四川羚牛的家域与忠诚度

野生动物倾向回到或留在一个特定范围或者与原有区域完全重叠的行为被称为栖息地忠诚。利用GPS无线电颈圈对5只四川羚牛的家域及家域的季节和年度忠诚度进行了研究和分析(2006—2009年)。结果显示:四川羚牛年均家域面积为(MCP/FKE)(15.01±2.92)km2/(9.02±1.85)km2,但个体间及年际波动较大;季节间家域面积差异显著,个体家域的季节变化体现出较一致的变化模式,最大季节家域主要集中于春季和夏季。年际间季节家域忠诚度最高的是秋季和夏季,冬季家域年际忠诚度最低,春季家域忠诚度也相对较低。单因素方差分析显示季节间质心距离总体差异不显著,与家域重叠算法获得的忠诚度结论基本一致。     

Seasonal Altitudinal Movements of Golden Takin in the Qinling Mountains of China

Abstract: We studied seasonal movements of golden takin (Budorcas taxicolor bedfordi), a large, social, forest-dwelling ungulate, by radiotracking and field surveys during 1995–1996 and 2002–2005 at Foping National Nature Reserve on the southern slope of the Qinling Mountains, China. Takins inhabited forests and subalpine meadows at an altitudinal range from 1,360 m to 2,890 m. Our results showed that golden takins had a complicated seasonal movement pattern and underwent altitudinal migration 4 times each year. Takins occupied a high-altitude range during summer, stayed at low-altitude ranges for short periods during spring and autumn, and resided at an intermediate-altitude range during winter. Changes in plant phenology may have caused seasonal movements. Reserves for takin conservation should incorporate lower altitude habitats than those takins use in spring and autumn, and seasonal movements by takins should be protected from disturbance by human activities. (JOURNAL OF WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 72(3):611–617; 2008)     

Seasonal Altitudinal Movements of Mountain Goats

Abstract: I investigated seasonal altitudinal movements of 42 mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) in the Cascade Range of Washington, USA. Because mountain goats typically move to lower elevations during the winter, I partitioned locations from Global Positioning System collars into summer and winter seasons based on elevation. Using an iterative narrowing search, I identified summer and winter start dates for each individual and year and derived several measures of altitudinal movements from these, and examined differences in these measures on the basis of sex and year and their interrelationship. Generally, female mountain goats started summer about 2 weeks earlier than nondispersing males; winter start dates varied among years. Horizontal distance moved between seasons was unrelated to measures of altitudinal movement. Based on elevation, winters were generally longer than summers for mountain goats I studied, suggesting that the common perception of mountain goats as inhabitants of alpine and subalpine terrain is biased, because they spent the greater part of the year at lower elevations. Mountain goats showed a wide range of responses to seasonal environmental changes and individuals cannot be easily classified as migratory or nonmigratory. Because ecological conditions in mountain environments are closely related to elevation and horizontal and altitudinal movements were unrelated, studies of seasonal movements of mountain animals based on horizontal movement may be misleading. Because seasonal altitudinal movements of mountain goats are highly variable, the management needs of each population must be considered separately.     

西藏慈巴沟自然保护区羚牛栖息地选择

2001 年12 月至2002 年8 月,笔者在西藏慈巴沟自然保护区对羚牛栖息地选择性及其季节变化进行了调查研究。调查中,沿慈巴沟河谷随机选择起始点,系统地设置了187个10 m×10 m 的固定样方,记录了样方所在位置的植被类型、海拔、坡度、坡向、距水源距离、乔木密度、灌木密度、箭竹密度、郁闭度和隐蔽度等,并分别在冬、春、夏三季检查样方是否被羚牛利用。本文通过计算Vanderloeg 选择系数和Scavia 选择指数来研究羚牛对植被的选择性,结果发现羚牛冬季对杜鹃针叶林、箭竹针叶林和针阔混交林具有正选择性,春季则对箭竹针叶林和针阔混交林、夏季对高山灌丛草甸和杜鹃针叶林具有正选择性。对9 个数量化因子进行分组处理,利用Vanderloeg 选择系数和Scavia 选择指数,计算了这些因子在各个季节不同的选择性,进一步分析了羚牛对栖息地的选择性。对9 个数量化因子的判别分析表明,冬、夏及春、夏之间有极显著差异,海拔对判别函数的贡献最大,其它因子如箭竹密度、隐蔽度、郁闭度和乔木密度等贡献也较大,说明这些因子的季节分离明显。而羚牛的冬、春之间判别分析不显著,季节分离的程度较小。在结合其它分布区羚牛栖息地研究的基础上,本文探讨了食物和盐源在羚牛栖息地选择季节变化中的作用。     

