林麝行为和生理应激的应对类型及其生态免疫效应的研究

The conservation and industrial use of musk deer resource have always been attracted attention of the communities, and musk deer farming is considered to be the key to obtain natural musk, can effectively alleviate the pressure on wild musk deer, and meanwhile, has potentials to restore the wild population. Decades of forest musk deer breeding practice shows that diseases is the main reason to stagnate the population growth. Most of experts in musk deer believes that the biological characteristics of musk deer are the main cause leading to difficulty in breeding success. Given this, this research focuses on biological characteristics and the potential relationship between stress and immunological function. We adopt the theory and techniques of animal ecology, physiological ecology and immunological ecology, apply tests on behavior personality, non-invasive and minor-invasive sampling technology to study: 1) the behavioral and physiological character of stress of musk deer; 2) different response of coping styles to chronic stress; 3) the plasticity of biological characteristics in stress. This study plans to establish approaches on base of the styles of personality behavior and physiological stress to detect the biological character of forest musk deer; to establish coping styles can help with the scientific management; explore the plasticity of stressful responses can be applied to improvement of captive breeding. These studies could have theoretically and practically significant value in forest musk deer breeding and potential reintroduction.

麝类是受到高度关注的濒危物种和名贵药用动物，麝类人工种群即是野生资源恢复的种源，也是解决天然麝香来源及有效缓解野生麝的资源利用压力的必由之路。历经几十年林麝繁育实践表明，疾病多发是制约饲养种群增长的主要原因。业界普遍认为麝类的生物学特质是导致难以饲养繁育的主要因素。鉴于此，本研究围绕林麝的生物学特性、应激性与免疫功能之间的潜在关系，运用动物生态学、生理生态学和生态免疫学的理论和方法，采用行为个性试验、非（微）损伤取样和测定技术，研究（1）林麝应激性的行为和生理特征，（2）应对类型对慢性刺激的差异化应答，（3）应激生物学特性的可塑性。本研究拟建立的行为个性类型和生理应激类型探测方法可用于甄别林麝的生物学特性；拟建立的应对类型可用于林麝饲养种群的科学管护；拟试验的林麝应激反应的可塑性将为改善饲养方式提供科学基础。这些研究在我国林麝饲养及未来重引入种源的繁育和管理上具有理论和实践意义。

麝类是东亚特有的林栖小型有蹄类，分布于我国及邻国，所产麝香是传统医药的名贵药材及高级香料。近几十年麝类遭受过度利用及栖息地丧失，野生种群锐减。我国驯养麝类已逾60年且为唯一成功驯养麝类的国家，近年来国家制定了建立繁育基地并最终放归和恢复野生种群的战略目标。麝类具有机警、胆小、领域性等特性，属神经质物种，受限空间和群居饲养会导致慢性应激及免疫力降低，死亡率居高不下。为此，本课题以林麝为对象，研究内容有：.1.林麝应激性的行为和生理特征：获得了（1）林麝应激行为个性特征及属性；（2）不同刺激的行为个性表达程度及数值区间；（3）研发了适于林麝的保定装置。结果揭示出，3/4饲养林麝属高应激性；本研究提供了一种操作便捷且准确的行为个性鉴别方法。.2.林麝生物学的生理个性特征：获得了（1）林麝生理应激类型及数值区间；（2）林麝免疫应对类型及数值区间。结果表明，饲养林麝的生理个性类型及免疫应对类型均可划分为高、中、低，多数个体处于较高生理应激及较低的免疫水平。.3.林麝对刺激的生理和免疫应答：获得了（1）林麝对拥挤的生理应答及数值区间；（2）林麝母幼分离的生理应答与最佳分离时间；（3）人工活体取香的生理应答及后续管护时间。结果显示，活动空间、母幼分离及人工活体取香均可引发强烈生理应激并存在个体差异化应答。.4.林麝应激生物学特性的可塑性：获得了（1）行为应答及其可塑性的量化结果；（2）生理应答及其可塑性的量化结果。研究揭示出人工驯化可在短期内改善行为应激强度但不可持续，不能改善生理应激属性，前者为表型特征，后者则为遗传属性。. 研究结果总体归纳为，林麝饲养种群仍处于初级驯化阶段，仍保留着高应激性。本课题揭示胆大与胆怯行为甄别方法，生理和免疫应答类型及量化判定区间，人工管护操作对行为和生理个性的可塑性，为个性鉴定，减低应激，合理管护及种源遴选提供了科学依据。