The Hooded Crane (Grus monacha) is a waterbird wintering in the wetlands of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China. The gradual habitat loss resulting from wetland degradation may have posed negative...The Hooded Crane (Grus monacha) is a waterbird wintering in the wetlands of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China. The gradual habitat loss resulting from wetland degradation may have posed negative effects on the structure of our wintering populations. For its effective protection, it is important to conduct an intensive study on the genetic structure of this population. A total of 221 faecal samples, nine feather samples and four muscle samples of Hooded Cranes from four wintering populations, i.e., from Caizi Lake and Shengjin Lake in Anhui, Poyang Lake in Jiangxi and Chongming Dongtan in Shanghai, were collected for this study. Full-length 1103–1104 bp mtDNA D-loop sequences from 72 samples were amplified using PCR. Based on our amplified D-loop sequences and the sequences of two individual birds obtained from GenBank (AB017625 and AB023813), we analyzed the genetic structure of these four wintering Hooded Crane populations. Twenty six variable sites were found among 72 target sequences in the four wintering populations and 23 haplotypes were defined. Genetic diversity analyses showed that the haplotype diversity of Hooded Cranes was 0.823 ± 0.042 with a nucleotide diversity of 0.00157 ± 0.00021. The FST values of the four populations show that there is no significant genetic differentiation among the populations of Hooded Cranes wintering in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Tajima’s D and Fu’s tests suggest that the Hooded Crane populations may have experienced population expansion in their evolutionary history.展开更多
Background:The ideal habitat use of waterbirds can be considered to be fixed,but current habitat use depends on environmental conditions,especially those of food characteristics,considered crucial to their use of habi...Background:The ideal habitat use of waterbirds can be considered to be fixed,but current habitat use depends on environmental conditions,especially those of food characteristics,considered crucial to their use of habitats.Understanding how waterbirds respond to variation in food availability at degraded wetland sites and change their habitat use patterns over spatial and temporal scales should direct future conservation planning.The objectives of this study were to identify these spatial-temporal foraging habitat use patterns of Hooded Cranes(Grus monacha)and their relationship with food characteristics in the severely degraded wetlands of the Shengjin and Caizi lakes along with the Yangtze River floodplain.Methods:We investigated the changes in food characteristics,relative abundance and density of Hooded Cranes in various habitat types across three winter periods from November 2012 to April 2013.We examined the effect of these winter periods and habitat types on the pattern of use by the cranes and explored the relationship between these patterns and food characteristics using linear regression.Results:The food characteristics and habitat use clearly changed over spatial-temporal scales.In the early and mid-winter periods,the most abundant,accessible and frequented food resources were found in paddy fields,while in the late period the more abundant food were available in meadows,which then replaced the paddy fields.There were fewer effects of winter periods,habitat types and their interactions on habitat use patterns except for the effect of habitat types on the relative abundance,determined as a function of food abundance,but independent of food depth and sediment permeability.Conclusions:In response to the degradation and loss of lake wetlands,the cranes shifted their habitat use patterns by making tradeoffs between food abundance and accessibility over spatial-temporal scales that facilitated their survival in the mosaic of these lake wetlands.展开更多
Background:The Yangtze River floodplain provides important wintering habitats for Hooded Cranes(Grus monacha) in China.Fluctuations in the water level change foraging habitat and food availability,affecting their temp...Background:The Yangtze River floodplain provides important wintering habitats for Hooded Cranes(Grus monacha) in China.Fluctuations in the water level change foraging habitat and food availability,affecting their temporal-spatial patterns of foraging activities.It is of considerable importance to investigate the effect of these fluctuations on food availability for wintering Hooded Cranes and their foraging response to these changes.Understanding their behavior patterns is beneficial in protecting the wintering crane population and restoring their wintering habitats.Methods:A field survey of the winter behavior of cranes was carried out at Shengjin Lake from November in 2013 to April in 2014.Habitat variables,as well as the spatial distribution and behavior patterns of wintering cranes at their foraging sites during five stages of water level fluctuation were collected.Based on this data we analyzed the relationship of foraging behavior relative to water level fluctuations and habitat types.Results:The foraging habitats used by Hooded Cranes