新疆塔里木马鹿粪便激素含量季节性变化的初步研究

目的:检测雄性塔里木马鹿的睾酮,雌鹿的雌二醇、雌三醇、孕酮等粪便激素含量,并比较不同月份之间的变化。方法:利用放射免疫分析法(RIA)在且末和尉犁县马鹿场采集塔里木马鹿粪便,检测了2004年2～12月间塔里木马鹿粪便中的激素水平。结果:粪便性激素水平有明显的季节变化(P<0.05)。雄鹿粪便睾酮水平月间差异显著(P<0.05),浓度在8月有2个高峰。雌鹿粪便雌二醇在3月和6月有2个高峰;粪便孕酮水平在3月有2个高峰,在8月有1个高峰;雌三醇差异不显著,但4月的最高值也显著高于其他各时间点(P<0.05)。结论:利用动物粪便研究激素具有对保护动物完全无伤害、材料收集容易等优点,并且有助于评估动物青春期的健康状况、判断动物排卵方式、早孕检查、产前预测等,因而是目前研究野生珍稀动物性激素的一种较为理想的方法。     

吉林珲春自然保护区青龙台林场马鹿容纳量的初步研究

为了了解珲春自然保护区青龙台林场马鹿的容纳量,2004~2005年,通过调查珲春自然保护区青龙台林场可被马鹿利用的植物资源总量和延吉动物园内马鹿每天需要摄取的食物量,经过能量转换和计算得出,青龙台林场能被利用的总能量为4.825×1010KJ,野外每只马鹿整个冬季需要摄取的能量约为6.991×106KJ,林场马鹿的容纳量为6901只。为了更好得保护林场的植被,使马鹿有最好的生存状态,建议林场的马鹿种群维持在3450只左右。     

Seasonal changes in prevalence and intensity of Hypoderma actaeon in Cervus elaphus from central Spain

Hypodermosis in red deer, Cervus elaphus Linnaeus (Artilodactyla: Cervidae), caused by the warble fly, Hypoderma actaeon Latreille (Diptera: Oestridae), was studied at Quintos de Mora (Toledo, Spain) over a one-year period between October 1994 and September 1995. One hundred and twenty-five red deer were examined for the presence of warble fly larvae. The prevalence of warbles was 44.8% and the intensity of infection was 38.29 (SD +/- 61.32) warbles/deer infected. Clear seasonal variations were observed in prevalence and intensity, with the highest values in the autumn and winter. Statistically significant differences were observed in prevalence and intensity among age groups. In contrast, no differences were found in prevalence and intensity between males and females.     

Parents’ genetic dissimilarity and offspring sex in a polygynous mammal

Offspring quality may benefit from genetic dissimilarity between parents. However, genetic dissimilarity may trade‐off with additive genetic benefits. We hypothesized that when sexual selection produces sex‐specific selective scenarios, the relative benefits of additive genetic vs. dissimilarity may differ for sons and daughters. Here we study a sample of 666 red deer (Cervus elaphus) microsatellite genotypes, including males, females and their foetuses, from 20 wild populations in Spain (the main analyses are based on 241 different foetuses and 190 mother‐foetus pairs). We found that parental lineages were more dissimilar in daughters than in sons. On average, every mother was less related to her mate than to the sample of fathers in the population when producing daughters not sons. Male foetuses conceived early in the rutting season were much more inbred than any other foetuses. These differences maintained through gestation length, ruling out intrauterine mortality as a cause for the results, and indicating that the potential mechanism producing the association between parents’ dissimilarity and offspring sex should operate close to mating or conception time. Our findings highlight the relevance of considering the sex of offspring when studying genetic similarity between parents.     

Hypodermosis in the red deer Cervus elaphus in Cordoba, Spain

The prevalence of red deer hypodermosis and the life cycle of Hypodermia diana Brauer 1858 in three provinces of the south of Spain, Córdoba, Jaen and Ciudad Real, were studied by inspecting 254, thirty-eight and thirty-five deer from each province respectively. The prevalence of infestations was: Córdoba, 87.75%; Jaen, 92.10%, Ciudad Real, 91.42%. From this we deduced an overall prevalence of 88.67%, comprising 88.23% in male deer and 89.96% in female deer. The intensity of the parasitism in 213 of the 245 animals from Córdoba varied between one warble per animal to more than 100 in 28 of the inspected animals. The chronology of the life cycle during the hunting period (October to the end of February) was investigated.     

