根田鼠母体捕食应激对其雌性子代雄性化效应的研究

本研究了根田鼠母体捕食应激对其雌性子代雄性化的效应。母体捕食应激使雌性子代在鼻端探究、生殖区探究、试图探究和爬跨及尾随等性行为中花费的时间最多,阴道开口时间显延迟,生殖器与肛门间距离显增大,而母体食物限制和断乳应激子代则未明显呈现上述特征。母体捕食应激使其雌性子代显地降低对雄性个体的性吸引力。因此,母体捕食应激使雌性子代在性行为、形态特征及性吸引力方面呈现雄性化效应,主要归结于捕食应激引起母体内分泌的改变所致;此效应仅产生于胚胎性分化的特定关键时期。全结果检验了田鼠类母体捕食应激对其雌性子代性分化有显影响的假设。     

根田鼠母体捕食应激对其子代运动及探究行为的作用

本文研究了根田鼠母体捕食应激对其子代运动及探究行为的作用。母体自妊娠中期至分娩期间,每天被短暂且重复地暴露给艾鼬。分娩后,对母体及其子代正常饲养。在子代性成熟后,分别测定其运动和探究行为。母体捕食应激显著降低子代的运动时间和频率。在探究行为中,母体捕食应激子代的探究潜伏期和探究时间均显著大于对照子代;其次,母体捕食应激雌性子代的探究次数显著小于对照。另外,个体的运动水平以及探究潜伏期和探究次数均存在性别差异。本研究结果表明,田鼠类母体捕食应激对其子代运动和探究行为有显著的抑制作用,由此可能对子代适合度,乃至种群波动产生负效应。     

光周期对环青春期雄性根田鼠繁殖发育的作用与光周期信息的母体传递模式

在实验室条件下,采用析因设计,分别以长光照及短光照水平,测定根田鼠母体怀孕期、哺乳期及幼体断乳期光周期信息对环青春期雄性子代繁殖发育的作用,探讨雄性子代对光周期信息的反应及光周期信息的母体传递模式。检验的特定假设为,光周期能刺激和调节田鼠类动物雄体的繁殖发育;在其亲代与子代间存在光周期信息的母体传递。研究结果表明,在根田鼠亲代母体与子代幼体间具有光周期信息的母体传递。雄体的繁殖发育,不仅受母体传递光周期信息的作用,亦受断乳期光周期的影响。断乳后的光周期信息是影响雄体繁殖发育的主要信息。在长期的适应和进化过程中,根田鼠对高寒环境形成特殊的光周期信息传递格局和繁殖策略。     

围栏条件下母体社群应激对根田鼠子代免疫力的影响

为探讨自然条件下母体社群应激对根田鼠子代免疫力的影响,在野外围栏建立高密度和低密度根田鼠种群,将围栏出生的F1代幼体在室内饲养至性成熟后,测定其血清抗匙孔血蓝蛋白抗体的IgG水平、血液学参数和脾脏指数,以及种群建群者的血浆皮质酮含量.结果表明,高密度种群建群者的皮质酮含量高于低密度种群建群者.子代个体的各类血细胞的数量无差异.高密度种群子代的IgG含量低于低密度种群的子代,但脾脏指数高于后者.上述不同免疫参数结果相互印证说明,高密度种群引起的母体社群应激对子代免疫力有抑制作用.此外,本文探讨了母体应激效应的概念和生态学意义及其在种群调节中的作用.     

赤狐气味对高原鼠兔繁殖的影响

在野外条件下,利用赤狐的粪尿气味增加高原鼠兔的捕食风险,研究捕食风险对高原鼠兔繁殖的影响。结果表明,作为衡量高原鼠兔繁殖投入大小的定量指标,成体高原鼠兔的体重变化在捕食风险处理样方与对照样方之间没有明显的不同,随着繁殖期的延长,两样方内雌雄个体的体重均显减少,说明捕食风险对高原鼠兔的繁殖投入无明显影响,因此,捕食风险对幼体的生长、发育也无明显的作用。捕食风险增加后,高原鼠兔平均每个雌性成体拥有的后代数目、性比和居留率与对照样方比较均无明显不同,但是由于扩散等原因使每个雄性成体拥有的后代数、繁殖期结束后幼体的性比有明显的差异。以上结果并未显示出捕食气味作为捕食风险对高原鼠兔的繁殖产生抑制作用,其主要原因是捕食风险的类型不同和研究期间高原鼠兔本身承受的捕食风险较大,高原鼠兔可能通过行为变化调节捕食风险增加对其产生的不利影响。     