varied at the different water level stages.As the water level decreased,the use of meadows and mudflats increased.When the water dropped to its lowest level,the use by the Hooded Crane in the mudflats reached a peak.There were statistically significant differences in time budget in the three types of habitats over the five stages of the water level.In the mudflats,the foraging behavior and maintenance behavior varied significantly with the water level,while the alert behavior showed little variation.Analysis of a generalized linear model showed that the five water level stages and three habitat types had a significant effect on foraging behavior,while the combined effect of these two variables was significant on the foraging time budget and the length of foraging activity of the Hooded Crane.Conclusions:With the decrease in the water level,the use of mudflats by Hooded Cranes increased correspondingly.Food availability in different habitats was affected by changes in the water level.The Hooded Crane adjusted its foraging patterns and made full use of the three available types of habitat in order to acquire enough food in response to fluctuations in the water level.展开更多
Hooded crane Grus monacha is listed as an endangered species by China red data book,and was listed as a vulnerable species by IUCN,and listed AppendixⅠof CITES.The population of hooded crane is about 9 500 individual...Hooded crane Grus monacha is listed as an endangered species by China red data book,and was listed as a vulnerable species by IUCN,and listed AppendixⅠof CITES.The population of hooded crane is about 9 500 individuals worldwide and breeding is limited to remote eastern Siberia in Russia and Xiaoxing’an mountains marsh in China.The species winters in in southern Japan,and the south coastline of Korea,and middle-lower reaches of Yangtze River in China.Because little is known about their breeding biology,we conducted this study to provide a scientific basis of future protection in China.We conducted our study in the Xiaoxing’an mountains Zhanhe valley of Heilongjiang Province between spring in 2003 and spring in 2004.We located nests erected a tent 10-30 meters from the nest.We observed hooded crane or the nest from the tent and documented behaviour by video and still camera throughout the day.When migration justly or moving in breeding site of hooded crane,we had taken investigation and recording by binoculars and long-focus camera and photo-camera,and during sorted out the records,we checked continually and made accurateness just by video information and photos. The study revealed that hooded crane migrated to the breeding site in early April yearly,mated in middle April,and laid eggs in late April or early May.The average egg was 93.4×58.4 mm in size and weighed 159.4 g.Male and female of hooded crane hatched together after incubating 30.5 days.Hooded crane build nests in the marshy forests or small swamp,and the average nest was 900×900 mm in size with no obvious interior diameter.The nest was 130-180 mm above water and the water depth around the nest was 120-300 mm.Adult hooded crane fed chicks with earthworms and polliwogs,etc.Comparing the habitats of hooded crane nest with Russia,breeding of hooded crane in Zhanhe where there are more trees and greater concealment.We recorded large-billed crow Corvus macrorhynchos,black kite Milvus migrans,golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos that threatened the hooded crane.During the hatching period,hooded crane showed anxiousness to great spotted woodpecker Picoides major.Breeding of hooded crane in Xiaoxing’an mountains mainly fed on Heilongjiang brown frog Rane amurensis,Siberian salamander Hynobius keyserlingii,leech,loach Misgurnus mohoity,predaceous diving beetle Cybister spp.,perch sleeper Percottus glehni,lake minnow Phoxinus percnurus and wheat seeds.展开更多
The loss and degradation of wetlands have adversely affected waterbirds, which depend on wetland habitats. Interspecific competition has an important effect on habitat utilization of wintering waterbirds. Resource uti...The loss and degradation of wetlands have adversely affected waterbirds, which depend on wetland habitats. Interspecific competition has an important effect on habitat utilization of wintering waterbirds. Resource utilization, including partitioning, in degraded wetlands has become a hot issue in ecological studies of wintering waterbirds. In order to have an insight into the habitat utilization and resource partitioning between a Hooded Crane(Grus monacha) population and the guild of three goose species, i.e., Anser fabalis, A. albifrons and A. erythropus wintering in lake wetlands, we carried out a study at Shengjin Lake National Nature Reserve from November 2011 to April 2012. We surveyed the Hooded Cranes and goose guild foraging in various habitats during the wintering periods with a combined method of fixed route searching and fixed site observations. Resource partitioning was studied by means of calculating habitat utilization rates and the width and overlap of spatial niches. The results showed that the habitat utilization rate and the width of spatial niches of the Hooded Crane population and goose guild shifted with the season. The habitat utilization rates of the