人工饲养条件下扬子鳄的营巢和产卵行为

2003～2005年，利用红外线摄像仪，对人工饲养条件下扬子鳄(Alligator sinensis)的营巢和产卵行为进行了研究。扬子鳄在产卵前，有营造后肢落脚洞的行为；在产卵后期，一边产卵，一边覆盖。为探讨气候对营巢的影响，采用线性回归对气候和扬子鳄营巢开始时间进行分析后的结果表明，对营巢开始时间影响最大的是4月的平均气温，较高的平均气温会导致扬子鳄营巢开始时间提前。运用主成分分析饲养条件下巢址的环境因子，得出巢址的植被盖度、离水源距离等对扬子鳄的巢址利用有较大影响。     

环境因素对圈养的扬子鳄营巢和产卵的影响

在2002～2004年的6-7月,每天观察扬子鳄的营巢行为,记录天气状况,得出扬子鳄的营巢时间受天气的影响,巢材湿度会影响鳄的产卵时间;在6月下旬末大雨天后,连续2～3天气温能保持在26～35℃时,鳄就会产卵;在整个产卵期巢受到严重破坏时,鳄不会产卵。     

人工繁殖区内扬子鳄的营巢生态

本文观察了扬子鳄在人工饲养环境中的营巢生态:一、30条产卵雌鳄的巢有28个建在人工投放的芒草上,2个自行取草建巢。二、六月中旬至下旬末为营巢期,周期为14.17±5.21天。营巢夜间进行,雌鳄单独完成。三、巢材除人工投放芒草外,随周围环境而异。四、巢体积、产卵数与雌鳄体长无相关性。五、卵堆温度恒定35℃,日温差仅1.4℃。六、每窝卵数为26.2±3.9枚。七、30条产卵鳄中的11条是抢巢产卵。     

原鸡海南亚种的巢址特征

选择适宜的巢址对降低巢捕食风险,提高繁殖成效有重要意义。2008年3—7月,在海南省大田国家级自然保护区,采用随机样线法结合访问法在各种生境类型中系统地寻找原鸡海南亚种(Gallus gallus jabouillei)的巢,并在野外追踪观察基础上用样方法对原鸡的巢址选择进行研究。共记录到原鸡的巢16个,以巢为中心选取样方并测量反映巢址的13个特征生境参数,同时分析16个对照样方以进行比较,并通过主成分分析探讨影响巢址选择的主导因子。结果表明:(1)原鸡的巢位于密集的丛生草本下或低矮的灌木丛基部。营巢背景多样,其中位于草本植物下10个(62.5%);灌草丛5个(31.3%);灌木下1个(6.25%)。(2)Mann–WhitneyU检验的结果显示,原鸡偏好于比较开阔、地面落叶稀少而靠近的小道和林缘的位置营巢。(3)主成分分析表明,植被盖度因子和空间位置因子贡献率最大,在降低巢捕食风险中有重要价值,是影响原鸡巢址选择的主要因素。     

原鸡海南亚种的巢址特征

选择适宜的巢址对降低巢捕食风险,提高繁殖成效有重要意义。2008年3—7月,在海南省大田国家级自然保护区,采用随机样线法结合访问法在各种生境类型中系统地寻找原鸡海南亚种(Gallus gallus jabouillei)的巢,并在野外追踪观察基础上用样方法对原鸡的巢址选择进行研究。共记录到原鸡的巢16个,以巢为中心选取样方并测量反映巢址的13个特征生境参数,同时分析16个对照样方以进行比较,并通过主成分分析探讨影响巢址选择的主导因子。结果表明：（1) 原鸡的巢位于密集的丛生草本下或低矮的灌木丛基部。营巢背景多样,其中位于草本植物下10个(62.5%);灌草丛5个(31.3%);灌木下1个(6.25%)。（2) Mann–Whitney U检验的结果显示,原鸡偏好于比较开阔、地面落叶稀少而靠近的小道和林缘的位置营巢。（3) 主成分分析表明,植被盖度因子和空间位置因子贡献率最大,在降低巢捕食风险中有重要价值,是影响原鸡巢址选择的主要因素。     

