Elephants and humans are increasingly coming into conflict because of the conversion of elephant habitat into agricultural areas. In order to identify trends that influence raiding behaviour, the nutritional makeup of food items consumed by crop‐raiding elephants over a 2‐year period were analysed and a trigger for crop raiding was identified. The point at which the quality of wild grasses declines below the quality of crop species corresponded to the movement of bull elephants out of a protected area and into fields. This finding may have wider implications for developing predictive models of elephant/human interactions.     

Ontogeny of food storing in titmice Parus spp.

The ontogeny of food storage in Crested Tits Parus cristatus and Willow Tits P. montanus starts during the period of parental care after the young have left the nest and develops gradually. In southern Norway, the storing behaviour becomes fully developed during August-September, i.e. at a time when most juveniles have completed their dispersal period and settled in permanent winter flocks. The food storing behaviour is largely innate, but is improved by practice and experience.     

Strategies of spatial learning for food storing in scrub jays

Western scrub jays (Aphelocoma californica) hide food and rely on spatial memory to recover their caches at a later date. To do this cache-and-recovery, they can use both spatial and site-specific cues. I examined these cues in an experimental setting. The experiment established that scrub jays, like other food storers, prefer to rely on the location of the caching tray rather than tray-specific cues. They could modify their preference for spatial cues through training in which spatial cues were made irrelevant. Even after such training, the spatial cues controlled the jays behaviour when the spatial and site-specific cues gave competitive information about the cached sites. Thus, the global spatial cues have priority but the jays use the local site-specific cues when the spatial cues do not give enough information about the cached site.     

Seasonal patterns of nitrogen fixation in termites

1. Termite nitrogenase activity was highest in autumn and spring (≈ 3 μg N₂ fixed termite fresh mass (g)^–1 day^–1) and lowest in winter and summer (≈ 0·8 μg N₂ fixed termite fresh mass (g)^–1 day^–1).
2. The nitrogenase activity of worker termites was significantly higher than all other castes (1·58 ± 0·27 μg N₂ fixed termite fresh mass (g)^–1 day^–1).
3. Worker termites constituted the largest proportion of all the castes throughout the study period (≈ 90%).
4. The localized input of fixed nitrogen by termites may reach 15·3 mg N log^–1 day^–1 and 5·6 g N log^–1 year^–1.     

Coexistence of memory patterns and mixed states in a sparsely encoded associative memory model storing ultrametric patterns

Analyzing the coexistence of memory patterns and mixed states gives important information for constructing a model for the face responsive neurons of the monkey inferior-temporal cortex. We analyzed whether the memory patterns coexist with mixed states when the sparse coding scheme is used for the associative memory model storing ultrametric patterns. For memory patterns and mixed states to coexist, there must be sufficient capacity for storing them and their threshold values must be the same. We determined that the storage capacities for all mixed states composed of correlated memory patterns diverge as 1/|flogf| (where f is the firing rate) even when the correlation of the memory patterns is infinitesimally small. We also determined that the memory patterns and the mixed states can become the equilibrium state of the model in the same threshold value. These results mean that they can coexist in this model. These findings should contribute to research on face responsive neurons in the monkey inferior-temporal cortex.     

Seasonal patterns of food availability: influences on the reproductive output and body condition of the herbivorous crab Grapsus albolineatus

 Rocky shores in Hong Kong experience marked seasonal differences in climate resulting in seasonal changes in macroalgal assemblages. The tropical rocky shore crab, Grapsus albolineatus, feeds selectively on filamentous algae through the year but the abundance of these algae and foliose algae is greatly reduced during the summer when encrusting algae dominate the shores and the crab’s diet. This switch in diet may have implications for the reproductive output of this crab. Standing crop of algae varied greatly through the year, peaking in March and April, when the nutritional quality of the algae was also highest. On the shore, available algal protein and energy were both lowest in July. The crab selected an algal diet rich in nutrients than that available to it on the shore for all months of the year except September to December for protein, and July and August for energy. The input of animal matter considerably increased the protein content of the diet, but made little difference to the energy content. Growth and body condition were greatest during March and June, coinciding with the peak in algal biomass. Storage of nutrients in the hepatopancreas of G. albolineatus commenced in November, coinciding with the increase in biomass and quality of algae on the shores, and then, peaking in May and June, these nutrients were utilised by the reproductive organs during the reproductive season which ran from April to November. The middle of the reproductive season coincided with the period when the standing crop of algae on the shore was at its lowest levels and poorest quality. Cycles of growth, reproduction and storage in G. albolineatus appear to be directly influenced by seasonal patterns of algal food availability. Nutrient storage in the hepatopancreas, during periods when food is nutritionally rich and is most abundant, does not guarantee reproductive success of the crab, but appears to be a prerequisite. Selection of an optimal diet (energy- and protein-rich) in a seasonal environment by ingesting abundant nutrient-rich algal species and the opportunistic consumption of animal matter strongly influences growth and reproductive output of G. albolineatus. Received: 18 March 1996 / Accepted: 17 July 1996     