cranes in grasslands were high at all three wintering stages. The habitat utilization rates were 0.454, 0.435 and 0.959 respectively for the Hooded Cranes and 0.627, 0.491 and 0.616 for the goose guild. This suggests that the overlap in grasslands was higher between cranes and goose guild. Most habitats were accessible at the middle stage, so the width of the spatial niche of the cranes(1.099) and goose guild(1.133) both reached their peak at this stage. The greatest niche overlap was 0.914 for these two groups at the late stage, followed by 0.906 at the middle stage and the smallest was 0.854 at the early stage. Ecological response to the changes in habitats of wintering waterbirds was clearly shown in the dynamic variations of the niche of both the Hooded Cranes and the three goose species. Coexistence among waterbirds was achieved by regulation of niche width to reduce niche overlap and relieve interspecific resource partitioning.展开更多
Background: The Hooded Crane(Grus monacha) is listed as a vulnerable species by IUCN. Knowledge about the migration of the Hooded Crane is still limited. Here we reported the spatio-temporal migration patterns of Hood...Background: The Hooded Crane(Grus monacha) is listed as a vulnerable species by IUCN. Knowledge about the migration of the Hooded Crane is still limited. Here we reported the spatio-temporal migration patterns of Hooded Cranes wintering in Izumi, Japan, as well as important stopover areas for their conservation.Methods: Four adult and five subadult cranes, all wintering in Izumi, Japan, were fitted with satellite transmitters(GPS–GSM system) at their stopover sites in northeastern China in 2014 and 2015. We analyzed the time and duration of adults and subadults in spring and autumn migration, as well as the time and duration they stayed in breeding and wintering ground. In addition, we analyzed the land use of the cranes in stopover areas.Results: Adult cranes took much longer time to migrate both north in spring(mean days) compared with subadult cranes(15.3 and 5.2 days, respectively). H= 44.3 days) and south in fall(mean = 54.0 owever, the subadults had longer wintering(mean = 149.8 days) and nomadic(breeding season for adults) seasons(mean d with adults(133.8 and 122.3 days, respectively). Three important stopover areas have been= 196.8 days) compare identified: the region around Muraviovka Park in Russia, the Songnen Plain in China, and the west coast of South Korea, where cranes spent most of their migration time(62.2 and 85.7% in spring and autumn, respectively). During migration, nomadic period and winter, Hooded Cranes usually stay in croplands for resting and feeding. In non-wintering season, less than 6% of stopover sites were located within protected areas.Conclusion: Overall, our results contribute to understanding the annual spatio-temporal migration patterns of Hooded Cranes in the eastern flyway, and planning conservation measures for this species.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No 31172117)the Anhui Academic and Technical Leaders Fund
文摘The Hooded Crane (Grus monacha) is a waterbird wintering in the wetlands of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China. The gradual habitat loss resulting from wetland degradation may have posed negative effects on the structure of our wintering populations. For its effective protection, it is important to conduct an intensive study on the genetic structure of this population. A total of 221 faecal samples, nine feather samples and four muscle samples of Hooded Cranes from four wintering populations, i.e., from Caizi Lake and Shengjin Lake in Anhui, Poyang Lake in Jiangxi and Chongming Dongtan in Shanghai, were collected for this study. Full-length 1103–1104 bp mtDNA D-loop sequences from 72 samples were amplified using PCR. Based on our amplified D-loop sequences and the sequences of two individual birds obtained from GenBank (AB017625 and AB023813), we analyzed the genetic structure of these four wintering Hooded Crane populations. Twenty six variable sites were found among 72 target sequences in the four wintering populations and 23 haplotypes were defined. Genetic diversity analyses showed that the haplotype diversity of Hooded Cranes was 0.823 ± 0.042 with a nucleotide diversity of 0.00157 ± 0.00021. The FST values of the four populations show that there is no significant genetic differentiation among the populations of Hooded Cranes wintering in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Tajima’s D and Fu’s tests suggest that the Hooded Crane populations may have experienced population expansion in their evolutionary history.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant no.31172117 and 31472020)the Graduate Student Innovation Research Projects of Anhui University(YQ 01001770)