Spatial behaviour of adult male Alpine ibex<Emphasis Type="Italic">Capra ibex ibex</Emphasis> in the Gran Paradiso National Park,Italy

During a two year preliminary study, the spatial organization of a group of male Alpine ibexCapra ibex ibex Linnaeus, 1758 was examined in the Gran Paradiso National Park, Western Italian Alps, Italy. From December 1995 to January 1998 we measured annual, seasonal home range and home range during the rut, plus altitudinal migration of 13 radio-collared adult Alpine ibex. The small annual home range size showed a traditional use of space, confirmed by the high overlapping values between home ranges of consecutive years: the ibex used the same places from year to year. This was also true during periods of rut. Home ranges closely overlapped in consecutive ruts, while their size changed from winter to winter. Snow cover limited the movements of the ibex; winter and spring home ranges were smaller than those in summer and autumn. Mean vertical movement patterns were similar in the two years, showing the highest values in summer and the lowest in spring. Space use was never proportional to availability for each altitudinal range.     

Fall movements of Red‐headed Woodpeckers in South Carolina

Fall migration of Red‐headed Woodpeckers (Melanerpes erythrocephalus) can be erratic, with departure rates, directions, and distances varying among populations and individuals. We report fall migration departure dates, rates, and routes, and the size of fall home ranges of 62 radio‐tagged Red‐headed Woodpeckers in western South Carolina. Rates of fall migration differed among years; all radio‐tagged woodpeckers migrated in 2005 (15 of 15), none (0 of 23) migrated in 2006, and 54.2% (13 of 24) migrated in 2007. Of 28 woodpeckers that left their breeding territories, we relocated eight either en route or on their fall home ranges. These woodpeckers migrated short distances (4.3–22.2 km) south along the floodplain forest of a large creek. The variable migration patterns we observed indicate that Red‐headed Woodpeckers may best be described as facultative migrants. We determined the home range sizes of 13 woodpeckers in both seasons, regardless of whether they migrated, and fall home ranges were smaller (mean = 1.12 ha) than summer home ranges (mean = 3.23 ha). Fall‐winter movements of Red‐headed Woodpeckers were concentrated on mast‐producing oak (Quercus spp.) trees, which may have restricted home range sizes. The partial migration we observed in 2007 suggests that factors other than mast crop variability may also influence migration patterns because woodpeckers that year responded to the same annual mast crop in different ways, with some migrating and some remaining on breeding season home ranges during the fall.     

官山白颈长尾雉活动区域海拔高度的季节变化及其影响因素

2005年7月至2006年12月,采用无线电遥测的方法在江西官山国家级自然保护区内对5只白颈长尾雉（Syrmaticus ellioti）的活动区域进行了跟踪监测,结合GIS技术和样方法分析其活动区域的海拔高度随季节变化的影响因素。结果表明：海拔400-600m为白颈长尾雉全年最适活动带,其主要活动区域的海拔高度呈现明显的季节变化：夏秋季最高,春季次之,冬季最低。水源是其冬季喜欢在低海拔区域活动的最主要原因;而距林缘距离、灌木数量、灌木种数、灌木盖度等与增加食物丰富度和隐蔽度相关的因子是促使它们在春季和夏秋季倾向于在高海拔区域活动的主要因素。     

Population Structure and Ranging Patterns of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhinopithecus roxellana</Emphasis> in Zhouzhi National Nature Reserve,Shaanxi, China

