大杜鹃对家燕的巢寄生

了解杜鹃(Cuculus spp.)对不同宿主鸟类的巢寄生,是研究杜鹃与其宿主之间协同进化的重要基础资料。大杜鹃(Cuculus canorus)和家燕(Hirundo rustica)分布遍及全国,且为同域分布,但两者之间的寄生现象尚未有过系统调查。2012年和2014年4~8月,对繁殖于吉林市昌邑区桦皮厂镇(34°58′44.18″N,126°13′26.83″E,海拔184 m)和海南岛的家燕种群进行调查,结果表明,吉林市昌邑区桦皮厂镇家燕种群的寄生率为2.4%(1/42),而在海南岛所调查的1 719个家燕巢未发现杜鹃寄生现象。同时在网络上搜集家燕巢寄生的报道案例,共记录到13巢家燕被大杜鹃寄生繁殖,均发生在北方的家燕种群。     

城市化对杭州市鸟类营巢集团的影响

为了了解城市化对鸟类营巢集团的影响,2007年3月至2007年8月,沿城市化梯度在杭州地区的城区、城乡结合区、农田区、农林交错区和自然林区等类型栖息地内设置3 000 m长、100 m宽的样线各18条,共计90条;并对其鸟类物种与群落营巢集团进行调查。调查共记录到繁殖鸟类96种,根据鸟类营巢位置可将其分为林冠枝干营巢集团、灌草丛营巢集团、林冠枝干/灌草丛营巢集团、自然洞穴营巢集团、人工建筑营巢集团、自然洞穴/人工建筑营巢集团地面营巢集团、水面营巢集团和寄生集团共9种。进一步分析显示,随城市化程度提高,鸟类营巢集团的数目呈整体下降趋势,而各集团的物种数也基本呈下降趋势。但是,不同的营巢集团对城市化的反应存在差异,导致其物种组成在群落中比例的明显变化。城市化程度的提高使树冠筑巢鸟、灌丛筑巢鸟、地面筑巢鸟及自然洞穴筑巢鸟在群落中所占的比例明显下降,其中地面筑巢鸟最为敏感,灌丛筑巢鸟次之。同时,自然洞穴/人工建筑集团的鸟类在群落中的比例却随着城市化程度的提高明显上升。各营巢集团之所以对城市化做出不同反应,是因为它们对筑巢地资源利用方式不同。此外,还发现植被盖度、人工设施面积、至市中心距离以及人为干扰等因素均可对鸟类营巢集团结构产生影响,但不同类型的营巢集团对上述因素的反应各异。     

人工繁殖区内扬子鳄的营巢生态

本文观察了扬子鳄在人工饲养环境中的营巢生态:一、30条产卵雌鳄的巢有28个建在人工投放的芒草上,2个自行取草建巢。二、六月中旬至下旬末为营巢期,周期为14.17±5.21天。营巢夜间进行,雌鳄单独完成。三、巢材除人工投放芒草外,随周围环境而异。四、巢体积、产卵数与雌鳄体长无相关性。五、卵堆温度恒定35℃,日温差仅1.4℃。六、每窝卵数为26.2±3.9枚。七、30条产卵鳄中的11条是抢巢产卵。     

朱鹮营巢生境的分析

在陕西省洋县境内调查了 1 3个朱巢的生境 ,分 1 2个属性记载 ,并做定量统计分析。由模糊聚类分析法把样点分成了近湿地类型区和远湿地类型区 ;由主分量分析证明 ,树型高大、隐蔽度和周围植被条件好、离居民点较近的马尾松或栓皮栎树是朱营巢的优选条件。     

朱Xuan营巢生境的分析

在陕西省洋县境内调查了１３个朱Ｘｕａｎ巢的生境,分１２个属性记载,并做定量统计分析。由模糊聚类分析法把样点分成了近湿地类型区和远湿地类型区;由主分量分析证明,树型高大、隐蔽度和周围植被条件好、离居民点较近的马尾松或栓皮栎树是朱Ｘｕａｎ营巢的优选条件。     

长尾山椒鸟的巢及营巢环境

长尾山椒鸟Pericrocotus ethologus在山西省吕梁山、中条山皆有分布,是针阔混交林和针叶林中常见的夏候鸟和食虫鸟。有关此鸟巢与营巢环境的报道甚少。现根据多年在山西庞泉沟自然保护区(东经111°27′,北纬37°50′)的阳圪台、庞泉沟、郝家沟、市庄等地的调查所得资料报道如下:     

