Ma Jianzhang

Spatial Distribution of Ungulate Responses to Habitat Factors in Wandashan Forest Region, Northeastern China

Abstract

Identification of sika deer and red deer using partial cytochrome b and 12s ribosomal RNA genes

A study was conducted on the identifications of the degraded samples of sika deer (Cervus nippon) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) by phylogenetic and nucleotide distance analysis of partial Cytb and 12s rRNA genes sequences. 402 bp Cytb genes were achieved by PCR-sequencing using DNA extracted from 8 case samples, and contrasted with 27 sequences of Cytb gene downloaded from GenBank database. The values of three nucleotide distance between three suspected samples and sika deer were identical (0.26±0.006), which was smaller than the smallest nucleotide distance between eastern red deer and sika deer (0.036). Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of sika deer and red deer indicated that the evidences located within the same cluster as sika deer. The evidences were sika deer materials. As the same way, other three suspected samples were derived from red deer. The results were further confirmed by phylogenetic and nucleotide distance analysis of 387 bp 12s rRNA gene. The method was powerful and less time-consuming and helpful to reduce the related cases with wildlife.

Restriction endonucleases digesting DNA in PCR buffer

Six commonly used restriction endonucleases (REs) (Acc I, Ban II, EcoR I, Hind III, Sac I, Sca I) were tested for their ability to directly digest DNA completely in the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) buffers. The results showed that: with the requirement for additional magnesium supplemented as activator, REs, except EcoR I appeared star activity, completely digested unmethylated lambda DNA after overnight incubation in PCR buffer and functioned as equally well as in recommended Restriction Enzyme Buffer provided with each enzyme; all REs tested completely digested PCR products in PCR buffer, it implied digestion of PCR products may often be performed directly in the PCR tube without the requirement for any precipitation or purification steps; and the concentration of MgCl2 from 2.5 mmol·L−1 to 10 mmol·L−1 did not significantly affect activity of REs in PCR buffer. This simplified method for RE digestion of PCR products could have applications in restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis and single-stranded conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of large PCR products. However, usage of this procedure for cloning applications needs further data.

Assessment of Three Methods for Estimating Abundance of Ungulate Populations

The accuracy of three methods (pellet group count, inverse line transect method and track count) for estimating the density of ungulate population was assessed, based on a wapiti population with the known size in the enclosure of 500 hm2 on Tonghe Hunting Farm, Heilongjiang province, China, during 1992–1993. The estimation of population density using the pellet group count method was the closest to the actual value, whereas the density of the wapiti population was underestimated by the inverse line transect method and overestimated by the track count method. No significant difference existed between the estimated and actual values for the pellet group method and the inverse line transect method, but the significant difference was found for the track count method. Therefore, it is suggested that the pellet group method should be given the priority in the survey of ungulate population abundance in practice.

Breeding biology and conservation strategy of the Himalayan swiftlet (Aerodramus brevirostris innominata) in southern China.

From April 1994 to November 2007, we studied the breeding biology of the Himalayan swiftlet (Aerodramus brevirostris innominata) based on field investigations, behavior observations, and bird bandings in the Shenjing Cave of Hupingshan National Nature Reserve, Hunan Province. Overall, we found a total breeding population of 2,000 swiftlets in the cave. The Himilayan swiftlet is a summer migrant in the area which arrives in early April and departs in early November. This species is monogamous with a sex ratio of about 1:1, and reaches sexual maturity at one year of age. Birds nested in dark caves, with nests primarily composed of saliva and mosses. Birds took 60 days to finish nest construction, and old nests from previous years were fully reused. We found that egg laying began after nest construction and peaked in June. In most cases, two eggs were found in each nest, while occasionally one egg. Both males and females were involved in incubation, but females invested relatively more time. The incubating temperature, duration, and hatching success were 37.3 ± 1.0 , 27.9 ± 3.4 days, and 71.4%, respectively. Nestlings were altr °C icial, and were fed mainly by males for about 27 days with insects, which were the same as adults’ diet. They spent another 3 or 4 days to learn to fly in the cave before fledgling the nest. Fledglings gained substantial weight, which tended to be greater total weight than the parents, before leaving the nest. We observed a concordant decrease in weight upon reaching sexual maturity. Primary threats to Himalayan swiftlets in China include disturbance to breeding activities resulting from tourism development and illegal nest-collection. We suggest that authorities 第 1期 王斌等: 短嘴金丝燕繁殖生物学特征与保护对策 55 halt development of caves and surrounding areas and ban the illegal nests collection.

