Scale-dependent habitat use in three species of prairie wetland birds

We evaluated the influence of scale on habitat use for three wetland-obligate bird species with divergent life history characteristics and possible scale-dependent criteria for nesting and foraging in South Dakota, USA. A stratified, two-stage cluster sample was used to randomly select survey wetlands within strata defined by region, wetland density, and wetland surface area. We used 18-m (0.1 ha) fixed radius circular-plots to survey birds in 412 semipermanent wetlands during the summers of 1995 and 1996. Variation in habitat use by pied-billed grebes (Podilymbus podiceps) and yellow-headed blackbirds (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus), two sedentary species that rarely exploit resources outside the vicinity of nest wetlands, was explained solely by within-patch variation. Yellow-headed blackbirds were a cosmopolitan species that commonly nested in small wetlands, whereas pied-billed grebes were an area-sensitive species that used larger wetlands regardless of landscape pattern. Area requirements for black terns (Chlidonias niger), a vagile species that typically forages up to 4 km away from the nest wetland, fluctuated in response to landscape structure. Black tern area requirements were small (6.5 ha) in heterogeneous landscapes compared to those in homogeneous landscapes (15.4–32.6 ha). Low wetland density landscapes composed of small wetlands, where few nesting wetlands occurred and potential food sources were spread over large distances, were not widely used by black terns. Landscape-level measurements related to black tern occurrence extended past relationships between wetlands into the surrounding matrix. Black terns were more likely to occur in landscapes where grasslands had not been tilled for agricultural production. Our findings represent empirical evidence that characteristics of entire landscapes, rather than individual patches, must be quantified to assess habitat suitability for wide-ranging species that use resources over large areas.     

东洞庭湖湿地水鸟群落季节动态格局

为了对东洞庭湖湿地鸟类的继续研究提供数据和理论依据,2005年7月~2006年12月采用样方法和样线法对该湿地水鸟进行了调查,共记录到水鸟89种,并对其季节动态格局进行了研究分析,结果表明,全年水鸟种类和数量均是冬季多,夏季少,特别是数量波动有明显的冬季高峰期和夏季低谷期,季节差异非常显著。     

秦岭北麓关中地区野鸟源基因Ⅸ型新城疫病毒病原学监测及分离株毒力测定

为评价秦岭北麓关中地区野鸟源基因Ⅸ型斯城疫病毒(NDV)流行及毒力情况,对374份源于该区域健康野鸟的咽喉、泄殖腔拭子进行病毒分离与鉴定,并对NDV分离株进行生物学特征和遗传进化分析.结果共分离到5株野鸟源NDV(包括2株候鸟源),其致病指数MDT、ICPI、IVPI差异较大,分别为37.2～64.8 h,0.425～1.638,2.04～2.76.F基因(535 bp)推导氨基酸序列和同源性分析显示,5株NDV分离毒均具有强毒的融合(F)蛋白裂解位点112R-R-Q-R-R-F117,5株分离毒间同源性高达99.8％～100.0％.F基因高变区(42～420 nt,374 bp)分析显示5株分离毒均属于我国特有的基因Ⅸ型NDV,与我国早期的基因Ⅸ型NDV流行株F48E9亲缘关系很近(核苷酸同源性为99.4％～99.6％),而与La Sota和V4等传统疫苗株及目前家禽中流行基因Ⅶ型NDV毒株亲缘关系较远.本研究表明,健康野鸟为基因ⅨNDV的携带者,尽管首次获得的5株野鸟源基因Ⅸ型NDV毒株生物学特征差异较大,但均具有强毒的分子生物学特征及致病性,提示对周边环境和家禽养殖业存在潜在威胁.     

西宁地区AA父母代肉种鸡生产性能初步观测

观测了西宁华青蛋禽公司肉鸡场ＡＡ父母代种鸡的生产性能。结果表明，雏鸡成活率为９６．７５％，育成期成活率９７．２１％，产蛋期成活率８２．５３％，饲养日平均产蛋率５１．７２％，产蛋高峰产蛋率７７．６５％，６２周累计产蛋量１３０枚，平均蛋重６７．８５ｇ，入孵蛋孵化率７２．１７％。     

1株野鸭源鸡贫血病病毒的分离鉴定及其编码区基因序列分析

利用MDCC细胞系从东北地区采集的死亡野生鸟类样品中分离获得1株禽类病毒,对该病毒进行特异性PCR、特异性间接免疫荧光法等系统鉴定后,证实该分离株为鸡贫血病病毒(CAV),命名为WDNE110501株.利用PCR方法克隆出其编码区基因片段,测序结果表明,WDNE110501株的编码区全长为1 823 bp,无碱基缺失或插入.并将该基因序列和推导的氨基酸序列与国内外已发表的34个CAV株编码区基因进行同源性和亲缘关系的比对分析,同源性为96.1％～99.8％;氨基酸的同源性为89.8％～99.7％,与国内毒株harbin的差异最小,与国外最近的是美国毒株98D02152.序列比较表明CAV的3个编码基因VP1、VP2和VP3均有一定程度变异,以VP1变异性最大,且在不同毒株间的这3个阅读框的氨基酸序列变异是互不相关的.这是首次在野生鸟类中分离出CAV病毒,提示了我们野生鸟类在鸡传染性贫血病病毒传播和分布中可能起到一定作用.     

