新疆准噶尔盆地东部鹅喉羚采食地的特征

2001—2003年5月和9月,通过野外亘接观祭米样的方法,我们对新疆准噶尔盆地东郡木垒地区鹅喉羚的采食地进行了研究。在研究区南部,分布着以盐生假木贼和蒿为主的低矮小半灌木,其间散布有木本猪毛菜和驼绒藜为优势种的条块状高灌丛。鹅喉羚多在灌丛块中采食。Mann-WhitneyU检验表明,采食地内的植物种数、植被盖度和植被高度都显著高于对照地中相应成分。主成分分析表明,影响鹅喉羚采食地选择的主要环境因子是植物种数和植被盖度。在研究区北部,分布着以沙生针茅和木地肤为主的植被,其问散布有固定和半固定沙丘。沙丘上各种灌木发育较好,鹅喉羚多在沙丘上觅食。Mann-WhitneyU检验表明,采食地内的植物种数、植被盖度、植被高度,以及蛇麻黄、木地肤和驼绒藜的盖度都显著高于对照地中相应成分。主成分分析表明,影响鹅喉羚采食地选择的主要环境因子是蛇麻黄、木地肤、扁果木蓼盖度和植物种数。     

鹅喉羚夏季和冬季卧息地选择

2007年夏季(6—8月)及冬季(11—2008年1月),在卡拉麦里山有蹄类自然保护区研究了鹅喉羚(Gazella subgutturosa sairensis)的卧息生境选择。夏季测定了49个卧迹样方,36个对照样方;冬季测定了75个卧迹样方,75个对照样方。卡拉麦里山有蹄类自然保护区的鹅喉羚夏季主要选择平滩、下坡位,海拔910 m以上、与水源距离较远、远离道路、远离居民点、高隐蔽级、中低植被密度和中高草本密度的区域作为卧息地; 而冬季鹅喉羚主要选择山坡、阳坡和半阴半阳坡、中上坡位和下坡位、900—1 000 m的高度范围、离道路501—1 000 m以及大于2 000 m的距离、靠近居民点、中低隐蔽级、中等雪深(1.1—3 cm)、中高植被密度和中高草本密度的区域作为卧息地。主成分分析表明,鹅喉羚夏季卧息样方前4个主成分的累积贡献率达到86.57%,第1主成分主要反映卧迹样方的植物密度、草本密度、针茅(Stipa spp.)密度、至最近居民点距离、至永久水源最近距离和海拔的影响。冬季鹅喉羚卧息样方前4个主成分的累积贡献率达到73.88%,第1主成分主要反映卧迹样方的植物密度、草本密度、针茅密度和坡度的影响。     

季节、性别和群体大小对鹅喉羚警戒行为的影响

动物通过集群降低个体警戒时间,从而增加采食等行为时间,这种现象被称为" 群体效应" 。除群体大小
外,社会及环境因子如季节与性别也可能影响个体警戒水平。本文于2007 年至2009 年在新疆卡拉麦里山有蹄类
野生动物保护区采用焦点动物取样法,通过测定鹅喉羚警戒行为比例、平均每次警戒持续时间及10 min内警戒频
率,研究了季节、性别及群体大小对鹅喉羚个体警戒水平的影响,并验证群体效应。结果表明:由于季节更替
而产生的生物量的变化对鹅喉羚个体警戒水平无显著影响;在秋冬季除雄性外,鹅喉羚个体警戒水平均有随群
体增大而降低的趋势,但这种趋势并不十分明显。性别则显著影响其警戒水平,夏季由于雌性羚羊处于哺乳期,
因而其警戒水平显著高于雄性(P < 0.05);受繁殖行为影响,冬季雄性比雌性警觉性更高(P > 0. 05);春秋季
两性间警戒水平没有差异(P >0.05)。不同生理周期是导致鹅喉羚育幼期雌性及繁殖期雄性个体警戒水平发生
显著变化的重要因子。     

Sex ratio in goitered gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa Guldenstaedt, 1780)

We studied the sex ratio of goitered gazelles in the naturally arid environment of Kazakhstan over a 6-year period. The main methods in our study were taking transect counts and focal observations. The sex ratio of adult goitered gazelles has demonstrated a female bias due to a much higher mortality of males of all ages, especially during years with unusually severe winters. This phenomenon is typical for many polygynous ungulates, as well as other gazelle species. Surprisingly, our data demonstrated monthly fluctuations in sex proportions, along with a bias shift from a female-dominant population during most of the year to a male-dominant population during spring. We discovered, though, that our data did not reflect any real changes in the sex ratio of the population but, instead, revealed the radical changes in behavior of pregnant females before giving birth—hiding from danger in thick shrubs or broken terrain rather than fleeing. As a result, we were not able to see many pregnant females in our spring samples (before birthing), and so received a male-biased population. During the rest of the year (after birthing), females returned to their usual behaviors of fleeing from danger that then gave us a female-biased sex ratio that reflected a more accurate status in sex proportions of the population. So, our results discovered seasonal sex difference in hiding behavior which led to a bias based on visibility.     

