Relationships Between Landscape Greenness and Condition of Elk,Mule Deer,and Pronghorn in New Mexico

Nutritional condition drives large herbivore population performance and is related to precipitation and forage quality in the arid Southwest. Because precipitation is difficult to measure at home-range scales, we tested whether satellite-derived vegetation indices of landscape greenness (i.e., indices of vegetation phenology or photosynthetic activity including normalized difference vegetation index [NDVI], soil-adjusted vegetation index [SAVI], and enhanced vegetation index [EVI]) were correlated to the condition of three species of large herbivores (elk, mule deer, pronghorn). We used canonical correlation analysis to relate seasonal landscape greenness with several measures of large herbivore condition. We also used linear mixed models to relate each measure of condition to seasonal landscape greenness separately for each herbivore population-year to see if any patterns were masked by multivariate analysis. Landscape greenness indices were only weakly related to condition of large herbivores, and the effect of landscape greenness on condition was always weaker than lactation status with the exception of pronghorn, an income breeder. Different indices also frequently gave highly variable and conflicting relationships between seasonal landscape greenness and condition of large herbivores. Overall, expected positive relationships between herbivore condition and landscape greenness indices were seen in only 8% of 2 988 possible outcomes. Because indices of landscape greenness are increasingly being used to relate wildlife population demographics to precipitation through a presumed effect on forage quality and resultant nutritional condition, we caution this use in arid environments unless a direct landscape greenness-forage quality or greenness-condition link is demonstrated.     

白唇鹿的研究现状及保护策略

通过报道白唇鹿在起源进化、生态生物学、组织解剖学、生理生化及社群行为学等方面的研究现状，阐述白唇鹿在进化、分布、繁殖、社群行为、组织解剖等方面已取得的成果，并根据白唇鹿的当前实况，提出相应的保护策略。     

First detection of adiaspiromycosis in the lungs of a deer

Adiaspiromycosis is a pulmonary infection caused by the soil fungi, Emmonsia crescens and E. parva. It primarily affects small mammals and can range from an asymptomatic condition to fatal disseminated disease. We detected a granuloma containing fungal spherules, which were morphologically consistent with the adiaspores of E. crescens in the lungs of a female Hokkaido sika deer. This is the first reported case of adiaspiromycosis involving a cervid in the world.     

Novel hemotropic Mycoplasma species in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus)

Globally, hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. are emerging or re-emerging zoonotic pathogens that affect livestock, wildlife, companion animals, and humans, potentially causing serious and economically important disease problems. Little is known about hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. prevalence, host-specificity, or route of transmission in most species, including wildlife. DNA amplification by PCR targeting the 16SrRNA and the RNaseP genes was used to establish the presence and prevalence of hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. in a white-tailed deer (O. virginianus) population in eastern North Carolina. Sixty-five deer (89%) tested positive for hemotropic Mycoplasma spp. where sequence analysis of the 16SsRNA and the RNaseP genes indicated the presence of at least three distinct species. This study represents the first detection of three distinct hemotropic Mycoplasma species in white-tailed deer and the first report of two novel hemotropic Mycoplasma species.     

Glycoconjugate Histochemistry in the Duodenum of Fetal and Adult Fallow Deer

This work aimed to characterize the complex carbohydrates in the duodenum of fetal and adult fallow deer. The proximal parts of the duodenum were removed from the intestine of 12- and 16-week-old fetuses and of adult fallow deer. Sections were assessed by conventional carbohydrate histochemistry combined with glycosidase digestions and treatment with KOH. During development, there was an increase in the acid carboxylated components of the glycoconjugates in goblet cells, while the duodenal glands expressed high quantities of sulphated glycoconjugates at the beginning of development but, in the adult, mainly secreted neutral and carboxylated glycoconjugates containing sialic acid. Sulphated components, probably represented by chondroitin sulphate B-like and heparan sulphate-like glycosaminoglycans may play a role in the morphofunctional differentiation of the duodenum.     

梅花鹿Thymosin beta 10基因RNAi慢病毒载体的构建及其对鹿茸干细胞增殖的影响

利用慢病毒干扰系统,对梅花鹿生茸区骨膜干细胞(Antlerogenic periosteum cells,AP细胞)Thymosin beta 10(Tβ10)基因进行RNA干扰(RNA Interference,RNAi),并初步研究该基因对细胞增殖的影响。结果表明:试验设计的3条针对梅花鹿Tβ10基因的shRNA序列与载体质粒p LVTHM连接成功,与p SPAX2、p MD2.G质粒共转染HEK 293T细胞,获得的重组慢病毒成功感染了AP细胞;荧光定量PCR检测结果表明,RNA干扰后Tβ10基因的mRNA水平下调,MTT试验结果显示Tβ10基因的下调可以抑制AP细胞增殖。试验成功构建了针对梅花鹿Tβ10基因RNAi载体,并成功干扰了Tβ10基因在AP细胞中的表达,基因下调最高可达35.6%,并初步确定Tβ10基因下调可抑制AP细胞的增殖。     