Landscape features affect gene flow of Scottish Highland red deer (Cervus elaphus)

Landscape features have been shown to strongly influence dispersal and, consequently, the genetic population structure of organisms. Studies quantifying the effect of landscape features on gene flow of large mammals with high dispersal capabilities are rare and have mainly been focused at large geographical scales. In this study, we assessed the influence of several natural and human-made landscape features on red deer gene flow in the Scottish Highlands by analysing 695 individuals for 21 microsatellite markers. Despite the relatively small scale of the study area (115 × 87 km), significant population structure was found using F -statistics ( F _ST = 0.019) and the program structure , with major differentiation found between populations sampled on either side of the main geographical barrier (the Great Glen). To assess the effect of landscape features on red deer population structure, the ArcMap GIS was used to create cost-distance matrices for moving between populations, using a range of cost values for each of the landscape features under consideration. Landscape features were shown to significantly affect red deer gene flow as they explained a greater proportion of the genetic variation than the geographical distance between populations. Sea lochs were found to be the most important red deer gene flow barriers in our study area, followed by mountain slopes, roads and forests. Inland lochs and rivers were identified as landscape features that might facilitate gene flow of red deer. Additionally, we explored the effect of choosing arbitrary cell cost values to construct least cost-distance matrices and described a method for improving the selection of cell cost values for a particular landscape feature.     

Hunters and hunting patterns in part of the Kaimanawa Recreational Hunting Area

Abstract

A postal survey of 156 hunters who used the three southeastern-most hunting blocks in the Kaimanawa Recreational Hunting Area (RHA) in 1986 and 1987 achieved a 74% response rate. Comparison of age distributions from this and earlier hunter surveys confirmed an apparent decline in recruitment of young hunters entering the sport during the 1980s. Most hunters had considerable experience (>10 years) and were motivated not only by hunting success but also by the aesthetic value of the outdoor experience. The prime motivation for hunting in the Kaimanawa RHA was the presence of sika deer, and more than two-thirds of the hunters came from outside the Tongariro/Taupo Conservancy. Hunting pressure over current sika deer range in the central North Island may decline if this species continues to disperse naturally or through illegal liberations to other areas. Most (80%) hunters felt that deer densities were acceptable and were satisfied with the present unrestricted hunting system. Fewer than half (41%) the respondents were in favour of active management in the Kaimanawa RHA. Suggestions for active management focused on increasing hunter safety and increasing hunting success rates. Deer densities, as indicated by faecal pellet counts, were inversely related to hunting pressure. Variation in hunting pressure between areas was caused mainly by differences in accessibility. This indicates some potential for manipulation of deer density through options such as increasing access to remote areas or restrictions on hunting pressure.     

基于线粒体Cty b基因的西藏马鹿种群遗传多样性研究

西藏马鹿(Cervus elaphus wallichi) 为我国特有物种,仅分布在西藏东南部的桑日县,目前关于西藏马鹿的研究报道很少。因此,深入了解西藏马鹿各地理单元内种群的遗传变异,可以为我们制定保护管理策略提供依据,进而使其种群得到有效的保护和管理。本文对54个不同西藏马鹿个体（来自3个不同地点）的线粒体DNA Cty b基因进行了测定和群体分析,获得了731bp的片断,并检测到24个变异位点,占分析长度的3.28%,且这24个变异位点皆为碱基置换,并未出现碱基插入或缺失的现象,并定义了14种单倍型,核苷酸多样性平均值为0.02781,种群总体遗传多样性较高。从Tajima′s D和Fu and Li′s D值的估算结果来看, 这3个马鹿种群相对于中性进化的歧异度并没有明显的偏离(P>0.1),没有明显的证据显示这3个西藏马鹿种群间存在很强的平衡选择。分子变异分析表明3个群间基因流(5.36>Nm>1.87)均大于1,说明这3个马鹿种群间存在着丰富的基因流,并建议将三个地区的西藏马鹿作为一个管理单元进行保护和管理。     

圈养条件下新疆马鹿两个亚种的肠道菌群比较分析

肠道菌群组成复杂,与宿主肠道内环境动态平衡和健康息息相关。马鹿是鹿科动物中分布最广的种类,亚种分化众多,但现有马鹿肠道菌群研究较少。为丰富马鹿肠道菌群数据,以马鹿的两个亚种为阶元,运用高通量16S rRNA基因测序技术检测了7头雄性天山马鹿和7头雄性塔里木马鹿的肠道微生物,对其核心菌群、结构组成、多样性及肠道微生物的差异进行分析,旨在了解不同马鹿亚种肠道微生物组成差异,为两亚种间肠道菌群的差异提供参考。研究结果表明,塔里木马鹿菌群多样性及丰度低于天山马鹿。厚壁菌门（Firmicutes）、放线菌门（Actinobacteria）、变形菌门（Proteobacteria）及拟杆菌门（Bacteroidetes）为两组马鹿的优势菌门。此外,天山马鹿肠道中分解蛋白质、脂质的拟杆菌门和变形菌门相对丰度高于塔里木马鹿,而分解植物纤维的双歧杆菌（Bifidobacterium）、瘤胃球菌科UCG 014（Ruminococcaceae UCG 014）的相对丰度低于塔里木马鹿。本研究对天山马鹿及塔里木马鹿肠道菌群组成进行初步了解,可根据研究结果调整其饲料配比,为马鹿饲养管理的改善提供参考。     

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