Predation risk is one of the most important selective forces in nature and has significant effects on the behavior and physiology of prey individuals.Prey species have evolved several different traits to reduce and av...Predation risk is one of the most important selective forces in nature and has significant effects on the behavior and physiology of prey individuals.Prey species have evolved several different traits to reduce and avoid this predation pressure.This research aimed to determine the behavioral and physiological responses of striped field mice to predator risk.In the present study,we compared the agonistic behavior in male and female striped field mice(Apodemus agrarius Pallas,1771)of the same sexes under the odor derived from a male Himalayan weasel(Mustela sibirica).Dyads were subjected to 5 min staged encounters in neutral arenas once a week for 3 weeks during which agonistic and social behaviors were recorded and fecal hormone concentrations were determined using pre-column derivatization and high performance liquid chromatography methods.Furthermore,we also tested the effects of weasel odor on the adrenal glands.The results showed that:(i)male striped field mice did not exhibit any change in body weight and physiological characteristics but their aggressive behavior changed over time,and(ii)females responded to predation risk by significantly decreasing body mass and through increases in fecal cortisol levels and adrenal gland indices.These data show significant sex differences in the body weight,adrenal gland indices and fecal cortisol levels of striped field mouse under predation risk.展开更多
本文研究了中国大陆东部地区黑线姬鼠的形态差异,根据鼠体背部黑线的清晰度和背部毛色以及某些外形性状的差异系数,提出中国东部地区黑线姬鼠可分为2个亚种,即东北亚种A. agrarius. manchuricus和长江亚种A. a. ningpoensis。原华亚种A....本文研究了中国大陆东部地区黑线姬鼠的形态差异,根据鼠体背部黑线的清晰度和背部毛色以及某些外形性状的差异系数,提出中国东部地区黑线姬鼠可分为2个亚种,即东北亚种A. agrarius. manchuricus和长江亚种A. a. ningpoensis。原华亚种A. a. pallidior从分类特征上看,其秦岭、淮河以北地区的应归入东北亚种,其南的应属长江亚种。东北与长江亚种分界线大致与中国动物地理区划中的古北界和东洋界在我国东部的分界线相一致。展开更多
基金This research was financially supported by the National Basic Research Program of China(No.2007CB109106).
文摘Predation risk is one of the most important selective forces in nature and has significant effects on the behavior and physiology of prey individuals.Prey species have evolved several different traits to reduce and avoid this predation pressure.This research aimed to determine the behavioral and physiological responses of striped field mice to predator risk.In the present study,we compared the agonistic behavior in male and female striped field mice(Apodemus agrarius Pallas,1771)of the same sexes under the odor derived from a male Himalayan weasel(Mustela sibirica).Dyads were subjected to 5 min staged encounters in neutral arenas once a week for 3 weeks during which agonistic and social behaviors were recorded and fecal hormone concentrations were determined using pre-column derivatization and high performance liquid chromatography methods.Furthermore,we also tested the effects of weasel odor on the adrenal glands.The results showed that:(i)male striped field mice did not exhibit any change in body weight and physiological characteristics but their aggressive behavior changed over time,and(ii)females responded to predation risk by significantly decreasing body mass and through increases in fecal cortisol levels and adrenal gland indices.These data show significant sex differences in the body weight,adrenal gland indices and fecal cortisol levels of striped field mouse under predation risk.
文摘本文研究了中国大陆东部地区黑线姬鼠的形态差异,根据鼠体背部黑线的清晰度和背部毛色以及某些外形性状的差异系数,提出中国东部地区黑线姬鼠可分为2个亚种,即东北亚种A. agrarius. manchuricus和长江亚种A. a. ningpoensis。原华亚种A. a. pallidior从分类特征上看,其秦岭、淮河以北地区的应归入东北亚种,其南的应属长江亚种。东北与长江亚种分界线大致与中国动物地理区划中的古北界和东洋界在我国东部的分界线相一致。
