COMPACT DISC REVIEW

ABSTRACT

In previous studies, calling sites of two species of burrowing frogs Eupsophus in southern Chile have been shown to amplify conspecific vocalizations generated externally, thus providing a means to enhance the reception of neighbour's vocalizations in breeding aggregations. In the current study the amplification of vocalizations of Eusophus roseus was investigated to explore the extent of sound enhancement reported previously for two congeneric species. Advertisement calls broadcast through a loudspeaker placed in the vicinity of a burrow, monitored with small microphones, are amplified by up to 14 dB inside cavities relative to outside. The fundamental resonant frequency of burrows, measured with broadcast noise and pure tones, ranges from 345–1335 Hz; however it is not correlated with burrow length. The spectra of incoming calls are altered inside burrows by predominantly increasing the amplitude of lower relative to higher harmonics. The call amplification effect inside burrows of E. roseus parallels the effect reported previously for two congeneric species and reinforces the suggestion that sound enhancement inside calling sites has a widespread effect on signal reception by burrowing animals.     

同域分布马鹿与中华斑羚的冬夏季食物构成比较

同域分布的有蹄类动物面临食物资源竞争,而食物又是影响野生动物生存的关键因子之一,研究不同种类动物的食物构成可以反映其对栖息地条件的适应程度。本研究通过粪便显微分析法,对内蒙古赛罕乌拉国家级自然保护区马鹿（Cervus elaphus）和中华斑羚（Naemorhedus griseus）的冬、夏季食物构成进行比较分析。结果显示,马鹿在夏季取食22科48种植物,中华斑羚取食15科31种植物;在冬季,马鹿取食17科32种植物,中华斑羚取食13科23种植物。Pianka重叠指数显示,夏季时马鹿与中华斑羚食物重叠度为85.4%,冬季重叠度为77.6%。使用Levins指数计算,夏季时马鹿与中华斑羚的营养生态位分别是13.71和5.34,冬季时分别是11.08和4.02。在同一季节,马鹿取食植物的丰富度和均匀度均大于中华斑羚。本研究结果表明,马鹿与中华斑羚的食物选择对季节性食物资源变化具有适应性,但马鹿对环境的适应性高于中华斑羚;鉴于马鹿的分布范围广、种群数量多,建议在对物种与栖息地的保护中侧重于中华斑羚。     

EQUIPMENT REVIEW

ABSTRACT

The Northern White Rhinoceros Ceratotherium simum cottoni is a subspecies of the White Rhino that is almost extinct in the wild. We studied the last reproducing herd kept in Zoo Dvur Kralove to describe its vocal repertoire. The calls produced by eight individuals were recorded and analysed as concerned both sound properties and behavioural contexts in which they were emitted. We distinguished 11 calls belonging to four categories: (1) tonal harmonic sounds, (2) puffing sounds, (3) growling sounds, and (4) repetitive sounds. We found an apparent similarity between acoustic parameters of homologous calls recorded in both white rhino subspecies. We further confirmed that the repertoire of white rhino calls is much larger than that reported in other rhino species. We tentatively interpret this finding as an adaptation to increased sociality. Four calls reach the infrasound range; nevertheless, they are probably not used for communication over distance. This is obvious in the case of the grouch call, which contains the highest infrasound component. There are, however, other candidates for such a communication function: the repetitive pant sound, which is not known in other rhino species. We hypothesise that the repetitions may enhance their audibility in the typical open habitats of white rhinos.     

Short- and long-term effects of winter and spring weather on growth and survival of red deer in Norway

Populations of red deer (Cervus elaphus) in Norway have increased continuously over the last decades. We tested the possible effects of climate and increase in population size on the survival rates and body condition of individuals in one of the northernmost populations of red deer in Europe. Based on 678 individuals of known age marked between 1977 and 1995, we estimated annual survival rates, the probabilities of being harvested and the recapture probability according to sex, age, year, winter and spring weather, population size, and, body weight and body condition, using capture-mark-recapture models. Winter harshness negatively influenced the body weight of yearlings and the survival of calves of both sexes. Spring weather influenced the survival of males in all age classes. A negative trend during the study period was detected in body weight and condition of calves and yearlings, but not in any age- or sex- specific survival rates. No significant gender differences in mean survival were shown in any age class. Moreover, there was little (male) or no (female) detectable between-year variation in survival rates for yearlings and adults. Winter weather acts as a limiting factor on population growth through a short-term effect on first-year survival and a long-term effect on body weight. We discuss the surprising low sex differences in natural survival rates and the differential effects of winter harshness on body weight, body condition and survival in relation to life history characteristics of red deer. Received: 10 November 1997 / Accepted: 2 June 1998     