江苏省天福国家湿地公园鸟类栖息地植物群落特征对鸻鹬类水鸟的影响研究

目的 研究栖息地植物群落特征的季度变化规律,探讨其对鸻鹬类水鸟群落的影响机制,为鸟类栖息地管理提供科学依据。 方法 2019/07—2020/07期间,在天福国家湿地公园鸟类栖息地,利用样方法和样线法分别获取植物群落特征数据和鸻鹬类水鸟群落数据,通过转换变量,构建回归模型。通过主成分分析和聚类分析对鸻鹬类水鸟进行鸟类集团划分。 结果 统计分析发现：（1）天福国家湿地公园共记录到草本植物30科72属77种,鸻鹬类水鸟18种230只;（2）植物群落高度和植被覆盖度的比值与鸻鹬类水鸟个体总数和鸟类个体总数的比值呈显著正相关;（3）不同性状的鸻鹬类对植物群落特征的季度变化响应程度有差异,通过主成分分析和聚类分析将鸻鹬类水鸟划分成4个鸟类集团,其中集团4即中翼长、中嘴裂长、中跗跖长的鸻鹬类水鸟受植物群落特征的季度变化影响大于其他鸻鹬类鸟类集团。（4）目前天福国家湿地公园保护管理中心未进行区分不同植物群落而采取有差别的管理措施,属于无区别化干扰。 结论 天福国家湿地公园鸟类栖息地植物群落特征对鸻鹬类水鸟群落特征有显著影响,且对不同鸻鹬类鸟类集团的影响机制具有差异性;研究区无区别化的栖息地管理措施须结合植被群落演替规律及不同性状鸻鹬类水鸟的生境需求而精准改进,建议针对不同鸻鹬类鸟类集团的差异性生境需求,精准管理不同的植物群落特征,同时增加不同类别的栖息地管理措施。     

Avian anaesthesia related mortality and the associated risk factors in a UK zoological collection

ObjectiveTo analyse avian anaesthesia-related mortality in a UK zoological collection over a 5-year period and identify risk factors for mortality.Study designRetrospective cohort study.AnimalsA total of 135 individual birds across 37 species, anaesthetized during 206 events in a UK zoological collection between 1 January 2014 and 30 June 2019 (inclusive).MethodsAnaesthesia records were reviewed and variables such as age, body condition, weight, sex, duration of anaesthesia and health status were collated. Anaesthesia-related mortality was defined as those deaths occurring during anaesthesia and up to 7 days postanaesthesia. Outcome was analysed using multivariable conditional logistic regression. Overall mortality was defined and included birds euthanised during anaesthesia for non-anaesthesia related reasons. Data were summarised as median (range). A value of p < 0.05 was considered significant. Relative risks and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated for the association between risk factors and anaesthetic death where a statistically significant difference was found.ResultsThe overall mortality rate was 10.19% (95% CI = 6.06–14.3%), while anaesthesia-related mortality was 3.88% (95% CI = 1.69–7.51%). Birds with an abnormal health status had a 15.53-fold (95% CI = 1.95–123.63) increased risk of death compared with those with a normal health status. The duration of anaesthesia was also a statistically significant risk factor (p = 0.021) in the univariable analysis, but not when combined with health status. No other variables were associated with anaesthesia-related mortality.Conclusions and clinical relevanceAbnormal health status and longer anaesthetic procedures were associated with a significantly increased risk of anaesthesia-related death in this population of birds. It is recommended that anaesthetic duration is minimized, and pre-existing diseases are diagnosed where possible prior to general anaesthesia of birds. Anaesthetizing healthy birds was associated with a low risk of mortality.     

长沙黑麋峰冬季鸟类资源调查及多样性分析

通过对黑麋峰森林公园鸟类资源的初步调查,共鉴定鸟类28种,隶属于5个目,15个科,25个属。公园内的Shannon-Wiener指数为0.864 6,均匀度指数为0.597 5。同时,用G-F指数对该地区鸟类的科与属的多样性指数进行了分析,得出G指数为1.374 5,F指数为1.586 2,G-F指数为0.133 5。与湖南其它几个地区的鸟类多样性相比,黑麋峰的鸟类多样性较低,并进一步分析了其鸟类多样性低的原因。     

Selection of taxa as indicators of river and freshwater wetland quality in the UK

• 1. To assess the efficacy of environmental management policies and practices, there is a progressive transition from monitoring of activities towards assessment of their outcomes for the environment.
• 2. Population trends of key taxonomic groups can serve as useful indicators of broader environmental integrity and health. Several necessary and desirable criteria for selecting meaningful and suitable indicators are discussed. The attributes of a range of taxa and survey methods used for their assessment are discussed with reference to these criteria.
• 3. Survey methods, data holdings and analytical methods for populations of wild birds at present provide a good basis for developing indicators of the quality of fresh waters at a landscape scale. Other taxa are not necessarily any less appropriate; however, survey design and data representativeness are often limiting factors to the use of other taxa for assessing geographic and temporal trends.
• 4. Taxonomic science and ecological monitoring are necessary for determining society' progress with sustainable development and for informing appropriate enhancements to policy and management practice, particularly so for fresh waters.

Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.