陕西汉中朱鹮在输电铁塔上的 营巢状况及保护建议

随着高压输电线路的日益增多,鸟类在输电铁塔上的营巢现象日益普遍,其在鸟类保护中的作用以及对输电线路的影响是备受关注的课题。自2018年首次在陕西省汉中市西乡县发现野生朱鹮（Nipponia nippon）在高压输电铁塔上营巢以来,至2020年累计在4个铁塔上统计到7个营巢记录。铁塔巢址通常比树巢更高[（16.3 ± 7.2）m,n = 4],距离干扰源如机动车道[（140 ± 66）m,n = 4]和居民点[（162 ± 95）m,n = 4]较近,距离觅食稻田较远[（235 ± 79）m,n = 4]。铁塔巢址的繁殖生产力为2.3 ± 0.5（n = 6）,显著高于树巢,其原因可能是铁塔巢址较为稳固,不易被大风损毁,且天敌危害较少。由于铁塔巢址周边适于营巢的乔木较多,因而这种异常的营巢现象并非源于天然营巢树木的缺乏。对1只铁塔巢址出生的个体进行了卫星跟踪,表明其第1年的扩散距离为2.0 km,小于树巢出生的个体,而且其活动核心区覆盖了巢址和3条输电线路;第2和第3年的活动核心区分别向外扩散15.5 km和15.3 km,但夏季仍有约1个月的时间返回出生巢址附近。可见这些个体对铁塔和输电线路这种特殊的出生地有较深的印记,今后选择在铁塔上营巢的可能性较高。根据近年来朱鹮在铁塔上的营巢记录和巢址的重复使用情况,我们认为这一异常营巢行为并非偶然个例,今后会有逐年增加的趋势,可能会对电网安全造成潜在风险。2018年的一个铁塔巢址造成输电线路的跳闸后,幼鸟被成功转移至旁边弃用的喜鹊（Pica pica）巢中并顺利出飞,这为类似情况的应对处理提供了可行的参考。此外,建议在野生朱鹮分布区的高压输电铁塔的安全位置安装人工栖架和人工巢筐,既可以满足朱鹮的繁殖需求,又能减少对输电线路的危害。     

营巢植物影响红头长尾山雀的巢被捕食风险

巢址选择对鸟类的巢捕食率具有重要影响,研究鸟类的巢址特征与巢捕食率之间的关系有利于揭示不同巢址特征对鸟类成功繁殖的作用。本研究以2014至2017年在河南董寨国家级自然保护区观察的红头长尾山雀(Aegithalos concinnus)为研究对象,分析了红头长尾山雀在卵期(产卵及孵卵期)(n = 124巢)及育雏期(n = 119巢)被捕食巢和成功巢的日存活率与发现巢的时间和营巢植物种类之间的关系,同时还根据其巢址的总体特征对其巢址安全性进行评级,以探究研究者评估的巢址安全等级对预测巢存活率的有效性。结果显示：在卵期,营巢于竹类植物(如箬竹Indocalamus tessellatus和刚竹属Phyllostachys sp.植物)、茶(Camellia sinensis)、灌草类植物(如蔷薇Rosa spp.和禾本科Gramineae植物)和杉木(Cunninghamia lanceolata)上的红头长尾山雀巢的日存活率皆显著高于在松柏类植物(如油松Pinus massoniana、侧柏Platycladus orientalis和圆柏Juniperus chinensis)上的巢;在育雏期,营巢于灌草类植物上巢的日存活率显著低于竹类、杉木和茶树上巢的日存活率。卵期巢的日存活率随巢日龄的增加而显著降低,但育雏期巢的日存活率不随巢日龄显著变化。此外,巢的日存活率与发现巢的日期之间没有显著关系,研究者评估为巢址安全等级不同的巢,其日存活率也无显著差异。综上所述,本研究的结果表明,营巢于某些特定植物有助于降低红头长尾山雀面临的巢捕食风险,说明营巢植物种类对鸟类的繁殖成功率具有重要影响。     

