Observations on the Endogenous Stages of Eimeria confusa Joseph, 1969 from the Grey Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis*

SYNOPSIS. Stages in the endogenous cycle of Eimeria confusa from the grey squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis, are described from mixed infections with another species, Eimeria lancasterensis. All corresponding stages were markedly different in the 2 species. In E. confusa infections, the parasites were located below the host cell nuclei of the epithelial cells of the villi of the jejunum and ileum. Mature schizonts were ellipsoidal, averaged 20.9 × 18.6 μm and had 18–30 merozoites. The mature microgamonts measured 34.3 × 24.7 μm and had hundreds of microgametes. Mature macrogametes were ovoid, averaged 31.3 × 25.6 μm, and contained 2 kinds of plastic granules.     

The use of nest boxes by the Red Squirrel Sciurus vulgaris in a coniferous habitat

This paper describes the results of a 4-year study examining the use of nest boxes by Red Squirrels. Two different designs of nest box were erected in a conifer woodland which supported a high density of animals; spring population estimates were between 3.5 and 4.0 individuals per hectare. Boxes were used by adults, subadults, lactating females and their young. Breeding females more frequently used the larger of the two box designs, although this preference was not statistically significant. There was no difference in the mean sizes of litters found within the two box types. The mean size of litters present in boxes was 2.7 (n = 31, SE = 0.23) which was similar to the mean litter size of 2.5 (n = 8, SE = 0.50) found in dreys. Thus, nest boxes proved to be a valuable research tool for monitoring parturition dates, litter sizes, nestling sex ratios, and preweaning mortality.     

凉水自然保护区松鼠巢址选择的特征

2006 年6 月11 日至9 月27 日和2007 年8 月14 日至9 月21 日采用样线法,并结合定位观察的方法在凉水国家级自然保护区对松鼠的巢址选择进行了定量研究,共获取107 个巢样方和230 个对照样方。对每个样方分别测定了12 个巢树参数和7 个环境参数。统计分析结果表明,松鼠仅在针叶树上营巢,59.8 ± 4. 7% 的巢建于红松上,但对枝叶比红松更为浓密的云杉和臭冷杉有显著的选择性,而且显著倾向于在以云杉、臭冷杉为优势树种的生境中营巢。松鼠选择比较高大(树高21.5 ± 0.4 m)、活动通道比较多(3.6 ±0.1)的树营巢,巢树周围的树木密度(169 ± 4 株/ hm² )和多样性(辛普森指数0.51 ± 0.01)显著高于对照样方。巢址生境多位于南向的中、下坡位。巢址高12.4 ± 0.4 m,紧贴树干,多朝南。红松树上的巢多建于树冠的中下部,云杉和臭冷杉树上的巢多建于树冠的上部。松鼠巢对包括道路在内的林隙没有显著的回避。     

松鼠几项生态生理指标季节变化的比较

研究了分布于我国大、小兴安岭林区松鼠体重、身体热值、脂肪含量、灰分含量以及水分含量的季节变化。松鼠体重存在明显的季节性变化和性别差异 ,春季 ,雄性松鼠体重明显小于雌性个体 ,而其它季节 ,雄性大于雌性。冬季体重最低(3 3 1 .9～ 3 45 .1 g) ,秋季体重最高 (3 78.1～ 3 89.9g) ,体重降低了 9.41 %～ 1 4.0 7%。大、小兴安岭松鼠身体热值、脂肪含量和水分含量季节变动范围为 6.2 71～ 8.60 9k J/g和 6.891～ 8.41 3 k J/g,8.81 %～ 2 1 .3 7%和 9.47%～ 2 2 .0 1 % ,67.1 2 %～73 .3 8%和 66.3 5 %～ 71 .73 % ;灰分含量不存在季节差异 ,大、小兴安岭年平均值分别为 1 2 .0 4%± 1 .1 7%和 1 1 .2 7%±2 .0 7%。环境温度、食物资源和繁殖状况是影响东北松鼠体重和身体组成季节性差异的主要因素     

Origin of, and conservation units in, the Irish red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris) population

Knowledge of genetic relationships among wildlife populations is fundamental to their conservation, particularly where translocations are concerned. This study involved a survey of mitochondrial DNA variation in the Irish red squirrel population. Our main aims were: (1) to determine whether the Irish red squirrel population is distinct from that found in Britain, given known translocations that took place from Britain in the 1800’s; and (2) whether inclusion of Irish data into a reanalysis of European red squirrel data could reveal patterns of postglacial spread in Ireland. We found evidence that the current Irish red squirrel population may be a mixture of native and translocated stock, and relationships between Irish and European haplotypes supported a number of colonisation events of the island. Although only one haplotype was common to both Ireland and Britain, it is probable that the most common haplotypes in Ireland are British introductions that have since become extinct in Britain. There was a significant regional genetic structure in Ireland (P < 0.001), as well as between all Irish and British regions. Although it is likely that the red squirrel will not be fundamental in tracing the colonisation of Ireland by mammals, the data demonstrated that individual regions within Ireland, as well as the Irish population as a whole, are distinct both from the British population and from each other and, therefore, these populations should be treated as separate Management Units (MU) in conservation strategies.     