新疆北部鹅喉羚的食性分析

2006年10月至2007年8月,作者采用粪便显微分析法研究了新疆卡拉麦里山有蹄类保护区鹅喉羚的四季食性以及冬季绵羊的食性.结果发现:鹅喉羚共采食16科47种植物;不同季节间鹅喉羚食性有明显变化,秋季采食7科24种植物,冬季采食6科17种植物,春季采食16科41种植物,夏季采食12科30种植物;藜科、禾本科植物是鹅喉羚全年的主要食物来源,占鹅喉羚总采食量的38.8～85.1%,非禾本科草本植物也在鹅喉羚食物组成中占有重要地位;春季短命和类短命植物对鹅喉羚有重要意义,占春季采食量的27%.针茅在四季都是鹅喉羚采食的主要植物;春季和夏季鹅喉羚采食较多的驼绒藜,秋季和冬季梭梭被较多采食.由于干旱胁迫,春季、夏季和秋季鹅喉羚喜食含水量较高的多根葱、骆驼蹄瓣、粗枝猪毛菜等非禾本科草本植物.冬季鹅喉羚与绵羊间的生态位宽度相近,食物重叠指数高达76.6%,绵羊与鹅喉羚之间食物竞争明显.     

Diversification and subspecies patterning of the goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa) in Iran

Goitered gazelles, Gazella subgutturosa, exist in arid and semiarid regions of Asia from the Middle to the Far East. Although large populations were present over a vast area until recently, a decline of the population as a result of hunting, poaching, and habitat loss led to the IUCN classification of G. subgutturosa as “vulnerable." We examined genetic diversity, structure, and phylogeny of G. subgutturosa using mitochondrial cytochrome b sequences from 18 geographically distant populations in Iran. The median‐joining network of cyt b haplotypes indicated that three clades of goitered gazelles can be distinguished: a Middle Eastern clade west of the Zagros Mountains (and connected to populations in Turkey and Iraq), a Central Iranian clade (with connection to Azerbaijan), and an Asiatic clade in northeastern Iran (with connection to Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and other Asian countries as far as northeastern China and Mongolia). Based on our results, we argue that Iran is the center of diversification of goitered gazelles, due to the presence of large mountain ranges and deserts that lead to the separation of populations. In accordance with previous morphological studies, we identified the Asiatic clade as the subspecies G. s. yarkandensis, and the other two clades as the nominate form G. s. subgutturosa. The new genetic information for goitered gazelles in Iran provides the basis for future national conservation programs of this species.     

Low genetic diversity in the vulnerable Goitred Gazelle,Gazella subgutturosa (Cetartiodactyla: Bovidae), in Iran: potential genetic consequence of recent population declines

The Goitered Gazelle, Gazella subgutturosa, is the most widespread gazelle species in the Middle East and central Asia inhabiting desert and semi-desert habitats. Today it is threatened and its geographic range and population size have experienced significant decline in the last decades. In Iran, the remnant populations are confined to fragmented habitats. We aimed to characterise genetic diversity and phylogenetic status of the populations of Goitered Gazelle in Central Iran and to evaluate the potential effect of a historic population bottleneck on the genetic variation of today’s population. We used noninvasive sampling to uncover structure and level of genetic variation in a fragment of the cytochrome-b gene from 170 samples. Genealogical analyses were performed using HKY+I model and phylogenetic trees reconstructed using Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood. We found extremely low levels of genetic variation, with altogether only five haplotypes in samples from different populations. Overall haplotype diversity was 0.081 and nucleotide diversity 0.0003. The mean observed mismatch between any two sequences was 0.093 with the largest peak for small numbers. The mismatch distribution fit the model of population expansion and suggested that gazelles had experienced a sudden expansion. An unrooted median-joining network analysis of mtDNA haplotypes showed a star-like structure which few mutations steps separating the haplotypes from other regions. Our findings strengthen the urgency of preserving the species’ genetic diversity to prevent local extinction.     

