Selective predation on acorn weevils by seed-caching Siberian chipmunk Tamias sibiricus in a tripartite interaction

Oecologia - Although food-hoarding animals benefit plant seeds by generating predation pressure on granivorous insects, we lack experimental evidence of whether the tripartite interactions maintain...     

Mitochondrial cytochrome b sequence variations and population structure of Siberian chipmunk (Tamias sibiricus) in Northeastern Asia and population substructure in South Korea

Twenty-five chipmunk species occur in the world, of which only the Siberian chipmunk, Tamias sibiricus, inhabits Asia. To investigate mitochondrial cytochrome b sequence variations and population structure of the Siberian chipmunk in northeastern Asia, we examined mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences (1140 bp) from 3 countries. Analyses of 41 individuals from South Korea and 33 individuals from Russia and northeast China resulted in 37 haplotypes and 27 haplotypes, respectively. There were no shared haplotypes between South Korea and Russia--northeast China. Phylogenetic trees and network analysis showed 2 major maternal lineages for haplotypes, referred to as the S and R lineages. Haplotype grouping in each cluster was nearly coincident with its geographic affinity. In particular, 3 distinct groups were found that mostly clustered in the northern, central and southern parts of South Korea. Nucleotide diversity of the S lineage was twice that of lineage R. The divergence between S and R lineages was estimated to be 2.98-0.98 Myr. During the ice age, there may have been at least 2 refuges in South Korea and Russia--northeast China. The sequence variation between the S and R lineages was 11.3% (K2P), which is indicative of specific recognition in rodents. These results suggest that T. sibiricus from South Korea could be considered a separate species. However, additional information, such as details of distribution, nuclear genes data or morphology, is required to strengthen this hypothesis.     

Torque around the center of mass: dynamic stability during quadrupedal arboreal locomotion in the Siberian chipmunk (Tamias sibiricus)

When animals travel on tree branches, avoiding falls is of paramount importance. Animals swiftly running on a narrow branch must rely on movement to create stability rather than on static methods. We examined how Siberian chipmunks (Tamias sibiricus) remain stable while running on a narrow tree branch trackway. We examined the pitch, yaw, and rolling torques around the center of mass, and hypothesized that within a stride, any angular impulse (torque during step time) acting on the center of mass would be canceled out by an equal and opposite angular impulse. Three chipmunks were videotaped while running on a 2 cm diameter branch trackway. We digitized the videos to estimate center of mass and center of pressure positions throughout the stride. A short region of the trackway was instrumented to measure components of the substrate reaction force. We found that positive and negative pitch angular impulse was by far the greatest in magnitude. The anterior body was pushed dorsally (upward) when the forelimbs landed simultaneously, and then the body pitched in the opposite direction as both hindlimbs simultaneously made contact. There was no considerable difference between yaw and rolling angular impulses, both of which were small and equal between fore- and hindlimbs. Net angular impulses around all three axes were usually greater than or less than zero (not balanced). We conclude that the chipmunks may balance out the torques acting on the center of mass over the course of two or more strides, rather than one stride as we hypothesized.     

Positional behavior of Siberian chipmunks (Tamias sibiricus) in captivity

Arboreal and semi-arboreal mammals have remarkably diverse positional behavior and associated morpho-functional adaptations related to the three-dimensional nature of their arboreal habitat. In this context, we investigated the positional behavior of captive Siberian chipmunks (Tamias sibiricus), small bodied semi-arboreal sciurids, in an aviary-type wire-mesh cage containing both terrestrial and arboreal supports. We sampled four adult individuals during a five-month period using focal animal sampling every 30 s. Results showed that animals preferred 8–10 cm horizontal supports and always avoided vertical supports. Locomotion occurred on both terrestrial and 8–10 cm arboreal supports whereas postural behavior occurred primarily on 8–10 cm arboreal supports. Quadrupedal walk dominated during locomotion, and occurred primarily on terrestrial horizontal supports, as is observed for other squirrels. The predominance of quadrupedal locomotion is consistent with the postcranial morphology of chipmunks. In contrast, clawed locomotion occurred on wire mesh and on >13 cm arboreal vertical supports. Finally, pronograde and orthograde sitting, both on 8–10 cm arboreal supports and on terrestrial supports, were the predominant postures, implying general predisposition to selection of stable postures on stable supports for food item manipulation and ingestion.     

