高原鼠兔的栖息地选择与降雪的关系

The relationship between plateau pika habitat selection and snowfall

生境适合度是包括气候、食物和风险等诸多环境因素的综合性概念,对高原鼠兔(Ochotona curzoniae)的自然分布格局及种群动态具有决定性影响。本研究以高原鼠兔对栖息环境基本表征的选择偏好为依据,通过对不同植被斑块间鼠群特征的对比分析,对高原鼠兔栖息地适合度与降雪的关系进行了研究。结果表明:雪被消融速率与鼠群密度、裸地面积和土丘数量间呈显著正相关关系(P<0.05),与植被高度则呈显著负相关关系;降雪后鼠兔能否在最短时间内获得食物是高原鼠兔栖息地适合度的重要指征,也是高原鼠兔行为导向的基本动因。植被性状是影响雪被消融速率的重要因素,其斑块状的分异特征是决定高原鼠兔种群分布格局以及预测其动态趋势的重要指征。

Habitat fitness is a broad concept of environmental factors including climate,food,and risk;it has a decisive influence on the natural distribution pattern and population dynamics of the plateau pika(Ochotona curzoniae).Based on the plateau pika’s habitat selection and preferences,and basic habitat characteristics,this paper investigated the relationship between habitat fitness of plateau pikas and snowfall by comparing the characteristics of pika populations among different vegetation patches.The results showed that the rate of snowmelt was positively correlated with the pika population density,the area of bare land,and the number of mounds,while it was negatively correlated with the height of vegetation.Whether food can be obtained shortly after snowfall was an important indicator for habitat fitness,and the basic driver of plateau pika behavioral orientation.Vegetation characteristics are an important factor affecting the rate of snowmelt,and vegetation patchiness is an important indicator for determining the distribution pattern of the plateau pika population and predicting its dynamic trend.