Serosurveillance for foot-and-mouth disease in Mongolian gazelles (Procapra gutturosa) and livestock on the Eastern Steppe of Mongolia

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) is a highly contagious, viral disease that affects most ruminant and porcine species, and periodic outbreaks on Mongolia's Eastern Steppe affect Mongolian gazelles (Procapra gutturosa) and livestock. During 2005-08, we collected sera from 36 and 57 calf and adult gazelles, respectively, and from adult domestic animals sympatric with the gazelles, including 138 sheep (Ovis aries), 140 goats (Capra aegagrus hircus), 139 Bactrian camels (Camelus bactrianus), and 138 cattle (Bos taurus). Our goal was to determine whether the prevalence of the antibody to foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in gazelles declined relative to previous estimates in the absence of FMD outbreaks. Overall, 2.0% (95% CI 0.7-3.3%, n=555) of the four livestock species were antibody-positive for nonstructural proteins of FMDV (FMDV-NS), whereas 30.3% (95% CI 26.5-34.1%, n=555) had antibodies for structural proteins (i.e., vaccination-derived antibodies). Seven of 57 free-ranging gazelle calves (7.5%, 95%CI 1.6-12.4%) were FMDV-NS positive. None of 36 adult gazelles sampled in 2008 were antibody-positive for exposure to FMDV, indicating a significant decline (χ(2)=18.99; P<0.001; df=1) in antibody prevalence among gazelles from the same area during a livestock outbreak in 2001. The episodic nature of FMD outbreaks on the Eastern Steppe, Mongolia, with evidence of FMDV exposure in gazelles only during or following concurrent outbreaks in livestock, suggests that FMDV may spill over into the gazelle population during livestock outbreaks and that successful control of FMD on the Eastern Steppe requires a focus on control in livestock populations through vaccination.     

内蒙古达赉湖地区蒙原羚的春季生境选择

2006年5～6月和2007年5～6月,我们在内蒙古达赉湖地区开展了蒙原羚春季生境选择研究.我们设置样线20条,共记录到蒙原羚64群次、453只次和蒙原羚活动痕迹243处.我们选择了20个与蒙原羚生境选择相关的生境因子,运用信息理论方法和Logistic回归方程,建立了蒙原羚出现与否与各生境因子之间的预测模型.运用资源选择函数和资源选择指数,揭示蒙原羚对各生境因子的选择性.结果表明:家畜干扰是影响蒙原羚春季生境选择的首要因子(β=10.898);坡位、水源距离、坡度、隐蔽条件、围栏距离和植被类型对蒙原羚春季生境选择有重要作用(β>1.000);道路距离、地上生物量、植被高度、植物种类数、植被盖度等因子对蒙原羚春季生境选择影响不显著(β<1.000).蒙原羚对牲畜距离<2 000 m和>4 000 m,中下坡位及平地,水源距离4 000～8 000 m,坡度<10°,隐蔽条件(可视距离)<3 000 m,离围栏距离1000～2000m的针茅和杂草植被类型生境有一定偏好.因此,春季蒙原羚保护的关键是降低放牧强度,应在边境地区控制牲畜数量和人口迁入,在离边境线较远地区进行草场科学管理和制定合理的放牧制度.在植被生长状况较差和水源缺乏年份,应适当进行食物和水源人工补给.另外,进行草场封育,加强打草监管并建立合理的围栏管理制度,也是蒙原羚保护的重要环节.     

Mobile larynx in Mongolian gazelle: Retraction of the larynx during rutting barks in male Mongolian gazelle (Procapra gutturosa Pallas, 1777)

This study provides the first evidence of pronounced temporary laryngeal descent in a bovid species. An elaborate acoustic display is prominent in male courtship behavior of polygynous Mongolian gazelle. During rut, rounding up of females is accompanied by continuous head‐up barking by dominant males. Throughout the rut their evolutionarily enlarged larynx descends to a low mid‐neck resting position. In the course of each bark the larynx is additionally retracted toward the sternum by 30% of the resting vocal tract length. A geometric model of active larynx movements was constructed by combining results of video documentation, dissection, skeletonization, and behavioral observation. The considerable distance between resting position and maximal laryngeal descent suggests a backward tilting of the hyoid apparatus and an extension of the thyrohyoid connection during the retraction phase. Return to the resting position is effected by strap muscles and by the elastic recoil of the pharynx and the thyrohyoid connection. An intrapharyngeal inflation of the peculiar palatinal pharyngeal pouch of adult males is inferred from a short‐time expansion of the ventral neck region rostral to the laryngeal prominence. The neck of adult dominant males is accentuated by long gray guard hairs during the rut. The passive swinging of the heavy larynx of adult males during locomotion gives the impression of a handicap imposed on rutting males. Apparently, this disadvantage becomes outweighed by the profits for reproductive success. J. Morphol., 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