扎龙保护区骨顶鸡繁殖生态习性的研究

骨顶鸡是我国广泛分布的大中型水禽,为北方夏候鸟。在扎龙保护区,每年3月末4月初迁来。求偶活动在开阔水面进行,配偶是一雌一雄制。4月下旬开始营巢,营巢于开阔水面边缘水草中,巢材主要是香蒲、苔草等,巢间距为50米以上。每年5月上旬开始产卵,每窝8—12枚,雌雄共同孵卵,以雌为主。出雏时间为4—5天,是早成鸟。本文分析骨顶鸡产卵育雏生态行为及繁殖期分布数量变动的特点以及天敌与人类活动影响和经济意义。     

四川南充农田区乌鸫的巢址选择

2007年3～5月在四川省南充市近郊农田区域对乌鸫Turdus merula sowerbyi的巢址选择进行了研究.共调查57个巢址样方,通过主成分分析(PCA)提取到影响乌鸫巢址选择的6个主要因子,其累积贡献率达74.44%, 其中乔木因子的贡献率最高,达26.58%.农田区中,乌鸫在4月中旬开始营巢,营巢树平均高度为16.02±2.29 m,主要巢树种类是白杨.     

荒漠伯劳巢址选择和繁殖成功

2011年5～7月对甘肃安西极旱荒漠国家级自然保护区(N40°21'～40°22',E96°13'～96°14',海拔1 306 m)荒漠伯劳(Lanius isabellinus)巢址选择和繁殖成功进行研究。调查了58巢的巢址因子,巢主要位于营巢树主枝上,巢距地面高度多为2.0～2.5 m。主成分分析结果表明,巢距地面高度、营巢树高度、营巢树胸径和营巢处树干直径是影响荒漠伯劳巢址选择的主要因素,这也是荒漠伯劳适应繁殖地大风天气的结果。既调查巢址数据又明确繁殖情况的49个巢中,红柳(Tamarix ramosissima)(5棵)上巢的繁殖成功率明显高于沙枣(Elaeagnus angusifolia)(43棵)和胡杨(Populus euphratica)(1棵)上的巢,原因可能是红柳郁闭度大。已知窝卵数和繁殖情况的30个巢中,窝卵数分别为2(1巢)、4(7巢)、5(18巢)、6(4巢)。卡方检验结果表明,窝卵数和繁殖成功率之间差异不显著(χ2=3.921,df=3,P0.05)。发现的63个巢中跟踪监测了54个巢(包括调查巢址数据的和未调查巢址数据的)的繁殖情况,54巢中37巢繁殖成功,成功率为68.52%。所有繁殖失败的巢均为产卵阶段或育雏早期阶段由于同类的破坏而导致繁殖失败,繁殖失败巢的数量随着相邻最近巢的距离的增加而减少,因而,繁殖失败可能与种群密度以及种内竞争有关。     

Laying, development and hatching of eggs of the fish ectoparasite Argulus japonicus (Crustacea: Branchiura)

Egg laying of the fish-louse Argulus japonicus was observed and examined experimentally. The effect of temperature on development time and hatching yielded an inverse exponential function. Hatching started after 61–10 days in a temperature span of 15–35 °C. Eggs are laid in strings on hard substrata and covered by a gelatinous material. Females lay between 1–9 strings, 5–226 eggs per string, arranged in 1–6 rows. Four embryonic developmental stages were recognized and the mean hatching efficiency was 50% in the optimal temperature range of 20–30 °C. Hatching efficiency was not related to either the number of eggs in a string or the total number of eggs laid by any particular female. Argulus japonicus displays continuous egg-laying activity with a possibility of an overwintering mechanism which suggests a seasonality of a sort.     

The breeding season of three species of kiwi (Apteryx) in captivity as determined from egg-laying dates