苍鹭营巢习性的初步观察

2000年3－4月在辽宁省凌源市对苍鹭的营巢习性进行观察表明：苍鹭在营巢过程中雄性外出取材,雌性筑巢,营巢期6－9天;雄性取材次数随着营巢天数的增加而增多,每日取材次数有两个高峰期,即上午7－9时、下午3－5时;巢平均值为外径50cm,内径29．2cm,巢高24cm,巢深11cm,巢材主要为树木枯枝。     

黄腹山鹪莺的营巢特征

营巢对鸟类的生长繁殖有着重要影响。为此,从2007年3-9月在广东省肇庆江溪村对研究地中的黄腹山鹪莺(Prinia flaviventris)的巢进行标记和测量,并以巢址为中心做5m×5m样方调查,通过主成分分析研究其巢址选择,结果表明:1)黄腹山鹪莺营巢时间始于3月中旬,4月达到高峰,至7月底结束;2)在13种植物上发现44个巢,其中在象草(Pennisetum purpureum)上最多,有27个,其次为加拿大飞蓬(Erigeron canadensis),4个,其他植物皆为1—2个;3)巢皆为不规则的球状巢,巢材除动植物性材料外,均有人工制品;巢内空间与巢整体大小较为一致;4)影响巢址选择的主要因素4种,依次为:距最近水源距离(29.89%)、距最近道路距离(16.45%)、距最近灌木距离(12.92%)、距水面高度(11.69%)。据此认为黄腹山鹪莺的营巢是对草本植物环境的适应,而其尾羽的逆向变化对营巢是有利的,起到增加飞行灵活性和减少筑巢投资的效果。     

朱()营巢生境的分析

在陕西省洋县境内调查了13个朱()巢的生境,分12个属性记载,并做定量统计分析.由模糊聚类分析法把样点分成了近湿地类型区和远湿地类型区;由主分量分析证明,树型高大、隐蔽度和周围植被条件好、离居民点较近的马尾松或栓皮栎树是朱()营巢的优选条件.     

红尾伯劳的巢址选择与营巢行为

2003年4-9月通过焦点动物取样法(focalanimal sampling)和完全记录法(all-occurrence recording)对红尾伯劳的营巢行为进行了研究。结果表明：凌晨选巢,巢多位于7—15m的高大乔木冠部分叉处。对19个巢址主成分分析表明：前6个主成分特征值均大于1,累积贡献率达83．74％,基本包含了16个参数的总信息量。营巢活动自5月下旬至7月中旬,两性参与筑巢,营巢期间有求偶交配行为,营巢期6～8d。衔材主由雄鸟担任,达72．16％,衔材高峰出现于营巢第2d和第4d,每日高峰在7～8时和15-17时。理巢基本全由雄鸟承担。护巢性强。     

Impaired swimming behaviour and morphology of sperm from barn swallows Hirundo rustica in Chernobyl

We investigated the motility and morphology of live sperm from barn swallows Hirundo rustica breeding in radioactively contaminated areas around Chernobyl and control areas in Ukraine in order to test the hypothesis that swimming behaviour and morphology of sperm was impaired by radioactive contamination. We obtained sperm samples from 98% of sampled birds, thus avoiding sampling bias due to the fraction of males not producing sperm samples. Analyses of within- and between-sample repeatability revealed significant and intermediate to large estimates for all sperm parameters. There were significant differences between the Chernobyl area and the control area for two of 11 sperm behaviour parameters, and significant interactions between area and year for six of these parameters. The proportion of sperm with abnormal morphology was elevated in barn swallows from Chernobyl. A principal component (PC) analysis revealed four significant axes that explained 88% of the variance in sperm behaviour parameters. One of these principal components differed between areas, and three components showed significant year by area interactions. PC2 representing the frequency of slow sperm increased with increasing radiation in one year, but not another. PC3 representing sperm with high linearity, small amplitude of lateral head displacement and low track velocity decreased with increasing background radiation level. PC4 reflecting a large proportion of static sperm with high beat cross frequency increased with increasing background radiation level. Sperm behaviour as reflected by principal components was predictable among years from information on level of radiation, and it was predictable among sites in different years. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that sperm behaviour and morphology have been affected by radiation due to the Chernobyl accident.     