新疆卡拉麦里山保护区鹅喉羚的社群结构

2005年11月至2007年5月,在新疆卡拉麦里山有蹄类保护区对鹅喉羚的社群结构进行了初步研究.将其集群划分为雌性群、雄性群、亚成体群、独羚、雌雄混合群和不明群6种类型.共统计鹅喉羚564群,总计3186只.春季鹅喉羚以雄性群居多(45.7%);夏秋两季则以雌性群为主(52.9%和70.4%);冬季以混合群居多(60%).卡方独立性检验表明,四个季节间三种社群类型的百分比组成差异显著(x2=68.45,P<0.01),受繁殖周期和季节变化影响.鹅喉羚集群大小范围为1～95只,其中3只群出现最多(20.0%);2～5只的群占54.3%;6～10只的群占23.1%;11～20只的群占9.2%;>20只的群占2.3%.春夏秋冬四季平均群大小分别为(4.45±4.07;4.94±4.20;6.66±10.12;6.0±5.66),其中春季平均集群大小分别与秋季和冬季差异显著.     

The postnatal ontogeny of the sexually dimorphic vocal apparatus in goitred gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa)

This study quantitatively documents the progressive development of sexual dimorphism of the vocal organs along the ontogeny of the goitred gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa). The major, male‐specific secondary sexual features, of vocal anatomy in goitred gazelle are an enlarged larynx and a marked laryngeal descent. These features appear to have evolved by sexual selection and may serve as a model for similar events in male humans. Sexual dimorphism of larynx size and larynx position in adult goitred gazelles is more pronounced than in humans, whereas the vocal anatomy of neonate goitred gazelles does not differ between sexes. This study examines the vocal anatomy of 19 (11 male, 8 female) goitred gazelle specimens across three age‐classes, that is, neonates, subadults and mature adults. The postnatal ontogenetic development of the vocal organs up to their respective end states takes considerably longer in males than in females. Both sexes share the same features of vocal morphology but differences emerge in the course of ontogeny, ultimately resulting in the pronounced sexual dimorphism of the vocal apparatus in adults. The main differences comprise larynx size, vocal fold length, vocal tract length, and mobility of the larynx. The resilience of the thyrohyoid ligament and the pharynx, including the soft palate, and the length changes during contraction and relaxation of the extrinsic laryngeal muscles play a decisive role in the mobility of the larynx in both sexes but to substantially different degrees in adult females and males. Goitred gazelles are born with an undescended larynx and, therefore, larynx descent has to develop in the course of ontogeny. This might result from a trade‐off between natural selection and sexual selection requiring a temporal separation of different laryngeal functions at birth and shortly after from those later in life. J. Morphol. 277:826–844, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Influence of population density on group sizes in goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa Guld., 1780)

We conducted our study in Ili depression, south-eastern Kazakhstan during 1981–1989 to investigate how group sizes and group class frequencies change with increasing population densities in goitered gazelles. In addition, we compared our study to data on group size and group class frequency of various goitered gazelle populations in Kazakhstan with very variable population densities. We found that mean group size was a more variable index than group class frequency. Population density had some effect on mean group sizes, but the strength of the influence was quite weak, and only in cases where densities of two populations varied more than sevenfold did group sizes start to change. Group class frequency was not correlated with population density at all. The impact of the yearly breeding cycle on group size was bigger than population density. The density-dependent response of goitered gazelle population was curvilinear in fashion, and it may be classified as intermediate between social-dwelling ungulate species, living in large groups and demonstrating continuous (linear) increases of group size with population density and those that are solitary or territorial ungulate species with no relationship between population size and group size, though the goitered gazelle population’s weak response was distinctively closer to the one of solitary ungulate species.     

Phylogenetic and population genetic analyses suggest a potential species boundary between Mountain (Gazella gazella) and Arabian Gazelles (G. arabica) in the Levant

Two cryptic lineages of ‘Mountain Gazelles’ have been reported based on molecular phylogenetic analyses using maternally inherited (mitochondrial) sequence markers, namely Gazella gazella in the Levant and G. arabica south of the Arava Valley into the Arabian Peninsula. Here, we provide a rigorous test for the existence of two distinct lineages based on bi-parentally inherited (nuclear microsatellite) markers. Our study confirms two genetically distinct clusters in the Levant and detected no gene-flow between them. Divergence time (inferred from a cytochrome b-based phylogeny) was approximately one MYA. Treating and breeding both lineages separately in future conservation and captive breeding programmes is highly recommended.     

