小型哺乳动物个性的生态适应、生理和遗传响应机制研究进展

Research progress on ecological adaptation, physiological and genetic mechanisms of animal personality in small mammals

近年来,大量的研究表明,动物的个性与其行为、生理、遗传以及生态适应有关。然而,动物的个性研究大多集中于非哺乳动物当中,而哺乳动物尤其是小型哺乳动物的研究尚未得到很好的开展。在此,我们回顾了动物个性概念的起源和研究方法的形成与确立,从生态适应角度归纳了动物个性在小型哺乳动物觅食、繁殖、扩散和集群生活以及生理和遗传响应等方面的研究进展;并概述了当前动物个性进化适应机制的“生活节奏综合征假说”和“状态-行为反馈假说”的研究现状;最后展望了小型哺乳动物个性研究未来的发展趋势。

Mounting evidence has shown that animal personality is correlated with behavior, physiology, genetics and ecological adaptation. However, most studies about animal personality focus on non-mammals, with limited understanding on mammals(especially small mammals). Here, we review the origin of animal personality conception and the establishment of research methods. From the perspective of ecological adaptation, we summarized the research progress of behavior(including foraging, reproduction, dispersal and group living), physiology and genetic consequences of animal personality in small mammals. Furthermore, we summarized current research status of two important hypotheses about the adaptive mechanisms of animal personality, “the pace-of-life syndrome” hypothesis and “the state-behavior feedback” hypothesis. Finally, we discussed and prospected the possible future developments of animal personality research in small mammals.