低蛋白质日粮补充赖氨酸、蛋氨酸对离乳期梅花鹿氮代谢的影响

为研究低蛋白质日粮添加赖氨酸和蛋氨酸对仔鹿氮代谢的影响,采用4×4完全拉丁方试验,选取3月龄、健康、离乳梅花鹿仔鹿4只,体重为(30±0.12)kg(X?±SD),进行消化代谢试验。对照组(Ⅰ组)饲喂16.28%粗蛋白质的高蛋白质日粮,试验组饲喂13.40%粗蛋白质,添加0.23%赖氨酸,并分别添加0(Ⅱ组)、0.06%(Ⅲ组)、0.12%(Ⅳ组)蛋氨酸的低蛋白质日粮。结果表明:1)对照组蛋白质消化率显著高于Ⅱ组(P<0.01)、Ⅲ组和Ⅳ组(P<0.05),脂肪消化率显著低于Ⅱ组(P<0.01),其他营养物质消化率差异不显著(P>0.05)。2)对照组和Ⅳ组蛋氨酸消化率显著高于Ⅱ组和Ⅲ组(P<0.05),对照组其余氨基酸消化率(赖氨酸、胱氨酸除外)显著高于各试验组(P<0.05)。3)对照组吸收氮显著高于Ⅱ组(P<0.01)、Ⅲ组和Ⅳ组(P<0.05),尿氮排放量显著高于各试验组(P<0.05),氮利用率及氮生物学效价低于各试验组(P>0.05)。4)对照组尿嘌呤衍生物总排放量显著大于Ⅱ组(P<0.01)和Ⅲ组(P<0.05),尿囊素显著大于Ⅱ组(P<0.01)、Ⅲ组和Ⅳ组(P<0.05),对照组、Ⅲ组和Ⅳ组黄嘌呤和次黄嘌呤显著高于Ⅱ组(P<0.01)。补充赖氨酸、蛋氨酸可改善低蛋白质日粮仔鹿营养物质消化率利用率,除粗蛋白外其他营养物质消化率与常规蛋白质水平相近,甚至更好,提高氮沉积、氮利用率和生物学效价,改善氮平衡,减少氮排放,降低环境污染。     

雌性圈养马麝行为的初步研究

为了解雌性圈养马麝Moschus sifanicus的行为特征，于2002—2003年在甘肃省兴隆山麝场采用焦点取样、扫描取样和连续记录结合的方法，对雌性马麝在非交配季节及交配季节的行为进行取样和比较分析。研究结果表明，相对于非交配季节，雌麝在交配季节的静卧频次较少，但差异不显著，站立凝视、环境探究、冲突行为和运动，显著或极显著增加，而摄食、反刍行为极显著减少，亲和行为下降，但差异不显著。此外，在繁殖交配季节，雌麝有蹭尾行为发生。雌麝季节间的行为差异同它们繁殖策略和时间、能量投资的调整有关。     

雄性梅花鹿仔鹿越冬期配合日粮适宜蛋白质水平的研究

为探讨不同蛋白质水平配合日粮对雄性梅花鹿仔鹿越冬期蛋白质消化率及生产性能的影响,试验选用18头雄性梅花鹿仔鹿随机分成4组,分别饲喂4种不同蛋白质水平的配合日粮（平均粗蛋白质水平分别为8.71%、11.88%、15.66%和17.95%）,进行饲养试验及消化试验。结果表明,仔鹿越冬期配合日粮适宜蛋白质水平为15.66%。     

梅花鹿茸生长过程中顶端不同组织COL1A1基因启动子DNA甲基化模式及差异分析

为探究COL1A1基因表达的Ⅰ型胶原蛋白α1链在组成生物体结构和骨发育中的重要作用,以梅花鹿茸生长过程的小鞍子（前期）、二杠（中期）和三杈茸（后期）3个典型时期鹿茸顶端组织及其茸皮、间充质、前软骨和软骨4个组织层为试验材料,采用亚硫酸氢盐测序法（BSP技术）,从时空角度研究鹿茸生长过程中顶端不同组织COL1A1基因启动子区DNA甲基化模式及其相互间DNA甲基化差异。结果显示：1)COL1A1基因在前、中、后期的茸皮组织中的甲基化率分别为（9.73±0.92）%、（7.60±0.69）%和（3.73±0.23）%;间充质组织中的甲基化率分别为（3.20±0.40）%、（1.33±0.23）%和（1.60±0.69）%;前软骨组织中的甲基化率分别为（4.67±0.83）%、（2.53±0.46）%和（2.67±0.23）%;软骨组织中的甲基化率分别为（5.60±0.40）%、（2.80±0.40）%和（2.27±0.61）%。2)COL1A1基因启动子区的甲基化区域共有25个CG位点,在17个CG位点上均发生了不同程度的甲基化。3）对COL1A1基因启动子区DNA甲基化差异分析发现,相同时...