Records from kiwi ( Apteryx spp.) breeding centres were used to obtain laying dates of 403 North Island brown kiwi ( Apteryx australis mantelli ) eggs, 24 great spotted kiwi ( Apteryx haastii ) eggs and 25 little spotted kiwi ( Apteryx owenii ) eggs. North Island brown kiwi outdoors had an annual cycle of egg-laying with 88.5% of eggs laid from June to January. Eggs were laid in every month of the year, with fewest eggs in April (2.1 % of all eggs). The greatest number of eggs was laid in July (15.6% of all eggs), with a second peak of laying in October (13.5% of all eggs). Both the great spotted kiwi and little spotted kiwi had annual cycles of egg-laying, with the main egg-laying seasons being August-January (87.5% of eggs) for the former and July-December (96.0% of eggs) for the latter. The highest peaks of laying were in October and August, respectively. Kiwi eggs were considered to belong to the same clutch if they were laid no more than 40 days apart. Clutch size in the North Island brown and little spotted kiwi was most commonly one or two eggs. In the great spotted kiwi only clutches of one egg were found. The mean clutch size of North Island brown kiwi outdoors (1.51±0.05) did not differ from that of free-living North Island brown kiwi (1.33±0.09). Similarly, there was no difference in the mean clutch size of captive and free-living little spotted kiwi (1.39±0.14 and 1.10±0.07). The mean interval between eggs for kiwi outdoors did not differ between North Island brown kiwi and little spotted kiwi (27.4±0.5 and 30.7±1.8 days). The results indicate that all three species of kiwi maintain annual cycles of egg-laying in captivity, with the main egg-laying season being longer than in free-living birds.     

植被盖度对扬子鳄选巢和卵孵化的影响

于2002～2005年持续4年对自然和半自然环境下扬子鳄的87座巢内产卵与孵化情况进行观察,观察内容包括产卵时间、窝卵数、孵化期、孵化率等,同时对建巢处的植被盖度和植物种类进行观测。结果得出扬子鳄建巢所需的植被盖度适宜范围是63％～88％,鳄巢建在这种盖度范围内,巢内卵的自然孵化期缩短。     

CLUTCH CHARACTERISTICS AND EGG DISCRIMINATIVE ABILITY OF THE AFRICAN VILLAGE WEAVERBIRD PLOCEUS CUCULLATUS

Over a three-year period, 917 eggs from 27 females were collected from a captive colony of African Village Weaverbirds Ploceus c. cucullatus. A study was made of egg-laying and incubation behaviour, clutch characteristics and egg recognition.
Fifteen yearling females laid their first clutches at a mean age of 348 days after hatching. The mean clutch-size was 2.26 in adults and 1.68 in yearlings. The mean clutch replacement interval was 6.6 days in adults and 7.4 days in yearlings with an absolute minimum of 4 days. Eggs were laid at intervals of from 24 to 26 hours beginning usually 2–3 hours after dawn.
The eggs laid by this species vary in ground colour and pattern of spotting between different females, but egg pigmentation is constant for each individual bird. The results of 322 egg-replacement tests showed that an individual female could recognise her own egg type and would eject from the nest eggs differing markedly from her own. The incidence of rejection was proportional the degree of difference between the eggs. The possible implications for parasitism by the Didric Cuckoo Chrysococcyx cuprius are discussed.     

Egg laying preference of Sesamia nonagrioides (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) among primary and secondary hosts

Sesamia nonagrioides Lefébvre (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) has a fairly wide range of host plants. The present study tests the egg-laying preference of S. nonagrioides on four potential host plants (maize, sweet and fiber sorghum and johnsongrass) with respect to several life history traits. No-choice and two-choice tests in all possible combinations were conducted. Concerning no-choice tests, significantly higher number of eggs were laid on sweet sorghum (282.5 eggs/female) in relation to the other tested plants. Moreover, viability of eggs that were laid on sweet sorghum was significantly higher in relation to those that were laid on johnsongrass. Longevity of females reared on maize plants was significantly greater compared with the other test plants except johnsongrass. Furthermore, pre-oviposition period of females reared on maize was significantly longer (2.4-fold) compared with that on sweet sorghum and johnsongrass. Similarly post-oviposition period of females reared on maize was significantly longer compared with that on fiber sorghum. On two choice tests significantly fewer eggs were laid on sweet sorghum than on maize. On the other hand, significantly more eggs were laid on sweet sorghum than on fiber sorghum and johnsongrass. We discuss the potential of secondary hosts to be used as trap plants.     