We describe the population structure and ranging patterns of a troop of Sichuan snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana) based on a study conducted between November 2002 and November 2003 in Zhouzhi National Nature Reserve, Shaanxi Province, China. The troop comprised several 1-male units and an all-male unit. Opportunistic censuses revealed that there were ≥112 individuals in the troop. The adult sex ratio (male vs. female) was 1:3.7. The ratios of adults to immatures and infants to adult females were 1:0.7 and 1:2, respectively. Via a grid system, we estimated the home range of the troop to be 18.3 km², of which 7.4 km² was the core area. The subjects exhibited distinct seasonal ranging patterns. Their movement across the home range was extensive in spring and restricted in autumn. In addition, reuse of quadrats was highest in winter and lowest in spring in comparison with other seasons. The daily path length (DPL) varied from .75 to 5 km, with a mean of 2.1 km. Seasonal analysis showed that DPL is significantly shorter in winter than in spring or summer; however, there is no significant difference between the DPLs of spring and summer or those of spring and autumn. The monkeys occupied elevations 1500–2600 m above sea level; the annual mean of altitudinal range is 2137 m. Contrary to early studies that reported Rhinopithecus roxellana migrates to lower elevations in winter, we found no evidence supporting a seasonal altitudinal shift. Using the highest troop count and home range estimate, and considering the extent of range overlap between neighboring troops, we calculated the population density and biomass of Rhinopithecus roxellana to be 7.2 individuals/km² and 68.3 kg/km², respectively. The temporal and spatial distribution of food resources may be the most important determinant of ranging behavior in Rhinopithecus roxellana, though understanding the relationship between resource distribution and seasonal range use may require further investigation.     

Great flexibility in autumn movement patterns of European gadwalls Anas strepera

The annual migration cycle of waterbirds often involves several distinct movement stages, for example within‐winter movements or the moult migration during summer, which require a high degree of individual flexibility in migration direction. Here, we investigate whether such flexibility is a common characteristic of waterbird migration by analysing movement behaviour of a dabbling duck, the gadwall Anas strepera, during the little studied, intermediate autumn period. The tracking of individuals via satellite transmitters (n = 7) as well as the ring re‐encounter analysis of three European gadwall populations (Germany, England, Russia) revealed that autumn movements were multidirectional. Furthermore, the comparison with winter re‐encounters suggested that autumn movements were partly independent of the movements towards subsequently used south to southwestern wintering areas. Some individuals even travelled long distances north‐ or eastwards. Accordingly, some autumn locations were characterized by a harsh climate, thus serving as temporary staging sites but necessitating further movements when wetlands freeze during winter. The occurrence of such detours or reversals of migration was confirmed by the transmitter data. Inter‐individual variability in distance and direction of autumn movements was found for both sexes and age‐classes indicating that gadwalls, in general, followed flexible movement strategies. Based on the extent of multidirectional autumn movements, we hypothesize important benefits of such flights and suggest that the analysis of year‐round movement patterns of individual animals during their distinct life‐history stages is essential to understand how they can successfully reproduce and survive.     

Ranging of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhinopithecus bieti</Emphasis> in the Samage Forest,China. II. Use of Land Cover Types and Altitudes

We investigated composition and structure of a temperate montane forest called Samage at Baimaxueshan National Nature Reserve in Yunnan, one of the last refuges for the highly endangered black-and-white snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti). There is a patchwork of vegetation types at Samage, and we distinguished 6 major land cover types within the home range of the focal group. We tracked the semihabituated Gehuaqing band for a full annual cycle to study their habitat utilization and altitudinal ranging. We analyzed the group’s selective use of particular habitat types via selection ratios. We calculated habitat availability from a GIS database. We found that they used mixed deciduous broadleaf/conifer forest disproportionately to its availability in all months. Subjects completely avoided meadows. Pine and evergreen broadleaf forests acted as corridors between patches of mixed forest and monkeys visited them occasionally, but at low frequencies and mostly in transit. The focal band stayed at elevations ranging from ca. 2600 m to 4000 m, and the mean elevation used is 3200 m. We found evidence for seasonal variation in use of elevational zones. The band stayed at significantly higher elevations in summer than in spring. The descent in spring was likely related to a flush of immature leaves at low-lying elevations. Availability of preferred fruits also had a highly positive influence on altitudinal ranging, i.e., during months with high fruit availability (late summer, early fall), the band stayed at medium elevations where preferred fruits were most abundant. Higher concentrations of lichens and the snub-nosed monkeys’ search for not yet depleted fruits probably caused them to remain at mid-elevations in winter. There is no significant correlation between climate parameters and elevation used. One of the main inferences of this investigation is that, contrary to previous accounts, Rhinopithecus bieti is not universally associated with high-elevation dark fir forest, but at Samage exhibits an overwhelming preference for mixed forest. Moreover, our analyses support the hypothesis that elevational migration, in this temperate-subtropical forest, is influenced by the temporal fruiting of major food trees and that climate has only a negligible effect on elevation use. Dayong Li and Cyril C. Grueter contributed equally to the paper.     