新疆哈密山区天山马鹿种群数量和冬季生境选择

2010年12月至2011年2月,在新疆哈密山区,采用截线抽样法和遥感技术,对野生天山马鹿（Cervus elaphus songaricus）种群现状和冬季生境选择进行了研究。在不同区域和不同类型栖息地共布设了28条样线,样线总长度达60.1 km。其中,16条样线上发现马鹿共233头,调查区域平均种群密度（2.83±1.01）头/km²,种群数量（1 684.56±379.71）头,与1993年的调查结果相比有所上升。雌雄性比为2.24：1,幼体和亚成体总数多于成体和老体总数,种群数量呈增长趋势。根据野外考察GPS数据并解译天山马鹿分布生境2006秋季的LANDSAT TM/ETM+遥感影像,将生境要素分为山地针叶林、草甸、灌木丛、农田和戈壁5种类型,其中,草甸与山地针叶林为天山马鹿冬季适宜生境。     

黑龙江东部马鹿集群行为的初步观察

本文根据野外观察到的112群马鹿,初步研究了马鹿的集群行为。野生鹿群大小范围为2—19头,平均群内头数为3.55,鹿群在各季节具有明显的变化。通过对3种类型鹿群的观察分析,发现母仔群是主要的鹿群类型,该类型在各季节中所占比例较大(26％—53％),且在产仔期和哺乳期群内分化较高。而在妊娠期群内分化较低。公鹿群在全年比较稳定,混合群在各季节变化较大,每群平均数4.58头,为3种鹿群类型中最大者。     

新疆塔里木马鹿沙雅种群的生境变化分析

塔里木马鹿(Cervus elaphus yarkandensis)沙雅种群主要分布在新疆维吾尔自治区沙雅县和库车县境内。为了评估该马鹿种群的生境现状、变化趋势和变化原因,通过野外实地考察,利用GIS和RS技术,分别解译了当地过去4个年份(1972～2006年)夏季的Landsat TM/ETM+遥感影像,得到了塔里木马鹿生境变化数据:①2006年的农田面积为27082.24hm2,高盖度植被面积22616.25hm2,中盖度植被面积66703.62hm2,低盖度植被面积64470.62hm2,水体面积39735.89hm2,荒漠面积63497.26hm2,沙漠面积40308.45hm2;②过去的34年间农田面积增加了89.2%(12768hm2),高盖度植被面积减少60.1%(34125hm2),中盖度植被面积增加了17.2%(9791hm2),低盖度植被面积增加了37.3%(17520hm2),水体面积减少26.6%(14429hm2),荒漠面积增加6.9%(4123hm2),沙漠面积增加12.6%(4523hm2);③高盖度植被的斑块数量增加了20.9%,平均斑块面积下降了48.3%,最大斑块指数下降了33.3%;景观丰富度并没有变化,但Shannon多样性指数和Shannon均匀度指数分别增加了2.5%;④高盖度植被面积变化分别与当地的人口数量和畜牧存栏数呈显著负相关(r=-1.000),而农田、沙漠和荒漠面积分别与当地人口数量及畜牧存栏数呈显著正相关(r=0.800,r=1.000,r=0.800)。表明塔里木马鹿沙雅种群生境的丧失及破碎化程度较为严重;生境丧失及破碎化是人类活动和自然环境变化共同作用的结果。     