Acorn Pericarp Removal as a Cache Management Strategy of the Siberian Chipmunk,Tamias sibiricus

Numerous recent studies have revealed a variety of behavioral adaptations of rodents for maximizing returns from cached seeds. Herein we report on a novel behavior by the Siberian chipmunk (Tamias sibiricus) in northeastern China, by which they consistently remove the pericarp (shell) of Quercus mongolica acorns before dispersing and caching these nuts. We investigated the effects of pericarp removal on acorn germination, tannin concentrations, cache pilferage, and insect damage, to determine if and how pericarp removal facilitates cache management by Siberian chipmunks and whether or not such behavior influences seed fates. Chipmunks cached acorns only after the pericarps were removed. Chipmunks preferred pericarp‐removed acorns over intact acorns when removing them from seed stations for both consumption and caching. Pericarp removal did not affect germination or tannin concentration of cached Q. mongolica acorns, suggesting that the behavior is not an adaptation for long‐term storage and tannin decomposition. Acetone treatments of the pericarp and artificial pericarp removal failed to alter pilferage rates by Siberian chipmunks and wood mice (Apodemus peninsulae). Since damage of acorns by weevils often leads to cache losses, we also tested the effects of weevil infestation on cache decision following pericarp removal. Siberian chipmunks removed pericarps and then scatter hoarded significantly more sound than weevil‐infested acorns, strongly suggesting that pericarp removal is used to discriminate between the infested and non‐infested acorns. Thus, we argue that the primary function of this behavior is to ensure successful storage of sound acorns, at least for short‐term storage. Future studies should consider the potential impact of pericarp removal on weevil populations and long‐term patterns of seed survival and establishment from the Siberian chipmunk’s caches.     

Narrow phylogeographic origin of five introduced populations of the Siberian chipmunk Tamias (Eutamias) sibiricus (Laxmann, 1769) (Rodentia: Sciuridae) established in France

Large native geographical range and number of introduction events are often invoked to explain the successful establishment of alien mammal species. To infer the native geographic range of the Siberian chipmunks Tamias (Eutamias) sibiricus (Lax.) invasion in France, we identified the subspecies that individuals sampled in 5 out of the 11 established populations belonged. Based on craniometrical measures, variation in the mtDNA sequence of the cytochrome b, and alarm call sonogram shape, all French specimens were members of T. (E.) s. barberi which has the smallest geographical range (Korean peninsula) of the three recognized subspecies. An intense pet trade between European countries and Korea until the 1980’s best explains the success in establishment of this small ground-squirrel in France, where it was released mainly by private owners. Size of the native geographical range should be interpreted with caution in explaining the establishment of an invasive species, at least without a precise knowledge of its introduction pathways and taxonomic status.     

埋藏点深度、间距及大小对花鼠发现向日葵种子的影响

2005 年5 ～6 月,在北京东灵山地区,通过在实验围栏内设置不同深度、间距和大小的埋藏点,研究了花鼠对向日葵种子的发现率。结果表明,花鼠发现埋藏种子的比例随埋藏深度的增加而减少,埋藏深度> 5 cm后,发现比例较低,且不再有明显变化;花鼠发现埋藏种子的比例随埋藏点间距的减小而增加,埋藏点间距<0.5 m后,发现比例较高,且不再有明显变化;花鼠发现埋藏种子的比例随着埋藏点增大而增加,埋藏点种子> 5 g后,发现比例较高,且不再有明显变化。     

Microgeographic genetic structure in the yellow-pine chipmunk (Tamias amoenus)

