On the intraspecific variability in basal metabolism and the food habits hypothesis in birds

The food habits hypothesis （FHH） stands as one of the most striking and often-cited interspecific patterns to emerge from comparative studies of endothermic energetics. The FHH identifies three components of diet that potentially produce variability in mass-independent BMR, i.e. food quality, food availability, and food predictability or environmental productivity. The hypothesis predicts that species with diets of low energy content and/or low digestibility should evolve low mass-independent BMRs. The effects of food habits on BMR have been widely investigated at the interspecific level, but the variation between individuals and populations has been largely ignored. Our focus is to compare predictions derived from interspecific studies with data collected from within-species studies to explore the mechanisms and functional significance of adaptive responses predicted by the food-habits hypothesis among birds. We conclude that if BMR is correlated with daily energy expenditure, then organisms that can lower BMR will reduce daily energy expenditure and hence, food requirements. Birds that lower BMR in stressful environments may increase survival. Nevertheless, the mechanism （s） by which birds eating a low quality diet reduce BMR and whether lower BMR affects fitness remain to be determined [Current Zoology 56 （6）： 759-766, 2010].

Food habits and selective grazing of Mongolian gazelle (Procapra gutturosa) in Hulunber Grassland

The food availability, composition of the diets and selective grazing of the Mongolian gazelle (Procapra gutturosa) were studied in Hulunber Grassland in Nei Monggol. The food availability of Mongolian gazelle showed seasonal changes. The plant biomass was higher in spring and summer than that in autumn and winter. The fecal compositions of the gazelle demonstrated that fibrous parts occupied 62.4%, 74.8%, and 66.0% in spring, autumn, and winter, respectively. The Mongolian gazelle preferred to grazeCompositeae, Leguminosae, Allium spp. and other forbs in spring and autumn, while the grasses, such asAneurolepidium chinense andStipa spp. were selectively feeding in winter.

Dietary habits of colorectal neoplasia patients in comparison to their first-degree relatives

AIM: To compare the dietary habits between colorectal neoplasia patients, their first-degree relatives, and unrelated controls.

Food Intake Habit and Cardiovascular Risk

To determine the relationshipof dietary factors to cardiovascular disease, surveys were carried out in 1985 (pilot study) and 1989 (core study) as a part of the International Cooperative Cardiovascular Diseases and Alimentary Comparison (CARDIAC) study. Food pattern was observed and blood pressure was measured with an automatic electronic sphygromanometer. The diet in Guangzhou seems more refined, fresher and offers more variety than that in the other areas in China. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure have risen in the period of socioeco-nomic development. Food intake habits are changing in Guangdong, China, with a trend toward an unhealthy diet which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Diet characteristics of wild sheep(Ovis ammon darwini) in the Mengluoke Mountains,Xinjiang,China

In most arid and semi-arid regions of the world, domestic livestock and native wildlife share pastures, and their competition for forage and habitat is thought to be a serious conservation issue. Moreover, unmanaged grazing by livestock can cause the population decline in wild ungulates. The diet of an animal species is a determining aspect of its ecological niche, and investigating its diet has been one of the initial steps in basic ecology study of a new species. To get an approximate understanding of the interspecific food relationships of argali（Ovis ammon darwini） between sexes, and sympatric domestic sheep and goats, we compared the diet compositions and diet-overlaps among these herbivores, i.e., male argali, female argali, domestic sheep, and domestic goats in the Mengluoke Mountains of Xinjiang, China by using micro-histological fecal analysis. Female argali, male argali, domestic sheep and domestic goat primarily consumed forbs（43.31%±4.86%）, grass（36.02%±9.32%）, forbs（41.01%±9.18%）, and forbs（36.22%±10.61%）, respectively in warm season. All these animals consumed mostly shrubs（female argali： 36.47%±7.56%; male argali： 47.28%±10.75%; domestic sheep： 40.46%±9.56%; and domestic goats： 42.88%±9.34%, respectively） in cold season. The diet-overlaps were relatively high among all species in cold season with values ranging from 0.88 to 0.94. Furthermore, Schoener＇s index measured between each possible pair of 4 herbivores increased from the warm season to the cold season. The results illustrate that the high degree of diet-overlap of argali and domestic livestock（sheep and goat） may pose a threat to the survival of the argali in cold season. From the viewpoint of rangeland management and conservation of the endangered argali, the numbers of domestic sheep and goats should be limited in cold season to reduce food competition.

Prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular and kidney disease in Brazilian healthy preschool children

AIM To investigate the prevalence of nutritional parameters of risk for cardiovascular disease(CVD) and kidney diseases in healthy preschool children.METHODS This is an observational cross-sectional study with 60 healthy children, of both genders, aged two to six years old and 56 mothers, in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Preschool children and their families with regular activities at public schools were invited to paticipate in the study. The following characteristics were assessed: Socio-demographic condictions, clinical health, anthropometric, biochemical, lifestyle and data on food consumption. The 56 healthy children were divided into two groups, overweight(C1) and non-overweight(C2), as well as their mothers, respectively, in overweight(M1) and non-overweight(M2). Nutritional status was defined according to results obtained through the Anthro? Software for nutritional analysis. RESULTS Thirty-five children were male, with mean age of 4.44 ± 1.0 years old. Eighty-nine percent of them were eutrophic, 86.7% were sedentary and they had five meals a day. Body mass index(BMI) for age and total cholesterol(TC) was higher on C1(P = 0.0001) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-c) was higher on C2. Mothers were 32.5 ± 7.1 years old, mostly married and employed. Eighty-six percent of them were sedentary and 62.5% were overweight with BMI = 26.38 ± 5.07 kg/m2. Eighteen percent of the overweight mothers had isolated total hypercholesterolemia(TC levels elevated) and 12.5% had low HDL-c levels. The present study showed an association between overweight and obesity during the preschool years and the correspondent mothers' nutritional status of overweight and obesity(OR = 4.96; 95%CI: 0.558-44.17). There was a positive correlation between the food risk associated with CVD by children and mothers when their consumption was 4 times/wk(P = 0.049; r = 0.516) or daily(P = 0.000008; r = 0.892).CONCLUSION Analyzed children showed high rates of physical inactivity, high serum cholesterol levels and high consumption of food associated with risk for CVD and renal disease. Changes in habits should be encouraged early in kindergarten.

Preliminary Study on Biological Control of Cyclops of Zooplankton in Drinking Water Source

An ecological project called fish biomanipulation, other than the conventional fishery culture technique, was put forward in this paper for the excess propagation control of Cyclops. The control effects on Cyclops of four species of fish were investigated experimentally at stocking density of 30 g per cubic meter of water. The experimental results showed that the food habit of the fish had significant influence on the biological control of Cyclops. The propagation of Cyclops could be controlled effectively and also the water quality was improved simultaneously by stocking the filter-feeding fishes, such as silver carp and bighead carp. Whereas, herbivorous Ctenopharyugodon idellus and omnivorous Cyprinus carpio had no obvious biological effects on controlling the growth of Cyclops and restoring water quality. The results further proved that under condition of proper poly-culture density of silver carp and bighead carp, the number of Cyclops might be controlled at very low level and the eutrophication might be abated by removing the nutrients from water body.

Interspecific Differences in Diet between Introduced Red-eared Sliders and Native Turtles in China

Although the alien Red-eared slider （Trachemys scripta elegans） is generally argued as an invasive species that competes with native turtles, the field evidence on its diet is controversial. Field studies conducted at the Gutian Nature Reserve of Guangdong and along the Wanquan River in Hainan, China show that T. s. elegans is an opportunitic omnivore, consuming a wide variety of food items. Consumption varies throughout its range; more plant material is consumed in Guangdong, compared to a more carnivorous diet in Hainan; and juveniles are also found to have a more carnivorous diet than adults. This implies a high adaptability to new environment. Sympatrie native Mauremys sinensis shows a more herbivorous diet and a narrower niche breadth （0.0260） in Hainan, plus a low niche overlap （0.3048） with T. s. elegans, providing a potential empty niche for the invasive T. s. elegans. Red-eared slider is also known to consume large quantities of native prey species to disrupt the ecological balance. It is imperative to understand the invasive nature of this species and the mechanisms by which it affects native ecology.

Seasonal diet of the Great Spotted Woodpecker(Picoides major) in shelterwood plantations of Wulate Qianqi County,Inner Mongolia

The feeding habits of the Great Spotted Woodpecker （Picoides major） were surveyed by field observations and trace checking from 2005 to 2007, in Wulate Qianqi County, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, during which the woodpecker performed fourteen types of foraging techniques. Pecking and hammering were most common in winter; gleaning and probing were most common at times of high food availability at the trunk and tree branches during the breeding season and in summer. The woodpecker gleans arthropods and insect larvae in the breeding season and summer, seeds and nuts mainly in the winter and pokes holes for sap-sucking in winter. The main diet consisted of arthropods and plant seeds. The diet was significantly different between seasons The Great Spotted Woodpecker primarily consumes defoliators and the food on tree trunks from March to October. The contribution of wood borers to the diet was higher in winter, lower in the breeding season and summer. The proportion of the food on ground was small in the breeding season and high in the Summer and winter.