贺兰山马鹿冬季食性分析

2003年11月-2004年2月在宁夏贺兰山国家级自然保护区和内蒙古贺兰山国家级自然保护区,利用粪便显微组织学分析技术结合野外啃食调查对马鹿阿拉善亚种(Cervus elaphus alxaicus)冬季食性进行了研究.从7个沟系中一共收集了219堆马鹿粪便中捡拾粪粒,组成14个复合样本进行分析,其结果表明,灰榆(27.37%)、山杨(11.75%)、蒙古扁桃(9.83%)、金露梅(8.12%)、锦鸡儿(6.52%)等植物的当年枝和落叶以及禾本科草本植物(7.51%)是马鹿冬季主要食物,其中灰榆为大宗食物,针叶树种(杜松、油松、青海云杉)和其他草本植物所占比例均较小.马鹿对灰榆、山杨、蒙占扁桃、金露梅、锦鸡儿和杜松有正选择性;而对禾本科草本植物、油松和青海云杉有负选择性.马鹿对它们选择性的强弱顺序为:山杨＞杜松＞锦鸡儿＞蒙古扁桃＞金露梅＞灰榆＞禾本科草本植物＞油松＞青海云杉.马鹿取食乔木36.8%、灌木44.7%、禾本科草本植物8.0%和非禾本科草本植物10.5%,这4类植物的利用性与可利用性存在极显著差异,乔木和灌木的利用性高于可利用性;禾本科草本植物和非禾本科草本植物的利用性低于可利用性,说明马鹿的食物以木本植物镲为主,草本植物为辅.Spearman相关分析得出马鹿对食物的选择性与水分、灰分、粗蛋白、粗脂肪、粗纤维和无氮浸出物之间无明显的相关关系.被啃食植物中粗蛋白含量较高,蛋白质不是越冬马鹿的限制因子,而能量可能是影响冬季马鹿采食较为关键的因子.马鹿冬季采食策略主要是以最小的能量消耗获取最大的能量收益.     

带岭地区马鹿冬季对生境的选择性

本文研究马鹿冬季对生境的选择性,选择了10类与马鹿生存有关的生态因子(植被型、食物、雪深、隐蔽条件、坡向、坡位、坡度、水源、人为干扰、海拔)。根据这些生态因子的调查数据按一定要求分级,并转变为数量化方法来研究。经数量化理论Ⅰ的公式运算得出预测方程。筛选出影响马鹿选择生境的主要生态因子是植被型、坡向、雪深和人为干扰。用数量化理论Ⅱ分析,认为人工杨树幼林、天然杨桦幼林、阳坡、雪深25厘米、离人为干扰1000米以外是马鹿适宜生境。另外还调查了马鹿的卧迹,从直观上分析马鹿冬季选择卧地的生态条件。     

Giant otter alarm calls as potential mechanisms for individual discrimination and sexual selection

Acoustic variation can convey identity information, facilitate social interactions among individuals and may be useful in identifying sex and group affiliation of senders. Giant otters live in highly cohesive groups with exclusive territories along water bodies defended by the entire group by means of acoustic and chemical signals. Snorts are harsh alarm calls, emitted in threat contexts, which commonly elicit the cohesion and the alert behaviour of the members of the group. The aim of this study was to determine whether giant otter snorts have potential to be used for individual discrimination. We tested this hypothesis by verifying if the acoustic characteristics of snorts vary between two study areas, among social groups and individuals, and between males and females. Snort acoustic variables did not differ significantly among study areas, but varied significantly among groups, individuals and between sexes, with higher discrimination between sexes. The frequency of formants (F1–F5) and formant dispersion (DF) potentially allow identity coding among groups, individuals and sexes. The stronger sex discrimination of snorts may be related to information on body size carried by formant frequencies and dispersion, indicating acoustic sexual dimorphism in giant otters. Acoustic differences among groups and individuals are more likely learned, since we did not find evidence for a genetic signal encoded in the snort variables measured. We conclude that the snorts carry information that could be used for individual or group recognition.     