Seasonal variation in food allergy to apple

The aim of the study was to investigate the possibility of a seasonal variation in reactivity to apples in 27 birch pollen allergic patients. Before and during the birch pollen season 1998, the patients were subjected to double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenges (DBPCFCs) with grated fresh Golden Delicious apple followed by an open food challenge with whole fresh apple. The clinical reactions elicited during the challenges were evaluated both by the patients and the investigators. Moreover, the skin reactivity and the in vitro reactivity to apple were evaluated by skin prick test (SPT), leukocyte histamine release (HR), measurement of specific IgE, and immunoblotting experiments. The sensitivity of the DBPCFC, when compared with the result of the open challenge, was 0.74 (14/19) before the season and 0.80 (16/20) during the season. None of the patients reacted to the blinded challenge without a subsequent reaction to the open challenge. One placebo reaction was registered both before and in season, but not in the same patient. The patient scores of the first positive challenges, and the maximal scores of each combined blinded and open challenge session, were significantly increased during the pollen season (P<0.05). The scores of the open challenge were significantly higher than the scores of the DBPCFC both before the season and during the in-season challenges (P<0.05). Specific IgE against Golden Delicious increased during season (P<0.05), while neither SPT, HR, nor immunoblotting experiments could confirm an increase in reactivity. In conclusion, the results of the oral challenge tests indicated an increase in clinical reactivity to apples during the birch pollen season in birch pollen allergic individuals.     

Seasonal patterns of spontaneous abortion.

The presence of a seasonal pattern of spontaneous abortion in the United States was found using data from the two most recent cycles of the National Survey of Family Growth (USA). The pattern was bimodal with peaks in March and August.     

Seasonal differences in behavior patterns of the migratory white-throated sparrow

Avian migration and associated changes in behavior patterns occur on a seasonal basis and are regulated by both circadian and circannual clocks. It is well known that seasonally migrating birds must alter the temporal partitioning of behaviors in order to successfully complete nocturnal migration, although the precise changes in allocation have not previously been examined. Because of the difficulties related to the study of bird migration in the wild, many studies regarding the physiology of migration have been performed in captivity, where nocturnal migratory restlessness is readily observable at the appropriate times of the year. Even so, quantifying the amount and timing of daily behavioral rhythms in migrating and non-migrating individuals has not previously been performed. We used video recordings of a common nocturnal migrant, the white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), to generate a basic ethogram and to chart the timing and frequency of occurrence of each behavior in order to compare migrant individuals with non-migrating birds. Our study suggests that the specific allocation of behaviors are altered during migration and that these changes might contribute to the development of the “migratory syndrome”.     

Seasonal change in the food habits of the Iriomote catFelis iriomotensis

The food habits of the Iriomote catFelis iriomotensis were studied by analyzing 177 feces collected monthly from 1987 to 1988. A total of 26 food items were identified. The frequency of lizards and frogs in the feces was higher than those of mammals and birds. The food habits changed greatly seasonally.Eumeces skinks were fed on most frequently, and found in the feces with a similar high frequency occurrence in March–April and July–September, while their proportion to the total number of food items was larger in March–April than in July–September. The cats fed on larg-sized skinks, adultEumeces kishinouyei, more in March–April than in other seasons. The number of skinks sighted in the course of a road census was greater from March to August, and large-sized skinks were sighted more in March–April than in July–August. The cats fed selectively on large-sized skinks in every season. Therefore, changes in the food habits depended on the food availability. Characteristics of food habits in the Iriomote cat are discussed in comparison with the food habits of other felids in temperate and tropical regions.