Manipulation of laying effort reveals habitat-specific variation in egg production constraints in Great Tits (Parus major)

It has been suggested that a bird's clutch size is not limited by the amount of resources available at the time of laying but that differences in the availability of food for nestlings is the ultimate underlying factor determining spatio-temporal variations in clutch size. However, habitat-related variations in egg production ability has yet to be investigated explicitly. We studied the breeding of Great Tits Parus major in deciduous and coniferous forests in the same area. The sizes of both the clutches and the eggs were, on average, larger in the former habitat than in the latter. A number of females were induced to lay more eggs than usual by removing four eggs from designated experimental clutches early in the laying period. These manipulated females laid approximately one egg more than control females, with the number of additional eggs laid not differing between the habitats. However, in both study years the relative size of the extra eggs – relative to the mean size of earlier laid eggs of the same clutch – was smaller in the coniferous habitat than in the deciduous habitat, while there was no habitat-related difference in the relative size of the last-laid eggs of control clutches. This result indicates that some form of proximate limitation during egg-laying period can contribute to the relatively small clutches and eggs in the coniferous habitat. Our results emphasize the need to take egg production costs into account when attempting to account for spatial variation in the reproductive behaviour of birds.     

自然环境下影响扬子鳄繁殖的环境因子

生态因子对生物的生长、发育、生殖和分布有着直接和间接的影响.在1998～2005年对扬子鳄繁殖研究中心内自然环境下鳄卵及其繁殖地环境因子进行调查,包括窝卵数、产卵时间、出壳时间、孵化期内温度、湿度的变化情况、雏鳄孵出后的存活数量以及巢区的植被盖度.调查发现天气状况直接影响母鳄产卵时间、卵的孵化质量与雏鳄的出壳数量.盖度相对大于0.5的窝巢中多数卵基本能正常发育,盖度小于0.5的窝巢中可能只有少数几枚卵发育正常.     

Changes in femoral robusticity and porosity during the reproductive cycle of the female alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)

To help understand the nature of skeletal changes during the reproductive cycle of the female alligator, we compared femoral robusticity (density) and porosity of cross-sections from the midshafts of femora from the following groups of female alligators: (1) immature; (2) pre-ovulatory; (3) postovulatory with soft-shelled oviducal eggs; (4) post-ovulatory with hard-shelled oviducal eggs; (5) post-ovulatory with eggs in the nest; (6) post-ovulatory with hatched eggs; and (7) mature, quiescent. Femora from alligators with eggs in the nest were significantly less robust (dense) than those of the other groups except those with hard-shelled oviducal eggs. Cross sections from the midshaft of femora from alligators with eggs in the nest were significantly more porous than those from all the other groups. The results indicated that calcium was mobilized from the femoral shaft shortly before eggs were laid and that femoral density returned to normal levels for mature alligators 1–2 months after egg-laying.     

Behavior of triatomines (Hemiptera:Reduviidae) vectors of Chagas' disease. IV. Fecundity, fertility and longevity of Panstrongylus megistus (Burm., 1835) pairs and virgin females starved under laboratory conditions

A laboratory study was conducted on the fecundity, fertility and life span of Panstrongylus megistus pairs and on the fecundity and life span of P. megistus virgin females submitted to starvation after the last moulting. Of the mated females, 22.2% laid eggs, 4.4% of which were fertile. Females resisted starvation more than males. Of the starved virgin females, only 10% laid eggs, with a low egg-laying rate (0.47) per female. Resistance to starvation was lower in virgin than in mated females.     

The influence of snow conditions on the date of breeding of wading birds in north-east Greenland

The young of wading birds that breed in some parts of the arctic hatch when their insect food supply is most abundant. This appears to be the ultimate factor determining the date of egg-laying. In various other arctic birds the date of breeding may be influenced, directly or indirectly, by the time at which snow or ice melts. The Joint Biological Expedition to N.E. Greenland 1974 studied Ringed plovers Charadrius hiaticula , Dunlins Calidris aplina , Sanderlings Calidris alba , Knots Calidris canutus , and Turnstones Arenaria interpres breeding in various areas within 80 km of each other.
In 1974 the thaw was two or three weeks later than normal in the region. The time at which snow cleared and the dates of breeding of the waders differed considerably between valleys: breeding was delayed in valleys that cleared late. In all areas egg-laying ceased early in July, probably because chicks hatching from eggs laid later would not be ready to migrate by the end of the summer. Hence the mean date and length of the egg-laying period were determined by the date of snow clearance from the breeding areas.
Studies of the potential food resources indicate that the waders in N.E. Greenland do not appear to time their breeding so that the young hatch at some peak of food abundance. Sufficient food resources are probably available over a long period of time.