DNA damage in barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) from the Chernobyl region detected by use of the comet assay

We investigated levels of DNA damage in blood cells of barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) inhabiting the Chernobyl region to evaluate whether chronic exposure to low-level radioactive contamination continues to induce genetic damage in free-living populations of animals. Blood samples were obtained from barn swallows collected at sites with different background levels of radiation, including a relatively uncontaminated area. The extent of DNA damage was evaluated using the alkaline (pH = 12.1) comet assay, a robust and sensitive electrophoresis-based technique widely employed in research ranging from biomonitoring to clinical studies. We found that levels of DNA damage, as indexed by the extent of DNA migration, were increased in barn swallows living in areas surrounding Chernobyl when compared to swallows sampled at low-level sites. The results we obtained are consistent with previous findings on this same species, which showed that swallows breeding in areas heavily contaminated with radionuclides have increased mutation rates, higher oxidative stress and incidence of morphological aberrations and tumors. Overall, these results indicate that chronic exposure to radioactive contaminants, even 20 years after the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, continues to induce DNA damage in cells of free-living animals.     

The influence of environmental conditions on the body mass of Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) during spring migration

The present study examines the effects of seven microclimatic factors on the arrival body mass of migrant Barn Swallows (Hirundo rustica) in the Aiguamolls de l’Empordà Natural Park, a site located in northeastern Spain. We used principal component analysis, followed by a general linear model procedure, to create a model that examines the relationships between body mass and weather-related events recently experienced during the spring migration. Our results suggest that local weather variation during the migratory flight clearly affects the body mass of Barn Swallows on a short time scale. This effect demonstrates the importance of the environmental conditions en route for migrating swallows and how these conditions might influence diverse events of the life cycle, such as the arrival time at the breeding grounds or the reproductive success.     

Urogonimus macrostomus (Digenea: Leucochloridiidae) from the rustic bunting, Emberiza rustica, in Japan

Some trematodes were found in the cloaca of a rustic bunting (Emberiza rustica) captured in Tsushima Islands, Japan. From their morphological characters and distribution, the flukes were identified as Urogonimus macrostomus. The phylogenetic relationship between this fluke and related species was inferred from the 28S rRNA gene sequences, and the gene sequence of the fluke was found to differ at only 4 nucleotide positions from that of U. macrostomus reported from Ukraine. This is the first report of this species in Japan.     

Climate change and micro-geographic variation in laying date

Climate change has been shown to affect the timing of reproduction, with earlier reproduction being associated with an increase in temperature. Changes in the timing of reproduction arise from changes in food availability as well as other factors, and differences in the timing of reproduction among sites may cause sites with early reproduction to contribute disproportionately to local recruitment. In this study, spatial variation in the laying date of barn swallows Hirundo rustica at 39 sites in a 45-km²study area during the period 1971–2004 was used to investigate micro-geographic patterns in the timing of breeding. I found that individuals breeding at sites with early reproduction had a disproportionately large reproductive success. Early sites were characterized by early plant phenology, as determined by the date of leafing of the broad-leaved elm Ulmus glabra and date of flowering of the snowdrop Galanthus nivalis during a single year. Such early sites showed greater advancement in laying date between 1971 and 2004 than the average site. Early sites were also generally occupied during more years by a larger number of breeders than were late sites. Breeders at early sites produced more fledglings, and breeders at such sites were characterized by a smaller adult body size and larger secondary sexual characters than individuals at the average site. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that temporal changes in the timing of reproduction occur as a consequence of differential recruitment at phenologically early sites that produce disproportionately large numbers of offspring. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

