花鼠营养与种群对生境异质化过程的渐进式响应

Habitat heterogenization can be elaborated in view of two levels, structural heterogenization and functional heterogenization. This project emphasizes that functional heterogenization is a gradual and periodic process which is not only the normalcy of ecosystem but also the reason leading to the periodic dynamics of animal populations. So we proposed that animal populations gradually adapt the habitat heterogenization by taking advantage of local migration and niche variation. We will take the fragmented forest of broad-leaved Korean pines as research model, focusing on the Siberian chipmunk (Eutamias sibiricus) so as to testify the above-mentioned viewpoint. On the basis of relative data of forest resource, several surveys have been planned: (1) sampling investigation and behavior observation are jointly used to research the nutritional ecology of chipmunks; (2) mark-recapture combining PIT tag is adopted to study the distribution and migration pattern of chipmunks population; (3) behavior observation is applied to investigate the social structure and characteristics of reproductive ecology; (4) based on GIS technology, an overall analysis of the impact of population migration on periodic dynamics is concluded along with the food resources heterogenization in different habitat patches. We hope to achieve following goals: (1) to get further comprehension of nutritional ecology, habitat selection, demography, social behavior and reproductive ecology of siberian chipmunks in ecosystem of broad-leaved Korean pines forest; (2) to acquire better understanding on the mechanism of how habitat heterogenization influences siberian chipmunks' migration and dispersion, consequently to reveal the response mechanism of animal population dynamics to habitat heterogenization.

本项目提出生境异质化可以区分为结构异质化和功能异质化两个层次。功能异质化通常是渐进的周期性过程，是生态系统的常态，也是动物种群出现周期性变化的原因之一，动物通过种群的局部迁移和生态位改变渐进地适应生境异质化过程。为检验此假说，项目以破碎化阔叶红松林为研究模型，结合森林资源调查数据，采用抽样调查和行为观测方法研究不同生境中花鼠的营养生态学特征，采用结合PIT电子标签的标志重捕技术研究花鼠的种群与迁移生态学特征，采用行为观测方法研究花鼠的社群结构和繁殖生态学特征。最后综合分析不同生境斑块间食物资源的季节性波动、花鼠种群迁移等对因素花鼠种群动态的影响。期望达到以下目标：⑴获得对"阔叶红松林生态系统中花鼠营养生态学、生境选择与种群生态学、社群行为和繁殖生态学特征"的深入认识；⑵获得对"生境异质化过程如何影响花鼠种群的迁移与适应"的深入理解，从而更一般地揭示动物种群动态响应生境异质化过程的一般规律。

本项目以花鼠为主要研究对象，辅以黑啄木、花尾榛鸡等物种的种群生态学研究，期望达到以下目标：⑴获得对“阔叶红松林生态系统中花鼠营养生态学、生境选择与种群生态学、社群行为和繁殖生态学特征”的深入认识；⑵获得对“生境异质化过程如何影响花鼠种群的迁移与适应”的深入理解，从而更一般地揭示动物种群动态响应生境异质化过程的一般规律。研究内容主要包括：异质化生境中花鼠的种群生态学特征、异质化生境中花鼠的繁殖生态学特征、异质化生境中花鼠的营养生态学特征、同域分布的黑啄木、花尾榛鸡等动物的种群动态及营养需求等。项目建立了野生动物活捕、保定、野外标记识别和无损分子试材取样在内的一系列野生动物野外研究技术并在其它动物的保护生物学研究和动物源疫病研究中推广。项目分别采用直接观察等宏观分析手段和分子生物学技术掌握了阔叶红松林生态系统中花鼠的营养生态学特征及其季节动态，掌握了阔叶红松林生态系统中花鼠生境选择与种群生态学、社群行为和繁殖生态学特征，研究的结果对于理解花鼠等松鼠科动物在生态系统中的地位和作用具有重要意义，对于阔叶红松林的保护管理具有重要的实践参考价值。项目从纵向时间尺度上，发现花鼠的种群波动出现了与主要越冬食物资源波动的同步现象，并在啄木鸟、花尾榛鸡等动物种群波动中得到印证，初步检验了“动物种群对生境异质化过程的渐进式响应”工作假说。同时，项目也在横向空间尺度上发现，随着食物资源的季节波动，在微生境尺度上，花鼠种群出现了潮汐式波动。同时，花鼠的食物组成和取食行为明显地随着季节变化而变化，从另一个角度验证了“动物种群对生境异质化过程的渐进式响应”假说。这些现象，与传统认识——“种群波动滞后于食物资源波动”有所不同，很可能更新或丰富群落生态学的一般认识。