文摘Background:The ideal habitat use of waterbirds can be considered to be fixed,but current habitat use depends on environmental conditions,especially those of food characteristics,considered crucial to their use of habitats.Understanding how waterbirds respond to variation in food availability at degraded wetland sites and change their habitat use patterns over spatial and temporal scales should direct future conservation planning.The objectives of this study were to identify these spatial-temporal foraging habitat use patterns of Hooded Cranes(Grus monacha)and their relationship with food characteristics in the severely degraded wetlands of the Shengjin and Caizi lakes along with the Yangtze River floodplain.Methods:We investigated the changes in food characteristics,relative abundance and density of Hooded Cranes in various habitat types across three winter periods from November 2012 to April 2013.We examined the effect of these winter periods and habitat types on the pattern of use by the cranes and explored the relationship between these patterns and food characteristics using linear regression.Results:The food characteristics and habitat use clearly changed over spatial-temporal scales.In the early and mid-winter periods,the most abundant,accessible and frequented food resources were found in paddy fields,while in the late period the more abundant food were available in meadows,which then replaced the paddy fields.There were fewer effects of winter periods,habitat types and their interactions on habitat use patterns except for the effect of habitat types on the relative abundance,determined as a function of food abundance,but independent of food depth and sediment permeability.Conclusions:In response to the degradation and loss of lake wetlands,the cranes shifted their habitat use patterns by making tradeoffs between food abundance and accessibility over spatial-temporal scales that facilitated their survival in the mosaic of these lake wetlands.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant no.31172117,31472020)the Graduate Student Innovation Research Projects of Anhui University(YQH100269)
文摘Background:The Yangtze River floodplain provides important wintering habitats for Hooded Cranes(Grus monacha) in China.Fluctuations in the water level change foraging habitat and food availability,affecting their temporal-spatial patterns of foraging activities.It is of considerable importance to investigate the effect of these fluctuations on food availability for wintering Hooded Cranes and their foraging response to these changes.Understanding their behavior patterns is beneficial in protecting the wintering crane population and restoring their wintering habitats.Methods:A field survey of the winter behavior of cranes was carried out at Shengjin Lake from November in 2013 to April in 2014.Habitat variables,as well as the spatial distribution and behavior patterns of wintering cranes at their foraging sites during five stages of water level fluctuation were collected.Based on this data we analyzed the relationship of foraging behavior relative to water level fluctuations and habitat types.Results:The foraging habitats used by Hooded Cranes varied at the different water level stages.As the water level decreased,the use of meadows and mudflats increased.When the water dropped to its lowest level,the use by the Hooded Crane in the mudflats reached a peak.There were statistically significant differences in time budget in the three types of habitats over the five stages of the water level.In the mudflats,the foraging behavior and maintenance behavior varied significantly with the water level,while the alert behavior showed little variation.Analysis of a generalized linear model showed that the five water level stages and three habitat types had a significant effect on foraging behavior,while the combined effect of these two variables was significant on the foraging time budget and the length of foraging activity of the Hooded Crane.Conclusions:With the decrease in the water level,the use of mudflats by Hooded Cranes increased correspondingly.Food availability in different habitats was affected by changes in the water level.The Hooded Crane adjusted its foraging patterns and made full use of the three available types of habitat in order to acquire enough food in response to fluctuations in the water level.
文摘Hooded crane Grus monacha is listed as an endangered species by China red data book,and was listed as a vulnerable species by IUCN,and listed AppendixⅠof CITES.The population of hooded crane is about 9 500 individuals worldwide and breeding is limited to remote eastern Siberia in Russia and Xiaoxing’an mountains marsh in China.The species winters in in southern Japan,and the south coastline of Korea,and middle-lower reaches of Yangtze River in China.Because little is known about their breeding biology,we conducted this study to provide a scientific basis of future protection in China.We conducted our study in the Xiaoxing’an mountains Zhanhe valley of Heilongjiang Province between spring in 2003 and spring in 2004.We located nests erected a tent 10-30 meters from the nest.We observed hooded crane or the nest from the tent and documented behaviour by video and still camera throughout the day.When migration justly or moving in breeding site of hooded crane,we had taken investigation and recording by binoculars and long-focus camera and photo-camera,and during sorted out the records,we checked continually and made accurateness just by video information and photos. The study revealed that hooded crane migrated to the breeding site in early April yearly,mated in middle April,and laid eggs in late April or early May.The average egg was 93.4×58.4 mm in size