蓝桉凋落叶分解对菠菜生长及光合特性的影响

通过盆栽试验,模拟蓝桉(Eucalyptus globulus)凋落叶在土壤中分解对受体植物菠菜(Spinacia oleracea)生长及光合特性的影响,设置L30(30 g/盆)、L60(60 g/盆)、L90(90 g/盆)和L120(120 g/盆)4个凋落叶施用水平,对照(CK)不加凋落叶。结果表明:(1)在分解30 d时,低量的凋落叶(L30)未抑制菠菜生物量的积累,而中量和高量处理(L60、L90和L120)下其生物量显著降低(P0.05);在凋落叶分解50 d后,蓝桉凋落叶的化感抑制效应已经减弱,仅L120仍然抑制菠菜生物量的积累;(2)一定量的凋落叶(L30和L60)对菠菜叶绿素的合成有促进作用,而凋落叶超过一定量时(L120)转为抑制作用,在凋落叶分解28 d时相对不明显,40 d后逐渐显现;(3)经凋落叶处理的菠菜叶片胞间CO2浓度(Ci)、气孔导度(Gs)及蒸腾速率(Tr)均显著高于对照(CK)(P0.05),而净光合速率(Pn)在L30处理下最高,L60和L90处理与CK差异不显著,仅L120处理显著低于CK(P0.05);(4)光响应与CO2响应曲线的特征参数表观量子效率(AQY)、最大净光合速率(Pmax)、光饱和点(Lsp)、光补偿点(Lcp)、暗呼吸速率(Rd)、Ru BP表观羧化效率(CE)和光呼吸速率(Rp)在L30处理下高于CK,其余凋落叶处理均低于CK,而CO2饱和点(Csp)、CO2补偿点(Ccp)随凋落叶量的增加而升高。综合各指标可见,少量的蓝桉凋落叶分解(L30)可通过增加叶绿素含量,提高对光和CO2的利用能力促进菠菜的光合作用,进而促进其生长,而凋落叶超过一定量时(L90—L120)则起到相反的作用。     

Orangutan Nesting Behavior in Disturbed Forest of Sabah,Malaysia: Implications for Nest Census

High concentrations of orangutans remain in the multiple-use forests of the Lower Kinabatangan, Sabah, Malaysia. Compared to primary forest, the habitat is highly fragmented, characterized by a low tree density (332 stems/ha), small tree size (83.6% of trees are <20 m high), low basal area (18 m²/ha), abundance of canopy gaps and high level of soil disturbance. The forest structure and composition influence orangutan nesting patterns, and thus directly influence the results of nest surveys used to determine orangutan population size. In logged forests, tall and large trees are the preferred nesting sites of orangutans. The scarcity of suitable nesting sites in the logged-over forests of Kinabatangan, could partly explain the lower daily rate of nest construction (r = 1.00) versus those of other orangutan populations. The nest decay rate t recorded at the study site (average ± SD = 202 ± 151 days) strongly depends on the species of tree in which a nest is built. Our results illustrate that the nest-related parameters used for orangutan censuses fluctuate among habitat types and emphasize the need to determine specific values of r for specific orangutan populations and of t for different tree species in order to achieve accurate analysis of census data.     

Divergent patterns of impact of environmental conditions on life history traits in two populations of a long-distance migratory bird

Some areas have experienced recent dramatic warming due to climate change, while others have shown no change at all, or even recent cooling. We predicted that patterns of selection on life history would differ between southern and northern European populations of a long-distance migratory bird, the barn swallow Hirundo rustica, because global patterns of weather as reflected by large-scale weather phenomena such as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) have different effects on environmental conditions in different parts of the world frequented during the annual cycle. We investigated relationships between mean arrival date, dispersal rate and yearling survival rate among years, using two long-term population studies in Spain and Denmark. We found evidence of a difference in the effects of normalized difference vegetation index in North and West Africa on mean arrival date of male barn swallows, with the effect differing significantly between populations. Second, there was a significant interaction between ENSO and population on dispersal rate, showing that conditions in Africa during winter differentially affected dispersal in the two populations. Finally, the NAO index in winter had an effect on yearling survival that differed between populations. These findings highlight the divergent patterns of response to climate change among populations, and they suggest that climate change can differentially affect important life history traits with potential implications for maintenance of viable populations and gene flow among populations.     

Nesting Biology of Microstigmus thripoctenus Richards, with a Study on Nest Recognition (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae)

In a study carried out on Microstigmus thripoctenus on Barro Colorado Island (Republic of Panama) between March and May 1998, 29 active nests were located. The nests contained between one and seven cells, with one (female) to six (three females and three males) adults. Using simple manipulations in which wasps were offered a choice between experimentally emptied foreign nests and their own nest when the adults were away, it was observed that returning adults were able to recognize their own nest. Foreign nests were always rejected by females coming from nests with a single adult, whereas individuals from nests with several adults in five of seven cases did accept the foreign nests, continuing their normal activities in them, without destroying their contents. Adopted foreign nests were inspected at a higher rate following adoption. Nests containing several adults tended to remain longer on leaves supporting them, and their external surfaces were inspected more frequently and longer than those of nests containing only one occupant. Nests are not associated with any particular plant and were found attached to leaves of 19 species of understory plants.