贺兰山马鹿冬季取食和卧息生境选择

2007 年12 月至2008 年1 月,在贺兰山地区,利用痕迹检验法和直接观察法对马鹿阿拉善亚种的冬季取食和卧息生境选择进行研究。通过在选定的15 条沟段里进行调查,共测定了72 个取食利用样方,59 个卧息利用样方和131 个对照样方的18 种生态因子。结果表明,马鹿在冬季偏好的取食地为平滑起伏坡,以酸枣、柳为优势乔木、混合型树林或空地,乔木高大稀疏、间距较远,灌木密度大,草本盖度较高,位于< 15°的半阴半阳坡的下坡位,距裸岩远,隐蔽度高;偏好的卧息地在山地疏林草原带的平滑起伏坡上,以酸枣、柳为优势乔木、混合型树林或空地,乔木高大稀疏,灌木矮小、稀疏且距离较远,草本盖度较高,位于< 15°阳坡的下坡位,远离裸岩,隐蔽程度高。马鹿冬季的取食和卧息生境在草本盖度和隐蔽度上差异极显著。相对于卧息生境,马鹿冬季的取食生境对草本盖度和隐蔽度要求更低一些。马鹿冬季取食地的资源选择函数为1.155 - 0.149 × 乔木高度- 0.066 × 草本盖度+ 0.190 × 坡度,模型的正确判别率为86.8% ;马鹿冬季卧息地的资源选择函数为- 30.936
+ 0.494 × 乔木高度+ 0.257 × 坡度-0.002 × 海拔高度+ 0.387 × 隐蔽度,模型的正确判别率为95.8% 。食物、隐蔽条件以及贺兰山的独特地形特征是影响马鹿冬季取食和卧息生境选择的主要因素。     

小兴安岭马鹿粪便的分解速率

粪便分解速率是粪便堆在自然条件下消失所用的时间,利用粪便距离取样法估算鹿科动物种群数量,是种群数量管理研究的重要基础。为揭示高纬度温带大陆性气候条件下的鹿科动物粪便分解速率,解决在我国普遍存在的目标种相对隐蔽、种群密度低、粪便分散导致的原地回访观测耗时耗力难以完成的问题,本研究在温带大陆性气候的小兴安岭范围内,选择铁力林业局建设林场为研究区,于2015年1月收集38堆马鹿(Cervus elaphus)的新鲜粪便,将这些粪便堆集中移至方便回访的一处马鹿代表性生境——阳坡针阔混交林,记录每堆粪便的原始粪粒数,之后间隔一定时间进行回访并记录每堆粪便剩余的粪粒数和各粪便堆是否分解完全,共回访8次。利用R 4.1. 2中的逻辑斯蒂回归得出回归方程的截距b0和斜率b1,再利用MATLAB R2020b计算粪便分解速率。结果表明,马鹿粪便的平均分解速率为(646±53) d。本研究将粪便人工移动集中放置于一处进行观测实验,为研究低种群密度的动物粪便分解速率提供了可行途径,丰富了我国鹿科动物粪便分解速率研究,从而减小了利用粪便距离取样法估算种群数量的阻碍。     

宁夏贺兰山国家级自然保护区马鹿分布及集群特征的初步研究

2009 年1 ～12 月,我们对宁夏贺兰山国家级自然保护区内的马鹿分布情况进行了调查。根据107 个马鹿活动位点和572 个马鹿痕迹位点,分别用95% 的固定核空间法(Fixed kernel estimation,FKE)和100% 的最小凸多边形法(Minimum convex polygon,MCP)进行计算,结果显示保护区内的马鹿分布面积约为642.33 km2 ,占保护区总面积的33 19% ,分布范围介于小水沟和榆树沟之间,插旗口和大水沟是马鹿分布密度最大的两个区域,而人为干扰较严重的黄旗口和小口子在调查过程中没有发现马鹿实体。我们对马鹿在冬季的种群数量进行了调查,利用模型均匀分布和简易多项式级数展开(Uniform + Simple polynomial),Distance 6. 0 的结果显示宁夏贺兰山马鹿的种群数量约为1 420 头(880 ～ 2 300)。保护区内的马鹿在不同的季节有垂直迁移现象,冬季活动在低海拔地区。保护区内的马鹿集群较小(3.50 ± 2.76,1 ～ 13 头,n = 107),且集群大小有季节性差异,冬季(4. 26 ± 3.09)明显大于其它季节。     

