No evidence for avoidance of black rat scent by the presumably less competitive Natal multimammate mouse in a choice experiment

In Africa, indigenous multimammate mice (Mastomys natalensis) only appear to live commensally in houses when invasive black rats (Rattus rattus) are absent, yet little is known about the underlying mechanism. Avoidance through smell may cause the absence of M. natalensis from areas occupied by R. rattus, but this hypothesis has not yet been tested. We conducted a Y-maze choice experiment where 15 M. natalensis were offered a choice between corridors containing conspecific scent, R. rattus scent and a control scent. Residence time in the R. rattus corridor was greater than that in the control corridor but equal to that in the M. natalensis corridor, suggesting that multimammate mice do not actively avoid the scent of their invasive competitor.     

黑龙江龙口自然保护区黑熊春季生境选择

分别于2008年4～5月和2009年4～5月,在龙口自然保护区对黑熊春季生境选择进行了研究,野外工作共设置87个10 m×10 m样方,并调查12个生态因子,其中利用样方41个,对照样方46个。通过Vanderploeg ＆Scavia选择指数得到,黑熊喜爱选择处于高海拔（〉450 m）、上坡位有石砬子且草本盖度适中（10%～40%）的生境,倾向选择乔木密度高（〉10株/100 m2）、郁闭度大（〉40%）、灌木密度较低（〈10%）、隐蔽级低（〈30%）、倒木密度大（〉1根/100 m2）、陡坡（〉30°）且向阳的针阔混交林。主成分分析与资源选择函数分析共同得到海拔、坡度、坡位、植被类型对黑熊生境选择影响较大,坡向和倒木密度影响较小的结果。综合分析,将Vanderploeg ＆ Scavia选择指数、主成分分析与资源选择函数相结合可以更好地反映黑熊生境选择情况。     

灌丛草地放牧山羊的牧草适口性与嗜食性及山羊采食率研究

通过对放牧山羊的牧草适口性，嗜食性和采食率及其相互关系的分析，表明山羊放牧对灌丛草地的植物适口性、嗜食性比率和采食率均以灌木嫩枝叶，中禾草和苔草属植物较优。季节性规律为：春季山羊喜哺食灌木嫩枝叶，灌木嗜食性比率较高，采食率也较高，夏季山羊喜草本植物，草本植物的嗜食性比率高于灌木，秋季山羊较喜啃食灌木枝叶，嗜食性比率灌木高于草本植物，采食率低于春季，灌木采食率高于草本植物。     

Ability of heifers to discriminate between familiar herdmates and members of an unfamiliar group: preference test and operant conditioning test

Using a preference test and operant conditioning in a Y-maze, this experiment examined the ability of heifers to discriminate between their own familiar herdmates and member(s) of an unfamiliar group. Sixteen Danish Friesian heifers, eight older animals (360.6 ± 24.2 days of age) and eight younger ones (190.1 ± 14.1 days of age) were used. Each age group was further divided into two experimental groups. Members of each of these groups were housed together in small pens before the experiments began. In experiment 1, each of the 16 animals was allowed to approach either a familiar or an unfamiliar individual in the Y-maze. The test was repeated 12 times, with a different unfamiliar subject for each test. In experiment 2, eight heifers were individually tested in a conditioning experiment to examine whether they could learn to discriminate between a group of their three herdmates and a group of three unfamiliar heifers. Test animals were rewarded when they chose their own group. In experiment 1, heifers did not show a preference between familiar and unfamiliar individuals. Interestingly the younger stimulus heifers but not the test animals showed an ability to discriminate between unfamiliar animals by vocalizing. In experiment 2, four of the eight test animals achieved the criterion for successful discrimination between the familiar and unfamiliar group ( P  < 0.003: binomial law). There was no age group difference in the ability to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar animals. In conclusion, heifers did not show a preference toward familiar or unfamiliar individuals; but after conditioning, some heifers could learn to discriminate between familiar and unfamiliar groups.     

海南坡鹿饲草粗蛋白质和微量元素含量与喜食性的关系

在海南大田国家级自然保护区围栏内,测定海南坡鹿饲草的喜食性;采集坡鹿经常采食的草本植物和灌木各18种,测定其粗蛋白质、铁、锰、锌和铜含量,并分析其与饲草喜食性的相关关系.结果显示,随着粗蛋白质和微量元素含量增加,饲草的喜食性显著提高,海南坡鹿优先摄取粗蛋白质和微量元素含量丰富的饲草.灌木类饲草的粗蛋白质、铁、锰、锌和铜含量分别为12.24%、265.44、61.43、26.72和17.82mg/kg,均显著高于草本类饲草含量(依次为9.39%、142.67、34.05、13.67和9.44mg/kg).灌木是海南坡鹿旱季长达半年多时间里在大田保护区围栏内得以维持平衡的生态营养需要的重要营养源.对海南坡鹿饲草资源量的研究表明,大田保护区围栏内坡鹿喜食的灌木类饲草的可采食资源量在逐步减少,这是由于它们被坡鹿长期选择性采食所导致的.     