On the assessment of big cats and their prey populations based on camera trap data

The development of camera traps has improved our ability to study Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica), Amur leopards (Panthera pardus orientalis) and their prey populations. This research introduces camera trap monitoring methods of Amur tigers, Amur leopards and their prey populations in Chunhua and Madida areas of the Hunchun Nature Reserve, Changbai Mountains, China. A selection of monitoring positions, methods of erecting, parameter settings, and data filtering techniques are presented. Additionally, unique identifiers of Amur tigers and Amur leopards based on body patterns, calculations of relative abundance indexes (RAI), and the establishment of RAI models between the predators and prey are presented. We discuss the applicability of unique identifiers with ipsilateral patterns, the differences between camera trap monitoring and traditional survey methods, and the error of camera trap monitoring. We conclude that predicting densities of Amur tigers and Amur leopards with camera traps and automatic-individual-identifiers still needs improvement. Camera trap densities of one pair per 25 km can meet the needs for Amur tigers and leopards within Chunhua and Madida of the Hunchun Nature Reserve, but a separate monitoring project is 726 生 物 多 样 性 Biodiversity Science 第 22 卷 needed for ungulates prey.

Hybrid zone and its genetic analysis: implication for conservation

Hybrid zone is a very critical concept within the evolutionary biology, because it would offer us a better insight to understand the evolutionary role of gene flow and hybridization based on the cline model. This minireview presents an expatiation of history perspectives and research developments upon basic concepts including hybrid zones, hybridization, hybrid and its the genetic cline model. Moreover, by figuring out the existing problem around the hybrids within conservative theory and practices, it suggests that the theory of hybrid zone be introduced into conservation biology and it would be provide a broader and more open theoretical background for conservative research and practices.

Weight contributions of stomach compartment and organs to body weight of Mongolian gazelles

The stomach compartments of 51 Mongolian gazelles (Procapra guttrurosa) were weighed and the data were compared with total body weight. The total tissue weights ranged from 2.70% to 2.82% of body weight. Rumens were the heaviest, occupying about 75% of the total stomach, followed by reticulums (9%–11%), abomasums (8%–10%) and omasums (4%–6%). The weights of rumens were directly proportional to body weights and weights of omasums and abomasums were inversely related to body weights. Stomachs of the Mongolian gazelle were of the “mixed feeder” in terms of total weight and contribution of each compartment.

Nitrogen and fiber concentration in rumen contents and feces contents of Mongolian gazelles

Fecal indicators of nutritional status of wild ungulates were less constrained than that of blood, rumen contents, or urine analyses. Thus, we compared the nitrogen and fiber concentrations of feces with those of the rumen contents of Mongolian gazelles (Procapra guttrurosa) in Hulunbeier Grassland. Rumen contents and fecal nutritional concentrations varied in different seasons. Dietary nitrogen concentrations only increased linearly with increase nitrogen concentration in fecal in winter. There was a positive correlation between rumen NDF (neutral detergent fiber) and fecal NDF concentrations. But the regression coefficient was small (r=0.3917). There was a significant regression equation between rumen contents ADF (acid detergent fiber) and fecal ADF concentrations, as well as ADL (acid detergent lignin) concentrations. Nitrogen concentration was found to be negatively correlated with NDF, ADF, and ADL concentrations both in rumen and in fecal compositions. Our data suggest that fecal nitrogen, ADF, ADL concentrations may assess winter dietary qualities that are in protein, crude fiber and lignin concentrations for Mongolian gazelles.

Nutrition analysis of forage plants and foragnig behavior of Mongolian gazella

The study on winter food constitution of Mongolian gazella (Procapra gutturosa) was conducted in Hulunbeir grassland(Xinbarhuyou Banner, Hulunbeir League, Inner Mongolia) from spring 1994 to summer 1995. With microhistological analysis technique of feces, 21 plant species were identified to be availlable for Mongolian gazella as forage in winter and their nutritive trait were analyzed. Some foraging behavior of Mongolian gazella were also discribed.