Density,home range,seasonal movements and habitat use of the mountain pygmy‐possum Burramys parvus (Marsupialia: Burramyidae) at Mount Blue Cow,Kosciuszko National Park

A population of mountain pygmy‐possums Burramys parvus was studied at the Mount Blue Cow ski resort in Kosciuszko National Park between 1986 and 1989. Forty‐eight individuals were radiotracked during the snow‐free months and 21 individuals were tracked during winter over the 3 years of study. Trapping and radiotracking showed that the density, population structure, movements and home range sizes of B. parvus on Mount Blue Cow were strongly correlated with elevation and changed with the season. Female densities were greatest in habitats characterized by deep boulderfields, at high elevations with an abundance of Bogong moths. Males visited the areas where females were located to breed in November–December and then by February, the majority migrated to lower elevations or north and westerly aspects. Females that nested at lower elevations also visited high‐elevation habitats to access the high concentrations of Bogong moths, which were the main food source in summer. A high proportion of the juvenile males and some juvenile females dispersed to lower elevations in March and April. The resulting sexual segregation during autumn and winter may be a result of female aggression or scramble competition, but is also explainable by differences in energy requirements, seed availability and hibernation strategies between the sexes. The extraordinarily large nightly and seasonal movements between habitat patches of up to 2 km for females and 3 km for males, sexual segregation and the use of different hibernation sites have important implications for the management of this species. These include the need for movement and dispersal corridors and the conservation of boulder‐heath habitats outside the main boulderfields.     

Why don't Svalbard reindeer migrate?

Reindeer and caribou are best known as migratory, seasonally nomadic animals; many continental populations, for example, travel between distinct summer and winter ranges which may lie hundreds of km apart. Much less is known about the movements of animals belonging to island populations. This paper describes seasonal and annual movements of wild reindeer Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus on the high arctic archipelago of Svalbard, based on observations of nine animals captured and individually marked in Adventdalen, Spitsbergen, between 1977 and 1982. Four ear-tagged reindeer (one male and three females) were followed extensively for between four and seven years. Five radio-collared females were followed intensively for seven months in 1982. Svalbard reindeer seem neither to undertake long migrations nor to be nomadic within seasons like mountain reindeer or barren-ground caribou. They appear instead to use small, traditional, seasonal home ranges more, for example, like red deer or wild sheep. This atypical behaviour is discussed in relation to the dispersion of reindeers' resources in Svalbard.     

Differential annual movement patterns in a migratory species: effects of experience and sexual maturation

Some animals migrate long distances to exploit important seasonal food resources in the northern regions of the northern hemisphere, whilst avoiding winter starvation. Changes in the individual's age and navigational skills are likely to affect migration, which in turn influences the geographic distribution of individuals. Processes such as sexual maturation and navigational abilities are affected by age, and age is thus a key factor in understanding migration patterns and differences in distribution ranges. In the present study, we investigated the effects of age on the geographic distribution of a population of Lesser Black-backed Gulls Larus fuscus throughout its annual cycle, by analyzing a dataset of 19,096 records from 10,000 color-ringed gulls. In contrast to previous assumptions, the results showed that gulls were geographically segregated by age throughout the entire annual cycle, rather than showing a geographic age-related cline only in the wintering areas. This asymmetric distribution results from a reduction in the annual range of sexually mature gulls, and the differential distribution of mature and immature individuals (mature birds remained in more northern areas, compared to immature birds, throughout the annual cycle). Furthermore, although immature gulls travelled longer distances than adults, they initiated their fall migration with short movements, in contrast to adults that migrated using longer movements. The effects identified in this study explain the non-homogenous distribution of populations throughout the annual cycle, with wide implications for the development of effective human health policies and/or wildlife management strategies.     