凉水自然保护区松鼠和星鸦贮食生境选择差异

2003 年9 月30 日～2005 年10 月8 日,在黑龙江凉水国家级自然保护区,应用样方调查法, 采用Vanderploeg和Scavia 选择系数Wi和选择指数Ei作为衡量指标,对松鼠和星鸦贮食生境选择进行了研究。结果表明, 二者贮食生境选择优先顺序略有不同,松鼠偏爱的贮食生境依次是: 云杉林、原始红松林、人工红松林、针阔混交林、人工云杉林、白桦林、针叶混交林、人工落叶松林、阔叶混交林、冷杉林和其它。星鸦对贮食生境的偏爱程度依次为: 人工红松林、原始红松林、云杉林、人工云杉林、针阔混交林、阔叶混交林、白桦林、针叶混交林、人工落叶松林、冷杉林和其它。在对贮食微生境因子的选择利用上, 二者大致相同,只是在对优势灌丛的选择上略有差异, 松鼠优先选择在狗枣猕猴桃优势灌丛内贮藏红松种子, 而星鸦优先选择在刺五加优势灌丛内贮食。松鼠和星鸦贮食生境选择的差异将对随后的红松天然更新过程产生不同的影响。     

凉水自然保护区松鼠贮藏红松种子距离的初步测量与分析

2006年10月,应用线牌标记红松(Pinus koreansis)球果,采用人工放置实验和定点观察相结合的方法,对松鼠(Sciurus vulgarls)贮藏红松种子距离进行了初步研究与分析.结果表明,不同放置点的红松球果堆被松鼠发现并捕食的时间不一致,放置在人为干扰较强地点(旅游步道边)的红松球果最后被搬运走,但各放置点的红松球果均在放置10 h内全部消失.新球果(2006年)和旧球果(2005年)均被松鼠捕食并贮藏,但松鼠优先选择搬运新球果.实验共放置人工标记的球果110枚,当场被取食的球果8枚,其中花鼠(Eutamias sibiricus)当场取食4枚新球果,松鼠当场取食4枚,均为旧球果;其余102枚球果被搬运并贮藏.以放置点为圆心,以300 m为搜索半径,共回收标志球果47枚,回收率为46.1%.     

韩国与中国东北地区松鼠线粒体DNA控制区的序列变异

为了研究松鼠东北亚种(Sciurus vulgaris manchuricusThomas)不同种群的序列变异水平并进一步确定分类地位,我们分析了韩国5个地点和中国东北2个地点的松鼠标本的线粒体DNA控制区的全序列(1 058 bp)。39个韩国松鼠标本显示出21种单倍型,这些单倍型间的平均Tamura-Nei距离为1·0%; 24个中国松鼠标本显示21种单倍型,单倍型间的平均Tamura-Nei距离为1·4% (1 058 bp的全序列中发生变异的位点有119个,占11·2%)。韩国松鼠和中国松鼠间的平均距离为1·3%。并且韩国和中国松鼠的所有42个单倍型形成了一个单系分支,Fst值为0·04,表明在两个国家的松鼠间没有发生遗传分化。因此,序列分析的分子生物学的结果支持现行的分类,即来自韩国的朝鲜亚种(S·v·coreae)是中国北部地区松鼠东北亚种(S·v·manchuricus)的同物异名。这还需要进一步对北朝鲜和中国东北其它地区更多标本的分子和形态学分析来验证这一结论。     

凉水自然保护区松鼠与星鸦对红松种子分散贮藏的特征分析

2005年9月30日～10月8日在凉水保护区,通过野外分层抽样和系统抽样调查松鼠(Sciurus vulgaris)和星鸦(Nucifraga caryocatactes)的贮点特征,初步估算了主要生境内的贮食密度和贮藏量。松鼠贮点的平均大小为(3·02±0·11)粒,平均深度为(2·67±0·08)cm;星鸦贮点的平均大小为(3·21±0·22)粒,平均深度为(2·73±0·15)cm。松鼠、星鸦的贮点大小和深度均无显著差异。原始红松林内的贮食密度和贮食量最大,这和松鼠的贮食行为密切相关。保护区内贮食动物的贮食总量为(11876757±812304)粒,其中松鼠的贮食量为(8686312±683360)粒,星鸦的贮食量为(3190444±410377)粒。动物的贮食行为是影响红松天然更新的重要因子之一,对红松的天然更新有重要意义。     