While there is evidence for broad-scale genetic structure in small mammals, few studies have used variable DNA-based genetic markers to examine genetic differentiation at microgeographic (tens of kilometres) scales. Yellow-pine chipmunks (Tamias amoenus) live in the heterogeneous landscape of the Rockies in southwest Alberta and are generally restricted to areas of low elevation. We used seven microsatellite loci to determine whether chipmunks show evidence of population genetic structure among three closely situated sites (< 15 km) in the Kananaskis Valley, Alberta. We found evidence for genetic structure in the form of significant differences in allele frequencies among populations and significantly nonzero values of FST for both overall and pairwise population comparisons. However, FIS values for each population were not significantly different from zero, suggesting little evidence for inbreeding within populations. Genetic differentiation probably occurs as a result of the strong effect of drift in very small (N(e) approximately 25) populations of these animals even in the face of substantial immigration rates.     

种内及种间干扰对围栏内花鼠分散贮藏行为的影响

2009 年9 月在黑龙江省带岭区东方红林场10 m ×10 m 半天然围栏内模拟花鼠种内(不同性别) 和种间
(大林姬鼠) 干扰竞争对花鼠分散埋藏红松种子行为的影响。实验分四个处理两个批次进行,依次为单只花鼠对
照实验(雄性7 只,雌性9 只)、种内同性干扰竞争、种内异性干扰竞争和种间干扰竞争。结果表明:(1)花鼠
雌性个体的分散埋藏强度明显高于雄性个体;(2)种间干扰竞争引起花鼠对红松分散埋藏比例明显增加,而种
内干扰对花鼠分散埋藏行为的影响不显著;(3) 种内干扰竞争条件下,同性干扰竞争和异性干扰竞争对花鼠分
散埋藏行为均无显著影响;(4)雄性个体在同性干扰下,埋藏强度不变;而在雌性个体干扰竞争下,埋藏强度
增加;(5)雌性个体在雌性和雄性干扰条件下,花鼠分散埋藏行为均无明显变化。     

Development and characterization of microsatellite loci in the eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

We isolated and characterized 16 microsatellite loci in the eastern chipmunk, Tamias striatus. The loci were screened across 25 individuals from one population and shown to be polymorphic with the number of alleles per locus ranging from two to 17. Polymorphic information content ranged from 0.212 to 0.887 and observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.200 to 0.960. Only two loci (Chip 10 and Chip 25) deviated from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium.     

Reproduction of Asian chipmunks (Tamias sibiricus) in captivity

Factors affecting reproduction in captive Asian chipmunks, Tamias sibiricus, were examined by means of a survey of chipmunk breeders in Great Britain. Sixteen breeders were asked about the conditions under which their chipmunks were kept and their success in breeding them. Results covered 205 female-years of pairing. Breeding was promoted by large cage size and early weaning of young, and inhibited by the presence of other rodent species nearby and by extended photoperiod. A diet of seeds and nuts, with some fresh fruits and vegetables, appeared to be adequate for breeding. Breeding occurred in 80–91& of female-years when neither extra lighting nor other rodents were present, irrespective of cage size. Weaning age affected the occurrence of second litters in a year. Second litters were born less often (0–13&) of breeding (female-years) if young of the first litter remained with the mother 8 weeks or longer. Second litters were more frequent (14–45& of breeding female-years) if first litters were removed by 6.5 weeks of age, and this frequency increased with cage size. Litter size also increased with cage size (means ranged from 3 to 7). Overall breeding success increased with cage size and decreased with the presence of other rodents. In most colonies without other rodents near, mean success rate ranged from 3.1 to 8.5 young/female-year. In colonies with other rodents present mean success rate varied from 0 to 3.3 young/female-year. It is suggested that the mechanisms that control population size in the wild also act to inhibit or promote breeding in captivity.     