Ranging behaviour of huemul in relation to habitat and landscape

The huemul Hippocamelus bisulcus is an endangered species of deer occupying temperate woodland habitats in the Andes of southern Chile and Argentina. Continuing declines due to a combination of hunting and habitat loss have created a need for more conservation measures. However, current information on ranging behaviour, dispersal and seasonal movements is very limited. Three sites were therefore selected in Aysén, Chilean Patagonia, to study the movements and habitat associations of huemul. Although seasonal migrations in elevation had been reported previously for the species, we found the extent of seasonal movement limited, much less than that reported for other deer species in mountainous environments. Huemul selected mid-slope elevations, and the winter ranges of most animals overlapped summer ranges. The extent of the seasonal movements that were undertaken were, however, the greatest at the highest site and insignificant at the lowest site. Previously published information shows that habitats used by huemul follow a latitudinal gradient in elevation (reducing c . 100 m °S⁻¹ in latitude), and our results suggest that seasonal movements are likely to be greater in sites above this line. The mean range size differed between sites, ranging from 357 to 656 ha (mean 444 ha; median 506 ha). These estimates excluded long-distance (>5 km) movements, which were infrequent.     

Evidence of seasonal migration in a tropical subterranean vertebrate

Many animals undergo migrations that depend on a range of biotic or abiotic factors provoking daily, seasonal or annual movement of individuals and/or populations. Temperate amphibians frequently have their life cycles dominated by annual temperature fluctuations, but in the tropics it is often presumed that distinct rainy seasons will influence amphibians more than small changes in temperature. Here, we direct the seasonal changes in abundance hypothesis to a caecilian amphibian Boulengerula boulengeri found in monthly randomized quantitative surveys in the top 30 cm of soil. Meteorological data are used to interpret the significant changes found in relation to rainfall and temperature variables. Instead of the expected correlation of migration with rainfall, we find that frequency varies significantly and positively with temperature. In addition, data on the depth at which individual caecilians are collected suggest that animals undergo a vertical (rather than horizontal) migration within the soil. This is the first example of vertical migrations with temperature (as opposed to rainfall) of any tropical subterranean fauna. We discuss the possible influences that stimulate migration in this species (abiotic factors, feeding, reproduction and predation). The ecology of caecilians has lagged behind that of all other tetrapods, and this study has importance for future ecological studies, as well as biodiversity assessments and monitoring methodologies.     

香溪河流域一条一级支流河岸林凋落物季节动态

对神农架南坡的一条一级支流河岸林的凋落物进行了一年的连续收集研究。结果表明：凋落物干重年输入量为438．72g／m^2,其中树叶凋落物是凋落物的主要成分,占整个凋落物年产量的84％。凋落物的输入明显存在季节性的时间格局。凋落物在秋季的产量占全年产量的75％,春季占6．2％,夏季占13．6％,冬季为5．5％。凋落物组成中,树叶和花果的产量显示出季节变化的趋势;枝条的产量并未显示出明显的季节趋势。在秋季,树叶的产量占全年树叶总量的83％;枝条最高值出现于秋季,产量占全年总员的29％;花果在整个凋落物中所占比重分小,最高值出现在夏季,占年产量的63％。着生藻类的密度月际间的变化较大,存在着显著的差异。最大值与最小值的出现月份与凋落物最大、最低值的出现月份相同。通过统计分析表明,着生藻类的密度变化与凋落物和树叶凋落物的动态具有明显的相关性。     

Cougar Prey Selection in a White-Tailed Deer and Mule Deer Community

Abstract Widespread mule deer (Odocoilus hemionous) declines coupled with white-tailed deer (O. virginianus) increases prompted us to investigate the role of cougar (Puma concolor) predation in a white-tailed deer, mule deer, and cougar community in northeast Washington, USA. We hypothesized that cougars select for and disproportionately prey on mule deer in such multiple-prey communities. We estimated relative annual and seasonal prey abundance (prey availability) and documented 60 cougar kills (prey usage) from 2002 to 2004. White-tailed deer and mule deer comprised 72% and 28% of the total large prey population and 60% and 40% of the total large prey killed, respectively. Cougars selected for mule deer on an annual basis (α_md = 0.63 vs. α_wt = 0.37; P = 0.066). We also detected strong seasonal selection for mule deer with cougars killing more mule deer in summer (α_md = 0.64) but not in winter (α_md = 0.53). Cougars showed no seasonal selection for white-tailed deer despite their higher relative abundance. The mean annual kill interval of 6.68 days between kills varied little by season (winter = 7.0 days/kill, summer = 6.6 days/kill; P = 0.78) or prey species (white-tailed deer = 7.0 days/kill, mule deer = 6.1 days/kill; P = 0.58). Kill locations for both prey species occurred at higher elevations during summer months (summer = 1,090 m, winter = 908 m; P = 0.066). We suspect that cougars are primarily subsisting on abundant white-tailed deer during winter but following these deer to higher elevations as they migrate to their summer ranges, resulting in a greater spatial overlap between cougars and mule deer and disproportionate predation on mule deer.     