Sward characteristics,nutritive value and choice by cattle of conterminous monocultures of centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides) and bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum)

In south‐western Japan, centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides; CG) offers a novel option for a warm‐season perennial for grazing use in areas where bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum; BG) can be grown. However, the potential of CG as a forage has not been fully explored because of the short history as a forage crop. We conducted four experiments to evaluate CG (cv. TifBlair) in comparison with BG (cv. Pensacola) in terms of sward characteristics, nutritive value and choice by animals. In each experiment, four Japanese Black cows (Bos taurus) were individually allowed to graze conterminous monocultures of CG and BG (5 × 10 m each) for 30 min. Irrespective of regrowth durations and fertilizer rates, CG was consistently shorter, leafier and denser, contained lower acid detergent fiber and cellulose, and was preferred or equally selected by cows, as compared with BG. Furthermore, CG maintained sufficient levels of crude protein (80–89 g/kg DM) to ensure voluntary intake of ruminant animals under extended regrowth^? and without fertilizer, whereas BG failed to do so (65 g/kg DM). CG provided higher digestible dry matter than BG when crude protein concentration exceeded 86 g/kg DM. The results indicate advantages of CG as a forage.     

中蜂对不同蜂花粉的取食偏好

以来自不同地区的10个蜂花粉,在云南及重庆两地的缺粉季节饲喂中蜂蜂群,探索中蜂对花粉取食的偏好。研究结果显示中蜂蜂群对来自不同地方不同种类的花粉有选择偏好性,对同种花粉选择差异性不显著,发现中蜂对所用的山东茶花粉的取食量最大。     

Foot use and hand preference during feeding in captive black‐and‐white snub‐nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti)

Postural origin theory predicts that body postures are related to hand preference in nonhuman primates due to hemispheric specialization. Foot preference, especially in manipulating objects, is also a good predictor of hemispheric specialization in humans. We studied limb (hand and foot) preferences in 11 captive adult black‐and‐white snub‐nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus bieti) to see how limb preference is influenced by postures and foot manipulation. Hand preference was significantly different for this group between quadrupedal standing and clinging postures, and sitting and clinging postures, but not between bipedal standing and clinging postures. Individuals were significantly more likely to use the right hand in the clinging posture than in quadrupedal standing or sitting postures. In the sitting posture, individuals maintained their respective hand preference even when the food was on the other side of the body. There was a gender difference in the sitting posture, where females preferred their right hand but males preferred their left. Individuals who did not routinely use their feet to manipulate objects, compared to those who did, shifted to greater right hand use from the clinging posture to the bipedal posture. One male individual and his offspring were more likely to use their feet to manipulate objects than the rest of the monkeys. In the present study, we reveal the first evidence of a postural effect on hand preference in R. bieti as well as a foot preference in this species. Our results mostly agree with the postural origin theory and hemispheric specialization.     

Seasonal variations in the diet and food selection of the Algerian hedgehog Atelerix algirus

The Algerian hedgehog Atelerix algirus is an insectivorous species. However, the exact composition of its natural diet remains largely undetermined, especially in relation to seasonal variations in food availability. From March to November, we simultaneously analysed the composition of 180 hedgehog faecal samples and food availability in the Soumman Valley, Algeria to assess food selection in this species. The faeces contained 196 different prey species, of which 92% belonged to the class Insecta. The highest prey species diversity was found in the Coleoptera order (100 species recorded) and the highest species occurrence was found in Hymenoptera (65% of the prey items, mainly represented by the harvester ant Messor barbarus, a crop-ravaging species). This study shows that the Algerian hedgehog is mainly a generalist species with a diet that is strongly linked to food availability. However, seasonal variations were observed in prey selection, and a notable shift in food preference was observed during autumn. The exact nature of these changes in feeding behaviour remains to be investigated, notably in relation to changes in energy requirements of this species before hibernation, in terms of quantity and/or quality.     

风景园林研究的跨界融合与量化革新——以香港大学城市环境与人类健康实验室为例

以香港大学城市环境与人类健康实验室这一新兴学术共同体作为研究切入点,使用文献综述与案例研究的方法深入探讨学术共同体在推动风景园林学科的发展和进步中扮演的关键角色。研究结果发现：该实验室在以往的风景园林学科内容、框架和知识体系基础上,运用新兴技术并结合定量的统计学方法,将城市环境与居民健康紧密相连,为快速城市化地区的环境和人类健康问题提供高效、精准、人文关怀且切实可行的解决方案,并极大地拓展了风景园林学科的研究领域;实验室的核心关注点在于城市感知：探究城市环境特征如何以及在何种程度上通过心理、生理等途径影响人类健康;在健康城市领域,这支先锋团队担任着理论研究、技术探索以及教育者的角色。