完达山林区森林采伐和非采伐区马鹿、狍子对冬季生境因子选择的比较

2003—2005年的冬季,在黑龙江省完达山地区的五泡林场,通过样线调查,利用逐步判别分析的方法,对冬季马鹿和狍子在森林采伐区和非采伐区生境选择的差异进行了比较研究,其结果表明,在该地区虽然两物种在生境选择上发生部分重叠,但在生境利用方式上均存在显著差异在采伐区马鹿主要利用中坡位或上坡位、半阴半阳或阳坡、人为干扰距离大于1000m、海拔相对较高、食物丰富度较高、乔木胸径较小、灌木密度较高的灌丛或杂木林生境;狍子主要利用中坡位或下坡位、阳坡、海拔相对较低、食物丰富度适中、乔木胸径较大、灌木密度较低、人为干扰距离要求不严格的杂木林或柞树林生境。在非采伐区,马鹿主要选择距人为干扰大于1000m、海拔较高、食物丰富度较高、乔木胸径较小的杂木林生境;狍子主要选择中坡位或下坡位、人为干扰距离要求不严格、海拔较低、食物丰富度较适中和乔木胸径较大的杂木林或杨-桦混交林生境。     

Modeling the Relationship Between Fecal Pellet Indices and Deer Density

Abstract: Although fecal pellet counts have been widely used to index changes in deer abundance in forests, few studies have modeled the relationship between the indices and deer density. We examined the relationships between 3 fecal pellet indices (total pellets, pellet groups, and pellet frequency) and the density of deer (primarily red deer [Cervus elaphus scoticus]) in 20 enclosures in the North and South islands of New Zealand. In each enclosure we estimated the 3 indices on 30 randomly located 150-m transects, with each transect having 30 circular plots of 3.14 m². We developed 4 candidate models (1 linear and 3 nonlinear) to describe the relationship between the indices and deer density. We used a Bayesian analysis to account for uncertainty in the estimates of deer abundance and to facilitate fitting models that included random transect effects. The 4 models explained the relationship between the 3 indices and deer density similarly well. The slopes of the linear relationships between the 3 indices and deer density were positive. Our results suggest that fecal pellet counts may be useful indices of deer abundance.     

Identification of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis in wild cervids ( Cervus elaphus hippelaphus and Capreolus capreolus ) from Northwestern Italy

Seventy-seven red deer (Cervus elaphus hippelaphus), 40 roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) from the Northwestern (NW) Alps (Turin Province, NW Italy) and 29 roe deer from the NW Apennines (Alessandria province, NW Italy) were examined for the presence of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) by culture, IS900 nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and IS1311 PCR restriction endonuclease analysis for strain characterisation. MAP identification (nested PCR and/or culture) allowed us to detect 32.9% MAP-infected red deer and 22.5% infected roe deer in the NW Alps and 41.4% MAP infected roe deer in the NW Apennines. On the basis of the polymorphism present in the IS1311 sequence, all MAP isolates were characterised as cattle strains. Our results show that MAP circulates widely among populations of wild cervids in NW Italy.     

Dominant frequency of loud mew calls of felids (Mammalia: Carnivora) decreases during ontogenetic growth

• 1 A negative correlation between body weight and frequency characteristics of a species' vocalizations exists in mammals, due to the acoustics of vocal sound production (‘source‐filter theory’; source = larynx; filter = supralaryngeal vocal tract) and the strong positive correlation between body weight and vocal tract length.
• 2 A negative correlation is hypothesized to exist between increasing body weight and frequency characteristics of calls during ontogeny as well.
• 3 This hypothesis is tested for mean dominant frequency (maximum spectral energy peak) of intense mew calls in juveniles of five species of the Felidae: lion Panthera leo, jaguar Panthera onca, leopard Panthera pardus, tiger Panthera tigris and puma Puma concolor.
• 4 In the five felid species in which the hyoid is incompletely ossified (genera Panthera and Uncia), the larynx undergoes a considerable ontogenetic descent, resulting in a proportionally longer vocal tract in adult individuals than in all other species of the family, which have a fully ossified hyoid without a descent.
• 5 In all five species studied here, mean dominant frequency decreases as body weight increases during growth. In the four Panthera species (with laryngeal descent) dominant frequency is determined by the vocal tract (the filter), and dominant frequency is largely similar at similar weights, indicating a similar correlation between the ontogenetic increase in body weight (and vocal tract length) and the decrease in mean dominant frequency. In the puma (without laryngeal descent) dominant frequency is determined by the larynx (the source), it is considerably higher than in the Panthera species, and the course of its ontogenetic decrease differs considerably from that in Panthera.
• 6 The data do not support a uniform scaling relationship between body weight and mean dominant frequency of intense mew calls in the Felidae during ontogenetic growth.