The thyroid gland and temperature regulation in the prairie vole,Microtus ochrogaster and the chipmunk Tamias striatus

Absract

• 1.1. The basal metabolism of the vole, Microtus ochrogaster, a non-hibernator is about 80% below that expected for microtine rodents, while the basal metabolism of the chipmunk, Tamias striatus, is about 20% below that expected for small mammals.
• 2.2. Blocking thyroid secretion results in a 3°C improvement in the vole. and a 2°C improvement in the chipmunk, to the highest air temperature tolerated.
• 3.3. Blood levels of thyroxine in both species did not change as a function of ambient temperatures, whereas rates of radioiodine release were reciprocally related to ambient temperature.
• 4.4. There was no indication that the thyroid gland of the chipmunk was ever inactive either preceding, or during, hibernation.

     

Divergence with gene flow within the recent chipmunk radiation (Tamias)

Increasing data have supported the importance of divergence with gene flow (DGF) in the generation of biological diversity. In such cases, lineage divergence occurs on a shorter timescale than does the completion of reproductive isolation. Although it is critical to explore the mechanisms driving divergence and preventing homogenization by hybridization, it is equally important to document cases of DGF in nature. Here we synthesize data that have accumulated over the last dozen or so years on DGF in the chipmunk (Tamias) radiation with new data that quantify very high rates of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) introgression among para- and sympatric species in the T. quadrivittatus group in the central and southern Rocky Mountains. These new data (188 cytochrome b sequences) bring the total number of sequences up to 1871; roughly 16% (298) of the chipmunks we have sequenced exhibit introgressed mtDNA. This includes ongoing introgression between subspecies and between both closely related and distantly related taxa. In addition, we have identified several taxa that are apparently fixed for ancient introgressions and in which there is no evidence of ongoing introgression. A recurrent observation is that these introgressions occur between ecologically and morphologically diverged, sometimes non-sister taxa that engage in well-documented niche partitioning. Thus, the chipmunk radiation in western North America represents an excellent mammalian example of speciation in the face of recurrent gene flow among lineages and where biogeography, habitat differentiation and mating systems suggest important roles for both ecological and sexual selection.     

Ultrastructure of the pineal gland of the eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

The ultrastructure of the pineal gland of the wild-captured eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) was examined. A homogenous population of pinealocytes was the characteristic cellular element of the chipmunk pineal gland. Often, pinealocytes showed a folliclelike arrangement. Mitochondria, Golgi apparatus, granular endoplasmic reticulum, lysosomes, centrioles, dense-core vesicles, clear vesicles, glycogen particles, and microtubules were consistent components of the pinealocyte cytoplasm. The extraordinary ultrastructural feature of the chipmunk pinealocyte was the presence of extremely large numbers of “synaptic” ribbons. The number of “synaptic” ribbons in this species exceeded by a factor of five to 30 times that found in any species previously reported. In addition to pinealocytes, the pineal parenchyma contained glial cells (oligodendrocytes and fibrous astrocytes). Capillaries of the pineal gland of the chipmunk consisted of a fenestrated endothelium. Adrenergic nerve terminals were relatively sparse.     

Seasonal torpor and normothermic energy metabolism in the Eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus)

To assess the changes in thermoregulatory characteristics that accompany the seasonal expression of torpor we measured seasonal differences in body mass adjustments, body temperature (T _b) and metabolic rate (MR) in both summer- and winter-acclimated individuals from a species of food-storing hibernator, the Eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus). Torpor occurred only in the winter and was associated with lower normothermic T _b, during inter-bout arousal periods than in the summer. Chipmunks increased body mass before the initiation of torpor in winter, and steadily lost mass as the hibernation season progressed. Torpor expression was correlated to initial mass gain, with the individuals who showed the largest mass increase in the fall showing the highest degree of torpor. Acclimation to winter-like conditions produced a decline in normothermic MR at all ambient temperatures examined. The findings indicate that torpor expression is accompanied by a decrease in T _b and MR during normothermy, indicating that a conservation of energy metabolism occurs, not only in torpor, but also during the inter-bout arousal periods.