高体重布氏田鼠产仔数较多但繁殖输出及氧化损伤不受影响

体重可影响动物几乎所有的生物学变量。高体重双亲通常产生较大胎仔数。繁殖过程代价很高,可能伴随着氧化损伤。为比较双亲体重对繁殖期能量学特征、繁殖输出和氧化损伤的影响,检测了高体重组(雌性:51. 5 g ± 1. 6 g;雄性:60. 4 g ±2. 5 g)和低体重组(雌性:35. 5 g ± 1. 2 g;雄性:49. 6 g ± 2. 8 g)布氏田鼠繁殖过程中母体的体重和摄食量,分娩时的胎仔数和胎仔总重,及后代断乳时母体的身体成分、激素含量(血清瘦素和催乳素)和氧化损伤(血清丙二醛、蛋白质羰基和肝脏丙二醛含量)。结果显示:(1)高体重组妊娠末期的母体体重增量显著高于低体重组;(2)高体重组母体的出生胎仔数显著高于低体重组,但出生及断乳时的平均胎仔重、胎仔总重和母体繁殖期间的能量摄入无显著差异; (3)血清激素含量、身体成分、身体脂肪重量及氧化损伤指标均无组间差异。结果表明,高体重布氏田鼠可产生较多的出生胎仔数,但母体并不通过摄入更多的能量来保证其繁殖输出,对氧化损伤也没有影响。这些结果对于理解不同体重的动物在繁殖期间的能量策略以及繁殖与生存之间的权衡等生活史理论具有重要意义。     

围栏条件下母体密度应激对根田鼠 F1代性器官指数的影响

为探讨自然条件下母体密度应激对根田鼠F1代性器官指数的影响,通过在围栏内建立不同密度的母体种群获得相应的F1代个体,以此建立了不同密度的子代种群,并测定了母体种群建群者的血浆皮质酮含量,将建立子代种群后剩余的F1代个体带回实验室饲养.实验结束后,测定了全部F1代个体的性器官指数及皮质酮含量.结果表明,高密度母体种群建群者的皮质酮含量显著高于低密度母体种群建群者;出生于高密度母体种群的F1代个体处于高密度子代种群,其性器官指数显著低于出生于低密度母体种群且处于低密度子代种群的F1代个体,而皮质酮含量显著高于后者;出生于高密度母体种群的F1代个体处于低密度子代种群,其性器官指数及皮质酮含量与出生于低密度母体种群且处于低密度子代种群的F1代个体间无显著差异.此外,实验室饲养条件下,出生于高密度和低密度母体种群的F1代个体间的睾丸指数无显著差异.本研究结果说明,在根田鼠种群中,单一的母体密度应激对子代的性器官指数无影响,但生前应激子代在性成熟后,当再次遭遇密度应激时,其性器官指数显著降低,母体密度应激和当前环境对种群的未来繁殖能力具有耦合效应.     

瑞士西部农田周围生态保留带中小型兽类种群结构特征及数量动态的初步研究

为了评价生态保留带对小型兽类种群的影响,2003年7月至2004年6月在瑞士西部Salavaux,chevmux和Montbrelloz 3个地区采用标志重捕方法对小型兽类种群进行了研究。在3个生态保留带中,共发现6种1206只小型兽类,其中普通田鼠、小林姬鼠、中麝晌捕获数量多。普通田鼠为优势种。普通田鼠的种群数量在生态保留带间有差异,但具有相同的季节性波动趋势,一般种群数量随着植被覆盖度和食物丰富度的增加,春季末开始出现增加,仲夏达到最高水平。种群中雌雄个体年龄结构之间有明显的差异,成体和亚成体的数量比幼体多,雄性亚成体的数量比雌性多,雌性成体数量比雄性多（X^2=44．09,df=10,P〈0．001,N=203）。普通田鼠种群中雌雄个体体重之间有明显的差异,雄性的体重比雌性大（t一检验：t=5．011,df=162,P〈0．05,N=213）。种群性比之间有明显的月间变化,雌性的捕获次数比雄性大。普通田鼠只在短距离范围内活动,在生态保留带中的巢区为350～400m^2,雌雄个体的巢区大小之间没有显著性差异。     

