Metabolism and thermoregulation between Mrs Hume's Pheasant(Syrmaticus humiae) and Elliot's Pheasant(S.ellioti)

To understand metabolic adaptations,the basal metabolic rate（BMR） of Mrs Hume＇s Pheasant（Syrmaticus humiae） and Elliot＇s Pheasant（Syrmaticus ellioti） were investigated.Metabolic rate（MR）,body temperature（Tb） and thermal conductance（C） were determined in both species at a temperatrue range of 5-35 ℃,respectively.Oxygen consumption was measured with a closed circuit respirometer.The thermal neutral zones（TNZ） were 24.5-31.6 ℃,and 23.0-29.2 ℃,respectively.With a temperature range of 5-35 ℃,Mrs Hume＇s Pheasant and Elliot＇s Pheasant could maintained stable Tb at a mean of（40.47±0.64） and（40.36±0.10） ℃,respectively.Mean BMRs within TNZs were（1.36±0.84） mLO2/（g.h） for Mrs Hume＇s Pheasant and（2.03±0.12） mLO2/（g.h） for Elliot＇s Pheasant,which were 77% and 86% of the expected value based on their body mass,respectively.Thermal conductance of Mrs Hume＇s Pheasant and Elliot＇s Pheasant were（0.12±0.01） and（0.17±0.01） mLO2/（g.h.℃）,below the lower critical temperature,respectively,which were 119% and 124% of the expected value based on their body mass,respectively.The ecophysiological characteristics of these species were low metabolic rate,high body temperature,and high thermal conductance,which allow both species to better adapt to the warmer climate environment in south China.

Modeling foraging habitats of Hume’s Pheasant (Syrmaticus humiae) in Dazhong Mountain, Yunnan, southwestern China

We modeled foraging habitats of Hume’s Pheasant (Syrmaticus humiae) on a macro-habitat level using ArcGIS in an attempt to provide scientific reference for management and restoration of habitats. Field work was conducted from March to April in 2006 and 2008, and from October to November in 2005 and 2008 in Dazhong Mountain, Yunnan Province, southwestern China. The selection of ecological factors was estimated by means of a resource selection index, distance analysis and the method of hierarchical habitat selection. The foraging habitat patches were modeled spatially by ArcGIS. The results show that actual and potential foraging patches overlapped considerably in spring and autumn. The number and total areas of patches in the autumn were smaller than those in the spring. The minimum and average areas of patches in the autumn were larger than those in the spring, while the maximum areas of actual and potential foraging patches in the autumn were equal to those in the spring. Similarity in the selection for survival and safety consideration in both seasons was the main strategy for landscape factors of habitats by Hume’s Pheasant, while seasonal difference in selecting a landscape matrix was their secondary strategy, affecting landscape factors in the habitat. Changes of foraging patches in both seasons reflect a difference of resources requirement by the bird. Fragmentation and miniaturization of foraging patches would result in the formation of a meta-population of Hume’s Pheasant.

Discovery of Hume’s Pheasant (Syrmaticus humiae) in Guizhou Province,southwestern China

Introduction Hume’s Pheasant (Syrmaticus humiae), including two subspecies, is distributed in northeastern India, Myanmar, northern Thailand and southwestern China (Collar et al., 2001). In China its distribution has been assumed to be restricted to Yunnan and northwestern Guangxi (Mackinnon et al., 2000; Zheng, 2011).

Comparison of roosting habitat characteristics of two sympatric pheasants during springtime at Dazhong Mountain,southwestern China

Hume's Pheasant(Syrmaticus humiae) and the Silver Pheasant(Lophura nycthemera) are two sympatric bird species at Dazhong Mountain of Yunnan Province,southwestern China.We investigated characteristics of roosting habitats of the two pheasants from February to April,2004 in this area.Multiple statistics,Matryoshka and a habitat classification-tree were used to analyze the selection of roosting habitats of these pheasants. The results of the habitat classification-tree indicated that several separations occurred in their macro and micro roosting habitats in the study area. The two pheasants had similar crucial requirements for and selection of ecological roosting factors,which allow them to live in the same macrohabitat.Competition between these two pheasants was avoided by separation of spatial elements,such as roosting trees and topographic characteristics.For safety strategy,Hume's Pheasant adopted primarily a way of'uneasily found habitat cover plus easy escape',while the Silver Pheasant employed a unique way of'uneasily found habitat cover'.For tactics of keeping warm,Hume's Pheasant selected mainly a method of'suitable vegetation supplemented with suitable topography',while the Silver Pheasant chose a unique man-ner of'suitable vegetation'.