INTRODUCTION Anthropogenic activities and associated factors such as climate change and habitat destruction are causing the ongoing sixth mass extinction on Earth,which is a major characteristic of the Anthropocene.Co...INTRODUCTION Anthropogenic activities and associated factors such as climate change and habitat destruction are causing the ongoing sixth mass extinction on Earth,which is a major characteristic of the Anthropocene.Collectively,these factors pose the most serious environmental threat to the existence of civilization because it is irreversible.More than 500 species of mammals were found to be on the brink of extinction and likely to be lost within 20 years(Ceballos et al.2020).One example is the common hamster Cricetus cricetus(Linnaeus,1758).In 2020,this species was classified as Critically Endangered across its global range by the IUCN Red List(Banaszek et al.2020).The protection status of the common hamster was elevated by 4 levels at once—from Least Concern to Critically Endangered.Although the causes behind the dramatic decline of the species are not fully understood,one may suppose it stems from the negative impact of habitat degradation and even climate change(Banaszek et al.2020).展开更多
Traditionally,urbanization has been seen as a negative phenomenon for biota.However,changes in the environmental parameters induced by urbanization might be favorable for some species.Over the past half-century,...Traditionally,urbanization has been seen as a negative phenomenon for biota.However,changes in the environmental parameters induced by urbanization might be favorable for some species.Over the past half-century,the common hamster has actively populated cities,establishing populations in some European,Russian and Kazakhstan cities.Based on integrative methods,we investigated free-range common hamsters inhabiting Simferopol from 2015 to 2018 to reveal possible adaptations to the urbanized environment across several parameters,including lifespan,hibernation period,reproductive activity and body mass.Results show that in urban areas,the common hamster demonstrates an extremely short hibernation period compared to other localities,possibly due to enhanced food resources from urban forestry(walnuts,locus and hazelnut),allowing the species to start breeding very early(February)and finish as late as October.We present the first evidence of polyandry for this species:mating of receptive females with several males and subsequent confirmation of multiple paternity.Despite high reproductive potential,the lifespan of the common hamster in urban conditions is generally very short(less than 1 year).We speculate that in the process of synurbization,the common hamster’s innate plasticity across many life history traits permits it to successfully colonize throughout a wide range of habitats,with the ability to form novel adaptations to urban environments.展开更多
基金supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research(project No.20-04-00102a).
文摘INTRODUCTION Anthropogenic activities and associated factors such as climate change and habitat destruction are causing the ongoing sixth mass extinction on Earth,which is a major characteristic of the Anthropocene.Collectively,these factors pose the most serious environmental threat to the existence of civilization because it is irreversible.More than 500 species of mammals were found to be on the brink of extinction and likely to be lost within 20 years(Ceballos et al.2020).One example is the common hamster Cricetus cricetus(Linnaeus,1758).In 2020,this species was classified as Critically Endangered across its global range by the IUCN Red List(Banaszek et al.2020).The protection status of the common hamster was elevated by 4 levels at once—from Least Concern to Critically Endangered.Although the causes behind the dramatic decline of the species are not fully understood,one may suppose it stems from the negative impact of habitat degradation and even climate change(Banaszek et al.2020).
基金the Russian Foundation for Basic Research,project no 17-04-01061,Presidium of the Russian Academy of Sciences,no 41,“Biodiversity of Natural Systems and Biological Resources of Russia.”。
文摘Traditionally,urbanization has been seen as a negative phenomenon for biota.However,changes in the environmental parameters induced by urbanization might be favorable for some species.Over the past half-century,the common hamster has actively populated cities,establishing populations in some European,Russian and Kazakhstan cities.Based on integrative methods,we investigated free-range common hamsters inhabiting Simferopol from 2015 to 2018 to reveal possible adaptations to the urbanized environment across several parameters,including lifespan,hibernation period,reproductive activity and body mass.Results show that in urban areas,the common hamster demonstrates an extremely short hibernation period compared to other localities,possibly due to enhanced food resources from urban forestry(walnuts,locus and hazelnut),allowing the species to start breeding very early(February)and finish as late as October.We present the first evidence of polyandry for this species:mating of receptive females with several males and subsequent confirmation of multiple paternity.Despite high reproductive potential,the lifespan of the common hamster in urban conditions is generally very short(less than 1 year).We speculate that in the process of synurbization,the common hamster’s innate plasticity across many life history traits permits it to successfully colonize throughout a wide range of habitats,with the ability to form novel adaptations to urban environments.