and weighed 159.4 g.Male and female of hooded crane hatched together after incubating 30.5 days.Hooded crane build nests in the marshy forests or small swamp,and the average nest was 900×900 mm in size with no obvious interior diameter.The nest was 130-180 mm above water and the water depth around the nest was 120-300 mm.Adult hooded crane fed chicks with earthworms and polliwogs,etc.Comparing the habitats of hooded crane nest with Russia,breeding of hooded crane in Zhanhe where there are more trees and greater concealment.We recorded large-billed crow Corvus macrorhynchos,black kite Milvus migrans,golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos that threatened the hooded crane.During the hatching period,hooded crane showed anxiousness to great spotted woodpecker Picoides major.Breeding of hooded crane in Xiaoxing’an mountains mainly fed on Heilongjiang brown frog Rane amurensis,Siberian salamander Hynobius keyserlingii,leech,loach Misgurnus mohoity,predaceous diving beetle Cybister spp.,perch sleeper Percottus glehni,lake minnow Phoxinus percnurus and wheat seeds.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.31172117)the Graduate Student Innovation Research Projects of Anhui University(Grant No.yqh100118)the Anhui Academic and Technical Leader Fund
文摘The loss and degradation of wetlands have adversely affected waterbirds, which depend on wetland habitats. Interspecific competition has an important effect on habitat utilization of wintering waterbirds. Resource utilization, including partitioning, in degraded wetlands has become a hot issue in ecological studies of wintering waterbirds. In order to have an insight into the habitat utilization and resource partitioning between a Hooded Crane(Grus monacha) population and the guild of three goose species, i.e., Anser fabalis, A. albifrons and A. erythropus wintering in lake wetlands, we carried out a study at Shengjin Lake National Nature Reserve from November 2011 to April 2012. We surveyed the Hooded Cranes and goose guild foraging in various habitats during the wintering periods with a combined method of fixed route searching and fixed site observations. Resource partitioning was studied by means of calculating habitat utilization rates and the width and overlap of spatial niches. The results showed that the habitat utilization rate and the width of spatial niches of the Hooded Crane population and goose guild shifted with the season. The habitat utilization rates of the cranes in grasslands were high at all three wintering stages. The habitat utilization rates were 0.454, 0.435 and 0.959 respectively for the Hooded Cranes and 0.627, 0.491 and 0.616 for the goose guild. This suggests that the overlap in grasslands was higher between cranes and goose guild. Most habitats were accessible at the middle stage, so the width of the spatial niche of the cranes(1.099) and goose guild(1.133) both reached their peak at this stage. The greatest niche overlap was 0.914 for these two groups at the late stage, followed by 0.906 at the middle stage and the smallest was 0.854 at the early stage. Ecological response to the changes in habitats of wintering waterbirds was clearly shown in the dynamic variations of the niche of both the Hooded Cranes and the three goose species. Coexistence among waterbirds was achieved by regulation of niche width to reduce niche overlap and relieve interspecific resource partitioning.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.31570532)
文摘Background: The Hooded Crane(Grus monacha) is listed as a vulnerable species by IUCN. Knowledge about the migration of the Hooded Crane is still limited. Here we reported the spatio-temporal migration patterns of Hooded Cranes wintering in Izumi, Japan, as well as important stopover areas for their conservation.Methods: Four adult and five subadult cranes, all wintering in Izumi, Japan, were fitted with satellite transmitters(GPS–GSM system) at their stopover sites in northeastern China in 2014 and 2015. We analyzed the time and duration of adults and subadults in spring and autumn migration, as well as the time and duration they stayed in breeding and wintering ground. In addition, we analyzed the land use of the cranes in stopover areas.Results: Adult cranes took much longer time to migrate both north in spring(mean days) compared with subadult cranes(15.3 and 5.2 days, respectively). H= 44.3 days) and south in fall(mean = 54.0 owever, the subadults had longer wintering(mean = 149.8 days) and nomadic(breeding season for adults) seasons(mean d with adults(133.8 and 122.3 days, respectively). Three important stopover areas have been= 196.8 days) compare identified: the region around Muraviovka Park in Russia, the Songnen Plain in China, and the west coast of South Korea, where cranes spent most of their migration time(62.2 and 85.7% in spring and autumn, respectively). During migration, nomadic period and winter, Hooded Cranes usually stay in croplands for resting and feeding. In non-wintering season, less than 6% of stopover sites were located within protected areas.Conclusion: Overall, our results contribute to understanding the annual spatio-temporal migration patterns of Hooded Cranes in the eastern flyway, and planning conservation measures for this species.