球虫感染与捕食对根田鼠繁殖性能的影响

在自然界,捕食者和寄生物是两种主要的种群外部调节因子,二者的交互作用会对猎物和宿主种群波动产生深远影响。较低的球虫感染强度与捕食对根田鼠（Alexandromys oeconomus）繁殖无显著的交互作用。自然界球虫感染存在季节性变化,秋季感染强度最高。为了探究较高感染强度下,球虫与捕食对根田鼠繁殖的主效应及交互作用,本研究采用2×2析因实验设计,在野外围栏中测定了根田鼠种群肠道内寄生物的感染率和感染强度、雄性睾丸指数、睾酮水平、精子密度、精子活力以及雌性卵巢指数。结果表明,较高的感染强度下,球虫能显著抑制根田鼠的繁殖性能,但球虫感染与捕食对根田鼠的繁殖无显著的交互作用,这可能与球虫感染和捕食效应在时间上的错配有关。本研究认为,球虫感染对繁殖期小哺乳动物种群的调节作用虽有限,但其可通过与捕食者的耦合来降低宿主越冬时的存活率,进而影响宿主种群波动。     

泽陆蛙(Fejervarya limnocharis)两性异形的个体发育和雌体繁殖

2010年3月下旬-7月上旬于浙江富阳市农田采集680只泽陆蛙(Fejervarya limnocharis),研究了泽陆蛙成体和幼体的个体大小和局部形态特征的两性异形;通过解剖雌体获得窝卵数、测量抱对个体获得形态数据,研究了雌体大小与生育力关系以及抱对两性个体体形大小的相关性.结果表明:捕获个体中,雌性和雄性成体的最小体长分别为33mm和30 mm;雄性成体个体数显著超过雌性成体,两性幼体个体数无显著差异;两性成体头部大小、四肢长随体长呈同速增长,眼径和体重随体长呈异速增长,两性幼体所有被检形态特征均随体长呈同速增长;雌性成体平均体长显著大干雄性成体,去除体长差异的影响后发现,除眼径无显著的两性差异外,其余被检形态特征均为雌性大于雄性;幼体除雌性体重大于雄性外,其余被检形态特征均无两性差异;窝卵数与雌体大小(体长和体重)呈显著的正相关;两性抱对个体的体长无显著相关性;泽陆蛙雄性成体体形小于雌性成体的个体大小两性异形模式可能决定于驱使雄性向较大体形发展的进化驱动力相对较弱,雌性增大体形可增加繁殖输出,故向较大体形发展的进化驱动力相对较强;除体重外,其余被检形态特征的两性异形均形成于性成熟之后.     

根田鼠母体捕食应激对其雄性子代性行为去雄性化的效应

母体应激效应是母体在妊娠期经历的环境变化对子代发育、繁殖及存活等特征的影响(MousseauandFox ,1 998;Bernado ,1 996 )。该效应不仅能使子代生活史特征产生迟滞性效应(Beckermanetal.,2 0 0 2 ) ,而且在密度制约过程中,导致对种群的迟滞性密度制约(Delayeddensitydependenc     

Effect of predator-induced maternal stress during gestation on growth in root volesMicrotus oeconomus

We studied the effect of maternal stress evoked by a severe stressor from the cues of predation risk during gestation on the growth of offspring in root volesMicrotus oeconomus Pallas, 1776. Body mass of both male and female offspring was significantly reduced in the period from birth to weaning. Females showed compensatory growth after weaning, whereas males maintained low body mass at weaning into adulthood. Maternal stress led to an elevated plasma corticosterone level in male offspring, but did not affect that of female offspring. Corticosterone levels remained elevated in males from stressed dams into adulthood. Increased levels of plasma corticosterone may have led to the inhibition of pituitary growth hormone and a chronically abnormal energy mobilization, considering the greater energy and metabolic requirements of male offspring, this may account for the sex-specific differences in compensatory growth. We suggest that in the high stress situation, endocrine-based sex-biased effects of maternal stress as a primary factor can lead to long-term physical and ecological consequences for male offspring.     

Maternal investment in relation to sex ratio and offspring number in a small mammal – a case for Trivers and Willard theory?