Landscape Level Variation in Tick Abundance Relative to Seasonal Migration in Red Deer

Partial migration is common among northern ungulates, typically involving an altitudinal movement for seasonally migratory individuals. The main driving force behind migration is the benefit of an extended period of access to newly emerged, high quality forage along the green up gradient with increasing altitude; termed the forage maturation hypothesis. Any other limiting factor spatially correlated with this gradient may provide extra benefits or costs to migration, without necessarily being the cause of it. A common ectoparasite on cervids in Europe is the sheep tick (Ixodes ricinus), but it has not been tested whether migration may lead to the spatial separation from these parasites and thus potentially provide an additional benefit to migration. Further, if there is questing of ticks in winter ranges in May before spring migration, deer migration may also play a role for the distribution of ticks. We quantified the abundance of questing sheep tick within winter and summer home ranges of migratory (n = 42) and resident red deer (Cervus elaphus) individuals (n = 32) in two populations in May and August 2009–2012. Consistent with predictions, there was markedly lower abundance of questing ticks in the summer areas of migrating red deer (0.6/20 m²), both when compared to the annual home range of resident deer (4.9/20 m²) and the winter home ranges of migrants (5.8/20 m²). The reduced abundances within summer home ranges of migrants were explained by lower abundance of ticks with increasing altitude and distance from the coast. The lower abundance of ticks in summer home ranges of migratory deer does not imply that ticks are the main driver of migration (being most likely the benefits expected from forage maturation), but it suggests that ticks may add to the value of migration in some ecosystems and that it may act to spread ticks long distances in the landscape.     

黄腹角雉活动区的无线电遥测研究

1987年11月至1988年6月,在浙江省乌岩岭自然保护区,对9只黄腹角雉进行了无线电遥测研究。结果表明:黄腹角雉月活动区大小为0.015—0.30km~2,夏季的活动区明显小于冬春季,这种变化与取食有密切关系;黄腹角雉不存在季节性垂直迁移现象;即使繁殖期来临,雄性黄腹角雉活动区之间仍存在较大重叠,说明并非所有雄鸟在繁殖期来临后都占区;黄腹角雉对水源丰富的区域更为喜爱。     

Seasonal migration patterns of female sika deer in eastern Hokkaido,Japan

Fifty-seven female sika deer (Cervus nippon yesoensis), captured at the wintering area in the Shiranuka Hills in eastern Hokkaido, Japan, were radio-tracked during 1997–2001 to examine the factors affecting seasonal migration at the individual-landscape level. Ten of the 57 deers migrated between low-altitude summer home ranges and intermediate-altitude winter home ranges (the upward migrants). Twenty-nine migrated between high-altitude summer home ranges and intermediate-altitude winter home ranges (the downward migrants). Twelve used the intermediate-altitude home ranges all year round (the non-migrants). The remaining six were unknown. The summer home ranges of deer were widely scattered over an area of 5734km². Migration distances ranged between 7.2 and 101.7km. Deer showed high site fidelities to their seasonal home ranges. The upward migrants wintered in areas of less snow, higher quality of bamboo grass, and more coniferous cover than their summer home ranges. The downward migrants wintered in areas of less snow, higher quality of bamboo grass, higher winter temperature, and more southern slopes, but less coniferous cover than their summer home ranges. The non-migrants used year-round ranges with little snow, high quality of bamboo grass, and sufficient coniferous cover. We suggest that snow cover and bamboo grass are the factors affecting seasonal migration of the population and that coniferous cover is another factor for the upward migration.