Coagulation profile and platelet parameters of the Arabian sand gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa marica): comparison with humans and camels

During March 2009, we evaluated the hemostatic profile and platelet indices of 18 Arabian sand gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa marica) and compared the results with those from humans and camels (Camelus dromedarius). Gazelles and camels had shorter activated partial thromboplastin times, lower proconvertin and higher antihemophilic factor coagulation activity, and plasma fibrinogen levels than humans. Prothrombin time was longer in sand gazelles and shorter in camels than it was in humans. Plasma thromboplastin component, Stuart factor, and plasma thromboplastin antecedent were similar in gazelles, humans, and camels, whereas the platelet count of the sand gazelle was significantly higher than it was for camels and humans.     

Age Differences in the Responses to Adult and Juvenile Alarm Calls by Bonnet Macaques (Macaca radiata)

This study examined the differential responses to alarm calls from juvenile and adult wild bonnet macaques ( Macaca radiata ) in two parks in southern India. Field studies of several mammalian species have reported that the alarm vocalizations of immature individuals are often treated by perceivers as less provocative than those of adults. This study documents such differences in response using field-recorded playbacks of juvenile and adult alarm vocalizations. To validate the use of playback vocalizations as proxies of natural calls, we compared the responses of bonnet macaques to playbacks of alarm vocalizations with responses engendered by natural alarm vocalizations. We found that the frequency of flight, latency to flee, and the frequency of scanning to vocalization playbacks and natural vocalizations were comparable, thus supporting the use of playbacks to compare the effects of adult and juvenile calls. Our results showed that adult alarm calls were more provocative than juvenile alarm calls, inducing greater frequencies of flight with faster reaction times. Conversely, juvenile alarm calls were more likely to engender scanning by adults, a result interpreted as reflecting the lack of reliability of juvenile calls. Finally, we found age differences in flight behavior to juvenile alarm calls and to playbacks of motorcycle engine sounds, with juveniles and subadults more likely to flee than adults after hearing such sounds. These findings might reflect an increased vulnerability to predators or a lack of experience in young bonnet macaques.     

Individuality of distress and discomfort calls in neonates with bass voices: Wild‐living goitred gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa) and saiga antelopes (Saiga tatarica)

Neonate ruminants produce distress calls when captured by a predator and discomfort milk begging calls when hungry. In many neonate ruminants, the distress and discomfort calls are high‐frequency vocalizations, in which the fundamental frequency is the key variable for recognition of their emotional arousal by caregivers. In contrast, in this study, we examine the low‐frequency open‐mouth distress and discomfort calls in the neonates of two species of wild‐living ungulates, which clearly highlight vocal tract resonances (formants). In the goitred gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa), the distress calls were higher in fundamental frequency (f0) and in the first and third formants than the discomfort calls. The accuracy of classifying individuals by variables of distress calls with discriminant function analysis (67%) was significantly lower than that of discomfort calls (85%). In the saiga (Saiga tatarica), only the third formant was higher in the distress calls than in the discomfort calls. The accuracy of classifying individuals by variables of distress calls (89%) did not differ significantly from that of discomfort calls (94%). Thus, the use of acoustic cues to vocal identity and to the degree of arousal differs between the two species. Calls were significantly more individualistic in the saiga, probably because this species lives in large herds and neonates use a ‘following’ antipredatory strategy, in which vocal individuality is crucial for mother–offspring communication. In contrast, goitred gazelles live in smaller groups and neonates use a ‘hiding’ antipredatory strategy. Accordingly, mothers can rely on additional environmental cues for spotting their young and this may decrease the necessity for individualization of the calls of neonates.     

Post-mortem semen cryopreservation and characterization in two different endangered gazelle species (Gazella gazella and Gazella dorcas) and one subspecies (Gazella gazelle acaiae)