1.  Optimal parental sex allocation depends on the balance between the costs of investing into sons vs. daughters and the benefits calculated as fitness returns. The outcome of this equation varies with the life history of the species, as well as the state of the individual and the quality of the environment.
2.  We studied maternal allocation and subsequent fecundity costs of bank voles, Myodes glareolus , by manipulating both the postnatal sex ratio (all-male/all-female litters) and the quality of rearing environment (through manipulation of litter size by −2/+2 pups) of their offspring in a laboratory setting.
3.  We found that mothers clearly biased their allocation to female rather than male offspring regardless of their own body condition. Male pups had a significantly lower growth rate than female pups, so that at weaning, males from enlarged litters were the smallest. Mothers produced more milk for female litters and also defended them more intensively than male offspring.
4.  The results agree with the predictions based on the bank vole life history: there will be selection for greater investment in daughters rather than sons, as a larger size seems to be more influencial for female reproductive success in this species. Our finding could be a general rule in highly polygynous, but weakly dimorphic small mammals where females are territorial.
5.  The results disagree with the narrow sense Trivers & Willard hypothesis, which states that in polygynous mammals that show higher variation in male than in female reproductive success, high-quality mothers are expected to invest more in sons than in daughters.     

Litter sex ratios in Richardson’s ground squirrels: long-term data support random sex allocation and homeostasis

When costs of producing male versus female offspring differ, parents may vary allocation of resources between sons and daughters. We tested leading sex-allocation theories using an information-theoretic approach and Bayesian hierarchical models to analyse litter sex ratios (proportion males) at weaning for 1,049 litters over 24 years from a population of Richardson’s ground squirrels (Urocitellus richardsonii), a polygynandrous, annually reproducing mammal in which litter size averages from six to seven offspring and sons are significantly heavier than daughters at birth and weaning. The model representing random Mendelian sex-chromosome assortment fit the data best; a homeostatic model received similar support but other models performed poorly. Embryo resorption was rare, and 5 years of litter data in a second population revealed no differences in litter size or litter sex ratio between birth and weaning, suggesting that litter size and sex ratio are determined in early pregnancy. Sex ratio did not vary with litter size at weaning in any of 29 years, and the observed distribution of sex ratios did not differ significantly from the binomial distribution for any litter size. For 1,580 weaned litters in the two populations, average sex ratio deviated from parity in only 3 of 29 years. Heavier females made a greater reproductive investment than lighter females, weaning larger and heavier litters composed of smaller sons and daughters, but litter sex ratio was positively related to maternal mass in only 2 of 29 years. Such occasional significant patterns emphasize the importance of multi-season studies in distinguishing infrequent events from normal patterns.     

Maternal effort and male quality in the bank vole, Clethrionomys glareolus.

Parental investment in reproduction is adjusted according to potential benefits in terms of offspring survival and/or mating success. If male quality affects the reproductive success of a female, then females mating with high-quality males should invest more in reproduction. Although the subject has been of general interest, further experimental verification of the hypothesis is needed. We studied whether female bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) adjusted their maternal effort according to male quality, measured as mating success. To enable the measurement of maternal effort during nursing separately from male genetic effects the litters were cross-fostered. Further, the genetic background of male quality was examined. Male quality did not correlate with litter size or offspring size at birth. Offspring growth was positively related to food consumption and milk production of mothers. However, these direct measurements of maternal effort were independent of male quality. Male mating success appeared to be significantly heritable indicating that there are genetic benefits. Still, females did not adjust maternal effort according to the genetic quality of their offspring. We suggest that female bank voles gain significant genetic benefits from mating with high-quality males whereas they cannot improve their reproductive success by increasing maternal effort.     

Birth sex ratios relate to mare condition at conception in Kaimanawa horses

Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain variation inbirth sex ratios, based on the premise that variation is expectedwhen the profitability of raising sons and daughters variesbetween individual parents. We tested the Trivers-Willard hypothesisthat mothers in better condition produce relatively more sonsand that mothers in poorer condition produce relatively more daughterswhen male reproductive success is more variable. We examinedbirth sex ratios in relation to mare body condition at conceptionin horses in which male reproductive success is differentiallyhelped by slight advantages in condition. Horses meet the assumptionsof the Trivers-Willard hypothesis better than many species onwhich it has been tested and in which sex ratio biases are notconfounded by sexual size dimorphism such that one sex is more likelyto die in utero in females in poor condition. Mares that hada female foal were in poorer condition at conception than thosethat had a male foal, and mares that had foals of differentsexes in different years were in significantly poorer conditionwhen they conceived their female foal. There was no relationshipbetween offspring sex and mid-gestation condition, and therewas no difference in foaling rates in relation to body conditionat conception. Consequently, sex ratio deviations are not explainedby fetal loss in utero. Furthermore, differential fetal lossof the less viable sex cannot explain the greater proportionof males produced by mares in better condition. Therefore, ourresults suggest that sex ratio modification occurs at conceptionin wild horses.     