凉水保护区松鼠冬季重取食物的贮藏点与越冬生存策略

为了解松鼠贮食行为中的重取食物行为特征,以及在冬季不同生存环境条件下,重取贮藏的红松种子的状况,于2004年初冬(11月中旬),仲冬(2005年1月下旬)和晚冬(3月下旬)采用随机抽样法对凉水自然保护区内雪地上的松鼠重取食物后遗留的贮藏点(称为重取贮点)进行了调查和分析。结果表明:1)冬季不同时期松鼠的重取贮点强度存在明显差异,初冬最大,晚冬次之,仲冬最小,3 个时期的样本数据频率分布检验表明其总体皆服从指数分布;2)当场取食的贮藏点占到83%,17% 的贮藏点未发现籽壳遗留。受松籽低产量及人为过量收获的影响,单个贮藏点贮藏1 粒和2 粒种子的占92.9% ;3)受气温和雪被厚度因素的影响,3 个时期重取贮藏点的口径与深度存在显著差异,一定深度的雪被可能有助于松鼠的重取,但过深的雪被也许会使松鼠无法重取。本研究表明,本地区松鼠在冬季不同时期重取红松种子的强度分配符合将饥饿风险降至最小的觅食经济学原则;松鼠重取行为的优化在贮藏点的被取食状况、口径与深度等特征上得到体现。     

红松结实量与松果可利用量对松鼠和花鼠贮食行为的影响

植物通过每隔几年产生大量种子的丰年策略提高贮食动物传播种子效率,但人为采摘活动降低了种子的可利用量,从而影响贮食动物行为及种群动态。为研究红松球果采摘如何通过降低松果可利用量而影响贮食动物行为,我们基于黑龙江凉水自然保护区2003-2012年红松结实量和采摘量的变化,比较分析了结实大小年间松鼠贮点大小、贮点深度、贮食密度和贮藏量、松鼠花鼠种群以及2010年和2011年花鼠洞穴贮藏量的差异。结果显示：结实大年松鼠的平均贮点大小显著高于小年,大贮点比例增加,贮食密度和贮藏量也明显高于结实小年,但随着结实量的增大,球果采摘量增加,使松果可利用量减少,由此结实大年2011年松鼠贮食密度并未随结实量增加而增加,反而低于2003年和2008年,松鼠遇见率也没有在该结实大年有所增长。而花鼠种群和洞穴松籽贮藏量在结实大年和小年间没有显著差异。研究表明红松球果采摘对松果可利用量和松鼠贮食行为有较大影响,应合理确定大年的采摘量以保证贮食动物的食物丰度,维系红松生态系统健康。     

The effects of hoarding habitat selection of Eurasian red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) on natural regeneration of the Korean pines

Cone-cores discarded by Eurasian red squirrels were used to study the habitat selection of Korean pine-seeds hoarding, in forest patch Nos. 16 and 19 in Liangshui Nature Reserve, China. Ten transects with a total length of 15 km were uniformly set, and data from 343 valid samples were collected in a 369 hm² area. One hundred and eighty four were hoarding samples which were determined according to the cluster analysis based on the number of the cone-cores, while the other 159 were control samples. The principal component analysis, using 11 habitat factors, suggested that the distance from Korean pine forest, forest type, number of Korean pine seedlings, density and type of bush significantly influenced the habitat selection of hoarding by Eurasian red squirrels. The results of Bailey’s method indicated that the squirrels showed (1) preference for natural coniferous forest, natural fir and spruce forest and planted spruce forest; (2) avoidance of planted Korean pine forest and planted larch forest; and (3) random use of natural Korean pine forest. Moreover the distance from the Korean pines in the range of 150–600 m showed no effect on the habitat selection of hoarding by the Eurasian red squirrels. More than 50% of the cone-cores were discarded in either fringe or gap of the Korean pine forest with more cone-cores found at <300 m than at 300 m away (One-Way ANOVA; df = 3, 183, F = 5.76, p = 0.0009). This demonstrated that the Eurasian red squirrels could take the cone-cores out of the Korean pine forest. The density of bushes in samples of hoarding area was significantly lower than that in control samples (Kruskal–Wallis test; df = 1, χ² = 83.99, p < 0.0001). The number of the Korean pine seedlings in samples of hoarding area was significantly higher than that in the control samples (Kruskal–Wallis test; df = 1, χ² = 104.13, p < 0.0001). This illustrated that the hoarding habitat favoured the germination of the Korean pine seedlings. In conclusion the behavior of hoarding Korean pine seeds by the Eurasian red squirrels can promote the regeneration and dispersal of the Korean pines.     

A genetic analysis of grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) populations in Ireland

Biological Invasions - The grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) is an invasive rodent in Ireland that has had detrimental impacts on the native Irish red squirrel (S. vulgaris) as well as on...     

Methods of age determination in Grey squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) in Britain

Using X-ray and lens weight techniques on wild and known age captive animals age criteria have been established for Grey squirrels in Britain. Adults have fused epiphyses of the radius and ulna and a paired dried lens weight above 76.0 mg. The longevity of Grey squirrels in Britain is considered. Comparisons with similar data from the USA are made.