内蒙古达赉湖地区和蒙古国东方省蒙原羚的夏季食性

2008年7—8月,收集了内蒙古达赉湖地区和蒙古国东方省蒙原羚的新鲜粪便,采用粪样显微组织学分析法研究了蒙原羚的夏季食性。研究结果如下:(1)内蒙古达赉湖地区夏季植物群落在植被盖度、地上生物量、植物种数方面与蒙古国东方省差异均不显著;在内蒙古达赉湖地区和蒙古国东方省共采集常见植物18科43属63种;(2)内蒙古达赉湖地区蒙原羚共采食10科19属22种植物,蒙古国东方省蒙原羚共采食11科24属29种植物;(3)禾本科植物是内蒙古达赉湖地区和蒙古国东方省蒙原羚夏季主要食物,分别占蒙原羚食物组成的79.1%和73.2%;禾本科植物中的羊草、针茅是内蒙古达赉湖地区和蒙古国东方省蒙原羚的主要食物,分别占蒙原羚食物组成的63.6?和57.7%;(4)内蒙古达赉湖地区蒙原羚夏季食物组成生态位宽度Bj=2.0,蒙古国东方省蒙原羚夏季食物组成生态位宽度Bj=2.3;(5)内蒙古达赉湖地区与蒙古国东方省蒙原羚的食物相似性指数PS=0.7;(6)内蒙古达赉湖蒙原羚与蒙古国东方省蒙原羚主要食物秩相关性检验显著相关(P0.05),相关性系数0.6。研究表明尽管内蒙古达赉湖地区蒙原羚主要在草原围栏内活动,但与蒙古国东方省蒙原羚的夏季食性显著相似,这表明有限的活动范围没有对蒙原羚夏季食性产生显著影响。     

Development and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to foot and mouth disease virus type 'C'

Five fusion experiments were conducted with spleen cells from Balb/c mice immunized with purified 146S antigen of foot and mouth disease virus type 'C' (vaccine strain). Monoclones (31) thus developed were isotyped as IgM (3), IgG1 (6), IgG2a (5), IgG2b (3) and IgG3 (14). Eleven clones isotyped as IgM, IgG2a and IgG2b showed neutralizing activity in virus neutralization and plaque reduction tests. Six of the neutralizing clones precipitated 146S virus in Ouchterlony reaction. On the basis of location of MAb reactive epitopes in relation to intact virus (146S), 12S particles and VP1 in ELISA test, the clones were classified as Class II (6), Class III (11) and Class IV (14). These clones may be useful for purposes of antigen detection from field isolates and for estimation of antibody titres in vaccinated animals.     

内蒙古达赉湖地区蒙原羚繁殖期及其前后昼间行为时间分配及能量平衡策略

2007年11月、12月和2008年3月,在内蒙古达赉湖地区,采用扫描取样法对雌雄蒙原羚繁殖期及其前后昼间行为时间分配进行了研究。 研究表明：（1）繁殖期前、繁殖期和繁殖期后,雌性蒙原羚采食时间,占昼间活动时间的比例分别为（44.9±3.8）%、（43.5±4.0）% 和 (46.2±3.1)%;卧息时间,占昼间活动时间的比例分别 为（32.3±4.8）%、（29.2±2.9）% 和 (28.0±4.8)%;雌性蒙原羚在繁殖期及其前后采食、移动和卧息的行为时间分配差异不显著（P>0.05）,站立、繁殖、“其他”行为时间分配差异性显著（P<0.05）。（2）繁殖期前、繁殖期和繁殖期后, 雄性蒙原羚采食时间,占昼间活动时间的比例分别为 (52.6±3.8)%、(17.5±2.8)% 和 (29.8±4.8)%;卧息时间,占昼间活动时间的比例分别为 (13.4±6.4)%、(24.2±4.1)% 和 (44.2±4.7)%。雄性蒙原羚在繁殖期及其前后采食、卧息、站立、移动、繁殖、“其他”时间分配均有显著差异（P<0.05）。动物采食卧息的行为时间分配反映动物的能量平衡策略。雌性蒙原羚的时间分配表明,雌性蒙原羚的能量平衡策略在繁殖期前、繁殖期和繁殖期后没有发生显著变化,均为能量摄入最优化策略,尽可能多的时间分配在采食上;雄性蒙原羚的时间分配表明,在繁殖期前,其能量平衡策略为能量摄入最优化策略,尽可能多的时间分配在采食上;雄性蒙原羚繁殖期及繁殖期后其能量平衡策略转变为能量支出优化策略,尽可能少的支出能量,尽可能多的时间分配在卧息上。     

黄羊（Procapra gutturosa）在中国分布的变迁及其资源持续利用

历史上黄羊曾广布于中国的北部,目前黄羊只分布在我国内蒙古北部的中蒙边境一带。环境的变迁、人类活动的干扰及盲目捕猎是黄羊分布区缩小的重要原因。建议尽快建立黄羊自然保护区,使黄羊在我国有一安歇、繁衍的良好栖息地,最终使黄羊资源得到科学合理的利用。