Both Gazella gazella and Gazella dorcas are endangered species with continually dwindling population size, yet basic knowledge on their spermatozoa is missing. Semen collected post-mortem (PM) from the cauda epididymis of five adult gazelles (three Gazella gazella gazella, one Gazella gazella acaiae and one G. dorcas) was cryopreserved using directional freezing of large volumes (8 mL) with egg-yolk-free extender. Sperm size measurements and SYBR-14/propodium iodide (PI) viability stain validation for use in gazelles were conducted. Post-thaw characterization included motility, viability, acrosome damage evaluation, computerized motility characterization and morphology and sperm motility index (SMI) was calculated. Extracted sperm motility was 71.67+/-11.67% (mean+/-S.E.M.). Post-thaw motility ranged between 15% and 63%, viability was 57.49+/-3.24%, intact acrosome was detected in 63.74+/-2.6% (median 64.8%, upper/lower quartiles 71.79%, 61.82%), and normal morphology ranged between 41% and 63%. Motility characterization showed two sub-groups-highly active and progressively motile spermatozoa with SMI of 62.75+/-0.38 and low activity and poorly progressive with SMI of 46.16+/-1.53. Our results indicate that PM preservation of gazelle spermatozoa with satisfactory post-thaw viability is possible and cryobanking is achievable.     

Sex difference in the communicatory significance of localized defecation sites in Arabian gazelles (Gazella arabica)

Mammalian scent marking in localized defecation sites (latrines) has often been interpreted in the context of (male) territory defense. However, latrines could have different functions in males and females, especially where territorial males monopolize groups of females with stable social alliances and pronounced home range overlap. We investigated the communicatory significance of latrines in wild Arabian gazelles (Gazella arabica) and assessed the spatial distribution of latrines within home ranges. Latrine density and utilization was highest in the center of female group home ranges, and less frequent in peripheral home range sections, pointing towards communication within groups rather than towards territoriality. When considering male home ranges, latrine densities and utilization were higher in non-overlap zones, contradicting a territorial function. This pattern appears to be caused by more females than territorial males per given area establishing latrines. A subsequent survey of latrine utilization, based on camera trapping, suggests that males use latrines for territory defense: males visited latrines in overlap zones disproportionally more often than females, and successions of two males prevailed. Our study thus highlights that male territorial marking can be masked when males and females use the same marking system for different purposes.     

Reproductive strategies in female Mountain and Dorcas gazelles (Gazella gazella gazella and Gazella dorcas)

Observations of reproduction in four gazelle populations in the semi–arid and arid habitats of Israel during three years have revealed intra– and interspecific differences. In the eastern Lower Galilee of northern Israel, female Mountain gazelles (Gazella gazella gazella) reproduce during every month of the year, conceive first at six months of age and exercise long parental care. Females of a population 80 km to the north (Upper Galilee) maintain a seasonal reproductive pattern, conceive first at 18 months of age and have a short parental care period. The latter pattern is similar to the Dorcas gazelle (Gazella dorcas) females of the southern Negev Desert. Interspecific similarities in reproduction of these two populations is attributed to the lack of free water during lactation in both environments where females rely on water available in plant tissue only. The importance of the daily accessibility to water during lactation in female gazelles is discussed. It is suggested that the timing of births and the ability of female gazelles to conceive while lactating are not species-specific characteristics but simply a matter of short-term adaptation to changing environmental conditions common understanding today that animal reproductive strategies are a function of prevailing environmental conditions.     

Morphological characteristics and ageing criteria of sand gazelle (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Gazella subgutturosa marica</Emphasis> Thomas, 1897) and their use for wildlife management

Data on some morphological characteristics of 165 male and 229 female sand gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa marica) collected during routine veterinary activity of a captive population at the King Khalid Wildlife Research Centre in central Saudi Arabia were examined for general baseline information on a little studied species. Measurements compared between the sexes and three age classes—juvenile, sub-adult and adult—included body mass, horn length (straight and curved), horn spread, neck circumference, shoulder height, forehead length, ear length and horn length (curved) to forehead and ear length ratios. All measurements were of known age individuals. The most valuable characteristics to use for age determination in the field are horn length (curved) and neck circumference for males and horn length (straight and/or curved) and shoulder height for females. The value of morphological characteristics correlated to known age animals for in situ management is discussed.     

Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) social development: Sex differences in Juvenile behavior

We have quantitatively documented the development of sex differences in the behavior of juvenile Japanese macaques (1 to 2 years of age). Mothers treated their offspring differently by sex, i.e., mothers of males broke contact with them more frequently than did mothers of females. Juvenile males played more, and mounted other macaques more frequently; juvenile females groomed their mothers more and were also punished by other group members more frequently than were males. Males showed a pattern of decreasing interactions with their mothers, but females increased the frequency of their maternal interactions. These patterns appear to presage the life histories of the sexes. However, comparisons with other species of nonhuman primates indicate that although sex differences in behavior are common, the variability among species severely limits cross-specific generalizations.