Sexual conflict in action: An antagonistic relationship between maternal and paternal sex allocation in the tammar wallaby,Notamacropus eugenii

Sex ratio biases are often inconsistent, both among and within species and populations. While some of these inconsistencies may be due to experimental design, much of the variation remains inexplicable. Recent research suggests that an exclusive focus on mothers may account for some of the inconsistency, with an increasing number of studies showing variation in sperm sex ratios and seminal fluids. Using fluorescent in‐situ hybridization, we show a significant population‐level Y‐chromosome bias in the spermatozoa of wild tammar wallabies, but with significant intraindividual variation between males. We also show a population‐level birth sex ratio trend in the same direction toward male offspring, but a weaning sex ratio that is significantly female‐biased, indicating that males are disproportionately lost during lactation. We hypothesize that sexual conflict between parents may cause mothers to adjust offspring sex ratios after birth, through abandonment of male pouch young and reactivation of diapaused embryos. Further research is required in a captive, controlled setting to understand what is driving and mechanistically controlling sperm sex ratio and offspring sex ratio biases and to understand the sexually antagonistic relationship between mothers and fathers over offspring sex. These results extend beyond sex allocation, as they question studies of population processes that assume equal input of sex chromosomes from fathers, and will also assist with future reproduction studies for management and conservation of marsupials.     

Effects of age and parity on litter size and offspring sex ratio in golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus)

Golden hamsters that were mated repeatedly from 55 days of age produced 6-12 litters. Litter size at birth rose between the 1st and 2nd litters, peaked on the 3rd, and declined steadily after the 5th litter. Offspring sex ratio (% male) at birth followed a similar pattern: increasing between the 1st and 2nd litters, remaining high through the 3rd, and becoming increasingly female-biased thereafter. Weaning success decreased sharply after the 6th litter and most dams failed to raise any young to weaning after the 9th litter. These sequential effects on litter size, offspring sex ratio and weaning success were also observed in females mated once at different ages, but they occurred considerably later in life, i.e. increasing parity hastened the effects of advanced age. These age- and parity-related changes in litter composition are consistent with the Trivers-Willard hypothesis that physiologically-stressed females would skew offspring sex ratios to favour daughters. However, since the observed changes in sex ratio were probably due to differential prenatal mortality, their adaptive significance is unclear.     

Effects of maternal and grandmaternal flea infestation on offspring quality and quantity in a desert rodent: evidence for parasite-mediated transgenerational phenotypic plasticity

Parasites can cause a broad range of sublethal fitness effects across a wide variety of host taxa. However, a host’s efforts to compensate for possible parasite-induced fitness effects are less well-known. Parental effects may beneficially alter the offspring phenotype if parental environments sufficiently predict the offspring environment. Parasitism is a common stressor across generations; therefore, parental infestation could reliably predict the likelihood of infestation for offspring. However, little is known about relationships between parasitism and transgenerational phenotypic plasticity. Thus, we investigated how maternal and grandmaternal infestation with fleas (Xenopsylla ramesis) affected offspring quality and quantity in a desert rodent (Meriones crassus). We used a fully-crossed design with control and infested treatments to examine litter size, pup body mass at birth, and pup mass gain before weaning for combinations of maternal and grandmaternal infestation status. No effect of treatment on litter size or pup body mass at birth was found. However, maternal and grandmaternal infestation status significantly affected pre-weaning body mass gain, a proxy for the rate of maturation, in male pups. Pups gained significantly more weight before weaning if maternal and grandmaternal infestation statuses matched, regardless of the treatment. Thus, pups whose mothers and grandmothers experienced similar risks of parasitism, either both non-parasitized or both infested, would reach sexual maturity more quickly than those pups whose mothers’ infestation status did not match that of their grandmothers. These results support the contention that parents can receive external cues such as the risk of parasitism, that prompt them to alter offspring provisioning. Therefore, parasites could be a mediator of environmentally-induced maternal effects and could affect host reproductive fitness across multiple generations.